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January 2022
Wednesday — 10:05 am
IthadtakenBrooka bit longer than she'd intended to reach Derek's hotel. She'd explained to Theo the change of plans, as well as backtracking to the conference room to search for her pen. Sylvie had then stopped her in the hallway to give a bit of background information on Oliver Bynum. While he hadn't attended any of the funeral services, he had stopped in at the designated base chapel to pay his respects to the victims at the units' ceremonial eulogy. It was common, unless requested otherwise by the family, for a unit to hold a service where the unit's chaplain helped the command's personnel formally recognize the grief of losing an active duty member. It wasn't exactly how Brook had envisioned her unsub getting a front row seat to the grief of the family, but she'd already concluded that he was very meticulous in his planning.
Interestingly enough, Oliver Bynum was moving farther and farther up the suspect list to become the prime suspect of their investigation.
Brook pulled up behind one of the vehicles parked in front of the hotel, taking note of all the guests coming and going. The SUV in front of her was obviously checking in, if the amount of matching leather luggage being hauled out of the back was any indication. Two of the hotel's bellhops were aiding in the massive endeavor requiring two of the six-wheeled pushcarts, though it seemed to be slow going.
There was no sign of Derek, but Brook waited a few more moments before directing her Bluetooth system to call him. Once again, there was no answer.
A wariness began to wash over her that she was all too familiar with, and it was one that usually ended with her realizing she was on the receiving end of straight up manipulation.
"Call Theo Neville."
Brook remained in her vehicle, deciding that she wouldn't make any rash decisions, not that it was in her nature to do so. Had this been an ordinary day, and not one when they were closing in on their unsub, she would have had the valet take her vehicle so that she could go and look for Derek.
Is that what the unsub had counted on?
"I'm glad you called," Theo said in greeting. "Did you know that Oliver Bynum paid General Elliott a visit around six months ago? He—"
"Did Derek call you this morning?" Brook asked, cutting him off. She hadn't wanted to interrupt him, because his lead was one worth following up on. Unfortunately, it would have to wait until she was confident that her day wasn't about to end with her in handcuffs. "He texted me that he was going to cancel his flight due to a lead he discovered regarding Les Snyder. He then asked if he could catch a ride with me to speak with Brenda Snyder, but he's not answering his phone."
"No," Theo replied cautiously, not needing any guidance as to the direction of her thoughts. "It is definitely odd that he wouldn't have called me, though. We spent yesterday together interviewing Austin Ridley's parents. I thought we'd developed a good working relationship. You don't think—"
"I don't know what to think, but our unsub has a passion for framing others for his crimes." Brook began to take her leather gloves off as she came to a decision. "I don't want to be one of them, so at this time, I'm going to place a call to Detective Hughes."
"Why him?" Theo asked, knowing exactly where and why he recognized the name. "Shouldn't you call NCIS?"
"Let's just say that I want someone impartial in the mix," Brook said quietly as she still held out hope that Derek would walk out the double entry doors. "Tell Sylvie to be on standby. She might have to take the meeting with Brenda Snyder if things go sideways."
"And General Elliott?"
"No." Brook wasn't going to bring Graham into something that she wasn't sure wouldn't land him in jail. The unsub had always targeted male subjects to take the fall for his crimes. Maybe shewasoverreacting. "After you talk with Sylvie, come to the hotel."
She disconnected the line before turning off her engine. Her phone was in the side pocket of her purse, and it also didn't take her long to find Detective Hughes' business card. She'd put it in her side pocket the last time that she'd spoken to him, which was the day after Mrs. Upton's body had been found by one of the doormen in her building.
"Hughes."
"It's Brook Sloane, Detective." Brook held up a finger to the one of the valet attendants, indicating that she needed an extra moment when he would have come around to help her out of her vehicle. "When I usually rack up favors, they lean in my direction. This time it looks as if I'm going to owe you one."
"Look, Sloane," Hughes said as he sighed into the phone. "I'm not some hermit living under a rock. I've been watching the news, along with everyone else. I also saw your little press bit. If you think for a second that I'm getting involved between you and the feds regarding your brother, you're crazier than I thought you were when we first met."
"I'll remember that, but Jacob Walsh is not the reason that I'm calling you," Brook replied, deciding to put her gloves back on before getting out of the car. "I've been working a case involving some old NCIS investigations. An agent was in town who was supposed to leave for North Carolina this morning, but I received a text message from him saying that he wanted to attend a pending interview with me. Long story short, I think something might have gone wrong. I'd like you here with me if things go sideways."
"I don't know whether to be honored or horrified." Hughes exhaled audibly again, and Brook wasn't so sure that a favor from her was enough of an incentive. "Can't you get that military guy who you went into business with to go with you?"
"I need someone who is armed and deals with homicides." Brook cut right to the chase. "I need you, Detective. For your assistance, I'll throw in a second favor."
As she'd already stated, she was usually the one who collected the favors. It was how she preferred it, and it went against her grain to have the tables turned. Unfortunately, she didn't have many other options.
"Fine. I was bored anyway," Hughes responded as he loudly sipped whatever beverage he was drinking while talking with her. "If it's an NCIS agent, it won't be my case anyway. What hotel, and where will you be?"
Brook rattled off the name of the hotel, not needing to provide him with an address. This area was in his jurisdiction. If it had been in Virginia, she wouldn't have had to resort to asking for favors. Many people on several police forces owed her one or two, and she would have been able to call in a chip.
It didn't take her long to get out of her car and ask the valet attendant to keep her vehicle close. She would make sure to tip him appropriately when the time came. A part of her was holding out hope that she was overreacting to basically nothing, because it wasn't like she even had any evidence that Derek hadn't sent those messages himself. She was going on nothing but her intuition, and it was liable to make her look like a fool.
As she crossed through the entrance and into the warm foyer, her eyes adjusted to the dim interior. While a stormfront was supposed to be arriving later tonight, the sun was currently shining down on the city, as if it was unaware that it had two prolific serial killers in its midst. According to statistics, there might actually be more within city limits, but she was only one woman with one investigative firm behind her.
