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Brook hadn’t been sure of that theory until Chief Rogan quickly met her stare. He compressed his lips when he realized that he’d given her his answer. She doubted that whatever prompted Rogan to devote more time and energy to fostering a relationship with the Kingstons versus maintaining one with Jamesons had anything to do with the case.
“Our goal is to solve these murders as quickly and thoroughly as possible, Chief Rogan.” Brook continued to hold onto the flute of champagne, but her fingers had turned quite cold. Maybe it was due to standing near one of the numerous windows, but she could do without holding a beverage that she wasn’t going to drink. “Considering that Mr. Kingston and his family decided to leave town this afternoon, I doubt my presence or that of my team will cause you to receive any complaints this evening that could damage such ties.”
“You make it sound as if I don’t want these murders solved, Ms. Sloane. That’s far from the truth,” Chief Rogan exclaimed as he lowered his arms. His gaze shifted to Detective Hartley, who was currently speaking with one of the servers. He was no doubt trying to ascertain if Rachel Lee was once again filling in for her roommate. “If I thought Martin Kingston had anything to do with the murders of Bella Kadel or Piper Zimmer, I’d be the first to haul his ass in. Hartley is the best detective on my staff. I know that he wants my job. I’m not blind, and I’ve had to take some necessary steps to keep my job. I don’t regret a single one of them. I also know that the two of you are working some angle that is being kept under wraps. That’s fine. I have a department to run, and I’m not going to get into a pissing contest with the feds. The only reason that I needed to pull Lawson from the case was due to the investigations that Hartley has been ignoring for the past year.”
Chief Rogan shifted so that he faced her, and Brook mentally braced herself for whatever warning he was likely to provide.
“These are good people, Sloane. They don’t need their secrets aired out like dirty laundry. Remember that when you’re digging blindly in the mud.”
Brook had to wonder if Chief Rogan had been referring to Sophia and her mother or if there was something else that had been overlooked recently. She monitored the man’s departure and made note that he had stayed clear of Hartley.
“Bit, you’ve been quiet,” Brook murmured after turning around and setting her glass of champagne down on a side table. “Everything okay?”
It took a moment for Bit to reply, and such an odd delay set Brook on edge. While he reassured her that all was well, she’d caught the concern in his tone. If it had involved this evening’s event, he would have been straightforward about any newfound information.
Had Bit discovered something about Jacob?
Or something else entirely?
Brook had kept her promise to Theo and had managed to place a call into a contact at the Bureau. If the lead agent on the Kuzmich case had gone so far as to use an undercover agent to get close to Bit, Brook would have that information by morning.
She had no choice but to turn her attention back toward the crowd. This evening was all about forcing the unsub to view Brook in a different way. She continued to observe the guests mingling, couples dancing near the small dance floor set to the right of the main Christmas tree, and some members already taking their seats for dinner.
“Heads up, everyone,” Bit announced through the earpiece. “We have an unexpected guest who just so happens to be on our suspect list—Lauren Kim. I can only assume that she is crashing the party. I have a feeling that this evening is about to get very interesting.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brooklyn Sloane
December 2023
Friday — 9:17pm
Theholidaymelodiesspillingfrom the overhead speakers mingled with the soft chatter of the guests and the clinking of silverware against plates of those still finishing their desserts. Coffee had also been served, and several couples began to make their way to the dance floor as the tempo began to pick up momentum.
Brook and Theo remained seated while two of the couples at their table excused themselves, leaving behind Robert and Lorelei. It was the perfect opportunity to address Lauren Kim’s unexpected arrival.
The past hour and a half had been filled with small talk, but Lorelei had eventually opened up about her childhood with Bella, much to the dismay of the other two couples. Their discomfort upon hearing memories regarding someone who had been murdered wasn’t their idea of a nice evening out to celebrate the holidays.
“I’m sorry about that,” Lorelei apologized softly as she discreetly observed the two couples join another group chatting a few feet away. “I shouldn’t have brought Bella into the conversation.”
“Bella was your sister, and she should be remembered,” Robert stated with irritation as he took the cloth napkin from his lap and tossed it on the table. “I’d hoped to join the Galvenstons and the Stevensons, but Gary Affleck is attempting to gain a foothold in the community. He claimed those seats the moment that he got here. We should have arrived earlier.”
Robert seemed to miss the point, but his heart had been in the right place.
Brook noticed that Theo had turned his chair to the side in order to monitor Lauren Kim, who happened to be sitting at a table near one of the far windows. Theo had opted for coffee, and the way he held the cup facing Brook, no one was the wiser that his focus was on someone else.
“I wasn’t aware that Lauren Kim was a member of the country club,” Brook said casually as she wrapped her hands around her own coffee cup. She thought that she’d caught sight of Rachel Lee on the other side of the room, but the large Christmas tree had prevented Brook from confirming her suspicions. “I take it that Ms. Kim is here as a guest?”
“I’d heard rumors that Martin had a potential opponent for a building on the east side.” Robert tilted his chin in Lauren Kim’s direction. “I have no idea if Lauren is someone’s guest, but I do know that she is not a member of the country club. That man she is sitting next to is Rick Mattison, the selling agent who took over Piper Zimmer’s listings last week. If the rumor mill is correct, then Lauren Kim knows exactly who can undermine Martin.”
“Lauren didn’t waste any time, did she?”
Lorelei wasn’t expecting an answer, but Brook happened to be in agreement.
“With Kingston out of town, his lawyers should be all over that offer. I doubt Lauren can get Mattison to agree to a deal under the table. Then again, she raked in quite a lot of money from last night’s exhibit,” Robert said as he held out his hand to Lorelei. “Would you care to dance? Maybe we can still salvage the rest of the evening.”
“I’d love to,” Lorelei replied as she slipped her hand into his. Once standing, she directed her next statement toward Brook. “I’ve spoken to a lot of people this evening, but no one acted strange or said anything that would cause me to think they had something to do with my sister’s murder.”
