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The knife was just beyond the reach of her outstretched hand.
Knowing that she only had mere seconds, Brook forced herself to move through the haze of pain. She lunged for the knife, but Lorena's fingers closed around the handle first. As Lorena pushed herself to her knees, Brook's leg gave out. It wasn't long before she was on her back again, giving Lorena the advantage.
Lorena's smile was cruel and triumphant as she raised the knife above her head, fully prepared to drive it into Brook's chest. She watched the blade rise, the light glinting off the bloodied edge.
Time seemed to slow.
In that suspended moment, Brook's training from the academy took over.
As Lorena's arm started its downward arc, Brooklyn moved with a burst of adrenaline. She grabbed Lorena's wrist, stopping the knife from reaching its mark. Before Lorena could react, Brooklyn hooked her leg behind Lorena's knee. In one smooth motion, she rolled them, leveraging her weight and their momentum to flip Lorena onto her back.
Suddenly it was Brook on top, pinning Lorena down.
The knife was still clutched in Lorena's hand, but the tip was now angled up under her ribcage. Lorena's eyes went wide with shock and rage. She struggled beneath Brooklyn, trying to wrench her wrist free.
Brooklyn held firm, doing everything in her power to figure out a way for both of them to come out of this altercation alive. Unfortunately, the decision was taken out of her hands. With a guttural cry, Lorena tried once again to free herself, but all she managed to do was drag Brook's weight down on top of her. The knife in their hands plunged upward, deep into Lorena's chest.
Lorena's eyes bulged in surprise, and her mouth opened in a rattling gasp. Brook sensed the resistance in Lorena's body give way as the knife found its mark. Warm blood spilled over Brook's hand where she still gripped Lorena's wrist. Their faces were within inches of one another.
The woman somehow still managed to summon a smile.
"You're just…like…your brother…after all."
Brook held Lorena's gaze steadily as the life drained from her eyes. The pause between each breath became longer. Eventually, Lorena went limp. Brook remained poised over the woman a moment longer before slowly releasing her and sitting back.
Lorena Dobbs was dead.
Brook didn't have time to consider Lorena's words when the front door slammed open. Graham and Theo appeared right before the cold sucked out what heat remained in the house, both taking a moment to absorb the bloody scene in front of them.
Graham's footsteps were muffled by the thick carpet.
He stepped over Lorena's lifeless form to kneel in front of Brook, removing his gloves in the process. He tossed them aside as he attempted to gently assess her wounds.
Brook grabbed hold of his hands and leaned into him without hesitation. She wrapped her arms around his solid frame, not caring that the leather of his jacket was cold. His tight embrace made up for the lack of warmth. His breath was warm against her cheek as he whispered assurances that seemed to be for the both of them.
She didn't mind in the least.
Over Graham's shoulder, Brook caught Theo's gaze. He stood a few feet away, hands on his knees as if grounding himself in the moment. She had hurt him. Hurt the team with her decisions, but she had to believe that they would eventually come to understand why she had made them.
She mouthed a silent "thank you" to Theo, ensuring that each syllable was heavy with gratitude. Theo's lips twitched into a weary smile, his nod subtle but significant. In their private exchange, there was an understanding that ran deeper than words.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Brooklyn Sloane
February 2024
Thursday — 6:02 pm
The offices of S&E Investigations were quiet this time of evening.
Peaceful.
Brook cradled a cup of hot coffee in her hand as she left the kitchen. There was no trace of a limp in her gait, although her thigh remained tender from the stab wounds inflicted by Lorena Dobbs. Brook had no reason to complain, though. None. She had witnessed Sylvie's recovery these past few days, which was proof that Brook's injuries could have been a lot worse.
"I spoke with Harden this afternoon," Brook said to Theo as she leaned a shoulder against the doorframe of his office. Taking the weight off her left leg helped ease the lingering ache. "Apparently, the upper brass has been singing your praises about how you handled the search."
Theo looked up from the file on his desk before leaning back in his chair. To the right of him, the lights of the city shimmered in the dark outside his expansive office window.
