JACOB -

"What would you say their relationship is like? What was Elena like? From an outsider perspective."

She fidgets, its clear as day that she's extremely nervous. The older woman reminds me a bit of my grandmother and I make a mental note to take it easy on her, I would never want any member of my family in this position. Being questioned was stressful.

Yet, my brother Harry was in that exact predicament.

"W-well she was always very sweet to me. If she saw me gardening she'd offer to help or bring me something to drink. I'm all alone now, my husband passed away two years ago, so having her around was good for me."

Her eyes begin to tear up and I have nothing but empathy for her. "I never liked that man she's with. I saw him yell at her so many times, i'd always tell her she was beautiful and deserved someone better. Oh, I don't know. I just always had a bad feeling."

I write a some of these things down. Everyone who I've spoken to gives me similar answers, but they're not anything solid. Maybe i'm just asking the wrong questions.

"Mrs. Herring, everything you say will not leave this room. If there's anything you know, please tell us. We just want to find her."

She shifts uncomfortably. "I have this... I think he was beating her. She had a big bruise on her cheek bone and she said she had ran into an open cupboard door."

This was news to me. This would be useful.

A part of me felt guilty. I had liked Elena since we both volunteered at the homeless shelter. Year after year I'd see her at church or doing something in town and just thought, what if I could make her happy?

I saw her for the last time at the fair. I remember her sitting alone on the ferris wheel and smiling down, but her eyes were still so sad.

If only I had known.

"Any other suspicious behavior? Did she ever go to you for help?"

"She did sleep over once or twice. I really liked that because she was very helpful to me and God knows I can't really move around so well anymore, Elena would always help me."

"Did you ever hear arguments between them?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, once. I was outside with my grandkids and they were arguing outside," she coughs, "well, he was yelling at her."

I take a deep breath. "About?"

"Ah, I remember. He was telling her she couldn't do something. I don't remember what. She had run into the house very upset and when I went to check on her, she told me they were just going through couple stuff."

"Mrs. Herring, what do you think they were fighting about?"

"Maybe her leaving the house. It seemed like she never went anywhere unless it was with Zayn."