Dead by Sunrise

by Richard Ryker

“No one called the police.”

  “No disrespect, officer,” she said, looking down at his badge. “But we aren’t too fond of your kind around here.”

  “I get it.”

  “That’s why she got fired. Started a fight with one of the clients.”

  “Fired? She told me she quit.”

  Anita shook her head. “Nope. Does this have something to do with Lauren’s death? I heard Justin might be in trouble—he hasn’t been back to work—”

  “Unfortunately, Justin passed away earlier this week.”

  Her eyes widened. “How?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

  “You mean…you think Brooke was involved?”

  “Not yet, and I hope you’ll keep this conversation between us. For now.”

  “Scout’s honor,” she said, forming her fingers into a mock salute. She extinguished her cigarette in an ashtray next to the clinic door. A sign above the ashtray warned that smoking was limited to a minimum of twenty-five feet from the entrance.

  “You know anything about Brooke’s family? She has an aunt named Olivia.”

  “Never heard of her,” Anita said. “I know her parents passed a while back. Boating accident.”

  You didn’t hear about people dying in boating accidents often.

  “Did they have money?”

  Brandon recalled what Lauren’s mom had said about Brooke. What had she called her? A snotty rich girl?

  “Brooke inherited a ton of cash, before she started here. Life insurance or something like that. Partied it away, then the poor girl had to get a real job. She was working on her master’s degree but dropped out.”

  She pulled her cell out of her back pocket. “Crap. I got a group to run.”

  Brandon handed her his card. “You’ve been very helpful, Anita. I may need you to make a formal statement.”

  “Ah hell. I don’t want to go to court.”

  “We’ll try to keep it from getting that far,” he said.

  “Promise?”

  Brandon smiled. “Scout’s honor.”

  “You know where to find me.”

  The aggressiveness, the violence, the jealousy, and most of all the false alibi for the night of Justin’s death—those were reason enough to suspect Brooke in Justin’s death, possibly Lauren’s too. They’d have to wait for the DNA results, and a final determination on whether Brooke’s DNA was on the beer cans at the scene of Lauren’s death.

  Brandon contacted Will and asked him to stop by the aunt’s home and pick up Brooke. He was to tell her they had a few questions for her. Put her in the interview room and wait.

  Brandon was just outside Port Angeles when Will called.

  “She’s not there.”

  “And the aunt?”

  “No car, no one answered the door.”

  “Alright. Keep an eye out for her.”

  “Will do.”

  Had he waited too long to bring Brooke in? Had she fled Forks, and if so, had Olivia helped her?

  If Brooke was the murderer, that meant right now she was somewhere in his county, free to kill again.

  Chapter 41

  Brandon pulled into the police station parking lot and noticed two cars in front of the mayor’s office. One was Mayor Kim’s Range Rover. The other belonged to Olivia.

  Inside, the door was open. Olivia sat in the chair across from the mayor’s desk.

  “Chief,” the mayor said, noticing him.

  Olivia turned and faced him. Her eyes were swollen. She held a crumpled tissue in her hand.

  “Brooke is missing,” she said in an accusatory tone.

  Right, but do you know where she is?

  “How long has she been missing?” Brandon asked.

  “She was gone when I woke up this morning. Her phone goes straight to voicemail.” Olivia sniffled. “This is your fault.”

  The mayor stepped from behind her desk, put an arm around her. “Olivia…”

  “Let her talk,” Brandon said.

  “This is like Justin…and Lauren,” Olivia said. “They were missing…and then they were killed.”

  “She has a point,” the mayor said.

  “What does that have to do with my department’s handling of this case?”

  “If you would have arrested the right person—”

  “You mean Ruby?”

  “Of course.”

  “Ruby’s been in jail on drug charges since before Brooke disappeared.”

  “Well, then. If you wouldn’t have treated Brooke like a suspect, she might not have run away.” Olivia said.

  “You believe this too?” Brandon asked, looking to the mayor.

  “It’s all over the news,” the mayor said. “About your department being in shambles, that there’s a murderer in custody you refuse to charge.”

  “And if it’s in the news it must be true,” Brandon said.

  “It’s not just that. The Moonbeam Festival will be a total flop because of this.”

  “I don’t give a damn about your festival,” Brandon said. “My job is to protect the citizens of this town. Even those accused of crimes.”

  Mayor Kim pointed a finger at him. “It’s that exact attitude that concerns me. You’re talking like a detective. Not a Chief of Police. I’m beginning to wonder if you’re out of your league here, Brandon.”

  “I’m doing my job,” he said. “As for you, and your…whatever she is…tourism minister or whatever fake name you’ve given her…all you’ve done is lie and step all over my case.”

  “I have not lied—”

  “You knew the relationship between Olivia and Brooke.”

  He stared her down, daring her to deny it.

  “It’s not lying to forgo telling someone an irrelevant fact.”

  She sounded just like the politician she was.

  “Justin may have died because I received this information after Brooke killed a second person.”

  “Brooke didn’t kill anyone,” Olivia said.

  “Yet you think she’s running?”

  “No…that’s not what I meant.”

  “I find it interesting that you’re so worked up about a twenty something girl who’s only been gone for the better part of a morning.”

  “Brooke is my niece. You have no idea what she’s been through.”

  “Then why don’t you tell me,” Brandon said, crossing his arms.

  “It hasn’t been easy for Brooke since her parents died.”

  “How long ago?”

  “About four years. She was used to living a certain way—”

  “You mean her family was well off.”

  Brandon had heard the same thing from the supervisor at the clinic.

  “She had nice things, a nice house.”

  “The life insurance?”

  Olivia glanced out the window. “She spent it. Brooke struggled with substance abuse issues.”

  “Is this the same time she worked at the methadone clinic?”

  “Before, during,” Olivia said.

  “And after?”

  “When the money ran out, she cleaned up.”

  “And she’s still clean now?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But she got fired from the clinic,” Brandon said.

  “Not for drugs. She…”

  “Assaulted someone, is that right?”

  “Allegedly,”

  “More than once?”

  “I can’t speak to that,” Olivia said. “And I don’t see what this has to do with anything. Ruby is the one who murdered Brooke’s friends.”

  “The person you think is the killer is locked up. Everyone knows that. I’m asking you again, Olivia. You believe Brooke has a reason to run. Why?”

  “Because…” She sighed, her shoulders dropping. “I don’t know.”

  “How about I try,” Brandon said, taking a few steps forward.

  “Brooke doesn’t have an alibi.”

  Olivia’s eyes widened.

  “That�
�s not true. I was with her.”

  “But I have at least two witnesses who said you weren’t home that night.”

  Brandon wasn’t going to call on his own daughter Emma, or Misty, to testify to this.

  “Who?”

  “That doesn’t matter right now. Isn’t it true you were gone most of the night?”

  He didn’t know how long she’d been out, but it was an educated guess.

  “What night?” the mayor asked.

  “Friday evening,” Brandon said.

  “Wasn’t that the day you stayed over in Tacoma? At the communications conference? You were going to stay Friday night and return Saturday.”

  “I…yes but I came home instead.”

  “I thought you were at a hotel. I authorized the payment,” Mayor Kim said.

  “We can check the hotel records,” Brandon said, pulling out his notebook.

  She reached out, put a hand on his arm. “Okay. I wasn’t there. But it doesn’t mean anything.”

  “You gave Chief Mattson a false statement?” the mayor asked.

  “Yes…I mean. Brooke promised me she stayed home. She wouldn’t lie about that.”

  “But you distrust her enough to think she’s running now,” Brandon said. “Why?”

  “She said something about the DNA. The bite marks.”

  Brooke had offered the DNA willingly, because she believed the police would limit the DNA-related aspects of the investigation to the bite mark. Brooke likely assumed that wiping the area clean would cover her tracks. She was right—they hadn’t lifted any saliva from Justin or Lauren.

  “What else was she worried about?”

  She looked to the mayor. “I don’t want Lauren to get in any more trouble—”

  “Olivia, you’re already in deep trouble yourself. Tell Brandon the truth.”

  “Okay. I don’t know. It wasn’t just the teeth. Something about beer cans and you…” she looked up at Brandon. “Brooke said you would frame her and claim you found her saliva on the beer cans.”

  That evidence wasn’t public.

  “You don’t happen to be friends with Officer Nolan?” Brandon asked.

  She didn’t answer.

  “How long has Brooke known?”

  “Yesterday. I mentioned it…I thought it would calm her down. Nolan said if they found the DNA on the cans it would prove it was Ruby…”

  “Unless it wasn’t Ruby,” Brandon said. “What is she driving?”

  “She has an old Mercedes—”

  “Define old.”

  “2006.”

  “Color.”

  “Silver.”

  “Any idea where she might go?”

  “No.”

  Brandon didn’t believe her.

  He thought of something else. He’d found more than beer cans at the sea stack.

  Brandon pulled out his phone and showed Olivia the picture of the crescent moon necklace.

  “Does this look familiar?”

  She nodded. “I bought that for Brooke for her birthday last year. Why?”

  “I discovered it at the scene of Lauren’s death.”

  “Brandon,” the mayor said. “You don’t think—”

  “Considering that everything said in this office leaks more than a raft full of holes…I won’t say what I think.” He stopped at the door. “And when I’m done with this case, then decide if I’m in over my head or not.”

  She could fire him now. It was her right. He half expected her to do exactly that. If that were the case, Brandon could be packed and out of town with Emma by the next day. And he’d leave it up to Sheriff Hart to investigate the whole damn lot of them, including Olivia and the mayor, for withholding evidence.

  “What are you going to do with Brooke?” Olivia asked.

  “You can read about it in the papers,” Brandon said.

  Brandon was halfway across the parking lot when his phone rang. His dad’s home number. He and Emma were supposed to be fishing.

  “What happened?” Brandon asked. “Is Emma okay?”

  “She’s fine. But I need you to come over.”

  “I’m working a case right now,” Brandon said.

  “I know that. Just, get over here.”

  “Emma’s fine?” Brandon asked.

  “I already told you that.” He hung up the phone.

  He was headed out to the beaches and his dad’s property was on the way. What could be so important that he had to stop by in the middle of the day? Did it have something to do with his father’s health? Brandon and his father hadn’t talked since their argument the day before. It must be important.

  Brandon told dispatch to notify all officers in the county to be on the lookout for Brooke and her car. He contacted Sheriff Hart on his private cell and updated him on the situation. The Port Angeles unit would send someone out to keep an eye on Brooke’s apartment in case she returned home.

  Brandon pulled up to the house and his father appeared in the threshold.

  “Where’s Emma?” Brandon asked.

  “She’s in the garage organizing the fishing gear.”

  “I thought you’d be gone by now,” Brandon said.

  “I wanted a minute with you.”

  Brandon sighed, but walked up to the steps. His dad disappeared in the house, forcing Brandon to follow him.

  He brought a cardboard box out of the kitchen.

  “You should have this,” he said.

  He handed the box to Brandon. Inside were a pair of boots and some other items. They were Eli’s.

  “His badge is in there too.”

  “Why?”

  “Eli was your brother. And you’re the only surviving kin. Besides Emma.”

  He’d called him out here to give him Eli’s old stuff? He must be sick.

  “What about you?” Brandon asked.

  “I’ve had this long enough.”

  Brandon stood there for an awkward moment. Taking in the living room, the fireplace, the smell of lavender. This is where he and Eli had fought, wrestled, hated and loved each other like only brothers can. The box and its reminders of Eli brought back a flood of memories.

  It was unsettling, feeling this way, this vulnerable, in front of his dad and in this house.

  “Okay,” Brandon said. “I’ll figure out what to do with these.”

  He turned to leave but his father reached out and touched his arm.

  “Brandon, I’m sorry about this morning.”

  “What?”

  “Hell, I’m sorry about a lot of things, but to be specific. I didn’t mean to tell you how to do your job.”

  Brandon met his father’s gaze.

  “I appreciate that.”

  “And as for everything else, the comparisons to Eli—”

  “Dad, you don’t—”

  “Let me say my peace.” He scratched his head, looked down at Brandon’s feet. “I haven’t always been fair, but I want you to know I loved you both the same. You and Eli.”

  Was his dad sick? Why the deathbed confession?

  His dad continued. “If it makes you feel any better, you were always your mother’s favorite.”

  It was his father’s best attempt at a compliment.

  “Are you okay?” Brandon asked.

  His dad’s eyes rose to Brandon. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “It’s just…why now?”

  “I don’t want us to be angry at each other.”

  This wasn’t the confrontation-loving Buzz Mattson he’d grown up with. He wasn’t sure how to react to this new version of his father.

  “Maybe it’s my granddaughter’s influence. Making me soft.”

  Brandon chuckled. “Yeah, daughters have that effect.”

  “Anyway, I just want you to know, screw everyone who doesn’t think you’re doing your job.”

  Brandon smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

  He paused. “And I’m sorry for what I said. You know about you blaming me—”

  “No nee
d for that,” his dad said. “Just…be careful,” he glanced at the front door. “There’s a murderer out there.”

  Chapter 42

  He drove down to Second Beach. The lot was full of cars, but none were Brooke’s. After a couple of hours of searching, he headed back to town. He’d checked in with the unmarked car watching Brooke’s place. No sign of her.

  Forks was on the main highway between Port Angeles and Aberdeen. You either went north or south or stayed put. To the west was the ocean and to the east the Olympic Mountains. She didn’t seem the type to rough it in the wilderness. She’d have to come out of hiding, eventually.

  If Brooke was the killer, was she done exacting her revenge? What about Adam? He was still a suspect. The bite marks indicated Brooke hoped to make it look like Justin was the victim of a vampire-obsessed killer. What if she did the same to Adam?

  It was after five when Brandon got home. He called Emma, and she said they were done fishing but had gone down to Aberdeen for dinner. They wouldn’t be home until late. Brandon was on his own.

  He made himself eggs and toast and pulled out his notepad, flipping through until he got to Adam’s number.

  “Hello?” Adam answered.

  “Brandon Mattson with the Forks Police Department.”

  “Hey.”

  “When’s the last time you heard from Brooke?”

  “Um…I was down there yesterday hanging out with her.”

  “Nothing since then? Not even a text or phone call?”

  He paused. “No.”

  “You’re sure?” Brandon asked.

  When Adam didn’t reply, Brandon said, “Son, either you were involved in this murder or you’re hiding something. Either way, you’re in trouble. This is your chance to come clean.”

  “She said Ruby killed Justin. Something about the bite marks. Ruby has fangs and Brooke is going to prove it.”

  They hadn’t found any fangs in the search of Ruby’s home.

  “When?”

  “Today, I think. She said no one would be paying attention—”

  “Did she tell you how?”

  There was another pause, and an intake of breath. “No.”

  He was lying, and if it came to it, Brandon would bring the young man in.

  “Adam, why would Brooke tell you this?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, she knew I was freaked about going to jail. Because…I’m the number one suspect, right?”