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The chief was already shaking his head in disagreement, but Detective Hartley was the one who connected the dots.
“Rachel Lee is the patsy.”
“This is ludicrous,” Chief Rogan protested loud enough to garner a few glances from those in their proximity. “Who would believe that a woman could be the killer when it would have taken an extreme amount of strength to hold down an individual who was suffocating to death?”
“Let’s go someplace a little more private,” Brook urged before motioning for all of them to walk toward the lobby. Once they were all standing away from the crowd, she began to fill them in on the imminent arrest of Lorelei Jameson. “The profile suggests that the unsub is female, and one who is very cunning, extremely manipulative, and overly possessive.”
“Female?” Chief Rogan let out a laugh, but when the other two men didn’t react, the chief’s smile faded. “You’re serious. You really believe that a woman would have had the strength to—”
“By the time that Bella and Piper realized that they were even victims, they wouldn’t have had a lot of strength left to fight off their killer,” Brook explained as Theo stepped to the side to have a discussion with Bit. “I believe the two women thought that they were being used as models for a painting. They were convinced of it by someone they trusted…and even envied. Answer me one question, Chief Rogan. Is Robert Jameson faithful to his wife?”
Chief Rogan clearly didn’t want to answer Brook’s question, so she focused on Hartley. His gaze slid from hers.
“That’s the reason that you hit on Lorelei, right? You thought that she would want to get back at her husband?”
“Are you actually saying that you believe Lorelei Jameson killed two women? One of them her younger sister?” Chief Rogan asked in incredulity. He switched his attention to Detective Hartley, clearly seeking out what he hoped was some semblance of sanity. “You’ve all lost your minds. The Jamesons are well respected in this town, and I won’t allow you to—”
“As you’ve already pointed out, Chief Rogan, this case is under federal jurisdiction. You either help us or you get out of our way.” Brook didn’t bother mincing words, and she could see that her previous question regarding the reason Hartley had made a pass at Lorelei was on point. “Detective Hartley, are you still helping us with this investigation?”
“Yes.” Hartley had cleared his throat to respond, but he hadn’t hesitated or even given his supervisor a second glance. “Bit sent me the address of Rachel Lee’s storage unit and that he is in the process of obtaining a warrant. I’ll head on over there and let you know what we find once the warrant is in hand.”
“Theo and I will drive over to the Jamesons. We’ll keep you updated on what transpires, but I imagine you’ll be meeting us back at the station after we make an arrest.” Brook glanced at Theo, who was still standing apart from the group. “Hartley, head out. I would send Bit with you, but I might need him at the Jameson residence.”
Chief Rogan shifted uncomfortably, but he finally seemed to comprehend that there was nothing he could do to prevent Lorelei Jameson from being arrested for two murders. He observed his detective walking away to collect his coat.
“What do you need me to do, Ms. Sloane?”
“Brook?” Theo had acquired her attention the moment that he took a step toward her. His shoulders had straightened, and his gaze was currently scanning every face in the large foyer. “The Jamesons haven’t left the country club yet. They’re still here.”
Brook thought over her last conversation with Robert and Lorelei. She’d played her part perfectly—the grieving, older sister. Brook hadn’t caught the reason that Lorelei had lowered her gaze at the time, but now it all made sense. She hadn’t been trying to compose herself. She’d wanted to see if Brook had received the note that had been left on the table.
There was no telling how Lorelei would end this now that she believed there was a chance of an arrest. She was cunning enough to have thought through several plans. If Brook and the team couldn’t find the couple within the next few minutes, there was a very good chance that Lorelei would never be seen again. She certainly had the means to disappear into the dead of night.
“We need to find them.” Brook placed a hand on Chief Rogan’s arm to stop him from walking away. She needed him to understand that he wasn’t dealing with the Lorelei Jameson façade that she put on display for family, friends, and neighbors. “If Lorelei believes that her husband will leave her, she will do everything in her power to stop him. The old adage rings true in this situation. If she can’t have him, no one will.”
Chief Rogan hesitated, but he ultimately nodded to indicate that he grasped the severity of the situation. There was no need to clear the building or alert the other guests as to the search that was about to get underway. Doing so would only make the pursuit for Lorelei and Robert all the more difficult.
“The administrative offices are in the south wing of the building, and the spa rooms are to the east,” Bit informed Brook and Theo. “The locker rooms, storage areas for the athletic equipment, indoor pool, and the steam rooms are in the north section of the building.”
“Stay in the van,” Brook directed Bit as Theo began to walk toward the administrative wing. “Let us know if you see any sign of Lorelei leaving the property.”
Chief Rogan had gone in the direction of the spa rooms, but Brook was almost certain that Lorelei would have wanted a larger space to speak with her husband. At this very moment, Lorelei was spinning a story so that he would have empathy for her. She could also very well still be diverting the blame to Rachel Lee. There was no proof that Rachel Lee hadn’t been the one to post the painting in a social media group and engage in some comments. If Hartley discovered the canvasses in Rachel Lee’s storage unit, that was another mark against her. Brook wouldn’t be surprised if there was a container full of plastic bags and different shades of makeup.
“Lorelei isn’t going to run,” Brook surmised so that Bit could hear her as she distanced herself from the crowd by taking the long hallway toward the indoor pool. It was unfortunate that the country club did not have interior cameras with their security system. The owners had claimed that the members paid enough dues to warrant their privacy. “Robert might make a habit of sleeping with other women, but he is very protective of his wife and status among his peers. Lorelei will rely on that when she starts to lay the breadcrumbs right to Rachel Lee’s doorstep.”
“I can’t find any evidence that Robert and Bella had a relationship,” Bit shared cautiously. It was obvious that he was reluctant to believe that their very own client was a serial killer. “No texts between them, no emails…nothing.”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t believe that Bella would have done something so horrible like that to her sister.” Brook accepted that Lorelei was possessive to the point that her mind probably invented certain scenarios, but to lose sense of reality and kill one’s own sister? “Keep a close eye on any side exits of the building, Bit.”
“Will do, Boss.”
Brook was halfway down the long hallway, taking time to check any office or space where the door wasn’t locked. The farther she got from the main foyer and dining room area, the more muffled the holiday music became. The gradual quietness had Brook wanting to remove her firearm from her purse, but she also didn’t want to play her hand before assessing the situation.
The hallway eventually led to a set of glass doors, revealing the indoor pool area. The large space was dimly lit, and the soft glow of underwater lights cast an ethereal hue across the water.
No one was within sight.
Brook hesitated at the doors, glancing to her left and then to her right. It was only when she thought she’d heard a woman’s voice did she reach out for the door handle in front of her. The high level of humidity enveloped her with sticky arms, and she soundlessly stepped over the threshold.
