Page 6 of Whispers of Sin

The first vacation that she’d ever taken.

There had been a lot of firsts within the last couple of years. Given that she had always preferred to wake up alone after a night of casual sex, Graham had methodically and patiently changed her mind. There hadn’t been one thing that had tipped the scales in his favor. In hindsight, there had been a lot of reasons why she’d chosen to enter into a relationship with him.

As a former Commanding General of Marine Forces Special Operations, Graham had seen his fair share of cruelty in the world. On a personal level, he’d suffered through the loss of his wife and daughter. Brook and Graham both had ugly scars on their souls that had shaped their personal demeanors, but it wasn’t only his background that had drawn her in. It was his unwavering loyalty, his steadfast support, and his ability to understand her in a way that no one else had in her past.

Their relationship was far from conventional. Graham’s schedule as a private contractor for the government was erratic. Her schedule was no better with taking on murder investigations that involved a lot of travel. Having the constant threat of her brother hanging over them was just the icing on the cake. Still, she’d come to rely on Graham to help her navigate through the long days and nights, and the unusual bond between them had only grown stronger during their four-day weekend away.

The reason that the framed picture of them had caught Brook’s attention was that they were both smiling for the camera. As her colleagues had often reminded her, she wasn’t prone to displaying such a sunny disposition.

The photo also gave way to the change in their relationship. She and Graham hadn’t exactly come right out and announced their involvement to the team. The only one in the know had been Theo, but there was no need to keep things hidden any longer.

“You alright, Boss?”

Bit’s question pulled Brook’s attention away from the photo. His sister had knitted him a brand-new grey beanie. The color was lighter, which helped to not highlight his somewhat pale skin. Genetics played a big part in that, along with his oblong face and somewhat long nose.

“Yes.” Brook began to make her way down the hallway. “Do you want anything from the kitchen?”

“Gumshoe is already grabbing that concoction he made in the glass pitcher if that’s what you were planning on getting,” Bit advised with a bright smile. He was always in a good mood, and today was no exception. His predilection for nicknames was a quirk that everyone had gotten used to, and Brook was under the impression that Arden actually liked his. “Now I know why those fancy spas shown in online ads always have tall glasses of water with slices of lemon in them. That stuff is the bomb.”

It wasn’t as if Bit was that much younger than Brook, but there were times that she swore he never outgrew his teenage years. Maybe it all came down to his profession. He was constantly online, and he could multitask with the best of them.

“Don’t you dare go and talk Arden into opening up a restaurant,” Brook warned as she passed by Theo’s office. He’d gone home for lunch, which was quite unusual. When he’d returned, he’d clearly showered and changed into a pair of khakis with a dark green sweater. He’d also been wearing a smile. “The others would revolt, and I can’t have that kind of mutiny on my hands.”

Brook stepped into the conference room, noting that Theo was already in his designated spot. His concentration was so focused on the electronic tablet in his hands that Brook wasn’t sure that he was even aware anyone else was in the room. He’d already submitted his last report to the Bureau for a murder investigation that had taken place in the Smoky Mountains. Whatever had him so engrossed had to be personal. Given that the two of them had somewhat become each other’s sounding board, she’d patiently wait for him to share with her what had him so intrigued…or more like who.

“Little T is joining us,” Bit said as he settled into his chair. He reached for the remote that operated the 4k monitor that was mounted to the wall behind Brook. He hesitated to push the button when he noticed her ire. “Boss, she needs this. She’s going stir-crazy.”

Bit was referring to Sylvie Deering, a former federal intelligence analyst. Her father had recently been given a compassionate release from prison due to pancreatic cancer. He’d been given mere months to live, but the judge would never have granted such a motion had Nigel Deering not had a daughter who was willing to put aside her hurt and anger over his decision to bilk his clients out of millions of dollars. Nigel had been transferred to Sylvie’s apartment earlier in the week. Fortunately, there was a hospice nurse with him at all times, per the stipulation of the man’s release.

Brook had hoped that Sylvie would take some time off, but it wasn’t like she was one to talk when it came to work. Profiling and apprehending serial killers had become as important as breathing to Brook. She was learning that there was more to life, but it was definitely a slow learning curve.

“Fine,” Brook said reluctantly as she took a seat in her usual chair. She used her high heels to push herself slightly back and to the side so that she could also have full view of the monitor. As Bit worked to get the video call established with Sylvie, Arden came in with a tray that included a pitcher filled with his delicious concoction and four tall glasses. “Who is up for a little hydration this afternoon?”

Theo finally looked up from his tablet and shot Brook a knowing smile.

“Thank you, Arden.” Brook said as she focused on the monitor. It wasn’t long before Sylvie appeared on the screen. She was sitting at her breakfast bar, her earpods noticeable since her blonde hair was pulled back in its usual bun at the base of her neck. “Hi, Sylvie.”

“I’ll be in the office first thing tomorrow,” Sylvie said as she leaned against the back of the stool. Her blue eyes were locked in on Brook, as if she were expecting an argument. “Norma, one of the hospice nurses, is covering the day shift. She’s fantastic, and she has everything covered here. There’s no reason for me not to come into work and help put into place a security plan for the hospital during the transplant surgery.”

“That’s why I wanted to speak with all of you.”

Brook had already taken a sip of the sweetened water, and she’d been placing the glass on a sandstone coaster when Sylvie’s curiosity got the best of her.

“What are you drinking? Arden, are you holding out on me?”

“You’ll get to try some yourself tomorrow,” Arden replied with a smile. His salt and pepper mustache had lifted on both ends in satisfaction. “I do believe that you’ll enjoy the new beverage.”

“I have no doubt,” Sylvie agreed.

“Brook, you sound as if you have an update for us,” Theo said as he reached for the glass that Arden was passing his way. Bit had already claimed one. “Is the surgery still scheduled for Jonah Cary?”

“Jonah Cary just underwent surgery for a ruptured appendix. Organ failure is quite common with his disease, but his surgeon isn’t comfortable proceeding with the liver transplant until he’s more confident that Jonah won’t reject his new liver.”

“What does that do to our timetable?” Theo inquired as he pushed aside his tablet.

“It delays Jacob’s transfer to the hospital by two or three months.”

“That’s good.” Sylvie must have made a cup of tea before joining them by video. She had a teacup in her hand and was tentatively blowing on the hot surface of the steaming beverage in between statements. “That will give us more time to ensure that every exit point is covered at the hospital. Graham has pull with that one private security agency that helped us on an investigation last year. We could always reach out to them to see if they can spare some manpower.”

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