Drained (Edgars Family #6) - Suzanne Ferrell Page 0,87
with me,” she said as they climbed into her car a few minutes later.
“You’re both going to the meeting with me,” he said, opening the garage door and starting the car.
She blinked as they pulled out. “Why? Won’t your captain be upset to have a civilian and a dog in on the discussion?”
“Too bad. You’ve both been instrumental to this investigation and helped us get some clues about this murderer.” He glanced at her as he turned onto the freeway to head back downtown. “Right now, we need all the help we can get to stop him.”
For a Saturday morning, the homicide division was full of people when they entered. Several stopped to talk them and comment about Stanley, nestled in Brianna’s arms. Aaron introduced her and the pup to them while thankfully continuing to move them towards the conference room where they’d interviewed her about Mia the day before. Before her own kidnapping, she’d have loved all the attention. Between the paparazzi parked outside the hospital and her home when the story broke, and at the courthouse during the nationally broadcasted trial, these days big groups of people triggered a fear of crowds.
Unfortunately, arriving in the conference room wasn’t any better. The place was packed with people, some dressed in casual clothes like Aaron and other looking very important in their uniforms. There were a few familiar faces though, which eased her anxiety. Carson Smith sat on one side of the conference table, studying the open file in front of him. Seated beside him was the coroner’s investigator, Anita Ramos and on the other side of her sat Jaylon trying to get the petite brunette’s attention. Aaron’s boss, Captain Stedaman sat in the back of the room talking with a man Brianna recognized from the news as the Chief of Police.
At the sight of him, she stopped dead in her tracks. Aaron, entering behind her, laid one hand on her back and gave her a little shove, whispering, “It’s okay. You belong here.”
Yeah, right. She belonged here like a goldfish belonged in a pool of sharks.
She wouldn’t make a scene, so she kept moving into the room.
“Thank you all for coming in on a Saturday,” he said, gaining quiet from the others. “This is Brianna Matthews, and she is both a witness and a valuable asset on this case.”
“I believe most of us know Ms. Matthews from the trials a few years back. Welcome,” the police chief said and gave her a smile and nod.
Aaron pointed at the pup in her arms. “And this is Stanley, our only eyewitness to our suspect.”
That got a chuckle out of everyone, easing Brianna’s nervousness a little more.
“Why don’t you take my seat, Brianna,” Jaylon said, standing and holding the chair for her a moment.
It was very kind of him, but she suspected it also gave him bonus points with Ramos, who reached over to pet Stanley. The pup licked her hand, then curled into a ball in Brianna’s lap, his perked ears belying his relaxed mode.
“You can begin, Detective Jeffers,” the Police Chief said, and the room quickly turned their attention to Aaron.
Before he could begin, the conference room door opened.
“Sorry we’re late,” Matt Edgars said as he entered, with Kirk F on his heels. “Kid couldn’t find a parking spot.”
“Hey, I’m not getting Nana’s Caddy dinged by some patrolman or criminal doing a high-speed getaway in that parking garage. She’d tan my hide to next week,” Kirk F stopped his protest and swallowed when he realized he was looking at a whole lot of important police people. Brianna knew just how he felt.
“Everyone, this is Matt Edgars, a private security officer doing some witness protection work for us on the case. And Kirk F Patrick, a criminal justice major and my unofficial intern.” Aaron turned to Kirk F. “Did you bring the information?”
“Yes, sir,” the younger man said, standing a little straighter and reaching into his backpack for his laptop.
“Good. Find a spot and I’ll ask you for it when I get to that part,” Aaron said indicating a vacant area near the window.
Once they were settled, he began his summation of the case so far.
“Thursday morning, Ms. Matthews and I discovered a body in an abandoned textile factory on Carnegie just east of Fifty-Fifth Street. Yesterday morning we found another body under the train track overpass on University near the Canal Towpath Trail. Given the state of the two victims when found and their causes of death, we’ve determined this