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“What I am telling you is that I could never harm another human being, physical or otherwise. The mental psyche is equally as fragile as the human body, Ms. Sloane. I believe in my oath, and I’m very good at what I do—helping others deal with their emotional and mental issues due to the harsh impact of the elements around them.”
While Dr. Kolsby delved into numerous examples of how much he cared for his patients and how he had helped them overcome their tragic pasts, Brook monitored the reactions of the other three occupants.
Catherine clearly adored and admired her father without reservation. There was no underlying fear, no hesitancy, and no distrust in her gestures.
Brett held a coffee cup in his hand, but he hadn’t once taken a sip of the beverage. He hadn’t been focused on the conversation, either. From the time he’d greeted her, his attention had been on the orange flames flickering in the hearth as they searched for more oxygen.
Nolan, on the other hand, had his arms crossed and was standing with his feet shoulder length apart. Brook’s presence had clearly irritated him beyond words, and he’d gone on the defensive. His dark eyes were practically drilling a hole into her head. He wouldn’t remain silent for long.
“Is there a chance that you said something that Ms. Gwinn could have misinterpreted?”
“Certainly. It’s possible that I had a nightmare,” Dr. Kolsby replied smoothly before taking a sip of his coffee. He then shifted slightly to set his mug on the antique stand next to him with a noticeable wince. He rested his right hand on the left side of his ribs. “You must understand that I’m not calling Ms. Gwinn a liar. It’s just her insistence that whatever was said reflects reality. From my understanding, she is a very responsible and experienced nurse. I could very well have muttered something I dreamt about while under the influence of something that she misconstrued in the moment.”
“Dad, you’ve already spoken to the police. Ms. Sloane has absolutely no standing here. This interview is just a courtesy,” Nolan exclaimed with impatience. He finally let his arms drop, though he slid his right hand into the pocket of his trousers. “You should be resting. Not answering pointless questions from someone who—“
“Enough.”
Brook met Nolan’s glare, and she wished that Dr. Kolsby had not interrupted his son. She was very interested in what he’d been about to call her, and she didn’t need a doctorate in psychology to know that it had to do with her brother. Having been in many situations such as this one, she’d managed not to react too hastily. Instead, she took another sip of her coffee before meeting Nolan’s scowl.
“I take you are acquainted with my personal history?” Brook asked directly, noticing how Nolan blinked his eyes several times before casting a glance toward his father. “You don’t need to worry, Mr. Kolsby. I’m not on some quest to ruin the lives of innocent people due to some deep-seated fear that everyone I’m asked to investigate is some kind of psychopathic or sociopathic serial killer. I pride myself on my work ethic and my ability to see through the various obstacles and disinformation thrown my way regarding those involved in a case.”
“My father has done nothing wrong, and I personally believe that woman should be fired for making false allegations and character assassination,” Nolan stated as he straightened his shoulders. “If he did say anything resembling what this Gwinn woman was claiming, it could have been due to a drug-induced delusion, a conversation that he had with a patient concerning some messed up fantasy, or even a memory from some horror film he saw over the Halloween holiday. My sister has a fondness for them, although I don’t see the attraction. She—“
“I beg your pardon?” Catherine snapped as the two of them then began to argue. “What is so wrong with…”
Brook settled back in the chair and enjoyed her coffee as she observed Brett’s reaction to the squabble between his siblings. He’d given both his sister and brother a sideways look of frustration, but he intentionally didn’t place himself in the middle of their verbal dispute. Officer Soerig had been accurate with her description of him. The oldest sibling was quiet, introspective, and preferred not to be caught in the middle of his family quarrels.
“There is no need for such formality,” Dr. Kolsby said, causing his children to fall quiet. “First names, please. I take it your ability to see through the disarray of information comes from growing up with a troubled sibling?”
Dr. Kolsby’s inquiry had promptly caused Nolan and Catherine to suddenly become quiet. Their father had clearly asked such a question to see if he could make a dent in Brook’s composure. She’d been expecting such a query from him due to the way he’d been observing her in the same manner in which she’d been monitoring his children.
He’d obviously done so for one of two reasons.
Either he wanted to demonstrate his abilities as a psychiatrist, or he wanted to bait her into giving up information regarding Millie Gwinn. Giving it more thought, it could possibly be on the grounds of both.
“I would give credit to my childhood, yes,” Brook answered truthfully as she crossed her legs, knowing full well that Dr. Kolsby would take notice of such body language. When an individual crossed one’s legs, it displayed their relative ease with a situation. Basically, such a gesture meant a person was comfortable, and she wanted him to believe that the topic of Jacob didn’t bother her. “I’m not naive enough to think that you didn’t see my interview from earlier this year. Having a brother such as Jacob Walsh has given me specialized insight into the mind of a killer, but I credit my education and specific training inside the Bureau even more so. I’ve been able to sharpen my skills over the years, and my closure rate with the BAU speaks for itself.”
Brook paused to take another sip of coffee, noticing that she’d garnered even Brett’s attention. He was staring at her with sudden interest.
“I’ll be frank with all of you,” Brook said before waiting a heartbeat while she took her time debating which avenue to take this discussion.
She hadn’t requested this interview with the family because she thought they would be forthcoming with the truth. She’d simply done so in order to get a sense of whether or not Millie’s claims had any substance. With that in mind, Brook tilted her head slightly as she met Dr. Kolsby’s curious stare.
“I don’t believe that you should use your influence to fire anyone who was simply attempting to make sure no one had been hurt,” Brook advised before turning the discussion up a notch. “Ms. Gwinn has also taken an oath, just as you have, Dr. Kolsby. The police have concluded that there is no basis to her claims. She most likely would have left things well enough alone, but she suddenly found herself being transferred out of the ICU to a different floor with less prestige. On top of that, she was given notice from upper management at the hospital to see a therapist to ensure that the stress of her job hasn’t been taking its toll. You can imagine her reaction to such changes and stipulations.”
“Now, wait a second,” Catherine said as she reached over the arm of the couch in order to cover her father’s hand with her own. “My father had nothing to do with—“
“It’s alright, Catherine.” Dr. Kolsby turned his hand over to squeeze his daughter’s fingers in reassurance. “May I call you Brooklyn?”
Brook gave him a single nod, getting the sense that he’d expected her to argue at such informality. As long as she obtained the answers she sought, she couldn’t care less what he called her.
“Brooklyn, I did not use my influence at the hospital to have Ms. Gwinn transferred from one floor to another, nor did I ask that she be forced to see a therapist once a week,” Dr. Kolsby replied in a rather cavalier manner. She caught the slightest catch in his tone when she smiled at his rebuttal. “Any changes in Ms. Gwinn’s employment was merely a coincidence.”
“I didn’t share the number of times that Ms. Gwinn was forced to see a therapist,” Brook pointed out calmly, taking everyone by surprise. “See, Nolan? It’s not always wise to use one’s influence. Such a choice can cast a shadow on one’s innocence.”
Everyone broke out with their opinion at once, with the exception of Brook and Dr. Kolsby. He was too busy attempting to read her body language, which she’d made sure was the same as when she’d first settled into the chair.
“I said that’s enough,” Dr. Kolsby called out to his children when it was obvious they were just getting started with the defense of their father. “Cast a shadow on one’s innocence? If you truly believe that I am not capable of murder, why have you agreed to continue an investigation that clearly has no merit?”
