Page 83 of Rescued by the Single Dad

“Sergeant Isaac Fox,” the uniformed officer said with a smile. “Sorry about Detective Atkinson.”

Clint’s respect for this cop was growing. He didn’t make an excuse for the detective’s behavior, he simply apologized for it and now wanted to diffuse the situation.

“So, you’re Brooke’s brother?” Sergeant Fox asked, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. He held out his hand, and both Clint and Rocco shook it. It was far less sweaty than the detective’s hand.

“I am,” Rocco said, heaving a sigh. “And I’m distraught to hear that the incident is being ruled a suicide.”

“Well, it’s not being ruled a suicide. It’s being treated as a recovery mission and that the likelihood that it was a suicide is high.”

Rocco shook his head dramatically. He was really selling the whole worried brother schtick. The guy was a decent actor. “You haven’t found my sister’s body, so for all we know, she might still be alive.”

Sergeant Fox’s expression turned grim. “I understand. I have a sister, as well. And until I had definitive proof, I’d always hold on to hope, too. If it makes you feel any better, nothing has been released to the press. Anything you read is conjecture, not from a legitimate source.”

Rocco nodded and made “Mhmm” sounds. “I don’t even like that you’re calling it a recovery mission. It’s only been three days. You can understand how that appears lazy. Maybe she’s in hiding because she knows someone out there wants her dead?”

Clint held his breath. Was Rocco going to spill the beans? He was a good actor, but he needed to remember that they were trying to keep Brooke’s whereabouts and aliveness a secret.

Sergeant Fox nodded. “Yeah, I can see that, and I hope you’re right. That she is just in hiding. And it won’t be ruled a suicide until we’ve exhausted all other options. I’ll make sure nothing like that is discussed with the press. I promise.”

Finally, a person with integrity and motivation to find the truth. Rocco relaxed a little. His shoulders dropped to their regular height, and the tightness in his jaw dissipated enough that Clint wasn’t worried the guy was going to chip a molar anymore.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” Rocco asked. “Someone tried to kill my sister and the longer we wait, the longer we do nothing and think it was a suicide, the easier it will be for them to disappear or cover their tracks.”

Sergeant Fox’s head bobbed. He was a big guy with breadth to him and thick corded arms that emerged from a tight-fitting police-issued T-shirt. “As her brother, can you provide us with any new insight into who you believe might have had issues with Brooke and wanted her dead?” He pulled out a pad of paper and a pen from his pocket.

Rocco released a slow breath through his nose. “Honestly, nobody. Not even Flynn, her ex. Everyone loved Brooke, and those who could have wanted her dead are behind bars.”

Sergeant Fox’s blue gaze shot up from his pad of paper to Rocco’s face. “Who is that?”

Rocco’s eyes slid sideways to Clint. He seemed to be weighing the pros and cons of giving the cop more information.

“I can leave if you’d prefer,” Clint offered, the curiosity over learning more about Brooke burning in his gut like a hot lava rock.

“Who are you, by the way?” Sergeant Fox asked.

Clint cleared his throat. “Clint McEvoy. A friend of the family. Rocco is staying with me while he’s stateside.”

Sergeant Fox seemed to accept that answer, then pivoted his attention back to Rocco. “Who would want Brooke dead?”

Rocco huffed a deep sigh through his nose, and his shoulders rounded. “Our father. Maybe.”

“Your father?” Sergeant Fox repeated. “And he’s in prison?”

Rocco nodded. “For murder, yes.”

What the fuck?

Who did Brooke’s dad kill?

“He was also a police officer,” Rocco said, bringing his voice down to just above a whisper. “He killed our mother.”

Something weird flickered in Sergeant Fox’s eyes. Almost like he was triggered by what Rocco said. But he stowed his visceral reaction quickly and nodded. Jotting things down in his notebook. “May I ask how he killed her?”

“He beat her to death. He was always beating her.”

Jesus fucking Christ.

“But because he was a cop and all his buddies were alcoholic wife-beating cops, too, reporting it was useless.”

---