Hide and Seek (Criminal Profiler #1)(34)

Worry deepened the lines on her mother’s face as she leaned against the counter. “Cindy caused a lot of trouble.”

Brooke was more like Tobi Turner, a band geek without a cool bone in her body. When Cindy had paid attention to Brooke in high school, the incident with the bees had been forgotten. And if only for a little while, she had felt cooler. But Cindy had never really cared about Brooke or Tobi or perhaps herself.

“As an adult I look back and recognize Cindy’s awful homelife and her substance abuse problems led her to make a lot of poor choices. If I met her today, I’d like to think I’d be a bigger person and show her more compassion.”

“I don’t know if I could ever have charity for that girl.” Her mother dunked a chamomile tea bag into her mug, and when the kettle whistled, she poured hot water into the cup. “You mentioned the FBI. Is that the person who drives the black sedan parked in front of the station?”

“Yes, her name is Special Agent Macy Crow.”

“But isn’t it your job to investigate the cases now?”

“Sheriff Nevada feels like we need the big guns for this one.”

“You’re smart enough to figure it out.”

Brooke wasn’t so sure about that. Her experience ended at the county line. “A fresh set of eyes won’t hurt.”

Floorboards squeaked upstairs and she realized her son, a light sleeper, was awake. He was smart, clever, and the spitting image of her.

Brooke poured the last of her beer down. “I want to check in on Matt.”

As she turned to leave, her mother said, “I’m proud of you.”

Brooke closed her eyes, absorbing the words before she kissed her mother lightly on the cheek and then climbed the stairs. She walked down the narrow hallway she’d traveled so many times that a light wasn’t necessary. She opened her son’s bedroom door. Hints of the fresh coat of blue paint she had rolled on the walls a couple of weeks ago lingered in the air. His clothes were piled on the floor next to a set of size-eleven sneakers she’d given him for his birthday last summer. He was already fourteen and in four years would be off to college himself. When he was born, she’d thought her life was over. Now she wondered what she would do when he was gone.

“Mom.”

Brooke sat on the end of his bed and rubbed her son’s back. “You should be asleep, baby.”

“I’m not a baby, Mom.” Matt rolled over and sat up, pushing his thick dark hair out of his eyes.

“You’ll always be my baby.” Which was one of the reasons she’d brought him the computer today. It felt good to be needed.

“Mom. Stop.”

“Got it.”

“Are you coming or going?”

“Passing through. I need a quick shower, maybe a little sleep, and a change of clothes before I head back to work.” She traced her hand over the star shapes on the coverlet. “Did the front office give you your computer and the lunch money?”

“Yeah. Thanks for bringing it. Where was Grandma?”

“With a patient.”

Matt was silent, but she knew the wheels were turning in his head. “Any word how the girl found in the Wyatt barn died?”

“Not yet.” Her heart wanted to ache for the man’s loss, but she knew grief would only cloud her thoughts and inhibit her from truly helping Turner.

“Are Tyler and the football players having bonfires out there?” she asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.”

“I don’t know, Mom. I just know they’re obsessed with the place now.”

“It’s a crime scene.”

“I know.” He took her hand in his, just like he had when he was little. “It’s okay, Mom. I’m not going out there.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She smiled and kissed her son on his forehead. “You need sleep.”

Matt yawned. “So do you.”

“I will.”

“Did you know the dead girl?” Matt asked.

Brooke was quiet as she smoothed her hand over the light-gray coverlet. “I remember her from school. I remember when she vanished. It was a scary time.”

The truth was she barely remembered those weeks. She had been consumed by morning sickness and preoccupied with hiding her pregnancy from her mother.

“You’ll solve the case,” Matt said. “You’re a badass cop.”

She squeezed his hand. “I hope so, for the sake of that girl.”

“I saw Hank Greene on television today.”

“What was he talking about?” Greene wasn’t the type to keep his mouth shut.

“He hinted that he’s going to challenge Sheriff Nevada during the next election and win his seat back.”

“Well, then he’s in for a real fight, isn’t he? Nevada is no pushover.”

Matt drew in a breath. “Whoever killed that girl could still be in town. You need to be careful, Mom.”

“I’ll be fine. You just make sure you stay away from those bonfires.”

“Jeez, Mom. I got it.”

Brooke brushed a strand of hair from her son’s eyes. If only she could make him understand that monsters were real and they could steal his life if given the chance.