"There has been another murder," Brian declared when his team had settled. "Sabrina Boyd was a high-profile attorney. She worked in Evans' courtroom and until evidence proves otherwise, we are going to believe these two cases are related."
He turned a moment pinning up a picture of Boyd next to the one of Evans.
"So, is this a fear tactic or a revenge mission?" Blake asked from his seat.
"With the evidence, we have now, I bet anything that this is someone seeking revenge. One of the felons that were sentenced in court or a family member. Freja I want a cross-reference of every high-profile case that Boyd handled in Evans's courtroom. It won't shorten the list a whole bunch Boyd sentenced nearly all of Evans's cases, but even crossing out three names is better than nothing."
Freja nodded "got it."
"Make a note of which of them are out, will you?"
Freja nodded. "Course."
"Zayn, can I expect Boyd's forensic report to be completed in a faster time frame than Evans was?" Brian asked, his tone changing to his stern, bossy one.
Zayn looked at him with a frown "Brian, you know we had to get Evans' report from another department. Our team in the lab worked as hard as they could."
"But Boyd's doesn't have to be, it is being sent directly to us. So I can expect it completed for Monday, right?"
Zayn looked at him with a small frown. "Sir, it's Friday."
"I realize what day of the week it is, thanks Zayn. Work through the weekend and your team will make double time."
Zayn sighed softly but nodded "yes, sir. Monday."
"Good. I want a thorough search of her apartment. Take it room by room, and run all the standard tests. Keep me posted if you find anything interesting."
Zayn nodded "yes, sir. Should we do a grid search around the complex as well?"
"Yes."
Brian glanced down at the files again. Falling silent as he examined the autopsy photos.
"Brian?" Freja asked after a moment of silence.
Brian glanced at her then at Blake "they were drowned."
"What do you mean they were drowned?" Chris asked.
Brian turned his gaze to the man with a faint frown. "This photo of Evans has been bugging me. The burst veins around his eyes, the bluish lips. At first, you would almost believe he was strangled, but he couldn't have been. He has no ligature marks around his neck. He drowned." He flipped to the back of the report where written notes lay from the pathologist. "Cause of death: signs point to unknown suffocation. Boyd has the same thing."
"But how? Evans and Boyd where not found in a body of water, unless you think there was a second crime scene."
"No, no I don't think there was a second crime scene. Evans had a relaxing drug in his system at the time of his death. My guess, our suspect slipped it in a drink or something to lower Evans's inhibitions and then intubated him and dropped a teaspoon of water into his lungs. Quiet, efficient, and skillful. This suspect is smart."
Chris looked a little surprised and taken aback.
"Freja when compiling your lists, make a note of any people who have medical backgrounds or training as a lifeguard or swim instructor."
"Will do."
Brian considered the pictures a moment longer, pinning up the ones that showed both victims' deceased faces. He turned back to his team "Bennett had requested that this team put in overtime so this case can be solved as quickly as possible. So until this case is solved everyone will be coming into the office an hour earlier and leaving an hour later."
The team all nodded slowly in apprehensive understanding.
"Should we be worried?" Gabrielle asked, glancing up from her notes at him. "I mean if this is someone targeting people who work high-priority cases... didn't our teamwork a few of Boyd's cases? His name seems familiar."
Brian ran his hand through his hair at Gabrielle's question, a small frown crossing his face. He hadn't really thought of that. Brian had many cases begin and end with someone threatening his life. When he worked on cases of drug cartels and crime rings, he was always on high alert and appreciated that he could always carry a gun on him.
"Good point, in that case, let's take the same safety precautions that we do with our usual high-profile cases. Keep everyone's name that doesn't carry a gun out of the paper and let's keep a watchful eye on our team."
The team all nodded in agreement. Brian ran a hand through his hair, considering the files that sat in front of him. If someone was out there targeting individuals in a plot of revenge, how far would they take it?
The remainder of the day was spent with the team pouring over Evans's forensic report and Boyd's small file. Trying to work out a storyline from their limited information and evidence.
Brian looked up at Blake and Freja they sat across from him at his desk. He pinched his nose as he read through the jotted-down notes Freja had added to her list of possible suspects.
"How are we going to start cutting down this suspect list?" Blake asked glancing at him. "Evans and Boyd have worked seemingly an endless list of cases, almost 75% of which are high-profile cases."
Brian shook his head slowly "I don't know, we will come up with something. Perhaps we compile a list of vehicles that show up in the video feed from the courthouse and Boyd's office. If there is one that shows up at both locations."
Freja nodded. "Blake and I will divide up the video surveillance, and see if anything comes up."
Brian glanced at his watch with a soft sigh "Jesus, two hours and we are not much further than we were in the meeting."
"Brian, it has been two hours, not two days," Freja said.
Brian glanced up at the door when he heard a knock, "come in."
Elise pushed open the door a little looking at him with a bright smile. "Detective, you have some visitors."
Brian raised a brow a little as she stepped aside to let Brian's little niece run into the room.
"Uncle Brian!" she squealed happily as she ran over to him.
"Hey, kiddo," Brian said a bright smile lighting up his face as she jumped up onto his lap. Giving him a tight hug around his neck.
Brian glanced over at the door as his brother, sister-in-law and nephews stepped through the door. He got to his feet placing his niece on his hip. "What are you guys doing here? I thought I was meeting you all at the hotel later?"
"The kids got bored of swimming, and we figured you could use some food," Eden said as she stepped over to him giving him a side hug as she placed the bag of food on the desk.
Brian smiled warmly placing his niece down, opening the bag a little taking a few fries and popping them in his mouth. "Hmm, thank you, Eden." His gaze turned up to his brother.
Ian crossed the room to stand at the window wall, gazing down at the city of Washington DC.
"How are you three?" Freja asked the children.
"We are good," Reggie said before he turned to his uncle. "What are you guys working on?"
Brian looked down at him with a small shrug "just trying to lock up another bad guy."
Reggie looked at the desk with eager curiosity. He had always been intrigued by the work Brian did.
"Kids, Eden, Ian, this is Elise my secretary," Brian said.
Eden smiled warmly and stepped over she shook Elise's hand "nice to meet you."
"You too," Elise said with a polite smile.
"Elise, do you mind grabbing these kids each a chocolate bar from the breakroom?" Brian asked her.
"Yes, sir, course. Kids, would you like to come and pick one?"
"Yeah!" Esme squealed in excitement walking over to her, with Reggie and Maxim following.
"So, an important case?" Ian asked glancing at him over his shoulder.
Brian nodded walking over to him. Ian got much of his looks from their mother. He was 6'0. He sported a consistent golden-brown tan thanks to living in Florida. He had tidy blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Ian had a sturdy build with wide-set shoulders. He wore his usual pale blue jeans and a black t-shirt.
"How do you work like this, Brian?" Eden asked looking at his desk with a look of horror.
Eden Harper had joined the family back when Brian was 12. Ian and Eden had met during their residency. From the moment she was introduced to the family, she was Brian's sister. She was an incredible, loving woman. She stood at 5'6 and sported a slim figure with long legs. She had long blonde hair that ran down to the middle of her back and green eyes.
Brian glanced at her with a small laugh glancing over his shoulder. He watched Esme return with Elise and her brothers, her hand clutched tightly around an almond Hershey bar, she climbed up into the large office chair with a bright grin.
"I offer to clean it for him," Elise said.
Brian shook his head glancing at his secretary. He turned back to his brother with a small smile. "So, the head of the neurosurgeon department. Does Dad know?"
Ian glanced at him with an unamused smile, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "No. Not yet. I have called him every day since I found out, but I haven't reached him yet. Typical."
"Ian he is in the middle of the savannah in Kenya, I doubt he has reliable service."
"Why do you do that? I hate that you continue to stand up for him."
Brian frowned softly looking at his brother "Ian, Dad will be thrilled when you reach him."
"Maybe, he has never been particularly interested in what I do. He is always excited to hear about your work," Ian said with a small sigh, leaning a little against the wall. His gaze cast down at the city.
Brian touched his hand to his brother's shoulder. "Dad is proud of you. You know that. He just has an interesting way of showing it."
Ian shrugged, running his hand through his hair. "You could say that. You'd think he would be more interested in my research. I mean it is on the disease that killed his wife."
"I think he tries not to think about it." Brian's gaze became unfocused, his head turning down so he stared out at the city below them, his mind drifting and eyes clouding.
His mother had been the nicest person Brian ever had the pleasure of knowing. She still was. But by the end, his mother was lost. Replaced by the shell of a person. Watching his mother leave little by little, and get stolen by disease, had been the hardest thing Brian had ever had to live through. He wouldn't have wished it on his worst enemy. Through the battle, Brian's father had been the strongest man he had ever known. Through every outburst from the woman who every day was less and less the woman he married, to the weeks of vigil he sat beside her watching the disease steal her away. Through all the heartache he never let it take away from being the husband his wife deserved, or the father his sons needed at the time. After she died, however, it seemed too much to stay around. Instead, he left, focused on himself. Focus on his own grief.
Brian forced a heavy sigh through his lips, pinching his nose a little. He forced the usual lump of grief down clearing his throat. "We will go celebrate your promotion tomorrow, promise." On its own accords, his voice had deepened, thick with unforgotten grief.
Ian glanced at his brother. The two rarely spoke about their mother's death and illness.
Brian forced a small smile, patting his brother's shoulder before he turned around to look at his niece and nephews. "Now who would like a tour of the floor?"
"Yes!" Reggie cheered.
Reggie was a bright boy 10 years old. He was a bit more introverted than his siblings and seemed to struggle to get along with other kids. He had very short light blonde hair and guarded green eyes, which were very similar to the ones his grandfather and uncle had. He was a lanky kid, both his arms and legs a bit longer than average.
"Come on, let's do it," Brian said ruffling his hair a little. "Blake, Freja you can head home. Let's pick this all up on Monday."
They both nodded in approval beginning to collect their stuff.
"Have a good weekend, Brian," Blake said as he headed for the door.
"You too. Elise, will you let the rest of the team know they can head home if they wish," Brian said glancing at his secretary.
"Right away, sir," Elise said heading back out to her desk.
"Esme, are you stealing my pens?" Brian asked looking at his niece with an amused smile.
Esme looked up at him with an adorably innocent smile "I like this one! It's cool. Can I have it, Uncle? Please?"
"Sure," Brian said pulling the chair she sat in back from the desk, grabbing the chocolate wrapper she had abandoned on his desk, and popping the last couple of squares into his mouth. "Come on." He picked her up placing her on his hip.
Esme was ridiculously cute, almost too much and she knew it. She knew how hard Brian found it to say no to her and used it to her advantage. She had slightly curled blonde hair that was currently up in pigtails. She had large green eyes and a smaller nose. She was very social, Ian and Eden always had to make sure she was sandwiched between them when they went to the movies so she wouldn't talk everyone's ear off.
Brian headed out of his office and down the hall to the more exciting parts of the floor. The side his office sat on just lead down a hall full of more offices, four conference rooms, and the breakroom.
He placed Esme down gently, when they reached large heavy doors with the word RESTRICTED posted across them. He keyed open the door with his key card, and they swung open.
On the other side of the door sat two metal detectors, with a pair of security guards. One of them stood up giving Brian a curt nod.
"Detective Harper."
"Wave us through," Brian ordered.
"Yes, sir." The man walked over and flicked a switch, so it turned off one of the metal detectors. "Detective Moore is currently in room 2, sir."
"With?" Brian asked him.
"A witness, sir. No one dangerous."
"Come on," Brian said to his family leading them down the brightly lit hallway.
"Why are there metal detectors, Uncle?" Reggie asked him.
"It's a safety measure. When we bring people back here, we want to make sure they don't have anything that could be dangerous on them."
"Like a gun?" Reggie asked.
"A gun, or any other type of weapon."
Brian stopped outside the first door, and a large black number 1-i was posted on it. He pushed open the door. "This is an interrogation room," he explained to the children. The room was painted black, and dark gray tile lined the floor. There was a plain black table with three chairs sitting around it. One on one side and two on the other. A pair of handcuffs was built into the table.
"Should we chain one of you up?" Brian asked, a playful smile crossing his face. "Have any of you three broken any laws that I should know about?"
The children giggled.
Maxim walked over to the table picked up one of the cuffs and gave it a curious tug. "Can I put them on?"
Brian nodded slowly "sure. But how about we put these ones on instead of those? I don't have the right keys on me for those ones."
Maxim nodded. Walking back over, with a bright smile across his face, he turned around. Far more gently than he would if it was an actual culprit, Brian put the cuffs on his nephew. Not putting them on nearly as tight as he usually did.
"Maxim Harper, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you. Now with these rights in mind, did you steal the cookies?" he asked in a funny formal voice.
Maxim laughed turning his head he shook his head wildly. "No! I swear!"
"Are you sure? Us Detectives can smell lies miles away," Brian said still with his funny formal tone.
"Yeah! I didn't steal them!" Maxim said with a bright grin.
Maxim was quite a bit different than his siblings. He liked to take risks and test the limits. He played hockey and was rather rough, having already gotten into a fight this year. He sported dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, identical to the ones his deceased grandmother had.
Brian paused for a moment, a playful frown crossing his face. "Well then; I believe I have made a mistake." He pulled his key from his pocket as the boy turned around and unlocked the cuffs.
They headed to the room just down the hall with 1-v stamped on the door. Pushing the door open, revealing a warmer-lit room than the one they had just been in. The wall shared with the other room held one-way glass, which had been covered by a fake wall in the other room. There was a desk, a recording system and a couple of chairs in there.
"Is this where you go when you talk to the bad guys?" Esme asked, looking through the window.
"Hmm, no. I come in here to watch what people do, to see if they are a bad guys. A person's actions tell me if they committed a crime more times than anything they say to me."
"What happens if you get the wrong person?" Reggie asked.
"Then we let them go, usually they receive money based on how many years they have been in prison. But it happens rarely. I am proud to say that I have not locked up the wrong person and hope I never will. I don't know how I would feel if I put the wrong man away. Simply being in prison can ruin a person's life, so I am painfully careful when I make arrests."
"Detective Harper."
Brian glanced over his shoulder nodding to Moore. "Nathan, how is your current case going?"
"Smoothly, sir. I am just doting some i's and crossing some t's before making my arrest. How about your case, sir?"
"Not nearly as close to being closed as yours," Brian said. He then turned back to his family, "come on, I'll show you guys my favourite spot."
"Probably the lunchroom," Ian said, as they headed back down the hall.
Brian laughed softly as they walked back out of the locked doors, heading to the right and down the hallway.
"I have never been in our lunchroom," Brian replied to his brother with a small shrug. "I hardly ever eat lunch here and if I do, I am working through lunch, so I eat in my office. Besides, people should be allowed to eat without the boss listening in on their conversations."
As they arrived at the doors at the end of the hall, Brian keyed the doors. These were large heavy doors made of soundproofing material.
"Hey Marcus," he said to the man sitting in the little room to the right.
"Hello Detective, six earmuffs, sir?"
"Please, three of the smallest we have."
The man got to his feet grabbing a pair of expensive black ones. "Your pair, sir." He said before he began grabbing a few of the spare pairs.
"Is anyone using the range at the moment?"
"No, sir. It's quiet in there right now."
"Good, if someone comes to use the range, tell them to wait a couple of minutes. We won't be long."
"Yes, sir."
He placed the five other earmuffs down.
"Put them on, make sure they are flat over your ear," Brian ordered the children before he stepped through the second set of doors.
Each of the six ranges was empty, just as his employee had promised. The room must have been cleaned today it smelt less like gunpowder than usual. Brian walked over to one of the stations. In a smooth fluid motion, he stepped up pulled his HK45 from its holster, switched the safety off, and fired. Aiming straight down the range. He fired again. Putting the safety back on he returned the pistol to his holster. Hitting the button on the side, the paper from the end of the range slid up towards them. He had hit point-blank the heart dot and head dot.
He pulled the paper down, folded it and passed it to Reggie. "Here kiddo, show that to the kid who's been picking on you. Tell them your uncle doesn't like bullies."
Reggie grinned, looking at his uncle with an adorable gaze of surprise and awe. "Can I shoot? Please?"
Brian shared a look with his brother, shaking his head slowly. "Not yet buddy, maybe in a year or two."
Reggie looked a little disappointed but didn't push the question as they headed back out of the range. Returning their earmuffs to the room.
"Have you ever shot someone?" Reggie asked.
Brian glanced at his brother again, considering how to answer the question. "I have a few times."
"Really? Why?" Reggie asked his eyes wide as nickels.
Brian paused again. "Because I had no other option. In situations where that is the only option or someone will be hurt, either me, another officer or a victim I have to make the choice to shoot."
"Have you killed someone?" Reggie asked his voice nearly a whisper.
"Reggie, that's enough to interrogate your uncle," Ian ordered setting his hand on his son's shoulder.
Brian swallowed uncomfortably as they returned to his office, he grabbed his bag and slipped his laptop and case file into it. "Shall I meet you guys at your hotel?"
"Yeah sure," Ian said.
Brian nodded slipping his jacket on, walking out he paused at Elise's desk with a small warm smile to his secretary.
"Elise, you can go home," he said with a warm smile across his face.
Elise glanced up at him with a nod "yes, sir. I'm just finishing up some emails... I feel it's my responsibility to stick around until you go home. As your secretary."
Brian's smile grew a little "I appreciate that. Well, I am heading home, so you can go home without feeling you aren't fulfilling your due diligence."
"Yes, sir," Elise said with a warm smile. "I will grab my coat right now."
"I will wait for you, make sure you go home at a decent time," Brian said.
Elise smiled with a soft laugh heading quickly to grab her coat.
Brian's gaze followed her a moment before he turned to see Chris standing in the doorway to his office. "I will be in bright and early Monday morning. If you plan on making accusations to Bennett, you should make sure they are accurate."
Chris' gaze hardened a little "I am not your friend Brian; I am not going to cover for you."
Brian frowned deeply his jaw hardening a little. "You don't have to, how I choose to spend my time is not any of your business. I am not your boss Chris, but you are not mine either."
Chris looked like he wanted to say more but decided against it. "Dr. Harper, Dr. Mrs. Harper, kids," he greeted before stepping back into his office.
Brian gazed at the office door a moment before his hardened face turned into a bright smile when Elise walked over.
"You didn't really have to wait for me, sir," Elise said.
"I know," Brian said with a smile pressing the button. "But I feel a certain responsibility to make sure you get enough sleep."
"It's the weekend, sir. I promise that I will get a solid 8 hours every night."
"Good. I really do wish that you would call me 'Brian', Elise, 'sir' is almost too formal."
"But that's what everyone else calls you. Well besides the team."
"Yes, the team, which you are a part of calls me 'Brian' and don't refer to me as 'sir'." Brian agreed.
Elise hesitated a moment "I like keeping it professional, sir. It makes it less complicated."
Brian nodded slowly running his hand through his hand. He glanced at his brother who was gazing at him with a small look of surprise.
"What?" Brian asked him, raising his brow.
"Nothing," Ian said quickly shaking his head. "So, Elise how long have you worked for my brother?"
"Just about a year now, sir. I have to say I am so very excited that I had a chance to meet you all. I have heard so much."
Ian smiled warmly, glancing at his brother. "All good things I hope."
"Oh yes."
"So, Mrs. Harper are you in neurosurgery too?" Elise asked turning to Eden.
"No, I'm a pediatric surgeon."
"That must be rewarding."
"Very."
The elevator stopped on the main floor. With a final glance between Elise and Brian, Ian led his family out of the elevator.
"See you at the hotel, Brian."
Brian nodded looking after them.
"Does it really bother you that I won't call you 'Brian'?" Elise asked when the doors closed again.
Brian glanced at her with a small frown "I don't think 'bother' is the word I would use. I guess it's just not what I prefer. But I understand if you choose to still do it, I understand wanting to keep a professional relationship."
When the elevator reached the parkade level Brian followed Elise over to her car, pulling open the driver's door.
"Have a good weekend, ma'am," Brian said with a small smile.
Elise looked at him with a soft laugh "oh please no, that makes me feel old."
Brian laughed softly "okay Miss Dixion." With that, he headed to his own car.
. . . .
"You and your secretary seem pretty cozy," Ian said as he leaned back in his chair.
Ian and Eden had booked a pair of suites on the top floor of the hotel. The children where sharing one, which had a king bed in one room, and a pair of queens in the other, leaving Eden and Ian to share the other suite with a single king bed.
Brian looked at Ian with a small shrug "she is my secretary; I think that is how it's supposed to be."
"I'm not meaning professional; I am meaning in general... You barely kept your eyes off her in the elevator."
Brian looked at him with a small frown shaking his head "Ian she is my secretary. I have nothing beyond a professional relationship with her."
"If you say so," Ian said.