Page 53 of What's Left of Me

“We’d go outside when the sun set, build a bonfire, play the soundtrack, and sing as loud as we could to the songs while we danced around the fire.”

I chuckled. “It was both amazing and horrifying because Dad couldn’t hold a tune.”

She squeezed my hand. “They were our army. Even if they didn’t understand something we did or liked, they supported us and would stand in front of us to take all the blows so none hit us.”

“That’s what family does, Haze.”

She tilted her chin toward Noel in the driver’s seat. “It’s what he does. What Mason did today, what they all have been doing.”

“They’ve been amazing.”

“They’ve become our army, Nix. A family. You have to have felt that…I mean, you and Noel are getting pretty close.”

“Okay, it’s quiet time.” I laughed.

“I like him, Nixy. A lot, and while I wish none of this ever happened to you, I’m glad something good came from it.”

“Thanks, Hazel.” I glanced at Noel, who was saying something to Carmichael. “I like him a lot, too.”

The station we parked at wasn’t overly large but it was the closest to the house, so Carmichael had opted for them to be there. We got out and Shep and JJ took the lead with Noel, Hazel and myself behind them. We followed the agents inside, bypassing the counter and going straight back into a conference room.

“Now, how we’d like to do this is, you’ll be able to see and hear them, but they won’t be able to see or hear you.” Carmichael sat and we all took our seats.

That was reassuring. “I never saw his face. I don’t understand why showing me them will make a difference.”

“Voice recognition is incredibly accurate, almost ninety nine percent. In a court of law it can and has led to many victories. But it’s not perfect, and some people are quite skeptical.”

“Okay…” I didn’t understand what Carmichael was getting at. “But his voice is really all I have.”

“But it’s not.”

I regarded Noel. “Am I missing something?”

Noel sat forward, his expression serious. “He’s not getting in the room with any of them.”

“What!” I gasped.

Carmichael held up his hands. “No, I just said he wasn’t. But. We’ll be asking each of them to be wearing a doll mask and say a few words. You said you saw the back of his head, his eyes through the mask. Perhaps that, with the voice, will get us a one hundred percent identity.”

“You want to traumatize my brother by having those guys dress up like the man who tormented him for months on end just so he can get you that one percent?” Hazel pointed at Carmichael. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”

I reached out and touched Hazel’s arm. “Calm down, please.” I looked at Carmichael. “You should have told me this at the house, so I could talk to Dr. Bakir about it.”

He dipped his head. “I know. This is a shit situation, and I’m in a tight spot. People are afraid, more have gone missing, and we need this to work, Mr. Briar.”

“Very sketchy behavior,” JJ sneered. “I’d expect that from Rose over there.”

“Screw you.” Rose narrowed his eyes.

“Let’s just do this.” The sooner it was done, the sooner I could leave.

“Thank you. So, how it will work is, one at a time they will walk into the room. You’ll see them through one-way glass. They will be dressed as close to what you told Agent Rose he wore when you saw him. We will have them say a few things, but randomly. Nothing we hope will trigger you or upset you more than this already is.”

“Okay.”

“When you’ve made your identification, it will end, and you can go home.”

I nodded. “Can we do this now?”

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