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Brook found it hard to believe that the detective wouldn’t already be privy to such information. He would have contacted Erin Smith’s employers immediately upon leaving the crime scene, which Brook nor the team had visited in person yet. The last time she spoke with Beeson was an hour and a half ago. The home health agency had sent someone else to watch over Nigel until more information could be had about the situation.
Bit had angled his laptop so that Brook could study a picture of Erin Smith. She was middle-aged, overweight according to the BMI scale, and kept her brown hair chin length. Nigel had described Erin Smith as being in her mid-twenties, taller than average, and with ashen blonde hair that fell past her shoulders.
“Bit, good work,” Brook murmured as she thought through their options.
No one was going to leave the hospital until they knew for certain that Sylvie was going to pull through. Bit was extremely close to Sylvie. As a matter of fact, his love for her was more than evident. Why they had chosen to remain friends instead of something more was between them.
“Would you please make sure that the aide sent over checks out?” Brook instructed Bit, wondering what else—or who else—might have slipped through the cracks. “Also, find out everything you can about the real Erin Smith—relationship status, financials, online presence. You know the drill. There must be a reason behind why no one would notice her missing for the past couple of months.”
“Do you think this has to do with Little T’s father?” Bit’s voice had cracked when he had said Sylvie’s nickname that he’d given her due to her love of tea. He adjusted his grey-knitted hat as he attempted to control his emotions. “Someone out for revenge?”
Nigel Hubert Deering had been convicted of tax evasion and money laundering years ago. He was responsible for destroying a lot of lives, having almost done the same to his daughter. Sylvie’s security clearance had been revoked by the FBI back then, which was one of the reasons that she decided to switch to the private sector. S&E Investigations was lucky to have her.
Could the woman who had posed as Erin Smith done so out of revenge? It was a good possibility, but why not take out the man responsible? Why go after Sylvie? There were too many unanswered questions for them to start making assumptions.
“I don’t know, but we should err on the side of caution.” Brook stepped away before Bit could ask her anything else, but she’d learned long ago to rely on her instincts. They needed to consider all scenarios. Bit nodded his agreement before rubbing his bloodshot eyes. Arden reached over and patted him on the back to display his support. “I’ll be right back.”
Brook lifted the phone to her ear the moment she exited the private lounge. Theo was already in the hallway, presumably speaking with Detective Beeson. From the way that Theo was rubbing his forehead, he wasn’t pleased with the other side of the conversation.
A nurse walked by and couldn’t help but stare at Theo’s black eye patch. He’d lost his right eye during an altercation with a suspect, and the injury was the reason he was no longer a field agent with the Bureau.
The FBI’s loss was S&E Investigations’ gain, much like Sylvie’s situation.
“Graham, I need to go. The woman who stabbed Sylvie isn’t the Erin Smith who worked at the home health agency. There is something more going on here, and I’m afraid that the attack wasn’t random.” Brook could hear Theo raise his voice, and it wouldn’t be long before the detective cut off all communication. Theo wasn’t usually one to let his emotions consume him, but this investigation was personal. “Call me when your flight lands?”
“Brooklyn?” The way Graham spoke her name caused her to take a moment. “Be safe.”
“You, too,” Brook whispered back, grateful for the reset. Once the two of them had disconnected, she closed the distance to where Theo was physically closing his left hand into a fist to prevent himself from saying something that he would regret at a later date. For now, Detective Beeson was an asset to the case. “Theo, we need him for now.”
Theo nodded his understanding as he allowed the detective to finish whatever it was that he was saying on the other end of the line.
“Detective Beeson, I appreciate your stance on this, but may I remind you that Sylvie Deering is a consultant for the FBI? You said yourself that you found out an hour ago that Erin Smith—who has been Nigel Deering’s aide for the past seven weeks—is not the same woman employed by the agency. Why haven’t you issued a BOLO for the real employee? For all we know, her body was thrown in a dumpster in some random alleyway.”
Brook motioned that Theo should lean down enough so that she could hear Detective Beeson’s reply. Had they not been in a hospital setting, she would have asked that he put the detective on speakerphone.
“…standing outside the woman’s house now. I don’t know how you work investigations, Mr. Neville, but we take our time and make sure things get done right. I find it odd that Ms. Smith’s family and friends wouldn’t have reported her missing these past two months.” The slamming of a car door could be heard, and it suddenly became difficult to hear Beeson over the winter wind hitting his phone just right. “Once I have more information, I’ll reach out to you and your team.”
Brook motioned that Theo should end the call.
“Nigel Deering was convicted of security fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, and a slew of other charges,” Brook reminded him as the two of them shifted closer to the wall to make room for hospital staff to walk by with ease. “Nigel destroyed many families, Theo. It’s possible someone wanted retribution. We need a sketch artist to speak with either Nigel or Sylvie’s neighbors as soon as possible. Once we have a sketch, Bit can then have something to compare to the family members of those impacted by Nigel’s crimes. I do not doubt that the same thought has crossed Detective Beeson’s mind, but he’ll have many irons in the fire. He’ll need to locate the real Erin Smith before he can start searching for the woman who assumed a false identity.”
“Why leave Nigel Deering alive?”
“The man’s going to be dead within weeks,” Brook reminded him. If they were dealing with someone who had lost everything due to Nigel’s crimes, then it would be in their best interest to think like that individual. “Nigel took everything away from them, so they tried to take what mattered most to him. I’m theorizing, of course.”
Theo inhaled deeply with frustration as he slipped his phone into the right pocket of his khaki pants. He always dressed in style, and tonight was no exception. Two days ago, he had dragged Sylvie along to purchase the dark green sweater to impress his dinner date, not that Sylvie had put up much of a fight. She’d come back to the office with a few garments herself.
“Makes sense,” Theo muttered as he crossed his arms and leaned up against the wall. “You want me to go over to Sylvie’s apartment building.”
“All we’re doing here is wasting time.” Brook recognized how cold she came across about the situation, but Theo understood the ramifications of sitting on the sidelines. “Bit can work anywhere, and Arden hasn’t been in the field for years. They can stay here while the two of us work the case.”
There was no point in camouflaging the reason why.
“Theo, I’m going stir-crazy here. Beeson doesn’t know Sylvie, so there’s a good chance that he’ll miss something of importance.”
Theo nodded his agreement, but the taut muscle in his jawline told of his displeasure. She wouldn’t force him to choose.
“Sylvie wouldn’t want us standing here pacing the floor, but I’ll understand if you want to stay here.”
