Page 18 of Devil’s Snare

Me? I needed something to ground me. To keep me focused on the present and not my emotions. “Hot tea?”

Det. Castor’s eyes met mine. They were a pretty light blue, startling against his tanned skin. His blond hair was cut short, almost military-style. He wore a polo that stretched tight across his biceps but not his stomach. He kept in shape. “Of course. Let me get the kettle going, and I’ll bring over the tea bags.”

It took him about four minutes to boil water, pour a mug full, and set the tea bags, along with a honey bear, in front of me.

Ethan tapped his fingers on the table as I sent him a glare.

“Thanks, detective.”

“No problem.”

He took a seat across from me and Ethan with a cup of coffee. I noted he drank it black. Not even sugar.

“This is nice and all,” Ethan began, “but my sister is dead, so I’m not up to playing house in a room where you plan to control the situation.”

A gasp tumbled from my lips. “Ethan.”

“No.” He looked so damn tense I thought he was going to punch something. “Don’t you see this for what it is? We’re brought here to prevent us from becoming loud or disruptive. To contain our reactions to the lack of answers they plan to give us.”

Det. Castor leaned back, sipping on his coffee, completely unfazed. “I would react the same as you. I’m not faulting you for it.”

Ethan didn’t comment on his words. “You want me calm and less hostile? Tell us what’s going on with Becka’s case. And don’t say that it’s an open investigation. I know that shit. I want to know what’s been done to handle it and if you have any suspects.”

Before Det. Castor could answer, the door opened, and another man entered. He looked official in a dark gray suit, tie, and shiny black shoes. Like every police procedural show I’d ever seen on one of my streaming apps.

What stood out was the scar running along his left cheek and a tattoo trying to peek out of his collar. “Sorry to interrupt. I’m NCIS Special Agent Nate Barnes. I’m coordinating efforts to find those responsible for Becka’s murder.” He turned to me. “Gwen.” Then to my brother. “Ethan. I wish we met under better circumstances.”

Ethan nodded. “Now that we all know one another, can we cut the shit and get to the point?”

The agent’s lips twitched. “Of course.” He glanced my way again with a smile. “What would you like to know?”

Instead of sitting across from us like Det. Castor, Agent Barnes leaned against a row of cabinets and faced us.

Ethan pinned him with a stare. “What’s being done to find the piece of shit who killed Becka?”

“Honey and flies,” I whispered.

My brother shook his head.

Det. Castor cleared his throat while he placed his coffee on the table. “We’ve detained several suspects and are in the process of piecing together a timeline of events.”

Ethan didn’t acknowledge him. He pinned Agent Barnes with a hard stare. “And?”

“We’re looking for known associates of Matt Marshall. He’s missing.”

“He was there with Becka. What do you mean he’s missing?” I asked, confused.

Ethan frowned. “He wasn’t injured that day. Only my sister. Do you suspect he was involved in the shooting?”

“We’re not sure at present,” the detective admitted.

“But we’re aggressively pursuing answers,” Agent Barnes added.

I didn’t expect this. Ethan seemed thrown by the news too.

Something didn’t add up right. “Marshall has known our family for years. He grew up with Becka, and they enlisted around the same time. Matt got out four years ago, but Becka reenlisted. They were close. This doesn’t feel right to me.”

Both men watched me closely.