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The male subject was at least fifteen years Lucy’s senior, who was currently motioning Jacob to move forward, limited though his steps may be in such restraints. It was evident that the male corrections officer had been on the job a little too long. He was lax in his responsibilities, and that would pose a problem for the facility sometime in the future…though not by Jacob.
He had his own plans that he’d spent months working on, including several different scenarios with modified outcomes based on actions taken. His baby sister had the potential to take him by surprise every so often, and he needed to stay multiple steps ahead of anything she had enough influence to affect. He was confident with the various measures that he’d put into place before he’d walked into FBI headquarters. The confused expressions and emotional responses of numerous agents had given Jacob great pleasure at the time.
Still, Brook leaving the FBI to start a private consulting firm had been quite a shock. So little had the ability to do that to him these days. Of course, such a decision was one that had him questioning his sister’s motives.
Jacob liked it better when she went about her days in somewhat of a haze, believing that she would eventually get the best of him. It was almost as if there were various versions of his sister—the private woman who had given an interview on national television to talk about their childhood, the conformist who had up and quit working for a prestigious federal agency, and the noncommittal individual who had shown an interest in what could possibly turn into an intimate relationship.
Where was the beloved sister who he had checked in on from time to time?
Brook seemed to have the opinion that she could be like those other women.
Women who believed that they lived perfect lives.
Women like Sarah Evanston.
“Stop.”
The directive came from the male federal corrections officer, and Jacob followed the command. He wouldn’t make their jobs harder than necessary. There were benefits to being a model prisoner…benefits that he could use at a later date.
Besides, it wasn’t as if he would be in prison for long, anyway.
All that was required on his part was patience, and he had that in abundance. He simply needed to wait for all the pieces that he’d maneuvered to gradually fall into place. The first had already been triggered upon the news of his arrest, and the second was about to come to fruition.
Lucy opened one of the numerous doors and walked through it.
She eventually motioned for Jacob to follow suit.
The sterile room had a metallic odor, presumably from the table and chairs that were the only pieces of furniture in the small space. Embedded into the table was an eyebolt that would secure the chain links connected to the cuffs around his wrists after they were released from the hook connecting them to his restraint belt. He complied with the unspoken request that he take a seat on the appropriate side of the table. Once Lucy had gone through the motions, Lucy then did the same to the restraints around his ankles so that they were secured to the D-Ring bolted to the floor.
Jacob slowly smiled to display his appreciation for such a job well done, not that Lucy took it as such. She guardedly backed up and joined her colleague near the door that he’d closed to shut them inside.
Jacob didn’t mind the company.
He found delight in their differences.
The faint sound of a lock disengaging somewhere close by had his gaze being drawn to a door that was directly in front of him. For the first time in over two decades, he was about to come face-to-face with his baby sister.
Granted, he’d checked up on her from time to time over the years. He’d bought her gifts and left them for her to find on her nightstand, just to keep her on her toes. It had always been a source of amusement for him to antagonize her when they’d been younger.
Her favorite series had been Harry Potter, so it had only seemed appropriate that he recognize one of the few pastimes that she seemed to enjoy in life. It might have taken her awhile to figure out why he’d strayed from his usual gift, but she would understand soon enough. The second book in the series symbolized another story, all the while maintaining the same narrative.
The door had yet to open, but he could envision his sister standing on the other side of the barrier as she took a moment to compose herself. Was her heart pounding painfully hard against her chest? Was the blood flowing faster inside her veins? Apprehension had a way of doing that to a person.
Most of all, he wondered if she could remain indifferent throughout their upcoming discussion. It was doubtful that she would allow emotions to get in the way of their bittersweet feud.
He so enjoyed their sibling rivalry.
The door finally opened, revealing a woman who he had come to greatly admire. She was a fighter, and he found amusement in her newfound zest for a life that he would never allow her to have as long as he walked this earth.
She was also breathtakingly beautiful, much like their mother.
Brook’s long black hair had been pulled to one side, allowing the silky strands to rest against the left lapel of her suit jacket. She exuded confidence as she pulled out the chair opposite him, and he searched her blue eyes for any sign that such self-assurance was a façade. As she gracefully took a seat, he caught the faint scent of jasmine.
Such a sweet, sweet fragrance.
He leaned slightly forward while monitoring her reaction, impressed by his sister’s stoic expression. She didn’t even flinch. Pride filled his chest, and he finally parted his lips and spoke the words that would no doubt trigger a memory from so long ago.
“Hello, Brooklyn. It’s been awhile.”
~ The End ~
