Chapter 6: A Warning
Reid's heart raced as he stared at the figure that had stepped out of the shadows. For a moment, the world around him blurred, and all he could focus on was the glint of something metallic in the dim light. But before he could react, the figure raised a hand, palms out. "Wait! I'm not here to hurt you!"
As the person stepped closer, Reid's eyes adjusted to the faint light, revealing a young woman with wide, anxious eyes. "I'm sorry; I thought you were someone else," she said, glancing nervously between Reid and Elliot. "I was just looking for something."
"Who are you?" Reid demanded, his voice low and guarded. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm... I'm a friend of Elliot's. I came to see if he was alright," she stammered, her voice trembling. "But I didn't know anyone else would be here."
Reid studied her for a moment, assessing her body language and the fear radiating from her. "What's your name?" he pressed.
"Sarah," she replied. "Sarah Mitchell."
Elliot's expression softened as he recognized her. "Sarah? What are you doing here?"
"I heard about Rachel," she said, her voice breaking. "I got an anonymous tip about something, but I didn't know if I should believe it. I thought coming here might help."
Reid's instincts kicked in. "What kind of tip?" he asked, his tone sharp.
"I was told someone is watching you, Reid," Sarah whispered, her eyes darting around the room as if expecting someone to jump out from the shadows. "They said to be careful."
Reid's gut twisted at her words. Someone was watching him. He had felt it too, a creeping sensation that had lingered since the investigation began. "Did you see who it was?" he pressed, leaning in closer.
"No," she admitted, shaking her head. "Just that they knew about you—what you were digging into."
The implications of her warning sank in. Reid felt a mix of unease and determination. He had to be vigilant, not just for himself but for everyone involved. As Sarah's presence filled the room with an unexpected tension, he turned to Elliot. "We need to figure out what this means."
Elliot's expression was pensive as he processed the information. "Perhaps this is a sign that we need to look deeper into my past works," he suggested, his voice steady. "My novels have always explored the darker sides of humanity—things that society prefers to keep hidden. If someone is watching you, they might be linked to the stories I've told."
Reid considered this, his mind racing through Elliot's previous books. "Are there any specific stories that might relate to unsolved crimes?"
Elliot nodded slowly, his gaze distant as he recalled the narratives. "There's one in particular—'The Echo of Lies.' It's about a woman who disappears after revealing a secret about a powerful figure in her life. The story took inspiration from a real case in the town where I used to live."
Reid felt a chill run down his spine. "What happened in that case?"
"The woman was never found. They presumed she was murdered, but no one ever discovered the truth," Elliot said, his voice heavy with the weight of his memories. "I often wonder if that case could have been solved if someone had taken the time to dig into the connections. It feels like the past and present are tangled up together."
Reid's mind raced, connecting dots that had previously felt unrelated. Could the echoes of Elliot's stories be coming to life? He had to know more. "Do you still have any research or notes about that case?"
Elliot hesitated, his eyes narrowing. "I might, but it's buried under years of clutter. I can show you, but... it might not be safe to linger here too long."
Before Reid could respond, a loud crash reverberated from the front of the house, jolting them both. "What was that?" Sarah shrieked, fear etched across her face.
"Stay here," Reid commanded, instinctively reaching for his weapon again.
He exchanged a glance with Elliot, whose expression had turned grim. "We need to check it out," Reid said, his voice firm.
As they moved toward the front of the house, Reid felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him. Whatever awaited them beyond those walls could be a warning, or perhaps a revelation that linked the present to the dark past that had haunted Elliot Vance for so long. With every step, Reid's heart pounded, and he knew that the truth was closer than ever—yet so was danger.