Chapter 12

San Francisco, CA - 2022

Agent Carl Dunbar sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Two months on the Blackwater case, and they were nowhere closer to finding her abductor. They'd just cleared every ranch hand as suspects, and the investigation was starting to feel like a dead end.

No footprints around the scene, no signs of struggle, no evidence on the victim's body besides a mysterious scar she couldn't explain. What really baffled him was the footage from the film company. An entire week of filming before her disappearance, no suspicious figure lurking in the shadows, He watched hours of footage and there was nothing to see but a carefree and spirited young woman with no idea what was coming.

The pressure was mounting. The FBI director demanded answers, the media was relentless, and his superiors were breathing down his neck. This was a high-profile case, and they'd already poured a ton of resources into finding her when she first went missing. Now, they were back to square one, with the added weight of a potential crime hanging heavy in the air.

"Ms. Blackwater?" He began, clearing his throat to get her attention.

"Yes?" Halona replied, her voice laced with apprehension.

"Special Agent Dunbar."

"Did you catch him?" Her voice held a tremor of hope.

"No, I'm afraid not," Dunbar apologized. "We cleared everyone at the farm and just wanted to let you know we're following up on every lead."

Halona's brow furrowed. "Farm?"

"Yes, ma'am. A farmworker at a farm in San Juan Capistrano found you and called the police."

"What?" She repeated, bewildered. Why hadn't anyone told her this before? "A farm in San Juan? This doesn't make sense."

Dunbar sighed. "Honestly, there's a lot about this case that doesn't make much sense."

"Can I go there and see it for myself? Maybe something might jog my memory?"

"We can arrange that." He flipped through his calendar. "When would you be available to fly into LA?"

"I can clear my schedule and be there this week," Halona said with a glint in her eyes.

"Wednesday work for you?"

"I'll be at your office at nine," she confirmed.

"Sounds good, Ms. Blackwater." He scribbled a note on his pad.

As soon as Halona hung up, Sydney, her assistant, expressed her concern. "You sure this is a good idea?"

Halona shook her head, her expression resolute. "No, but I need answers."

"Want me to come with you?" Sydney offered.

"No, I'll be fine," Halona reassured her, forcing a smile. She placed her coffee cup down. The truth was, she didn't want anyone with her. When Agent Dunbar mentioned a farm in San Juan Capistrano, her stomach lurched. Were they right? Did she subconsciously piece together fragments of information she picked up while drugged to create those vivid dreams? How else could she have ended up on a farm – a farm in the very same place she dreamt of living?

Pushing those anxieties aside, Halona focused on the facts. "Besides, I need you to handle some staffing issues here. Being gone for a month, most of the services I had are on hold. We need to find a pool guy, a housekeeper – make sure they're bonded and have good references. And the landscaping company I used moved to the East Bay, so the lawn and backyard look like a jungle."

"Consider it done," Sydney said, diligently taking notes on her iPad.

"Thanks," Halona said gratefully.

Sydney paused, her gaze filled with worry. "Halona, be careful, okay?"

"I will," Halona promised, pulling Sydney into a hug and planting a kiss on her cheek. "I'm just going to pack a bag."

Sydney chuckled. "Just one?"

Halona winked. "Yeah, I'm roughing it," she teased, a hint of nervousness masked by her playful demeanor.