Touch of Red (Tracers #12)(92)

“How the hell did we miss this? We turned that house inside out.”

“Yeah, but we were looking for drugs,” Callie said. “The dogs aren’t exactly trained to sniff out an old diary. And anyway, it was tucked between some textbooks. Amy wouldn’t even have noticed it if it hadn’t fallen out while she was packing up Samantha’s things.”

“So, where is it now?”

“Jasper’s got it. He’s taking it to the lab for fingerprinting. Samantha’s prints are all over it, I’m sure, but there’s a chance we could even find Jasmine’s. Not that we need any more evidence against Mahoney now that Hurd is talking, but every bit helps.”

“Hurd is cooperating?”

“Rachel’s using him as leverage against the judge. Turns out Hurd has a dark red pickup truck registered to his name, supposedly keeping it for his son who’s away at college. Hurd claims Mahoney borrowed the vehicle from him the week of the murders, claiming his car was in the shop. I think Rachel’s positioning Hurd to testify against the judge. From what I hear, she’s determined to nail Mahoney on everything, no deals.”

“Good for her.” Sean glanced at his watch. “Listen, I have to go. I’m picking up Brooke.”

“She’s being discharged?”

“At noon, supposedly. I’m taking her home.”

Callie arched her eyebrows. “Home as in . . . ?”

“My place. If she agrees.” He blew out a breath. “I’ve got some convincing to do.”

“Hmm.” Callie tilted her head to the side. “Interesting tactic.”

“What is?”

“Taking her to your place. She doesn’t strike me as someone who wants to be babysat.”

“She isn’t. But she needs help, even if she doesn’t know it yet.” He shook his head. “She’s medicated and she’s on crutches. I’ve been there. There’s a lot that’s hard to do, and the first few days are the worst. The exhaustion comes out of nowhere and knocks you flat, and I want to help her through that.”

“You look exhausted yourself.”

“Me? I’m fine.” He raked his hand through his hair. Then he checked his watch, and she realized he was nervous more than anything. “I’d better go.”

He was in love. Callie could see it. She hoped Brooke could, too, and that she was ready for it because Sean Byrne didn’t do anything halfway.

Callie smiled at him. “Tell Brooke I said hi. And good luck with your convincing.”

He smiled slightly. “You think I’m going to need it?”

“Absolutely.”

? ? ?

“You’re rushing it,” Roland told her.

“No, I’m not,” Brooke insisted.

“I disagree.”

“Well, it’s not up to you, is it? So, are you going to help me?”

He sighed on the other end of the phone. “Fine. But for the record, I think you’re rushing it. Text me if you change your mind.”

“I won’t.”

Brooke tossed her cell phone onto the coffee table and stared at her laptop. She had 286 messages in her in-box, and it had been less than three days.

The doorbell rang, and she startled at the unfamiliar sound. She looked at Sean’s front door. He usually used the back door, and he had a key. She debated for a moment before grabbing her crutches and heaving herself up. She loped over and peered through the peephole and was shocked to see Maddie, Kelsey, and Alex.

Brooke unlocked the door and clumsily pulled it open.

“Surprise!” Maddie stepped past her, carrying a tray of cardboard coffee cups. “We decided to bring our coffee klatch to you.”

Brooke smiled. “But it’s Friday.”

Kelsey kissed her cheek. “We needed an emergency session.”

“Plus, we wanted an excuse to check out your new digs,” Alex added.

“They’re not really my digs,” Brooke said, leading them into Sean’s living room.

But she could tell her friends didn’t buy it. Brooke’s laptop was on the coffee table, her jacket was draped over a chair, and her favorite magazines were stacked on the end table beside her phone charger. She’d made herself quite at home in Sean’s space. Temporarily.

“Wow, this is nice.” Maddie looked around. “Great view of the greenbelt.”

“Yeah, not quite the bachelor pad I imagined.” Taking a seat on the armchair, Kelsey quirked an eyebrow at Brooke. “Who knew Sean Byrne had a domestic side?”

“Nice alarm system,” Alex said from the foyer. “This thing’s top-of-the-line.”

“Leave it to you to notice his electronics,” Brooke said.

Maddie sat on the sofa and passed out coffee cups and muffins. “We got you a chai latte.”

“Thanks.”

“In exchange, we want the full story, uncensored,” Kelsey said. “How are things with you and the sexy detective?”

“Good.” Brooke leaned her crutches against the end table and lowered herself onto the couch. “How are you? I understand you and Gage have a new project under way.”

“You see what she did there?” Kelsey looked at Maddie and sipped her coffee. “The baby-making mission is going fine, thank you very much.”