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“Bit just pulled up some old footage of the other fundraising events. Stephen Averill was seen talking with each of the victims. He’s tied to each one of them. We might want Detective Soerig and Raines in on this.”
Brook had a feeling that the two detectives would want to wait until morning, but she didn’t like that Nolan’s phone was still pinging from his father’s residence. Add in that Brett wouldn’t return Devin’s phone call, and their previous theory began to grow legs.
Had Nolan figured out that Brett had been helping Catherine?
Had Brett done something to Nolan?
“Head out and meet up with Theo at a public place away from the residence,” Brook instructed as she tossed the stylus down onto her desk. Her tablet was in the conference room, but she’d worry about that later. “I’ve changed my mind about involving Soerig and Raines. I’ll call Raines to meet you there, and Soerig can meet me out at the Kolsby estate. Oh, and be careful. Theo said that the stormfront moved in sooner than expected.”
“You know that Stephen and Catherine aren’t going to speak with us without their lawyer,” Theo said, his voice a bit more contained than it had been earlier. He must have gotten into his Jeep and was waiting for the engine to warm up. “What are you planning?”
“If we give them forewarning, you’re right. They will lawyer up.” Brook quickly shut down her computer and then walked over to where she’d left her winter boots underneath the coatrack. “That’s why I’m driving out to the Kolsby residence. Nolan is there, and I want to speak with him.”
“Do you really think Dr. Kolsby is going to allow that to happen?”
By this time, Brook had made her way over to the couch. She tossed her black high heels to the side and slipped both feet into her winter boots. She tucked her pants firmly inside so that the fabric wouldn’t get wet when she walked in the snow.
“That’s why I’m going to time my arrival five minutes after you and the others show up on Catherine and Stephen’s doorstep,” Brook explained before she stood from the couch. She’d come back to the office after driving out to Dr. Kolsby’s residence. She’d collect her things then. “Dr. Kolsby will inevitably get a call from his daughter, and he’ll no doubt head over to her residence. I’ll then ring the doorbell after he leaves. Bit said that both Brett and Nolan were at the father’s residence. There is a chance that Brett could accompany his father. Hopefully, Nolan will remain behind so that I can have a chat with him in private.”
“Why not take Sylvie with you?”
“I’m taking Bit with me,” Brook advised Theo as she grabbed her dress coat. She didn’t even bother with her purse since she had her phone in hand. The case on the back still held her driver’s license and her credit card from last night. “I’ll drive the van. I walked into work this morning. Besides, Bit can keep an eye on everyone’s location to let me know if I have a shot at talking with Nolan alone. He might be our only way of learning what is really taking place amongst that family as they implode. Like I said, the others will lawyer up if they realize that they are cornered.”
Brook passed by Sylvie in the hallway on the way to Bit’s office.
“I’ll let you know when we’re about to knock on Averill’s door,” Theo said before disconnecting their call.
“Bit, I’m taking the van.”
“You’re taking what?”
“The van,” Brook said as she stood in the doorway. She’d already slipped her cell phone into her pocket. “Are you coming?”
Bit didn’t hesitate. Instead, he hastily pushed against the clear mat underneath his chair. He had one arm shoved into the sleeve of his winter jacket in record time. She didn’t move out of his way, so he was brought up short with half his jacket dangling to the side.
“You might need your firearm. Keys?”
Bit flashed her a crooked grin as he managed to find the other sleeve of his jacket. He dug into one of the pockets and produced a key fob. She snatched it out of his hand before turning on the heel of her boot. She made sure that he didn’t see her smile at his astonishment as he walked over to a cabinet to unlock the drawer and collect his holstered weapon.
“That’s right, Bit. I’m driving,” Brook declared, figuring she’d let him know when they reached the van that he would be too busy keeping track of their targets’ locations to be maneuvering through the snow. “Don’t worry. I won’t wreck your precious tech van.”
“Famous last words,” Bit muttered underneath his breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing, Boss. Not a thing.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Brooklyn Sloane
December 2022
Tuesday — 7:32pm
“Watchthecurb,”Bitmuttered in warning as he glanced up from the tablet in his lap. She could sense the weight of his stare when he checked to see if he’d upset her. “You know, just in case you didn’t realize just how close the tires were to that last curb.”
If he uttered one more advanced directive of their position to the curb, a noticeable slick spot, or a chunk of snow that had fallen off another vehicle, Brook wasn’t going to be responsible for her actions. She inhaled deeply and counted to ten, just as her therapist had instructed her to do to ease the tension in her shoulders, which just so happened to be quite often lately.
