Take a Breath(41)

“I will not let anything happen to you, Ana. Do you hear me? I promise I will protect you. We will catch this son of a bitch and when we do, he will be sorry he ever looked your way, let alone manage to get in this house and leave a note.”

He thinks for a minute. “I can’t understand that,” he finally said. “There is no sign of a break-in and the alarms have always been switched on when we are out which means—”

His eyes widen at the sudden realisation. He was in the house when we were.

After a few minutes of Jake cursing and me still in shock, the doorbell rings and I jump out of my skin.

“It’s okay, Ana. That will be Michael.”

He answers the door and Michael walks in with Tom and another man. They all acknowledge me briefly, but their main focus is to see this note.

Michael walks up to me and smiles. “Ana, you okay? You do know he won’t get to you, don’t you? We won’t ever let the asshole get that far.”

I manage to muster a smile and nod at him. I have every faith that they will protect me, but I can’t be watched over 24/7, and this is what frightens me.

“Ana?”

I look up to find the strange man in a suit looking down at me. He looks like he’s in his early forties, about average height, with brown hair swept back and a mole on his right cheek. He’s not bad looking and certainly has a presence about him.

“I’m Agent Andrew Marcos from the FBI. I’m investigating the Blonde Killer and I would like to ask you some questions, if I may? Can we go somewhere more quiet?”

I look to Jake and he nods his head and I nod back. I gather myself together and head toward the living room.

I sit down on the monstrous sofa with Marcos sitting across from me on the other end.

“Ana, are you ok to talk to me?”

My mind swimming with all the information Jake has made me process in the last few minutes running through my head, I’m unsure. But I must get this over with.

“Yes, I’m ok to talk.”

He nods and smiles. It’s a nice smile. Not as nice as my Jake’s, but still nice.

“I understand you’re an Analyst at Fairfax and have been involved somewhat in this case?”

I nod.

“Can you tell me what level of involvement you have had?”

I clear my throat and begin. “I was involved in investigating each case, where they happened, where he could possibly strike next. I also looked into previous cases from years ago of a similar nature to see if there was any connection from past cases to this—if anyone was caught, what time they served and who was eliminated from previous crimes. I came up with a few possibilities but this guy is smart. It’s almost as if he is watching our investigation.”

His eyebrow rose as he jots something down in his notebook.

“I’m sorry I’m going to get a bit more personal now, but could you tell me now if there is anything I need to know? Have you been involved in any relationship where you spurned someone in the last few months?”

I have to laugh at his question. Jake is the only person in my world. I’ve never let anyone else get that close. The only person I remotely let in was John and surely he would have nothing to do with this?

I shake my head.

“Is there anyone now or in the past that has pursued you in anyway? Anyone who has acted suspicious around you, made you feel uncomfortable, or has attacked you?”

I immediately tense up at his words as the memory of Alan came swimming back to me. I feel suddenly nauseous and Agent Marcos being the detective that he is notices straight away.

“Ana, you have to tell me, as this could help in nailing this asshole.”

I wince and he places a hand on mine. With a soothing voice tells me that they will do their utmost to catch him, but I must help them with whatever information I can provide. Feeling deflated I begin my story.

“Almost ten years ago I was attacked by my stepfather. He abused me for a while and shortly after my thirteenth birthday he decided to take things further. I screamed and he knocked me out. A neighbour luckily heard my screams and pulled him off me before he could take it too far. I was in hospital for a couple of days and they never caught him. My mother and I moved after that. She changed my name, and hers from Jacobs to Sinclair, which she told me was my grandmother’s maiden name. She said we needed it changed to protect me and the Police helped out as far as that was concerned. He is the only person I can think of.”

I find him scribbling away in his notebook for a minute before looking up to me.

“I’m sorry I made you bring up old memories, Ana, but you can understand this is an avenue we are going to need to explore?”

I nod my head and realise things are never going to be the same now. Everyone will know my horrible past. It’s nobody’s business but mine and mine alone. Damn that asshole for always being inside my head, even now, ten years on.