“Early this morning. Say around two or so.”
“Well, we were all here asleep,” said Jules.
“And each of you can verify that the others were here?” said Brown.
Ellie said, “I went to bed around eleven. I heard Jules and Samantha come upstairs around midnight. I was reading and heard them talking.”
“And I opened the door and said good night to Mom,” said Jules.
“And I did too,” said Samantha. “And Jules and I are sharing a room. We have our own bedrooms, but…I didn’t want to be alone. I went to bed around one, but I went back downstairs for my glasses and I checked on Mom. She was sound asleep. And so was Jules when I got
back to the room.”
“Okay, that accounts for you three,” said Brown, turning to Amanda. “And you?”
Amanda abruptly sat down. “I…I went up to bed before anyone else. I wasn’t feeling well. I went to sleep and just woke up about an hour ago.”
“So you didn’t talk to or see anyone else?” Brown looked at the others. “Did any of you check on your sister last night?”
“Oh come on,” barked Jules. “Look at her. She’s only got one arm. Do you really think she’s capable of shooting a gun? And she’s seen Cissy, what, maybe a handful of times over the last ten years. Why in the hell would she kill her? Why would any of us, for that matter?”
“We’re not saying that you did. We’re actually doing you a favor, because when the police come and ask, you’ll have ready answers.”
Jules seemed taken aback by this and sat next to Amanda and put an arm protectively around her.
Ellie said, “Where is Natalie?”
“She’s with the FBI right now.”
“Is she…is she going to prison?”
“I have no way of knowing those details,” said Brown. “I can tell you that the possible charges against her are very serious. I would not be surprised if she didn’t spend some time in prison.”
“Oh my God!” gushed Samantha.
Amanda burst into tears. “What the hell is going on? Our whole family is disintegrating right in front of us.”
Jules stared over at Brown. “We didn’t kill Cissy. We didn’t know anything about what Nat may or may not have done. I still don’t understand why Daddy killed himself. I…I…” She pulled away from Amanda and put her head in her hands.
In a trembling voice, Ellie said, “Would you mind if we were just left alone for a while? We just need to be…to be together as a family for just a little while.”
Decker, Brown, and Jamison stood. Decker said, “We’re going to figure this out, Mrs. Dabney. One way or another.”
“But that won’t bring back Walt, or Cissy. Or change what will happen to Natalie.”
“No ma’am, it won’t.”
They filed out, leaving the crushed Dabney family in the library.
Outside, Brown turned to Decker.
“What do you think?”
“I think something is off, but I don’t know what it is.”
CHAPTER
58
“YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN what you meant?”
Decker had climbed out of Brown’s car and headed into the WFO. Jamison had stayed seated. When Decker looked back at her, she waved him on. He glanced at Brown and then walked to the entrance and disappeared inside.
Brown eyed Jamison in the rearview. “I thought I was pretty clear.”
“Clear as mud. Right and wrong. You didn’t say what about.”
“You want to do this now?”
“We can keep putting it off and the resentment will continue to build and maybe we get to a point where nothing the other says will matter.”
Brown put the car in park, undid her seat belt, and turned to look at Jamison.
“You were right that I screwed up. But you were wrong that I don’t care. I care what Decker thinks about me. And I care about Melvin, even though I haven’t known him very long. I got a good vibe from him right away. We talked. A lot. He thinks the world of you and Decker. I would never hurt Melvin, and I know he would never hurt me. He’s not that kind of a guy. Believe me, I know the kind that would. I’ve dated them.”
“I have too,” conceded Jamison. “Look, I was pretty rough on you, and that wasn’t fair.”
“I’m used to things not being fair. My father was a good guy and a great soldier. He did wonderful things at DIA. But he wanted a son, not a daughter. But I was all he had. He didn’t discourage me from joining the ranks, but it wasn’t like he encouraged me either. Maybe he didn’t care one way or another. But it still felt like someone had stuck a shiv between my ribs when I told him I’d joined DIA and all he could say was, ‘Are you sure you want to do that, because isn’t it time you settle down and start a family?’ I’d busted my ass to serve at the same agency he had. And that’s all he could say?”
“I bet that hurt like hell.”
Brown shrugged. “Things are better gender-wise, sure, but they’re far from perfect. Most guys I meet, when they find out what I do, they’re either scared off or they try to prove they’re more of a badass than I am. So that means I don’t have many second dates. And at work, it’s mostly guys wondering why I’m there taking a slot that a man should have.”
“Same with me,” said Jamison. “I’m surrounded by guys all day. And then there’s Decker.”
“He’s a guy.”
“But he’s not really a guy. He’s…well, he’s Decker.”
Brown smiled and then laughed. “Somehow, I know exactly what you mean. And Melvin is different too. He’s special, Alex. He wasn’t intimidated by me at all. He…well, he’s secure enough in his own skin to not be jealous of what I do.”
“I agree with you that Melvin is very special. And he deserves someone special. And maybe that someone is you.”
Brown looked taken aback by this but said, “Thanks. That means a lot.”
“Are we good?” asked Jamison.
“I think we’re as good as we’re ever going to be.” She paused. “I heard what happened. That you saved Decker’s life.”
Jamison glanced down at her waist, where she carried her gun.
Brown said, “It’s not easy, Alex. And it never gets any easier.”
“It’s changed me, Harper. I’m never going to be the same. I killed someone.”
“You didn’t change. Just a little part of you did. There’s a big difference.”
“But you can move forward, at some point?”
“You will move forward, Alex. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, because it won’t. But it will happen.”
Jamison gave her an appreciative smile, climbed out of the car, and walked into the WFO. Decker was waiting for her just inside the doors. He scrutinized her face. “No bruises, good. Any wounds I can’t see?”
“We actually got along very well. I have a whole different opinion of Agent Brown now.”
“Well, that’s good to know.”
“And you came up again.”
“How so?”
“We were just appreciating the fact that you were sort of one of the girls.”
Decker eyed her quizzically for a moment. “I think I’m just going to let that one pass.”
They cleared security and rode the elevator up to their floor. Decker had phoned ahead and Bogart met them as they were walking down the hall.
“Got something,” he said. He led them into a room off the main hall. Milligan was already there seated at a computer.