Page 24 of Outlaw Ridge: Hayes

Yes, that was in the report, but it had Hayes shaking his head. “A year,” he muttered. “He’s worth several million, but he continued to work as a dispatcher until four months ago. Why?”

Jemma gathered her breath. “He wanted to be a cop, but he couldn’t pass the exam because he has some kind of heart problem and has to wear a pacemaker. He said a couple of times that he just wanted to be near the action.”

Hayes glanced through the background and saw the part about a pacemaker that’d been needed because of some congenital defect. That would have definitely stopped him from being a police officer, but why hadn’t Royce waited until the last four months to do PI work? Maybe because he hadn’t had the money to open his own agency until the inheritance?

“Personally, I think Royce’s medical issues make him feel that he has to overcompensate to prove that he’s a real man,” Jemma added, and she put those last two words in quotes.

Hayes was considering if that played into Royce’s pursuit of Jemma, but he had to put that aside when he heard the voices at the entrance. Cordelia and a man, probably Brooks. Jemma must have heard them, too, because she sighed.

“Showtime,” she muttered.

They went into reception and immediately saw Molly frisking Cordelia while Aiden was doing the same to Brooks. It occurred to Hayes that Brooks seemed to be aiming for a youngGodfatherlook with his dark suit and slicked-back black hair. He was missing a key component though, a dangerous, in-charge vibe.

Nope.

There was zero trace of it. In fact, he seemed to be looking at his mother for cues as to how to handle the search.

Cordelia gave him a barely noticeable nod and did something that surprised Hayes. She cooperated with the frisking, all without whining or mentioning her favorite word, harassment.

Since Hayes had read the background on Brooks, he knew the man was twenty-six and was essentially a mama’s boy screw-up. He’d flunked out of three different colleges and had failed at the real estate business his mother had set up for him. A business that was investigated for money laundering before it was shut down. He was in the process of failing at business set up number two, a trendy pub in downtown San Antonio.

Those failures made him financially dependent on Cordelia, and it meant he was likely very loyal to her. Loyal enough to kill for her? Maybe. Brooks certainly fit the profile for that.

“He’s not carrying,” Aiden announced once he’d finished searching Brooks.

“Same,” Molly concluded when she was done with Cordelia.

So, the pair hadn’t come armed, but considering all the crap that’d been going on, Cordelia would have likely anticipated a pat down.

“Jemma,” Cordeliagreetedonce Molly had moved away from her. Her tone didn’t exactly hit the friendly mark, but it wasn’t overly hostile either. “You’ve been pressing hard to talk to Brooks. Well, here he is. Does he need a lawyer?” she quickly tacked onto that.

“Do you want a lawyer?” Jemma asked the man.

Again, Brooks looked at his mom for a response. “I think for now we can hold off on the attorney.”

Another surprise, and it made Hayes wonder if Stefano had had a word with his wife about cooperating with a murder investigation.

Jemma tipped her head for them to follow Hayes and her into the dining room, and she led them to a table in the far back corner that had already been set up for interviews. They sat with Hayes positioned so he could keep watch on the door. He doubted a killer would come charging in and get past Aiden and Molly, but he didn’t want to take the risk.

“I have to Mirandize you,” Jemma said to Brooks, “so that you know your rights. It’s legal protection for both of us.”

Brooks’ face tensed, but he didn’t verbally object as Jemma recited the warning. Once she was done, she turned on a recorder and fed in the required info of time, date, and those present.

“Brooks, I need to know your whereabouts for the past twenty-four hours,” Jemma stated.

But it wasn’t Brooks who responded. It was Cordelia. “We thought you’d ask that so we brought this.” She retrieved a USB drive from her purse. “It’s a compilation of feed from the security systems at the estate, Brooks’ office, his home, and his place of business. Each part of the feed is time stamped so you’ll be able to see him coming and going.”

Brooks jumped in to add, “You’ll also be able to confirm that I was at the estate from three pm yesterday through to about seven this morning. After that, there’s footage of me in my office.”

Jemma bagged the USB drive and then motioned for Molly, who was in the doorway. “I need this examined,” Jemma told the tech.

“It’ll prove Brooks had no part in those murders,” Cordelia concluded.

“Maybe, but there’s more than one way in and out of the estate,” Jemma reminded them. “And there are some blind spots with the security cameras cover. For instance, if you go out the library door and stay low, you won’t be detected.”

Some annoyance, maybe even anger, went through Cordelia’s eyes. “My son has no reason to kill you or those other cops.”

“Your son probably loves you,” Hayes quickly pointed out. “And while I doubt he could personally carry out the murders, he could have maybe used some of his former contacts from his now-defunct real estate business. Definitely some shady characters in on some of his deals.”

---