Page 36 of Beneath the Surface

As her family took their turns visiting Isobel, Brad paced the sterile hallway. Each time he glanced toward the door to the ICU, anger bubbled inside him. This wasn't an accident. Someone had done this to her, and it was connected to the cases she was working on.

Returning to the waiting room, Brad sat down, elbows on his knees, jaw locked. After taking a sharp breath, he addressed the family, “Does anyone have Kathy’s number? I need to know if Isobel ever worked a case involving bees.”

Charlotte met Brad’s intense gaze. Despite the exhaustion on her face, her composure was unshakable. "You don’t need to call Kathy," she said, her voice firm. Her daughters exchanged glances, a silent confirmation passing between them. "It was the McMillan case," she continued, leaning forward slightly, pulling Brad deeper into the grim details. “At this point, it’s public record. The attack took place in Sioux Falls.”

Brad’s heartbeat quickened as Charlotte's words began to fill in the gaps. The antiseptic smell of the hospital sharpened in his mind as he pieced together the case.

“The original allegation was the husband ground up bees in his wife’s smoothie,” Charlotte said, her voice eerily calm. "She died within hours. The husband had an airtight alibi. No one could break it. But despite that, the police made arrests. Thehusband’s defense attorney paid Izzy to profile the family and expose any lies."

Brad’s face hardened, his eyes narrowing as Charlotte’s words settled over him. He could see where this was going—Isobel had broken through the family’s defenses and uncovered a dark, twisted truth.

“It wasn’t the husband,” Charlotte went on, her tone grave. "It was the victim’s brother. He had a history with the husband—old resentment, festering for years. He knew about her allergy and used it to kill her. Isobel figured it out."

Brad stood abruptly, his hands clenched into fists as he began pacing again. “This isn’t a coincidence,” he muttered, his voice laced with anger. "If someone’s coming after Isobel, they’re recreating what she solved. This time they used the McMillan case as a blueprint.”

His voice grew louder. “This wasn’t just about bees. It’s about power. But why now?”

He stopped, his eyes blazing. “We need to dig into this. Isobel’s work stirred up something—or someone. We need to figure out who could be behind this.”

The room fell into a tense silence. Charlotte, ever calm in the face of chaos, nodded and spoke with a quiet resolve. “I’ll make some calls, see if I can pull any case files involving Izzy. We need every piece of information we can get.”

Brad nodded in thanks, feeling a sense of purpose settle over him. “The more we know, the better our chances of keeping her safe.”

He glanced around the room at the faces of Isobel’s family, each etched with worry and fear. This wasn’t just about solving a case—it was about protecting someone they all loved. “We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Brad promised. "I won’t let anyone hurt her again."

As the group continued their anxious vigil, the door to the waiting room creaked open, snapping them all from their thoughts. Detective John Larson and another detective, Kara Taylor, entered, their faces set grimly.

Ethan rose, his towering presence unmistakable as he shook their hands. “Detectives,” he greeted coolly.

Brad stood up, his frustration still simmering beneath the surface, but he remained calm. “Who brought you in?”

Larson nodded toward Ethan. “Agent Hayes reached out. We’ve spoken with the officers who responded and Battalion Chief Crenshaw. They suggested we’d find Captain Reynolds here.”

Special Agent Ethan Hayes asked, “Captain Reynolds, why do you believe this was an attack? Couldn’t Dr. Everhart have accidentally triggered a hive nearby?”

Jackson shook his head firmly. “It’s highly unlikely. The building is new, and there’s no way a hive like that would go unnoticed. This doesn’t feel accidental.”

Brad nodded in agreement.

Before he could speak, Ethan continued, “Isobel’s handled numerous cases across the state. One involved bee venom. We need to consider that this was deliberate.”

Detective Taylor frowned slightly. “Is there any evidence to suggest the bees were introduced intentionally?”

Ethan exchanged a glance with Brad, who said, “Not yet, but given the recent history, I think there is a strong possibility. This wasn’t random. I’d search for a note as well.”

Larson’s brow furrowed. "Alright, we won’t jump to conclusions, but we’ll have our forensic team examine the apartment closely. If there’s evidence of foul play, we’ll find it."

Ethan nodded. “And we need to pull the files on the McMillan case out of Sioux Falls. There could be something we haven’t connected yet.”

Detective Larson glanced at his partner before agreeing. “We’ll get on it. If this was an attack, we’ll find the link.”

As the detectives left, the room exhaled, tension easing for just a moment. Brad’s fists unclenched.

Hours later,as the family continued their vigil, Detective Larson called back. The room fell silent as Ethan put the call on speaker.

“Hayes,” Larson began, “we’ve found something. The bees weren’t wild—they were introduced intentionally.”

Brad’s expression darkened. “This is Killian. How?”

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