Page 57 of Rookie Days

“Take your time,” Ellie said patiently. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes. But I mean, we were just friends. Not like… Well, you know.”

Ellie suspected, but pretended not to.

“Not like…?” she prompted.

“Lovers.” Brooke let out a brittle, shaky little laugh. “Mary and I were just friends, Detective. I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong impression.”

When she actually shivered, as if the mere idea of anything more may be intolerable, Ellie reflected that it was a good thing she did not have to like all the people she met on her job to do it successfully.

“Do you know if Mary-Ann happened to be close friends with Bryn O’Connell as well?” she went on.

“She was not. The first time I heard her mention that name was the other day when…” More nervous twisting of the hands ensued. “You know.”

Ellie nodded briskly.

“Okay. Was Mary-Ann dating anyone?”

“No.” Brooke appeared mildly perturbed at the suggestion that she might have wanted to.

“Did she mention problems at work recently?”

“Absolutely not. She loved her job. And no problems.”

“What about in her personal life? Any worries or unusual concerns of late?”

“No…” Fresh tears slid down Brooke’s face when she shook her head. “Nothing at all! Mary-Ann was friendly, caring, and patient. Always ready to help anyone who needed it, in her job and outside of it too. She was a beautiful angel! My God, I don’t understand!”

As Brooke began to sob, Ellie rested a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. She had struggled for a long time to make sense of the horrific death of her sister. Her parents’ tragic passing was easier to understand, in a way... But there were no answers for Laura, who’d been a beautiful angel as well. In the end, Ellie just had to let go of the questions. She hoped that Brooke could, too.

“I’m really sorry about the loss of your friend, Kelly.”

“Thank you! I’m so sorry I can’t help you, Detective!”

“It’s okay. You did help me.”

Ellie poured her a glass of water, stayed another couple of minutes to make sure that she was okay, then left the woman on a polite request to get in touch if she remembered anything else. Back at the station, she got stuck in. First, with calls to a long list of people, most of whom she had already spoken to about Bryn O’Connell, to build a map of the two victims’ connections. Or the lack of one, for that matter. The crucial link between the two that she instinctively believed had to be there eluded her still. Ellieread through the ME’s report about Jackson, which he’d sent to her inbox. Nothing new to learn from that either. She checked her messages, all from eager reporters wanting a juicy soundbite from the lead investigator on the case and to confirm whether or not a serial killer was on the loose. Ellie was convinced there was more to it than that; he was not‘just’a serial killer. All the same, she deleted the requests for comment as per her lieutenant’s instructions. Leaning against her chair to stretch her back, she rubbed her eyes and only then remembered to check the time. 06:45 p.m. already, and she was officially off-duty. Staring at her wall board, the thought of calling it a day with so much still unresolved made her wince. Then again, it was a long time since her last sandwich… And it felt like sheer eternity since her last conversation with Janet. Grabbing her cell phone, Ellie sent her a brief text.

‘What time do you get off today?’

The reply came a lot quicker than expected.

‘Just did. On my way home now.’

With a glance at the board, Ellie reminded herself that even cops and docs had to eat.

‘Can I bring you dinner?’she typed.

‘Hurry up,’came the reply.

chapter 19

Janet greeted her with a smile and glittering brown eyes, but it was still obvious that she had been informed of the latest news and that it affected her deeply.

“Hi, Ellie.”

“Hello, Jan.”

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