THE SILENT WITNESS

CHAPTER 2: THE UNIDENTIFIED VICTIM

The morning sun cast a pale light over the police station as Jameson sat at his desk, staring at the victim's photo on his computer screen. The image had been sent to Missing Persons, but so far, no matches had been found. Jameson's team was working to identify the young woman, but every lead seemed to end in a dead-end.

Rodriguez walked in, a cup of coffee in hand. "Anything new?" she asked, nodding towards the screen.

"Nothing yet," Jameson replied, rubbing his temples. "I'm starting to think she might not have been reported missing."

Rodriguez frowned. "That's possible. Some people don't have family or friends who would notice they're gone."

Jameson's phone rang, breaking the silence. He answered, listening intently as the caller spoke. After a brief conversation, he hung up.

"What is it?" Rodriguez asked.

"The ME's office called. They found something interesting on the victim's clothing," Jameson said, his eyes narrowing. "A small piece of fabric caught in her jacket zipper. It doesn't match her clothes, but it might match something in the system."

Rodriguez's eyes lit up. "Could be our first break in the case."

Jameson nodded. "Let's get it processed and see if we get a hit. I want to know who this victim was and what she was doing in those woods."

As they waited for the lab results, Jameson couldn't shake the feeling that the victim's identity was just the tip of the iceberg. There were secrets hidden in those woods, and Jameson was determined to uncover them.