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“There’s no need for that, Peg.”
Peg stopped, and her movements stilled with her back to Brook. The older woman had heard the knowledge in Brook’s tone. Seeing as she’d instructed Bit to stand near the desk, he almost certainly had a better view of the woman’s face. He had also brought his right hand up and rested it on the butt of his weapon just inside his coat at the hip, causing the material to be tucked to the side.
“The police are on their way,” Brook advised without raising her voice. There was no need to add a sense of panic to the situation. “I think it’s best if you take a seat here in the den until they get here.”
Peg didn’t respond right away. By the time that she’d turned around to face Brook, she was studying her hands as if they had a life of their own. Somehow, the weathered lines on her face appeared to have deepened in the span of seconds.
“She was always my good one,” Peg whispered with sadness. She sighed loudly before surprising both Brook and Bit as she made her way over to Dr. Kolsby’s recliner. “My sweet, sweet Catherine.”
“Peg, my advice is for you to wait for the police before giving your statement,” Brook stated firmly, shooting Bit a warning glance when he clearly would have argued her stance. The investigation had become quite complicated with so many individuals involved in the process of the murders, and Brook didn’t want S&E Investigations to be hung out to dry if any of the convictions failed based on their decisions in the final moments. “Again, they should be arriving shortly. What I need to know is if Nolan is okay. Is he hurt? Did he discover evidence implicating you? Catherine? Brett? I need to know where Nolan is right now, Peg.”
Using Peg’s first name would keep her in the present, because she appeared very determined to visit the past.
“Catherine didn’t mean to hurt that poor girl. She was simply trying to save her relationship. Oh, how she had fallen hard for her Stephen,” Peg said, settling back in the chair as if someone else’s life wasn’t at stake. Brook glanced at the doorway, but there was still no sign of Brett. “It was love at first sight, you know. It reminded me very much of my first impression of David. I realized early on that he didn’t feel the same, but I still carried out the role of his wife as my own, taking care of the children over the years. I didn’t want that kind of disappointment for Catherine, of course.”
Brook grimaced when it was evident that Peg had simply given up. The older woman had known all along that it would end like this, and she was ready to face her punishment. Maybe Dr. Kolsby’s recent diagnosis made it easier to accept her own ultimate ending.
“Uh, we are in the den,” Bit whispered into the phone.
Brook had heard the vibrations of his cell phone, and he was most likely speaking with Hadley. She should be entering the house soon.
“Tell Hadley to come through the front door,” Brook advised him softly while still keeping an eye on the open double doors of the den. “Brett and Nolan are still unaccounted for somewhere in the house. Have her notify Theo and the others that we have a situation here.”
Brook slowly pulled out her own phone and quickly hit the record button. There was no need for her to explain to Peg that she was about to recorded, because D.C. allowed for a one-party consent when recording. It had become painfully clear that Peg was in her own world.
“Catherine invited that poor girl into our home. I walked into the kitchen, and there she was…on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood,” Peg practically whispered as Brook motioned for Bit to remain in the den so that she could help Hadley search the rest of the house. He still had his cell pressed to his left ear, but he quickly lowered it to quickly shake his head in disagreement. “I had no choice but to call Brett. He always took care of his siblings. Such a kind and protective boy. We had no choice but to keep David in the dark. I don’t know why he said what he said at the hospital. The three of us tried to figure it out, but we were so busy trying to find a way out. You see, David would look differently upon his children if the truth got out, and I couldn’t allow for that to happen. I was the glue. Me. I held this family together through all its trials and tribulations.”
“You’ll be fine,” Brook mouthed as she slowly took a few steps toward the double doors. She’d slowly withdrawn her firearm and motioned for him to do the same. Considering that Theo and the others had been roughly five to ten minutes away, discounting the weather, they should be arriving within minutes. She lowered her weapon to her side to show him how he should proceed. There was no need to escalate the situation, and Peg seemed very comfortable getting things off her chest. “Like this. You should already have a round in the chamber.”
Bit did as he was instructed after he’d tucked his cell phone inside the pocket of his jacket. Brook had no idea if he’d disconnected the call with Hadley or just left her on the line.
“Months later, Catherine came home and was all upset that Stephen was speaking with another young woman at one of the fundraisers. I urged Catherine to invite her to the house, and that was when I showed her that there were less painful ways to get rid of one’s problems.” Peg seemed to have more remorse over a life that she’d desired and never obtained than the young lives that she’d taken. “Brett, that dear boy, cleaned up the mess each time. He’ll make an excellent father one day, don’t you think?”
Brook shook her head at Bit, who seemed inclined to answer…and one that Peg might not appreciate too much. He wisely kept his mouth shut as Brook quietly exited the den. She could have left her phone behind, but she’d recorded enough of Peg’s confession for the police and prosecuting attorney. Brook had no idea if she’d need her phone, and she didn’t want to be caught without it. She cautiously rounded the corner just in time to see Hadley opening the front door.
“You take the back, I’ll take the upstairs,” Brook whispered as she continued smoothly across the marble entryway.
Hadley simply nodded her understanding and began to clear the rest of the rooms on the main level.
Brook finally made it to the top of the stairs. She paused only long enough to try and catch the slightest of sounds that would indicate which direction Brett might have taken. While she wasn’t sure of her conclusion, she had a sense that Nolan hadn’t remained at the family estate of his own volition. If that did turn out to be the case, then he was in very real danger.
Since the house was quite large, Brook had wasted at least two minutes checking several bedrooms. It wasn’t until she had a choice to make a right down a second hallway that she heard men’s voices.
“…wake up. Now.”
Nolan’s voice was inaudible, but Brett’s was loud and clear.
“Nolan, wake up! Snap out of it. We’re going to need you to say that Peg was the one who killed those women. All of them. Do you hear me?”
Brook silently continued down the hallway toward the open bedroom door on the righthand side. Brett had no idea that Peg was already downstairs in the study confessing to their crimes.
“Peg is keeping them busy while I get you out of the house. Come on, Nolan. Wake up! Think of Catherine.”
Brook was close enough to hear that Brett’s voice seemed a bit muffled. The distant pitch of his tone indicated that he was facing away from the door. She slowly peered around the frame to find Brett shaking Nolan’s body, where he was lying on the bed.
“I’m going to need you to get on your knees, Brett,” Brook said evenly as she slowly raised her firearm. “Fingers laced behind your head.”
Movement to Brook’s left showed that Detective Raines had joined the party and was moving slowly in her direction. Theo, Sylvie, and no doubt countless of other officers were now on the scene.
