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An old well could be seen a short distance away.
No doubt that was the location where he’d disposed of the bodies. The place was far enough away that any foul odor from decomposition three years ago wouldn’t have caught anyone’s attention or been dismissed as an animal that had fallen down the well. As for Jenny Capshaw, the frigid temperatures would have kept her corpse from decomposing inside the well regardless.
“Beau, your only chance to make sure that Amelia has learned her lesson is to live. I need you to slowly release the grip on your knife.” Brook kept her gaze trained center of the man’s body. One of his boots was currently pointed toward Amelia, and the other was facing Brook’s direction. He was torn, and it was the way in which his eyes narrowed in defiance of his situation that had her bracing for the snap decision she would inevitably be forced to make in the coming moments. “You want to be here to see your message delivered, right? The only way you’ll get that satisfaction is to release Amelia and slowly drop your knife on the ground.”
Beau Willow’s arm shifted enough to display his intent, and she acted in accordance with her training without hesitation.
Brook squeezed the trigger of her weapon three times. Two shots were targeted to the center mass of his chest, and the last one aimed at the center of his head.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Brooklyn Sloane
February 2023
Thursday — 7:29pm
Theceiling-mountedtracklightingof the new art studio provided the large room with a balanced illumination, allowing for the display cases of the paintings to be highlighted in their own brilliance. There was a slight odor of fresh paint hanging in the air that had nothing to do with the various pieces of art painted by the student artists. Those enrolled in the art program had each donated a sample of their work for the grand opening to honor Kelsey Marie Elliott.
The studio had been arranged more like an art gallery, though Brook suspected it was only for the purpose of this evening’s event.
Light jazz music had been chosen to drift through the speakers on a very low setting, allowing those in attendance to carry on private conversations. Hors-d’oeuvres and flutes of champagne were being carried around on trays by servers dressed appropriately for a black-tie affair. A large easel had been placed near the entrance that featured a charcoal sketch of Kelsey, which Brook learned had been drawn by Elizabeth.
“I didn’t realize that your mother was also an artist,” Brook murmured as Graham finally joined her. His signature cologne was like a warm embrace. She’d arrived five minutes ago, but she hadn’t wanted to interrupt his conversation with a small group of people on the far side of the studio. As promised, he hadn’t argued with her decision to arrive alone. “She’s very talented.”
“Yes, she is,” Graham replied with a small smile. He regarded Brook with curiosity before casting a glance toward the host. Elizabeth Elliott was definitely in her element, even eliciting a laugh from an older, distinguished gentleman who was clearly enamored with the beautiful woman. “How did you know that my mother was the artist?”
“The two Es that are linked together in the bottom righthand corner.”
Graham captured two flutes of champagne from one of the trays being carried around, handing one to her as he regarded her with skepticism.
“Your gaze didn’t travel down that far on the canvas to notice those initials.”
Brook hid a smile of her own as she took a sip of the bubbly beverage. It was a hell of a lot smoother than her preferred cheap Moscato, so she wouldn’t complain.
“Were you anticipating my arrival, General Elliott?”
Brook didn’t reveal that she’d paused right outside the front entrance to ensure her composure. The glass doors had been coated with a tint to prevent natural sunlight from streaming into the studio. She’d paused to the right of the doors to get her bearings and run through the speech that she’d worked on to turn down Elizabeth’s request.
There were several reasons why it wouldn’t be a good idea for Brook to take on more responsibility in her daily life. Unfortunately, Elizabeth might not be so understanding of Brook’s plight.
“Yes.”
Graham’s direct response to Brook’s question drew her gaze to his, and her breath caught at the back of her throat. His rich brown eyes had turned a shade darker, if that was even possible.
Had he been any other man, Brook would have taken him up on his offer.
Sex was a perfect remedy for all the stress that she’d endured this past month, but he wanted something more than a casual encounter. It was the reason she’d been keeping him at arm’s length, but he’d proven that he was extremely patient. Even she could sense that he was chipping away at her formidable barriers.
“With everything that happened yesterday, I wasn’t sure that you’d be joining me this evening,” Graham said, shifting their conversation to another topic that probably wasn’t the best to discuss in this type of setting, either. “I would have understood if you’d canceled.”
“I’m not so sure that your mother would have felt the same,” Brook replied wryly, relaxing somewhat now that the emotionally charged moment had come to an end. She was back on solid ground, regardless that she was wearing three-inch heels. The black evening gown that she’d chosen was made from formfitting, organza fabric that accentuated her figure. The draped material exposed her back, but the long sleeves kept her warm enough. “Plus, I needed a break from the paperwork. Our partnership with the FBI on this investigation came with a lot of bureaucratic forms, most of them completely unnecessary. Still, my eyesight was blurring by three o’clock this afternoon.”
Brook ignored the vibrations of her cell phone. She’d slid it into her clutch purse before exiting her car. Not wanting to walk around unarmed, especially with Jacob somewhere in the city, she’d strapped a small caliber weapon to the inside of her thigh.
“Congratulations on closing another case.”
“I’m just grateful that we arrived in time to save Amelia Jennings from being thrown down that well with the rest of his victims. Theo and Sylvie spent all morning and most of the afternoon out on the Willow’s property. It will take days for the forensics team to process the crime scene, from the interior of the cabin to the old well. Six remains were pulled up, but only Jenny Capshaw’s body was intact. The others were basically skeletal remains due to decomposition, so it will take some time to properly identify the remains so the families can claim them for proper burials.”
