Chapter 19 #2
“No kidding.”
Steph turned to Adam. “Brooke gave her statement to the city police. They responded.”
“Yeah, the park is inside Irma city limits. I’m following up to determine if it’s connected to any of our county cases.”
“Such as?” Brooke asked, narrowing her eyes.
“Can you walk me through what happened?”
“I’m sure you can get a copy of the report.” Steph smiled, but there was a bite to her tone.
“It’s fine,” Brooke said. “I’ll tell him.” She kept her tone even as she described the attack—the figure in dark clothes, the ski mask and dark glasses, the fighting, the hikers, everything.
“Can you describe the attacker’s build?” he asked.
“Tall. Maybe six feet? Big, strong.”
“Did he say anything? Make any sounds?”
“Nothing. Complete silence the entire time.”
“Where was Tyler Gillis today?”
“Really?” Steph shook her head.
Brooke blinked. “What? Why?”
“Tyler Gillis. Where was he?”
“At work. Why would you— ”
“Someone attacks you on a trail, and you don’t think it’s relevant that you’ve been dating a man accused of murder?”
“That’s seriously inappropriate.” Steph’s voice held a note of warning.
Adam ignored her, his eyes fixed on Brooke. “You’ve been spending time together.”
“That’s not— ” Brooke stopped herself. Stay calm. Stay polite. Don’t engage. “Tyler didn’t attack me. He was at work.”
“You sure about that? Because from where I’m standing, this looks like a pattern. Tyler’s connected to two dead women, one of them his own wife, and now someone attacks you right after you start dating him.”
“So we’re back to this again?” Brooke asked.
Steph took a step forward. “Deputy Boverman, I think you need to leave. Brooke’s been through enough without you making accusations.”
“I’m not making accusations. I’m doing my job.” Adam’s jaw was tight as he kept his focus on Brooke. “Someone attacked you. Don’t you want to know who? Don’t you want to consider the possibility that the man you’re defending isn’t who you think he is?”
Brooke looked at him, at the intensity in his eyes, the certainty. She was foolish to think he’d moved on from accusing Tyler. He sincerely believed he was dangerous, that he was somehow behind what happened today.
“Tyler didn’t do this.” She pressed her fingers to her temples.
“How do you know?”
“Because I know him.”
“You thought you knew Kelsey too.”
The room went silent. Even Steph looked shocked at the low blow.
Brooke felt something cold settle in her chest. “That’s not fair.”
“Fair?” Adam’s voice rose. “What’s not fair is that I’m trying to protect you and you won’t listen. What’s not fair is watching you make the same mistakes over and over— ”
Steph stepped between Brooke and Adam. “This is inappropriate.”
“Doing my job is not inappropriate.”
“Let’s see what the sheriff thinks about the manner in which you are doing your job.”
Adam stared at Brooke for another long moment, then turned and left.
Steph reached for Brooke’s hand. “That was intense.”
“Threatening to call the sheriff, Steph. Really?” Brooke let out a breath.
“Well . . . ” Steph shrugged. “Obviously, it worked. Boverman left.” She paused and met Brooke’s gaze. “He really does think Tyler is guilty. Thinks he killed Sheila and his family.”
“He’s not.”
“You’re sure?”
“I know him, plus Phil believes him. And you know how Phil is.”
“Phil’s been wrong before.” Steph waggled her eyebrows.
“Don’t tell him that.” Brooke smiled. Steph and Phil had casually dated several years earlier. He’d broken up with her, saying he didn’t think they wanted the same things. Truth was, he couldn’t keep up with her, and he was embarrassed to admit it. “Will you grab me my phone?”
“For?”
“I’m calling Tyler.”
Steph hesitated before shuffling through the plastic bag holding Brooke’s personal belongings. There wasn’t much, only what she had on her when the paramedics arrived. Her car was still in the parking lot. She’d need to get that later.
“Thanks.” Brooke swiped the phone until she found his number. It rang four times, then went to voicemail.
“Hey, it’s me. Can you call me when you get this? It’s important.”
She hung up and tried the shop. The line rang, then an automated message: “Thank you for calling Morgan’s Auto Repair. We’re currently closed. Our hours are— ”
Closed? But Tyler said they were open today. He said that’s why he couldn’t come on the run.
Brooke checked the time. 1:15. Maybe they’d closed early?
She called his cell again. Voicemail.
“Tyler, it’s me again. I really need to talk to you. Please call me back.”
Gina came back in, her shift finally over. “Ready to go? You’re staying with me tonight.”
“I should go home.”
“Too bad. You’re concussed and shouldn’t be alone.” Gina’s tone left no room for argument. “Come on. Nick is making dinner. Want to join us, Steph?”
“What time?”
“Six?”
Steph checked her watch. “I don’t think so. I’ve got a run to get in.”
Gina shook her head. “Not today. Not after . . . ” She gestured toward Brooke. “They’re still out there.”
“Joe’s going with me.”
Gina sighed. “Fine.”
Brooke let herself be led out, Steph walking on her other side.
After she got settled into Gina’s car, Brooke tried Tyler’s number one more time. Voicemail. Again.
Where was he?