Page 59 of Whispers of Sin

Brook’s last statement had her thinking about Jacob and the area where they had been raised. If someone in their family had been with any of Jonah Cary’s relatives, Brook would have heard something. She immediately shut those thoughts down before they took over, needing to deal with the investigation right in front of her.

“I don’t know how Lorelei managed it, but she somehow started a fire that is no doubt destroying any physical evidence as we speak,” Brook pointed out. “Only she can’t be sure of such a fact, can she?”

“That’s a slippery slope. What if she destroyed everything before the fire? Just to be sure? There’s a chance you could give away our hand with a mere slip of one word.”

“Then I better not slip,” Brook murmured as she advanced toward the door. “Thanks for talking things through with me, Sylvie.”

“Good luck, Brook.”

“Bit, let Theo know that I’m on my way.”

Brook opened the door and peered both ways to ensure that the coast was clear. The holiday function was slated to end at midnight, which didn’t give Brook a lot of time. The one saving grace was that Bit had thought ahead and made sure that no one could place or receive calls. He’d heard her praise over the earpiece, but she wasn’t sure if he understood the beneficial magnitude of such a decision.

The spa’s sitting room allowed Brook to really breathe for the first time since she’d left the main dining area. There was no hint of chlorine or disinfectant in this part of the country club. Instead, there was a pleasant floral scent hanging in the air. Soft, muted tones had been sprinkled throughout the intimate area, including pastel blues and greens to soothe the senses. The plush armchairs and sofas had been thoughtfully arranged for intimate conversations or solitary relaxation. Polished wooden tables were low enough to beckon guests to use their pristine surfaces to rest their beverages, no doubt topped off with lemons or limes.

Right now, Robert and Lorelei were sitting on the couch while their lawyer was pacing back and forth behind the long piece of furniture. Theo stood off to the side, and it appeared that Chief Rogan had also joined them within the past five minutes. He was sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs, but he looked anything but relaxed as he balanced on the edge of his seat.

“Is it my understanding that you threatened to parade Mrs. Jameson in handcuffs through—”

“Sit down, Mr…”

“Gaston.”

“Well, Mr. Gaston,” Brook began as she rested her hands on the back of the sofa facing them. “I was simply stating fact. Lorelei Jameson will be arrested this evening, but I will allow some discretion on whether or not it’s under her own volition. I would prefer that she turn herself in with you by her side.”

Robert had gotten off a few choice words before Mr. Gaston advised his clients to allow him to handle the situation. Lorelei was exceptional at remaining calm. How would she react once she heard what Brook had to say?

Lorelei had referenced in one of her notes that the two of them were alike.

Brook couldn’t argue that point, because she feared there was a part of herself that would forever remain as cold as she’d been the day that she’d discovered Cara dead in their dorm room. Brook’s life had been turned upside down after Sally’s death, but seeing Cara’s mangled face and the blood spilled from her body that had soaked into the carpet hadn’t produced one single tear.

Some would excuse her lack of emotion due to the shock of such a grisly find, but what if they were wrong? What if the darkness that stained her soul had shaped her into someone different?Somethingdifferent.

Brook and Lorelei’s similarities couldn’t be dismissed, and Lorelei’s unflinching demeanor only magnified Brook’s unease.

Hadn’t Brook learned to mask her emotions throughout the years?

Hadn’t Brook manipulated her fair share of people, as she planned to demonstrate in a few minutes?

Had using Brook’s detachment as a tool to get closer to the truth come with the price tag of losing part of her humanity?

She heard her name, but she’d been staring down at the worry ring that Graham had given her last year. He’d witnessed darkness himself, but yet she would never compare him to someone like Lorelei Jameson or any of the other killers who roamed the earth. He would say the same of Brook, and she was coming to trust him as much as the blackness in her soul would allow.

“Lorelei, your house didn’t burn down,” Brook stated matter-of-factly as she met the woman’s gaze. “We suspected you earlier in the evening, which was why I asked Detective Hartley to drive over to your residence with a warrant. He dialed 911 the moment he noticed something was off, and the fire department was there to stop the flames from spreading once your plan initiated itself.”

Brook was very mindful of words, taking Sylvie’s advice to heart. One slip would cause Lorelei to realize that she was being guided into a confession.

“Boss? Slick found the paintings in Rachel Lee’s storage unit, along with the envelopes and stationery that was used for the notes that you’ve received this past week. The only odd thing that Slick pointed out was that the makeup for Bella wasn’t discovered along with the cosmetics used on Piper Zimmer.”

Had Bit not interrupted, Brook might have mentioned some items being found in the Jameson residence instead of the storage unit. She was far too easily able to put herself in Lorelei’s shoes, and she realized that nothing would have been left at the house.

Why burn it then?

Brook didn’t bother to stop the slight lift at the corner of her lips when she realized what it was that Lorelei had wanted to burn into ash.

“While the majority of the evidence that you took time to plant in Rachel Lee’s storage unit has been discovered, Detective Hartley found the rest about twenty minutes ago,” Brook revealed, purposefully not mentioning the items that she believed had been hidden somewhere in the Jameson residence. “Lorelei Jameson, you’re under arrest for the murders of Bella Kadel and Piper Zimmer.”

“Now wait just a—”

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