AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Well, not always.
She highly doubted that Jacob had ever truly been a child in terms of innocence. There wasn't an hour that passed by that she wasn't combing through their childhood memories for what could have triggered such a twisted and sick response.
Was it a physical thing, maybe from an enzyme that his brain didn't make? Or was it psychological, from an emotional trauma at the hands of a stranger? These were things that she might never know for sure.
It was good to get a glimpse into the Snyders' family dynamics, though. Their tight-knit unit reminded her that things weren't always as they seemed to those on the outside. She would have Bit look more into the extended family members of all involved, as well as the two men at the table who were considered close family friends.
Who better to overhear classified information than some listening in at one's own residence?
"It isn't my intention to cause any of you more pain than you've already experienced," Brook said quietly, garnering their attention away from their mother. "I'll leave your parents to explain why I believe your sister's killer is still out there. I do apologize for stopping in unannounced and—"
"What makesyouso good at this kind of thing?" Daniel asked, holding up his hand when he would have received another lecture from his parents. "I mean you no disrespect, but the agent who worked our sister's case was competent. More than competent, and a friend of my father, as a matter of fact. Agent Clemmons is a good man, and he was confident that Bobby Anderson was the man responsible for my sister's death, as was a jury of twelve reasonably intelligent people."
"Have you managed to quit smoking, Daniel?"
The oldest of the three blinked in surprise at how quickly she'd changed the subject, but he was the one who'd been pushing the topic. She was simply giving him the proof that he had asked for in the simplest means possible.
She could have taken the tactic that she'd spoken to NCIS Agent Clemmons earlier today, and that he'd given his previous reservations about the case. That approach wouldn't have had the impact that she needed to get across to Daniel here and now.
"Your middle finger has a yellowish tint from where you hold your cigarette, and the way you tap your fingers against anything with a hard surface tells me that you're itching to have one right now." Brook then focused on Charlie. "Does your family know that you broke things off with your fiancé or girlfriend? Or vice versa. I'm good, but I'm not clairvoyant."
"How the hell did—"
"When I came into the house, you were busy telling your brothers how you spent the evening with Gina at her favorite art gallery followed by an intimate evening. It couldn't have been too intimate if you had the TV on in the background listening to me telling my life's story about how I grew up in the same household with someone capable of taking not one life, but too many to count." Brook tucked the sketch pad underneath her arm next to her purse, mindful of the fact that all their attention was now on her. "Les, shall we tell them where you were last night?"
"No." The younger brother had apparently heard enough. "We get the point."
As with any sibling rivalry, the others were now focused on the one who hadn't been outed in a similar manner. Brook had intentionally saved him for last, because she'd caught a glimpse of his unease as Charlie had been lying through his teeth regarding Gina. Les had either been with Gina last night or he had simply experienced guilt over the fact that he was in love with her.
The most interesting turn of events was how Artie Keyes had responded to her observations. He was currently peeling the label off his bottle of beer as if the tension in the kitchen hadn't grown exponentially.
"To answer your question, I'm good at what I do precisely because of who I am. I guess you could say it's my way of making up for the pain and misery my own brother has caused society at large," Brook shared, which wasn't in her nature to disclose such intimate details. Changes in her life had happened too fast over the last couple of months, and she'd been thrown off her game more than once. It was time she get her feet back underneath her. "Again, I apologize for interrupting your family gathering. I'll be in touch."
Jim and Brenda both escorted Brook to the front door, expressing their gratitude while also apologizing for their sons' behavior. There was a hint of sadness in both their eyes that would never truly dissipate, but at least they had each other to lean on.
Brook had no one, but with very good reason.
She'd settled in behind the wheel before turning over the engine in hopes that it wouldn't take too long for the heater to start pushing out warm air. While she'd set her purse carefully on top of the sketch pad in the passenger seat, she could hear the vibrations of her cell phone inside the outer pocket.
She'd silenced it before entering the Snyder residence.
There were quite a few messages that had been sent while she'd been out of touch, although the majority were from Bit. He wasn't the most patient, but he would have to wait a little longer while she prioritized the point of contacts.
"Perfect timing," Theo exclaimed over what sounded like a loud crowd. "I'm about to go in and speak with Steve Laurey."
"Did Agent Tonkel reach out to you?" Brook asked as the camera above the Snyder's garage once more caught her attention. "Derek spoke with Laurey yesterday. He was supposed to forward you notes from the interview so you could follow-up with any questions of your own."
"I received his message and notes, but Agent Tonkel didn't know what angle to follow," Theo replied, a hint of excitement lacing his tone. "You were right about the unsub. He stalked the men who he set up to take the fall for his kills, and I think we can an establish a parallel pattern. We're getting closer, Brook."
Chapter Thirteen
Theo Neville
January 2022
Wednesday — 2:32pm
"Sir?Thisway,please."
