Page 81 of Rescued by the Single Dad

They were on the road in no time, and Clint punched into his GPS the best route to the police station.

It was a thirty-minute drive. Hopefully that was enough time to get the skinny on Brooke from Rocco and finally find out why she didn’t trust the police.

Otherwise, their meeting with the cops would be very awkward indeed.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

When they walked toward the front doors of the police station, it was impossible not to notice the shift in Rocco’s demeanor. His angular jaw sharpened, almost like he was jutting his chin forward. He stood up taller with his shoulders back and the deep pinch to his brows gave him a menacing scowl.

It was like he was preparing for battle or something.

Clint opened the door for Brooke’s brother, and Rocco stepped inside. They made their way to the front desk person, who was behind a thick wall of Plexiglass. Roughly twenty small holes had been drilled into the clear plastic in the shape of a circle so that they could speak to the civilian worker and there was a metal tray on the counter, so documents could be passed between them and the employee.

“How can I help you today?” the woman at the desk asked.

Rocco cleared his throat. “I’m here about the Brooke Barker case.”

The employee appeared to be fighting an eye roll, but she caught herself before her gaze reached high noon, then glanced back at Clint and Rocco. Clearly, they weren’t the first people to come into the station regarding Brooke’s case.

“Yes, and what information do you have?” she asked, her smile fake but not unkind.

“I’m her brother,” Rocco said, his irritation detectable in his stern tone.

Clint thought for sure that would change the woman’s reaction to them being there, but she appeared unfazed. “Oh, yeah?” she asked. “We’ve already had her aunt, two uncles, and three cousins come in.”

Rocco growled. “Oh, yeah?” he mocked.

The woman’s brows barely twitched. “Yes. And I’ll tell you what we told them. We are a police station, not a lawyer’s office. If you want information regarding Brooke’s will, then you need to speak with her attorney.”

Rocco’s fists bunched at his sides, and he pulled in a deep breath that inflated his broad chest. “I’m not here about that,” he bit out. “I’m here because I’m her brother and I want to speak with one of the officers that is dealing with the search for the person who tried to kill her.”

Well, that seemed to finally wake up the woman behind the glass. She sat up straighter. “It’s being ruled a suicide.”

Rocco looked one frayed thread away from snapping.

This was not the place to snap. Not when a jail cell was mere feet away.

“I would like to speak with the investigating officer, please,” he gritted out.

She rolled her eyes again. “Hang on, I’ll see if Detective Atkinson is available.” She reached for her phone and murmured into the receiver. Then she hung up and lifted her gaze back to Rocco and Clint. “He’ll be right out.”

“Thank you,” Rocco said, his words clipped and his smile tight.

She nodded, then immediately pretended they no longer existed.

It was only a minute or two before a side door clicked open and a barrel-chested man with thick gray hair and dark blue eyes came walking out. He wore a mustard-colored dress shirt and black slacks, with his badge clipped to the waistband. His appearance reminding Clint of a big hairy bumblebee for some reason. He held out his hand. “Detective Marv Atkinson.”

Rocco and Clint both shook his sweaty palm.

“So you say you’re Brooke Barker’s brother?”

“I am her brother,” Rocco said defensively.

The detective clicked his tongue. “Forgive us, but we’ve had a lot of interest in this case. A lot of people have come in claiming they are related to Brooke.”

Rocco sucked in a deep breath. “I’m sure you have. However, I am her brother.” Then he proceeded to pull up photos of the two of them on his phone as well as photos of his and Brooke’s birth certificates. The man came prepared. Clint had to give him credit. “She changed her last name when she became famous. But as you can see, she is my sister.”

Detective Atkinson nodded. “Okay, I believe you. What can I do for you?”

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