“Are you here to talk to her?” Brit asked.
“I need to know why she killed them.”
“Give me one second.” Brit stepped away, called Detective Cardoso.
Nikki answered. “Detective Cardoso.”
“It’s Jules Marshall,” Brit said. “Liliana Krause’s daughter and husband are in the lobby. She might be willing to talk to them. Do you want to bring them up?”
“It’s worth a try. Be right down.” Nikki hung up.
Brit walked back over to Honor. “Detective Cardoso said you can talk to her.”
Jordan ran a hand through his windblown hair. “You go. I can’t even look at her anymore.”
Honor regarded Brit. “You’re coming with me, aren’t you?”
“No,” Brit replied. “I’m not.”
“I drove out to the cult today,” Honor said. “I asked Craig if I could kick off my book release there.” A brief smile touched her eyes. “He said yes. I was shocked, but so excited. Then, I come back here to find out my mother is a serial killer. How am I supposed to get past that?” Tears filled her eyes again.
Jordan stood, put a comforting arm around her. “Honor, you’ve worked very, very hard on your book. You were so proud of yourself for going out there alone, and speaking to that nut job.”
Honor cracked a smile.
“You shouldn’t postpone this just because of your mother.” He gave her a little hug.
“Okay, you’re right,” Honor replied. “I have to move on with my life. I deserve that, don’t I?”
“Absolutely, you do,” Jordan replied.
When Nikki entered the lobby, Brit stepped away to speak privately with her.
“I’m heading back to the Krause’s while Jordan and Honor are here with you,” Brit explained.
“I’ll let you know if the suspect says anything,” Nikki said.
Brit explained that Detective Cardoso would bring Honor up. Outside, she breathed in the cold, winter air. As she hurried to her vehicle, she opened her water bottle, drained it empty.
As she drove back to the Krause’s home, she thought about how Rebel would take their baby news.
Will he be excited? Angry?
She hadn’t fully processed being pregnant. The arrest had hijacked her thoughts all evening.
Breathing deep, she tried letting go of the tension holding her back muscles prisoner. The breathing helped calm her, helped her realize that while these people were blood relatives, they were strangers to her. She’d built a life she loved. She loved her new job at ALPHA, loved that she’d pulled a violent criminal off the streets.
She loved Rebel too. Wasn’t that enough?
Beyond any of that, she was flat-out terrified of being a mom. No matter what happened between her and Rebel, she knew he would be an amazing dad.
“I know one thing for sure.” She laid a protective hand on her tummy as she parked in front of the Krause’s. “I won’teverleave you, my tiny pea baby.”
Courage, determination, and confidence filled her soul.
At the front door, she snapped on gloves, covered her boots in disposable shoes guards, pulled her hair into a bun, and knocked on the front door.
After opening it, she called out, “Agent Marshall, FBI. Are you here, Agent Jones?”
