The Peyton Brooks' Mysteries Box Set by M.L. Hamilton

Author:M.L. Hamilton [Hamilton, M.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-09T08:00:00+00:00

* * *

Jake looked up as Peyton set a coffee mug by his elbow. “Thank you. What about Pickles?”

Peyton took a seat beside him, cradling her own mug. “I called Abe. He’s gonna take him over to his place for the night.”

“Marco wouldn’t go over?”

“I can’t get a hold of him.”

Jake heard the worry in her voice. “He’s probably with his brother or parents, Mighty Mouse.”

“Yeah.”

“He’s frustrated because he can’t get back to work. That’s all it is.”

“He accused me of ducking his calls. I feel like he’s paying me back.”

“Adonis wouldn’t do that with you and you know it.”

Peyton shook her head. “This whole thing is such a mess, Jake. I just don’t know how to make it better. Every time I talk to that psychiatrist, I feel like I’m going to say the wrong thing and get my badge pulled. Defino is riding me about telling Marco anything and Marco is pissed that I won’t.” She held a hand over his tablet. “And this case…the chance of us figuring out who the next victim is…well, it’s slim and none.”

“We’ll get him.”

“How? Serial killers avoid getting caught for years.”

“But they do get caught. Eventually he’s gonna mess up and we’ll get more evidence against him.”

“We’ve got four bodies already. How high is this count going to go?”

Jake shifted in his chair and leaned closer to her. “Where is this coming from? Don’t talk like this, Peyton. You are the cop who kept working my case after everyone else had closed it. You’re the cop who faced her father’s killer to stop a gang war. And you’re the one who wouldn’t give up on a troubled rock star when everything else pointed to his guilt.”

She met his gaze and tears glimmered in her eyes. “Marco was with me for all of those.”

“And he’ll be back again soon.”

“Will he? And if he is, will it ever be the same?”

“Why not? Why wouldn’t it be the same?”

A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. She swiped it away violently. “Because he killed someone for me.”

Jake started to respond, but Defino entered the conference area. “Anything?”

Peyton turned her head away.

Defino sensed the charged atmosphere and hesitated.

Jake reached for a piece of paper he’d printed out. “I started making a list, so we don’t duplicate our efforts. If we check off an event, I think we should put it on here, so we don’t keep researching the same ones.”

“Good idea.” Defino’s gaze shifted to Peyton. “Where are Cho and Simons?”

“They took a break, but they’ll be back,” answered Jake.

“Okay. Let’s debrief in five minutes. We’ll list everything on your chart and review what we’ve researched.” She came around the table and put a hand on Peyton’s shoulder. “Brooks, why don’t you get some fresh air to clear the cobwebs?”

Peyton nodded and rose to her feet. Jake followed her with his eyes as she left the room. He thought Defino might go after her, but she didn’t.

“What’s going on?”

Jake didn’t want to betray Peyton’s confidence, but he also didn’t want Defino becoming more concerned than she already was.

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