Carol Ericson - Brody Law - The Bridge / The District / The Wharf / The Hill

“Answers, Elise. I need answers, especially because I’m afraid the whole thing is happening again.”

“Was the therapist’s name in your father’s file?”

Sean scratched his chin. “No, but the department uses the same ones, so I’m sure I’ll be able to find out whom we were using back then. Plus, I have my sources in the department.”

“Would the powers that be allow you to reopen your father’s case?”

He snorted. “Not likely. They’d rather forget about it. I’m sure there were plenty in the department who didn’t want to hire me in the first place. If I start making trouble, that faction will use that as justification.”

“But you still have sources?”

“Yeah. One of the most powerful people in the department.”

“Chief Stoddard?”

“Chief Marie.” He winked.

“Who’s Chief Marie?”

“Marie Giardano. She keeps our records.”

“Ah, friends in high places.”

“She worked there when my father did, and she knew both of my parents. She never believed he was the Phone Book Killer, either.”

She raised her eyebrows at the name. “I’m assuming he picked his victims out of the phone book?”

“In alphabetical order, starting with the letter D.”

Gasping, Elise clutched her throat. “Just like Duran and Duncan.”

“You see why it looks like déjà vu to me?”

“Sean—” she reached out and traced her fingertips along the wings of his tattoo “—do you think your ink has anything to do with it?”

He shivered beneath her touch. “Of course I thought about it. That’s why I freaked out in a totally unprofessional manner when you told me about your attacker’s tattoo.”

“Do you think he’s some kind of copycat?” She covered her mouth with her hands. “Is that what the message on my mirror was all about?” She cinched his arm. “Is someone going to start trying to pin these murders on you?”

“I can’t say the thought didn’t cross my mind.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”

He placed his hands on her shoulders, wedging his thumbs against her collarbones. “I didn’t want to drag you into all of this, Elise. It’s ancient history to most people, but it haunts me every day, every day I catch a glimpse of the bridge.”

Her heart ached for this man and the burden he carried. Her issues with her family and Ty seemed trivial compared with Sean Brody’s family legacy.

She encircled his wrists with her fingers. “I am involved, Sean, and it’s not ancient history to me. It’s my story, right now. And I want to help you in any way I can.”

His dark eyes burned into hers, and she didn’t look away. She didn’t ever want to look away. She wanted to get lost in the depths of his soul and bring light to his darkness.

When his lips touched hers, they scorched her with their heat and passion. She sagged against his chest, and he wrapped one arm around her waist.

He deepened the kiss and she drank him in, getting drunk on the sensations that swirled through her body. Who needed wine? She had Sean Brody.

Courtney yelped from the top of the stairs, and they jumped apart.

She called down. “This new client is going to be a pain. First session today, and he’s already calling me after hours.”

Elise rolled her eyes at Sean. “Is it an emergency?”

“He thinks so, but I talked him down from the ledge, so to speak.” Courtney stopped on the staircase, clutching her phone in her hand. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were still here, Sean.”

He held up his hand. “I’m on my way out.”

“Don’t let me scare you away.” She drew a circle around her face, which was caked with green paste. “When this comes off, I’m more beautiful than ever.”

Elise slipped her arm through his. “I’ll walk you out. Thanks for dinner.”

“My pleasure.” He brushed a loose strand of hair from her cheek. “I hope you’re feeling better after today’s events.”

“I feel fine, but it’ll be nice having the Oakland P.D. patrolling the school this week.”

“And your leg?”

“Stiff and sore, but it could be worse, right?”

“You’re tough, kid.”

“It’s like you said before. He’s going to make a mistake soon.”

He cupped her face with one hand and brushed his lips against hers. “I just don’t want you getting burned.”

As she watched him walk down the hallway to the elevator, she murmured, “Too late for that, Sean Brody. Too late for that.”

Chapter Twelve

Sean hunched over the counter, studied Marie’s lined face and gave her his best smile. “I know where the boxes are, Marie.”

She tapped a pen on top of the log book. “You should. You’ve practically worn a path in the linoleum back there over the years.”

He plucked the pen from her fingers, the long red fingernails at odds with her age-spotted skin, and slid the log book toward him.

Marie snatched it away. “You don’t need to sign in, Sean.”

He lifted one eyebrow. “Since when?”

“Since the brass has been snooping through the books.”

His pulse jumped. “Looking for what?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” She raised her plump shoulders. “I just don’t think they need to see your name written in ink checking out your dad’s case files again. Especially now.”

He leaned in closer, his breath fogging the glass in the window. “What are you hearing?”

“I’m hearing a killer has you on speed dial.”

“And?” He licked his lips.

“Just that.”

Sean dropped the pen. “Maybe I don’t need to look through the boxes again.”

“Be my guest. I won’t remember that you were here. My memory is notoriously bad on Tuesdays.”

“Even Tuesdays twenty years ago?”

“Mmm, back then I had trouble with Saturdays.” She put her finger on the side of her prominent nose. “What am I supposed to recall about twenty years in the past besides the fact that I had cleavage that could cause whiplash?”

“You still got it, Marie.”

“You Brody boys are all charmers.” She tapped on the glass with one of her long nails. “Tell me what you need.”

Sean folded his hands on top of the log book, pressing his thumbs together. “Who did the department use for therapy in those days? You know, for officer-involved shootings, alcoholism, the works.”

She laughed, a sharp bark that filled the small front office of the records room. “I thought you were going to test me, Brody.”

“You remember without even looking?”

“The department used only one guy in those days, and we had him for eighteen years. Dr. James Patrick. He retired just seven years ago. That’s who your dad would’ve seen.”

“Did he see him?”

Marie looked both ways. “I don’t know, but I do know they made the recommendation. Usually when the department makes the recommendation, you’d better follow through or it could be your job.”

“It wound up being his life.”

Marie reached through the space under the window and patted Sean’s arm. “He must’ve had a good reason to do that, Sean, leaving you and your brothers and Joanne. Someone or something drove him to it, and I don’t believe for one minute it was guilt over any murders.”

“I appreciate that, Marie.”

She coughed her smoker’s cough. “If you appreciate it so much, why don’t you send those good-looking brothers of yours over here to visit an old lady?”

“I’ll get right on it—after I solve this case.”

“Which case, Sean?”

He slapped the log book. “You’re a lifesaver, Marie.”

He jogged up two flights of stairs and paused at the fire door, pulling out his phone. He typed in a quick text to Elise, and she responded immediately that everything was fine.