Trail of Evidence. Lynette Eason
have anything to do with it. And Felix is a precious gift. He never factored into why—” She fell quiet and he hoped she’d elaborate. She didn’t. “When we were friends,” she said, “you never really talked about your ex-wife. I mean never. Like not one word. And when I brought her up, you changed the subject. Mostly to talk about Felix.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
He thought about that. Was she right? Maybe. “What do you want to know about her?”
She shrugged. “What happened with you two? Why did you split up? Or is that too personal?” she asked.
“Not too personal. It’s not a secret. She had a problem with commitment.”
“Ah.”
“She found someone else who suited her ‘live and let live’ lifestyle better than I did.” He shrugged.
“What? So she left you? Why would she leave you? Is she crazy?”
Jonas barked a short laugh. “Well, those questions just did more for my self-esteem than anything else I could think of.”
She flushed and it endeared her to him. She also looked uncomfortable. He let her off the hook. “I miss what could have been, but I don’t miss her now.”
“But Felix does?”
He sighed. “No, he doesn’t remember her. He misses the idea of her.”
“He wants a mother.”
“He does, but when she left us, she left. Like I have no idea where she is or what she’s doing now.”
“You’ve had no contact with her at all?”
“None. After I signed the papers, she disappeared from our lives.”
Brooke pulled to the curb of the Fuller home and cut the engine. “I’m really sorry about that.”
“I was too at the time. But it is what it is and I’ve moved on.” He looked at the house. “And now I’m ready to get some answers from my son.”
“You want me to go with you?”
“No. I’ll get him. I don’t want to say anything in front of his friend.”
“I’ll wait here.”
He nodded and climbed from the car. He walked toward the front door and drew in a deep breath. Trouble and Brooke had re-entered his life without any warning. He prayed the trouble was resolved fast and left as quickly as it appeared.
He just hoped Brooke didn’t go with it.
Brooke watched him walk up to the front door and ring the bell. She admired his broad shoulders and strong back. He’d always kept himself in great physical condition, and that hadn’t changed. His love of all things sports kept him fit.
She glanced in the rearview mirror, wondering who’d thrown the bomb in Jonas’s house last night. Who had they chased and lost? She’d never had a glimpse of his face. His dark clothes disguised his build, and the baseball cap had hidden his features. The darkness had definitely worked in his favor.
A young teen stepped outside onto the front porch. He had a black backpack slung over his right shoulder. Brooke would have known he was Jonas’s son had she spotted him in a crowd. A miniature replica of his father, he had sandy blond hair and a lanky build. She’d seen him as a young child about five years old and he was now just an older version of the child she remembered. She knew that he had Jonas’s light brown eyes, too.
The sullen expression was all his own, though.
He shoved past Jonas then lifted his head and saw her sitting behind the wheel. He stopped, his frown deepening. He turned and said something to Jonas, who nodded. Jonas shook hands with the man still standing in the doorway then the two of them headed toward the car.
Jonas slipped into the passenger seat. His son slumped in the back next to Mercy’s kennel.
Brooke took a deep breath and let it out in a slow silent whoosh. She caught Felix’s eye in the mirror and he looked away. “Hi,” she said. “I’m Brooke.”
“Hi,” he mumbled.
He didn’t ask who she was or seem to care that she was there. “You hungry?”
He perked up at that question. “Yeah, I didn’t have time to eat breakfast.” He shot his dad an accusing look.
“Hey, it’s nine-thirty. You had plenty of time to eat.”
“I’m a teenager, Dad. I sleep in on Sunday morning. Or I do when I’m spending the night with a friend and we plan to get breakfast at church.”
“The whole breakfast thing might be my fault, I’m afraid,” Brooke said. “I insisted on getting you early. Hence the offer to feed you.”
“Oh.” The defiant look fell away and he actually gave her a curious look. “Okay. Sure. Where are we going?”
“What’s your favorite breakfast place?”
“The Original Pancake House on M. Lee Highway.” He and Jonas spoke at the same time and she smiled.
“Sounds good to me.” She glanced in the rearview mirror and waited for the dark vehicle coming up beside her to pass. It slowed and she tensed, her mind flashing to the night before, her hand moving to her weapon. When the car passed, she let out a slow breath. Not everyone is after him, she reminded herself. But someone was and she’d take all precautions to make sure Jonas—and now Felix—stayed safe.
She pressed the gas and pulled away from the curb. Fifteen minutes later after several failed attempts at conversation with Felix, she parked and they climbed from the vehicle, Mercy trotting obediently at her side.
Once seated with Mercy at Brooke’s feet under the table, they ordered and silence fell again. Jonas caught her gaze. She nodded. He cleared his throat. “Felix, someone broke into our house last night.”
The teen’s head shot up and for the first time that day, he met his father’s gaze. “What? Why? Are you okay? Did they catch him?”
“Yes, I’m fine, thanks.” Jonas’s jaw worked. She could see he was touched at his son’s concern. “The house isn’t so fine, but we are.” He explained what happened and that they would have to stay at his office until the insurance company could give an appraisal on the damage. “But I’ve got friends in high places. We’ll get it taken care of pretty fast.”
Felix looked dazed. “So who are you again?” he asked her. Finally something other than defiance on his face.
“I’m Brooke Clark. I work for a law enforcement organization called the Capitol K-9 Unit.” Felix’s eyes flicked toward Mercy, who sat under the table, her head the only part of her body poking out. Brooke answered his silent question. “Mercy and I are partners. Your dad called us last night after the break-in.”
“Why you?”
“I found this.” Jonas pulled the phone from his pocket and slid it across the table.
Felix’s eyes went wide, and he clamped his lips together.
Brooke’s senses tingled. “Where did you get it?” she asked him.
Felix crossed his arms and looked away, the defiance back in spades. Jonas gave a huff of frustration. “Tell me, Felix. This is important. A picture of a dead woman is on this phone, and we need to know what you know.”
Felix swallowed and a flash of fear crossed his face, but he refused to comment. Jonas’s face began to darken, and his eyes turned thunderous. Brooke laid a hand on his arm. He sat back, and she could tell he was putting good effort into gaining control of