“He did. Does his mother still live around there?”
“Oh no. She died, too. Heart attack, I think, but I can’t be sure. I think there was a bit of trouble for her after his father died, though that’s expected.”
“Trouble how?”
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s a vague memory. Why?”
“I ran into him today. He’s the owner of Brooks Enterprises. The Brooks Enterprises. The one that is now running a streaming service and cable network.”
“That’s impressive.”
We chat for a few more minutes, and I finish reviewing the security feed. There’s nothing there. It’s almost like when Newman Smith died, so did my stalker. I supposed he could have been Newman. Newman hated me. Then again, he could have simply been the living, breathing puppet for The Poet, now deceased and therefore off duty.
Later, when I finally go to bed, I crank down the air, aware of the dark clawing in my mind. I try to blank my mind, but it doesn’t work. I tumble into my personal hell, but this time, I’m back reliving the night my father died. We’re fighting, shouting at each other, and then Richard Williams is right there, behind him. I’d looked into his angry eyes, screamed my father’s name, but it was too late.
In slow motion, it seems I’m calling 911 and trying to stop the bleeding. I’m shouting for help. I’m shouting at a man standing in the distance, just out of view, wearing a hoodie and baseball cap. “Help! Help us please!” But he just turns and walks away.
Chapter 101
I think of that nightmare often over the next few days. Of course, The Poet was not present when my father died. I found out Richard Williams was dead yesterday. I’d twisted two monsters into one in my sleep. But still, the nightmare haunts me.
The next few days go by in a whirlwind of frustration for me that barely leaves time for such nonsense.
I make my return to the station and have an awkward encounter with the captain. The chief just stays away. Our team begins a suspect list, and it’s not long. I have Nolan Brooks and my security guard checked out, though we’d already looked into Daniel. Both fit the age and family profiles, but not much else. I vow not to remain hyper-focused on any one person, but the Nolan encounter bothers me. His offices have been in that plaza for a decade. So he didn’t just pop up suddenly. I simply found him.
Wade is now on a manhunt across several states for a cop killer who’s struck three times, so my nights are spent alone—well, once I kick Lang out. I decide Lang and I might have made a great married couple. We’ve become excessively good at avoiding what’s wrong between us. So much so that I start to wonder why it matters. I can’t change the deal he made with my father, and I’m no longer with the APD.
Ultimately, we’re at the stage of every case that becomes frustrating. We’ve gotten some results on random cases back from the lab, but nothing that adds up. We’re working ten different angles from the madam to careful eyes on the employees at Brooks Enterprises. We know that the last two victims of The Poet were close together, which ups the pressure. These investigative matters all take time, and we all feel the ticking of the clock.
I’m in the conference room, working with Lang and Chuck, when Nolan Brooks calls me on Tuesday afternoon. “Good news. We have a disclaimer in our policies that cites our compliance with law enforcement. I’ll have the list ready for you by tomorrow evening.”
“That sounds good,” I say. “We appreciate that.”
“How about that coffee? I can give you the list then.”
“That works. What time?”
“How about seven at the coffee shop by me? Sorry, it can’t be earlier. We’re working crazy hours here.”
“That works.”
We disconnect.
“Brooks is getting me that employee list tomorrow night. We’re meeting for coffee.”
“You still feel weird about him?” Lang asks.
“I do. I don’t like the connection to my past, but you know, I ran into another friend I knew a few months back, too. I’ve had several find me on Facebook. It happens.”
“But they didn’t bother you,” Lang points out.
“No, but I also wasn’t being stalked by a serial killer. I’ll see how I feel after the coffee meeting.”
“Want me to come with?” Lang asks.
“I think I’d better make this friendly. I’ll go alone.”
He pushes back, but we have our hands full, and our time is better spent divided. It’s a few hours later when I exit the station and run smack into the chief. “There she is,” he says, his tone doting as usual and yet somehow cold. “Agent Jazz herself. How are we coming on the case?”
I bristle with the question that assumes his authority but smash my reaction. “Too slowly.”
“We calmed the public with that early press conference we had about a single suspect, but I’ve had a reporter snooping around again. We won’t silence this for long.”
“If necessary, the FBI can hold a joint press conference with your team.”
His eyes flare with anger, but his expression is unchanged. “If necessary. Just catch him already.” He steps around me.
I turn and call out to him before he enters the building. “That’s all? You have nothing else to say to me?”
He pauses and turns back. “You left without talking to me. I let you. End of story.” He heads into the building.
I’m left with the slap of his words, uncertain what just happened. Then again, I don’t think anything just happened. I’m just figuring it out now. Actually, I don’t understand at all, but I don’t have the time and energy to waste trying to find out. I have a killer to catch. The cranky chief and ex-godfather can wait.
Chapter 102
I arrive at the coffee shop right on time for my meeting with Nolan. I already have my much-needed white mocha with an extra shot when he arrives a few minutes later. He waves on his way to the counter and orders for himself as well, and I watch him joke with the barista in his expensive blue suit that he’s paired with an emerald green tie. He’s good with people, charismatic, successful. A man who has it all and no reason to kill anyone.
He joins me while we wait for his own brew to be made, sitting down across from me with a charming smile. “Good to see you again. I believe this is what you need.” He offers me the large envelope he’s been holding since he walked in.
“Thank you. We do appreciate the help.”
They call out his order and he stands up and grabs it, but not before I notice that he isn’t wearing a wedding ring. But then, not all men do. He returns and sits down. “Follow in your dad’s footsteps, did you?”