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Graham would have thought that one of her contacts at the prison would have alerted her to such a visit. Such a revelation told him that she had limited her contact with everyone.
Brook had wanted to distance Graham from her brother, but such contact had been inevitable. She had pointed out herself that Jacob had numerous networks and strategies to ensure his release. There would undoubtedly come a time when one worked in the man’s favor.
“Is that where Bit obtained the information about the real estate listings?”
Graham had expected more of a reaction to his announcement.
“Yes.”
Brook parted her lips and slowly exhaled before lifting her lashes. Her blue eyes were filled with concern, but also acceptance. Without a single word, she had welcomed him into a part of her world that was normally reserved for her alone.
Chapter Fifteen
Brooklyn Sloane
February 2024
Sunday — 6:48 am
The dim light of the study cast a faint glow on the murder board. Its intricate web of connections led to photographs, names, and locations. The only aspect that made this investigation different from any other was the fact that they were aware of the suspect’s identity. It was strange to have a face and name attached to the person responsible for Sylvie’s attack. On one hand, it made crafting a profile of Lorena Dobbs easier with knowledge of her past. The difficulty arose when predicting the woman’s future decisions based on a period of time when she had been absent from society.
The room was quiet, save for the tapping of Brook’s ring against her empty coffee mug. Graham was in his bedroom getting dressed for the day. She had been up since four o’clock studying the board that she had created days ago based on the limited information that she had been receiving from various sources. She had purchased a burner phone and had been able to snap two pictures of the software program on her tablet when she had been outside the coffee shop.
Graham had alerted her to the fact that Lorena had been to the condominium twice. If Brook had known that information yesterday, she would have staked out her own home. The fact that Lorena had chosen to track Brook down at home versus the hospital meant that she was aware of Brook’s absence.
Obsession was a dangerous preoccupation.
Brook had never witnessed this level of unhinged behavior. It was truly astonishing that Lorena had been able to stay off the radar for so many years. Such conduct must have been very easy for Jacob to recognize, and he must have salivated at such an opportunity.
The disturbance of the stillness around her told of Graham’s entrance into the office. She glanced over her shoulder to find him closing the distance between them. He was wearing one of his tailored Italian suits that accentuated his tall, lean frame. He exuded an air of calmness, much like the eye of a storm. His demeanor was a stark contrast to the chaos of Lorena’s life that was currently displayed on the wall.
“Any new insights?” Graham asked as he took her empty mug and replaced it with one containing freshly brewed coffee. The warmth of the porcelain was a source of comfort in the face of what was on the day’s agenda. “I just got off the phone with Bit, by the way. Sylvie is awake, and she’s being transferred to a regular room. It looks as if your contact is providing you with sound information.”
Brook lifted the mug in front of her lips to prevent them from betraying her. She had needed to hear that Sylvie’s condition had been upgraded this morning. Even though the orderly had relayed what he had overheard from one of the nurses, confirmation meant everything in a situation like this one.
Graham leaned against his desk, the warmth of his body against hers surpassing the heat from her mug by a mile. He had once referred to the worry ring that he had given her as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago as a harness.
He didn’t seem to realize that he had become her anchor.
“Lorena isn’t going to waste time searching for vacant houses in neighborhoods that she hasn’t had time to research.” Brook paused to take a sip of coffee as she stared at the board. “She’s too caught up in looking for me, which means that she not only is keeping a watch on my condominium, but she’s having to split her time in between locations such as our office building and the hospital. What Bit told you the other day about winter being the easiest season to remain anonymous is true. It’s too difficult to find her in those locations. Theo was also right to involve Detective Beeson in a grid search of the surrounding neighborhoods, but Theo will be taking the lead in Erin Smith’s community. That specific location will be her comfort zone.”
“The two of you think alike,” Graham replied as he folded his arms to study the information in front of them. He seemed focused on a particular newspaper clipping that gave specific details of the murders of Lorena’s parents. “Theo is holding his own, though I don’t think he’s had more than a couple of hours of sleep here and there.”
Brook prevented herself from asking Graham to relay her regrets over what Theo would almost certainly label a betrayal of their friendship. She wouldn’t do so, because that would be the cowardly way to ask for forgiveness. She wasn’t even sorry for the decisions that she had made over the past few days, only that she hadn’t voiced earlier what his friendship had meant to her over these past few years.
“Did I mention that I’m borrowing one of your vehicles again?”
“Which one this time?”
“The Land Rover.” Brook had known about Graham’s collection of vehicles, and she had even been inside the separate garage that housed the numerous automobiles. It never occurred to her that there had been a purpose behind such purchases. “You have a reason for owning each one, don’t you?”
“You should know by now that I have a reason for everything, Brooklyn. The Land Rover is a good choice. We’re in for a major storm starting in the middle of the afternoon.” Graham turned his head to meet her stare. “Mind telling me your reason for leaving the house this time around? I gave you my word that I would speak with Bit, Sylvie, Theo, and Arden about Lorena’s profile.”
“There is only so much ground that Theo and Detective Beeson can cover. Beeson doesn’t have the officers at his disposal for the search needed to take place, so I’ll be focusing on the vacant houses in Theo’s grid. I need you to tell him to take the south side of the neighborhood. I’ll cover the north. In the coming days, I’ll work my way east.”
“No one will be on the roads tomorrow, so you’ll want to cover as much ground as possible before the storm hits this afternoon,” Graham warned her, his tone giving way to his irritation.
She had also noticed the way his jawline tightened after he had finished speaking. He only ever grit his teeth when he was agitated, or someone pushed him a bit too far. His opinion of her leaving the house had been made loud and clear.
