Chapter 5 Gwen #2
“No.” Ethan didn’t want to waste time.
Me? I needed something to ground me. To keep me focused on the present and not my emotions. “Hot tea?”
Det. Castor’s eyes met mine. They were a pretty light blue, startling against his tanned skin.
His blond hair was cut short, almost military-style.
He wore a polo that stretched tight across his biceps but not his stomach.
He kept in shape. “Of course. Let me get the kettle going, and I’ll bring over the tea bags. ”
It took him about four minutes to boil water, pour a mug full, and set the tea bags, along with a honey bear, in front of me.
Ethan tapped his fingers on the table as I sent him a glare.
“Thanks, detective.”
“No problem.”
He took a seat across from me and Ethan with a cup of coffee. I noted he drank it black. Not even sugar.
“This is nice and all,” Ethan began, “but my sister is dead, so I’m not up to playing house in a room where you plan to control the situation.”
A gasp tumbled from my lips. “Ethan.”
“No.” He looked so damn tense I thought he was going to punch something. “Don’t you see this for what it is? We’re brought here to prevent us from becoming loud or disruptive. To contain our reactions to the lack of answers they plan to give us.”
Det. Castor leaned back, sipping on his coffee, completely unfazed. “I would react the same as you. I’m not faulting you for it.”
Ethan didn’t comment on his words. “You want me calm and less hostile? Tell us what’s going on with Becka’s case. And don’t say that it’s an open investigation. I know that shit. I want to know what’s been done to handle it and if you have any suspects.”
Before Det. Castor could answer, the door opened, and another man entered. He looked official in a dark gray suit, tie, and shiny black shoes. Like every police procedural show I’d ever seen on one of my streaming apps.
What stood out was the scar running along his left cheek and a tattoo trying to peek out of his collar.
“Sorry to interrupt. I’m NCIS Special Agent Nate Barnes.
I’m coordinating efforts to find those responsible for Becka’s murder.
” He turned to me. “Gwen.” Then to my brother.
“Ethan. I wish we met under better circumstances.”
Ethan nodded. “Now that we all know one another, can we cut the shit and get to the point?”
The agent’s lips twitched. “Of course.” He glanced my way again with a smile. “What would you like to know?”
Instead of sitting across from us like Det. Castor, Agent Barnes leaned against a row of cabinets and faced us.
Ethan pinned him with a stare. “What’s being done to find the piece of shit who killed Becka?”
“Honey and flies,” I whispered.
My brother shook his head.
Det. Castor cleared his throat while he placed his coffee on the table. “We’ve detained several suspects and are in the process of piecing together a timeline of events.”
Ethan didn’t acknowledge him. He pinned Agent Barnes with a hard stare. “And?”
“We’re looking for known associates of Matt Marshall. He’s missing.”
“He was there with Becka. What do you mean he’s missing?” I asked, confused.
Ethan frowned. “He wasn’t injured that day. Only my sister. Do you suspect he was involved in the shooting?”
“We’re not sure at present,” the detective admitted.
“But we’re aggressively pursuing answers,” Agent Barnes added.
I didn’t expect this. Ethan seemed thrown by the news too.
Something didn’t add up right. “Marshall has known our family for years. He grew up with Becka, and they enlisted around the same time. Matt got out four years ago, but Becka reenlisted. They were close. This doesn’t feel right to me.”
Both men watched me closely.
I thought about the day that Becka told me she was meeting Marshall for lunch. Nothing seemed hurried or out of place. “Becka was happy. She said she was excited to see Marshall. If she knew something was up, I feel like I would have noticed it.”
Ethan agreed.
Det. Castor glanced at Agent Barnes. “We don’t believe she knew anything prior to that meeting. Whatever happened, it occurred outside of her knowledge and before she met with Marshall.”
“Which doesn’t really tell us a damn thing,” Ethan muttered in frustration.
“No, it doesn’t,” Agent Barnes agreed. “Which is why we’re working this case. We’ll find out what happened. I promise you we’ll apprehend those responsible.” His gaze fixated on me.
“Isn’t that against some unspoken rule? Don’t promise justice before you can deliver it?”
His lips twitched with a suppressed smile. “Something like that.”
Ethan wasn’t amused. “We want to be kept in the loop. I don’t care if that means we’re kept under surveillance ourselves. If you haven’t already, do it. Keep Gwen safe.”
The other two men in the room froze.
Det. Castor rose to his feet. “Do you suspect that either of you is being followed? That you’re in danger?”
Ethan scoffed. “Our sister was murdered. Are you telling me you don’t think we’re both in danger?”
“Of course it’s been a consideration,” Agent Barnes conceded. “We’re watching both of your homes.”
“Since when?” I asked, suddenly thinking of Cin.
“Before the funeral,” Det. Castor admitted.
Then they could have seen Cin. He had no idea. I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to protect him, but I had to let him know about this as soon as possible. No more breaking into my apartment or entering through my bedroom window.
They would arrest him without hesitation if they caught him.
Neither of the men in charge of the case brought him up or indicated that they knew someone was visiting me late at night. Maybe they didn’t notice him. Cin preferred to wear black. He blended in.
Sort of.
“This could also be unrelated,” Det. Castor admitted. “We’re pursuing all angles. There’s been an uptick in gun violence, gang activity, and crime. A local motorcycle club is giving us a few problems.”
Motorcycle club? Did he mean Cin’s club?
“Which club?” I had to know.
Ethan’s gaze grew sharp as he studied me.
“I just want to know what to look out for. I hear motorcycles sometimes in my neighborhood.” My voice shook, but only because I worried about Cin. It wasn’t fear for me or my safety. I didn’t think Cin would let anyone near me who intended harm.
Ethan reached for my hand, squeezing it. “It’s okay. Nothing is going to happen to you, G. I’ll sleep on the couch until this is sorted so you’re not alone.”
I shook my head. “Not necessary.”
“It’s not,” Det. Castor smoothly agreed. “I’ll increase security and personally ensure Gwen’s safety.”
Agent Barnes frowned, not sharing the reason for his reaction. “You might want to consider temporarily staying with your parents or a friend. Somewhere safe until we apprehend the killer.”
“Or killers,” Ethan added.
We really didn’t know what we were up against. Apparently, neither did the police or NCIS.
“The name of the club?” I asked to remind them.
Agent Barnes locked eyes with me. He seemed to be watching my reaction. “Grave Prowlers MC.”
I didn’t react. Keeping my breathing even, I nodded.
I felt all three men’s scrutiny. They didn’t need to know about my connection to Cin or our meeting.
I decided to keep that information to myself.
Besides, I only met one biker, not the whole club.
Cin had nothing to do with my sister’s death.
I really didn’t think he or his club knew anything about my family. We met by coincidence.
And maybe I wanted to be the one to ask him questions first. To learn all I could about his past and decide if my trust had been misplaced or not before someone else beat me to it.
Or I ended up in a morgue next.