Chapter Nineteen

The bass coming from the speakers above the bar reverberated through the wooden floorboards as Brook weaved through the crowd. The rain had driven everyone indoors, and this was the next best place to be. Unfortunately, the air had become thick with the stench of sweat and alcohol. She was looking forward to breathing fresh air, but there was something she needed to take care of before driving back to the lake house.

"Excuse me," Brook murmured as she brushed past a couple deep in conversation about a popular movie.

She was determined to reach the empty stool left by the federal agent who had followed Mary Jane home. Since the stool was positioned at the far end of the bar near the wall, it would provide her with the privacy needed to get her point across.

Brook didn't bother to relinquish her purse. She kept the thick strap over her shoulder as she perched on the edge of the stool. She wouldn't be sitting for long, either.

The bartender moved toward her, but Brook raised a hand, palm out. She didn't plan on staying, and she wouldn't be enjoying a drink, either. What she wouldn't give for a hot cup of coffee, though.

Across the bar, Mindy was laughing at something Cav Buckley whispered into her ear. As expected, he was staring directly at Brook, his gaze lingering on her with an unsettling intensity. He wasn't obtuse, and he understood that she was waiting to have a private word with him. She didn't doubt that he would make her wait. Such a strategy would backfire, not that such a thought crossed his mind.

Five minutes turned into ten before Cav reached out and tucked a strand of Mindy's blonde hair behind her ear. He slowly began to make his way through the throng of people standing near the bar. There was no mistaking the confidence in his approach. Before too long, he was standing right next to her as he planted his forearms firmly against the counter.

"Imagine bumping into you here," Cav murmured as he leaned into Brook"s space. A smile stretched across his face as if they were old friends reunited by chance. "I thought for sure you would have gone back to D.C."

"I'd like you to ask yourself a question, Mr. Buckley," Brook instructed in a flat tone. She had already made sure to stand, ensuring that her high heels gave her as much leverage as possible. "Do you value your freedom?"

Brook held his gaze. Twenty seconds was longer than one realized, but she didn't back down. As a matter of fact, she stepped close enough to ensure there were mere inches between them.

Cav Buckly craved control, similar to that of her brother. Cav wasn't a killer, though. He was nowhere near the level of Jacob Walsh, but the underlying tendencies of obsession were just beneath the surface. Brook refused to be hunted by a stalker with sociopathic tendencies. She would do what was necessary to end the man's fixation.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Cav replied softly, his warm breath containing the scent of spearmint. Too bad, really. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to enjoy that specific mint in the future. "And may I remind you that I'm a lawyer?"

"And may I remind you that I'm the sister of a serial killer?" Brook slowly smiled, though she made sure it conveyed her message. She allowed the silent challenge to hang between them for a moment. "I know all about the complaints at your firm. Most were brushed under the rug, but Talia Katics? She wouldn't back down, and that restraining order she was awarded also got her a settlement, didn't it? You have a history, Mr. Buckley. One that displays a pattern that I won't be a part of, do you understand me?"

Brook allowed a moment of measured silence to hover between them. He was staring at her lips, as if he were mesmerized by the subtle coat of her lipstick. She noticed the moment her words registered in his mind due to his gaze lifting to meet hers.

"Those were nothing more than misunderstandings."

"You and I both know better, so consider this a courtesy warning. I assure you, a restraining order will seem like a love letter compared to the measures that I'll take if I see you again," Brook warned as she finally allocated space between them. His smile had faltered the moment she had brought up her knowledge of his past. "I trust this is the last time that we'll meet, Mr. Buckley."

Brook's words hung in the air, and she noticed the twitch of irritation in the muscle alongside his jawline. Without another word, Brook brushed past him, her movements as fluid and precise without the slightest hesitation. She didn"t bother to glance over her shoulder at Cav as she made her way past the multitude of patrons who were lost in their own worlds. She had done what she set out to do, and she had categorically gotten her point across.

Stepping out into the cool night, Brook allowed herself a single deep breath, not caring that she was now getting soaked with rain. Men like Buckley became focused on an individual, and nothing but extreme action could shake their attention. Stalkers had a lot of traits similar to serial killers. Unfortunately, there were times when nothing said or done could prevent the situation from escalating into a grave situation. Only time would tell if Cav Buckley made the right decision.

The comparison between stalkers and serial killers brought her up short. Brook had made such similarities in her current profile, but she hadn't focused on that specific fact. While Mary Four was the unsub's current obsession, Sheila Wallace was where it all started. Again, the team was more than aware of that fact, but Bit needed to dive deeper into the woman's life.

The answers were there…just waiting to be found.

Nothing seemed out of place as she began to walk toward her car, the rain soaking her suit jacket. She didn't detect anyone in the vicinity. By the time she settled in behind the steering wheel, her brief moment of freedom from the stifling confrontation inside the bar had been replaced with a chill that not even the heated seats in her car could erase. Once she had the engine started with her phone connected to Bluetooth, she immediately initiated a call to Bit.

"Bit, I'm leaving the bar now," Brook advised as she shifted the gear into drive. "Mind brewing up a pot of coffee for me? It's going to be a long night."