Page 62 of The Lost Bones
“What’s up?” Mackenzie checked her watch. She didn’t think Andrew’s contribution had been significant. And their session had ended on an awkward note, leaving her feeling raw and jaded.
“Sully told me about that mass grave.” He rubbed his temples. “Sorry, I’ve been busy with Jane Doe. But I thought of something.”
“What is it?” Nick asked.
“That message left on Debbie’s face—My gift to you, Mack. I believe the killer is getting closer to you.”
Mackenzie noticed how Nick’s posture changed instinctively. He crossed his arms and positioned himself like he was guarding her. “What does that mean?”
“Look at the progression of the victims,” Andrew explained. “Sophie—assuming it was the same killer, though as you know, I have my doubts—had nothing to do with you. Second victim was Courtney, who bullied you many years ago. The latest was Debbie, who has been badmouthing you for the last two years.”
“So the next victim will be someone who has hurt me recently?” She shook her head. “I’m a cop. People are pissed off at me on a daily basis.”
“Yes, but this is personal. It will be someone you are or were close to. Someone who has hurt you more than Debbie has. And the killer went from calling you Mackenzie to Mack. In their head, they’re building a relationship with you, which gets stronger as they eliminate more of your enemies. Can you think of anyone who could be the next victim?”
Mackenzie could. To her horror, she could. But before she could say anything, Peterson approached them wiping his brow.
“Christ, Peterson!” Troy guffawed as he walked past the four of them. “Why are you sweating already? It’s a cool sixty-five degrees.”
“Did you know that sweat is like a fingerprint?” Peterson said. “Its composition of compounds is unique for each individual.”
Mackenzie’s heart sank down her chest. She knew what he was going to say.
“Get on with it,” Nick urged.
Peterson blinked at Mackenzie, his mouth opening and closing before he finally said the words.
“Detective Price, we just got a call. Sterling Brooks has gone missing.”
THIRTY-THREE
“We are now boarding passengers traveling with children and those who require assistance.”
Mackenzie looked over at Sterling clicking away furiously on his phone. His eyebrows were pulled in a knot. His lips moved silently as he typed his message. It was a habit he didn’t realize he had. She found it adorable. Spotting a crumb stuck to the corner of his mouth, she brushed it away with her thumb.
He paused and looked at her. “Mrs. Brooks, was that a romantic gesture in public?”
“Okay. Go back to work.”
She fidgeted in her seat, tapping her boarding pass and eyeing the strange faces around her. The nervous middle-aged woman panicking every few seconds and checking her passport was still in her purse. A group of teenagers giggling and poking each other. An old couple holding hands and looking out at the runaway.
Her mind wandered back to work. Her cases were temporarily reassigned to Nick and Troy. She pulled out her phone and texted Nick.
Interview Candice’s housekeeper with Alex. She has a language barrier. Might feel more comfortable talking in Spanish.
“We are now boarding passengers seated in first class.” The announcement echoed in the gate. The movement around her spiked. People started gathering their luggage, shouting orders to rowdy children, and making a beeline for last-minute washroom trips. Her phone vibrated.
Don’t be a buzz kill on your honeymoon. Have a safe flight.
“Ready, Mrs. Brooks?” Sterling kissed the back of her hand.
“I’m still not used to that.”
He intertwined his fingers with hers and pressed his lips into her hair. “You have a lifetime to get used to it.”
The souvenir from their honeymoon in the Bahamas sat right in the center of the coffee table. A ship inside a bottle. Mackenzie had bought it from the local market in Nassau. Sterling had never got rid of it. She stood in his first-floor apartment. Her first time visiting since he moved out and they got a divorce. She floated around the one-bedroom unit, trying to think like a detective and not an ex-wife. Trying to look for clues related to his disappearance and not poke around to see how differently he lived.
Did he procrastinate in emptying the dishwasher?
