Page 33 of Echoes of Sin
“Your birthday isn’t until December,” Theo commented as he gestured toward the small gift box that she’d set on her nightstand. “Did I miss some holiday?”
“You know that you didn’t miss any holiday,” Brook said good-naturedly as she grabbed the keys to the SUV that they’d rented over a month ago. She’d have to allocate the expense properly between cases when the time came. “Graham sent me a keycard.”
“You mean, a hotel keycard?”
“Considering the pink flower printed on both sides of the access card, I’d say it was more symbolic.” Brook stood in the middle of the room as she stared at the square giftbox with torn emotions. “Graham wants us to take a four-day weekend somewhere on a private tropical island.”
Theo leaned back against the wall. He’d become her sounding board, and vice versa. She was still quite awkward when it came to these talks, but it wasn’t like she could call her therapist at six o’clock in the morning, two o’clock at night, or whenever her thoughts began to spiral out of control.
“I’m still getting used to…” Brook was at a loss for words, so she made a circle with her right hand. “All of this.”
“Having a life?”
Brook shot Theo a glare, but he simply laughed it off.
“I’m serious.” Brook glanced down at the ring that Graham had given her last Christmas, and she twisted the outer band in contemplation. The worry ring had signified his knowledge of her most intimate fears. “I’m not sure I know how to do anything other than work. I’m not sure I can be someone who can take time out for herself. Is it possible to change?”
“Is it possible foryouto change?” Theo clarified, because they both had come face to face with murderers who would never be able stop until they’d taken their last breath. It was all in their wiring, just as it was with Jacob. She’d often asked herself the nature versus nurture question, and she’d yet to find the answer. “Yes, you can change the way you view life. You didn’t start out as a sister who would become dedicated to the righting the wrongs committed by her older brother.”
“But thatiswho I am,” Brook murmured as she released the ring to get a better grip on her gloves and keys. She met Theo’s stare. “Jacob might be behind bars, but you and I both know that he doesn’t intend to stay there. Bit mentioned that Sarah Evanston broke the protocol of her witness protection deal. She called her mother, which means that it’s only a matter of time before she opts out of the program. It’s what Jacob wanted all along, and he’s about to get his wish if I can’t somehow convince Sarah’s mother to stop her daughter from making such a destructive decision.”
“And you’ve put yourself in a position to monitor your brother on a daily basis,” Theo pointed out as he tightened the cap on his protein drink. “You’ve also got a team under your employment, friends who care for you so much that they worry youwillwork yourself to death, and the start of a relationship with a man who just so happens to come with some baggage himself. All in all, I’d say it’s okay to take a few days away from all the responsibility. Let’s face it. We all know that you’ve never taken a vacation in your life. Don’t tell me that you don’t want to know what it feels like to lay on a beach while soaking up the warm rays from the sun and being served those tropical drinks with those tiny fancy umbrellas. Hell, I might have actually talked myself into a singles cruise.”
Brook let out a small laugh, because she knew for a fact that Theo would never be caught dead on a singles cruise. He had made some very good points, but she still needed time to think Graham’s proposal over. They were in the middle of an investigation, and there was no telling how long that it would drag out. If nothing came to light in a few weeks, they would return to D.C., but the case would remain open with team members making occasional trips to and from North Carolina for the foreseeable future.
“I should get going,” Brook said as she tucked her gloves in the pocket opposite of the one that she’d stored her phone. “Otto didn’t say why he wanted me to meet him over at the B&B. I’m going to be late as it is.”
Theo nodded, but he stopped just inside the connecting doorway.
“I’m going to speak with Riggs, Jace, and Dominic this morning,” Theo said before she could turn exit her room. He usually didn’t feel the need to give her specific details on his fieldwork. His following statement gave light to the reason. “You mentioned that we’re looking for someone on the list of people who joined the search parties, but that includes every park ranger that’s assigned to this area. I just thought you’d want a heads up that you’ll be receiving a phone call or two later today after I speak with some park rangers—including Hal Eggers.”
“We both know that we’re not here to make friends, Theo.” Brook wasn’t a stranger to those types of phone calls. In fact, the team wouldn’t be doing their jobs if such communication was nonexistent. “We’re here to stop a killer.”
Chapter Fourteen
Brooklyn Sloane
October 2023
Monday — 6:51am
Theredandbluelights that danced across the porch of the hikers’ retreat in a mesmerizing pattern disrupted what should have been a peaceful morning. The vibrant hues flickered over the dark wood, causing the pumpkins and the cornstalks to appear as if they were in motion.
The moment Brook stepped out of the SUV, she caught the subtle hint of anticipation that lingered in the air. Not even the birds were singing their morning melodies. She figured that had a lot to do with two reporters standing off to the side with their news camera crews. She tamped down her irritation over the fact that Otto had withheld vital information from her.
It didn’t take long for Brook to ascend the porch stairs and walk across the wooden planks. She pulled open the screen door and was greeted by the delicious aroma of coffee. The fact that a deputy was standing at the foot of the staircase told her that she probably wouldn’t be enjoying a cup.
“Brooklyn Sloane.”
She had pulled out her credentials, but the deputy didn’t seem to be too caught up in formality. He titled his head toward the stairs. She’d already taken notice of the fact that Mauve and Kirk were in the dining room with five other individuals, none of whom were Kim or Denise Breen. They’d contacted Brook on Saturday night to inform her that they were catching an early flight out yesterday morning, so she highly doubted that whatever had taken place at Hiker’s Haven had anything to do with the Breen family.
Mauve wasn’t hiding her displeasure of seeing Brook again, and Kirk was simply avoiding her stare. Brook had mentioned to Theo earlier that they weren’t in town to make friends, but she understood his concern about questioning Riggs, Dominic, and Jace. The three of them had given their time voluntarily, and their upcoming interviews would undoubtedly notify them on their position within the investigation.
Muffled voices could be heard coming from the only room that had its door open. She listened closely as she slowly took one step at a time. While Otto had kept her in the dark, she’d caught enough of the subdued conversation to know that another woman had gone missing. She’d wait to alert the team until she had more details, but they were already stretched thin.
Brook also didn’t want to jump to conclusions. If she were to base the timeline off Helen Beckham, Carissa Norman, and Luna Breen, years had passed between their abductions and subsequent murders. While a lot of the evidence would take weeks and months to process by forensics, lab results should be given soon on any possible DNA matches from the site discovered by Riggs and Sylvie.
“…gone. It was like she simply vanished into thin air.”