As Emma, Jack, and Mia left Margaret Wilson's house, the weight of their new discovery pressed heavily upon them. The mention of Rachel's biological father being potentially volatile introduced a new and dangerous element to their investigation. They needed to learn more about him and determine if he had any connection to Rachel's death.
The drive back to Westwood was quiet, each of them lost in their thoughts. Emma broke the silence first. "We need to find out who Rachel's biological father is. If he's as volatile as Margaret said, he could be dangerous."
Jack nodded, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Agreed. But how do we find him? Margaret didn't give us much to go on."
Mia, who had been silently contemplating, spoke up. "Maybe we should talk to Detective Harper. If Rachel's biological father is a threat, the police need to know."
Emma hesitated. "We need to be careful about what we share. We don't want to jeopardize our investigation or scare Margaret."
They arrived at Emma's house and settled into her living room, where they often brainstormed and shared ideas. Emma retrieved Rachel's journal and placed it on the coffee table, the pages still marked with their notes and observations.
Jack pulled out his laptop, searching for any information on Margaret Wilson that might lead them to Rachel's father. "Margaret said she was young when she had Rachel, right? Maybe there's a public record of the father's name somewhere."
Mia nodded, thinking aloud. "If we can find out where Margaret lived back then, maybe we can find some clues. School records, old friends, anything that could point us in the right direction."
Emma opened the journal again, scanning for any entries that might provide more context. She paused on a page where Rachel had written about feeling watched and followed.
*September 20th*
*Everywhere I go, I feel eyes on me. I'm not just being paranoid—I know someone is out there. I wish I knew who they were and what they wanted. I've been extra careful, but I'm scared. What if they know about Margaret? What if they know more than I do?*
Emma read the entry aloud, her voice trembling slightly. "Rachel was scared. Whoever was following her might have known about her search for Margaret."
Jack glanced up from his laptop. "I found something. There's a mention of Margaret Wilson in an old yearbook from a high school in a nearby town. It's from around the time she would have been in school."
Mia leaned over to look at the screen. "That's a start. Let's see if we can find any mention of Rachel's father in the same records."
They spent the next few hours digging through old yearbooks, public records, and social media, piecing together Margaret's past. It was tedious work, but they finally found a lead—a name mentioned alongside Margaret in several school events and activities: David Lang.
Emma's heart skipped a beat. "David Lang. That must be Rachel's biological father."
Jack quickly searched for any current information on David Lang. "He still lives in the area. He has a record—mostly minor offenses, but there's a history of aggression."
Mia frowned. "We need to be careful. If he's dangerous, confronting him directly could be risky."
Emma nodded, her mind racing. "Let's start by gathering more information. Maybe we can find out if he knew about Rachel and if he has any connection to her death."
---
The next day, Emma, Jack, and Mia decided to visit the local library to search through newspaper archives and public records for more information on David Lang. They hoped to find something that would connect him to Rachel or explain his potential involvement in her death.
As they sat at a table surrounded by stacks of old newspapers, Mia scanned the articles for any mention of David Lang. "There's a lot about his minor run-ins with the law, but nothing that directly connects him to Rachel."
Emma sighed, feeling frustrated. "We need something concrete. There has to be a reason Rachel felt she was being followed."
Jack, who had been focused on an article, suddenly looked up. "Guys, I found something. There's an article from about six months ago mentioning David Lang being involved in a dispute over an inheritance. It seems he was trying to claim money from a relative's estate."
Mia's eyes widened. "Do you think Rachel's discovery about her biological parents could have something to do with that? Maybe she was entitled to part of the inheritance, and David didn't want her to find out."
Emma nodded slowly. "It's possible. If Rachel's search for her biological parents led her to uncover something about the inheritance, David might have seen her as a threat."
They copied down the information from the article and decided it was time to talk to Detective Harper. If David Lang was connected to Rachel's death, the police needed to be aware of it.
---
Detective Harper's office was a stark contrast to the chaotic halls of Westwood High. It was quiet and orderly, with case files neatly stacked on her desk. She looked up as Emma, Jack, and Mia entered, her expression curious but welcoming.
"Emma, Jack, Mia. What brings you here?" she asked, gesturing for them to sit.
Emma took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their discoveries. "We think we might have found a lead in Rachel's case. It's about her biological father, David Lang."
Detective Harper's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Rachel was adopted? This is new information. What have you found?"
Jack handed her the article they had found. "David Lang has a history of aggression and was recently involved in a dispute over an inheritance. We think Rachel might have discovered something that threatened him."
Detective Harper scanned the article, her expression growing more serious. "This is significant. If Rachel's discovery about her adoption led her to something related to the inheritance, David Lang could have seen her as a threat."
Mia leaned forward, her voice urgent. "Rachel wrote in her journal that she felt like she was being followed. We think it might have been David."
Detective Harper nodded, her mind clearly working through the new information. "This could explain a lot. We'll need to investigate David Lang further. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You've done good work."
As they left the police station, Emma felt a mix of relief and apprehension. They had given the police a crucial lead, but their investigation was far from over. They needed to be vigilant and prepared for whatever came next.
---
That evening, Emma, Jack, and Mia regrouped at Emma's house to discuss their next steps. They had given the police important information, but they knew they couldn't rest until they were certain Rachel's death was fully understood and justice was served.
"We need to stay on top of this," Emma said, her voice determined. "Detective Harper will investigate David Lang, but we need to keep looking for any other clues that might help."
Jack nodded in agreement. "We should keep an eye on David, see if we can find out more about his movements and connections. But we have to be careful."
Mia added, "And we should talk to Lila again. If Rachel mentioned anything else about her search for her biological parents or the inheritance, Lila might know."
They spent the rest of the evening making a plan, their resolve stronger than ever. Rachel's death had opened up a world of secrets and dangers, but they were determined to uncover the truth. As the night grew darker, they knew they were getting closer to solving the mystery, even as the shadows of the past loomed ever larger.