Page 2
2
Brooklyn Sloane
June 2025
Tuesday — 1:07 pm
T he private jet’s engines hummed softly as the pilot skillfully steered the aircraft toward a secluded airstrip in Alaska, three hours southwest of Anchorage. Inside the cabin, a lengthy couch lined one half of the aisle. Across the thin strip of beige carpet, two sets of four leather seats surrounded square tables anchored to the floor. Despite the sunlight streaming through the compact windows, once the jet landed, the dense cloud coverage would block out any traces of sunlight.
“…already touched base with the Anchorage field office. There will be two agents meeting us at the landing strip, and…”
“I’ve been in contact with Toklo Kalluk, the victim’s father. He served as Alaska’s governor from 2012 to…”
Though the occasional conversations from those on board could be heard, an unspoken tension hung in the air like a cold, damp washcloth. Even the recycled air seemed too thick to take a deep breath.
Brooklyn Sloane had positioned herself near a window, her focus on the jet’s wing. She absently twirled the spinner ring on her right hand while analyzing every decision she and her team had made up to this point. Every fiber of her being had screamed against taking this trip, but the lengths her brother had gone to ensure their presence in the state of Alaska—during the month of June—held significance.
Unfortunately, she had yet to figure out his motivation.
The extent of Jacob Walsh’s sacrifice indicated he needed to be present at a particular location on a specific date. He had given up years of his life to be incarcerated in an attempt to lure his only surviving victim, Sarah Evanston, out of the witness protection program. If he had the patience for something of that magnitude, what awaited them in Alaska?
Jacob had intentionally shifted the FBI’s focus to a young woman who had gone missing back in 2014. While he claimed to know the location of Lusa Kalluk’s remains, he had not explicitly confessed to killing her.
At least, not in so many words.
The federal prosecutor, Nathaniel Carter, disagreed with Brook’s viewpoint.
Unfortunately, Jacob was maneuvering federal government agents around like pieces on a chessboard…and Brook was the queen.
“How is Sarah these days?”
Jacob had always been able to read Brook’s thoughts. There was one slight difference between the past and the present, though—she had perfected the ability to school her emotions.
“Thriving, from what I hear,” Brook replied casually before turning her focus from the wing of the aircraft to her brother. Jacob sat across the aisle on the couch in an orange jumpsuit. He was flanked by two federal agents, not that their presence seemed to bother him in the least. “Would you like some more water? The air in the cabin is rather dry, and we wouldn’t want you to suffer from dehydration.”
It was Jacob’s turn to conceal his genuine reaction to her offer. He hadn’t been pleased when one of the federal agents had joined him in the lavatory a couple of hours ago. Urging him to hydrate made it known she was aware of his discomfort.
The seven-hour flight from Cumberland, Maryland was the longest duration Brook had spent in her brother’s company since they were teenagers living under the same roof. In the months leading up to this trip, it had been challenging to suppress the churning acid in her stomach, and she couldn’t deny the weight she had lost over the past few weeks.
The bathroom scale didn’t lie, and neither did the mirror.
It had been difficult for Brook to accept that the death penalty for murdering Stella Bennett, Jacob’s first victim back in 1996, was now off the table due to the plea deal. Giving closure to one family had brutally ripped it from the hands of another. Jacob had promised to lead them to the location of Lusa Kalluk in exchange for his life.
Why?
Nathaniel believed it was a simple trade, yet Brook understood such an offer to be so much more than that.
Brook spotted Theo Neville motioning for her to join him further down the aisle in the small section created for privacy. Without a word, she unfastened her seatbelt and stood, ensuring her movements were fluid and controlled. She wouldn’t give her brother a single ounce of satisfaction that being in his presence was part of her own personal hell.
The protruding tread of her black hiking boots made soft thuds against the plush carpet as she carefully made her way toward Theo, not once glancing back at Jacob. She also didn’t bother to give Nathaniel any of her attention as she passed him at the second table, working on his laptop. While she didn’t have anything against the federal prosecutor, she wasn’t confident that he understood what was at stake with this excursion.
“Brook,” Theo greeted softly as she approached. “Sylvie just checked in. She and Bit are driving back to the hotel now. They struck out with Mekhi Hale this morning.”
Theo’s tall frame and athletic build seemed to occupy more space than most people. The black leather eye patch over his right eye only enhanced his imposing presence. She had thought long and hard about splitting the team on this trip to cover more ground. The wisest decision was to have Theo on board the transport flight. His unwavering loyalty to her had supported her through some of her darkest moments.
“That’s fine. Once we debrief, they can drive back to Silverton later this afternoon for another try.”
“The second Jacob’s name came into the conversation, Mekhi Hale clammed up and ordered them off his property.” Theo gestured for Brook to take the seat across from him, but standing eased the tension in her shoulders. “Sylvie described the area as extremely remote. Everyone they spoke to in town said that Mekhi keeps to himself and only goes into town once or twice a month. By the way, Bit wasn’t too happy to find there weren’t any public security cameras set up in or around town.”
Sylvie Deering, Bobby ‘Bit’ Nowacki, and Arden Hinnish completed the team of S&E Investigations. Brook owned the company with a silent partner, and their private consulting firm primarily investigated cold cases of serial killings. The consulting agreement with the federal government regarding active crimes made such a mission more cumbersome, but the profits were lucrative.
Jacob fell into both categories, as well as checking off a personal objective that had devoured Brook’s life. She needed to see this through to the end.
“Do we know anything else about Mekhi Hale?” Brook already had her answer, but she wasn’t ready to return to her seat.“That we didn’t already know before?”
“No.” Theo remained on the small couch, though he leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table. His cell phone was next to his laptop, and an open bottle of water had been pushed off to the side. “Everything we know is in his file. Born and raised in Silverton. Fisherman by trade. Worked with a fishing charter most of the time in Whittier, but he would rent out his MAKO 234 CC to tourists from time to time to make extra money. Hence, the photograph that Bit discovered on social media with Jacob in the background.”
Seeing that Sylvie and Bit hadn’t been able to get Mekhi Hale to discuss Jacob, it was doubtful they had managed to get a word in edgewise about Jacob’s defense attorney. Mitch Norona was somehow connected to the reason her brother needed to be in Alaska, but she couldn’t find evidence to link both men to Silverton on the same day.
Separately, yes.
But not together.
Considering how much time had passed, she wasn’t sure they would be able to obtain the evidence needed to prove to the judge that Mitch Norona should be removed from the case.
“We know that Mitch rented out Hale’s private boat for a day of fishing in 2014,” Theo reiterated before tapping his phone in frustration. “If we can get the fisherman to verify that Jacob and Mitch knew one another back around the time when Lusa Kalluk went missing, we could present the evidence to Judge Colletti.”
Theo’s focus shifted down the aisle toward Jacob.
“Speaking of our guest, he seems relaxed.”
“Too relaxed.” Brook forced herself to keep her back toward the others. Normally, she would have worn one of her usual business suits. Flying blind into cold terrain and an unknown situation had her opting for a ribbed black turtleneck and a pair of dark jeans. “Mitch Norona, on the other hand, hasn’t been able to bring himself to utter a word to his client the entire flight. I noticed that he’s taken to biting his nails in the past five months. I’d even go so far as to say that he’s scared of Jacob.”
“Given what we know, maybe the connection between Norona, Jacob, and Hale is enough to get us a warrant. If we can convince Nathaniel that Jacob is using this excursion to try and escape, he might be willing to go to bat with us. Maybe we should try and get Nathaniel to speak with Hale while we are here.”
Mekhi Hale wasn’t the only one with a peculiar background when it came to Jacob. Mitch was a criminal attorney out of Baltimore, though he initially started out in financial law. Two trips to Alaska seemed to have changed the course of his career, not that Brook or the team could prove that Norona had any interactions with Jacob during those so-called vacations.
“We have no concrete evidence that Norona and Jacob’s paths crossed back then. The picture of Jacob on Hale’s boat could have been taken on a different day or even a different month. I don’t want the judge rejecting our request based on mere coincidence.”
“The fact that Lusa Kalluk went missing in 2014 makes it more than a coincidence, Brook,” Theo said wryly as his gaze switched to Mitch Norona. “He was fresh out of law school. We have to assume Jacob has something on him to use the man as a puppet.”
“I agree, but I don’t want to play our hand just yet.”
“This will all be over with in twenty-four hours, anyway,” Theo reminded her as he reached forward and slowly closed the lid of his laptop. “I take it that Graham is meeting us at the landing strip?”
“No. I asked him to stay behind and examine the schematics of the hotel. He is also changing our rooms and blocking off a different floor.” Brook gave a slight shrug when Theo raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want anyone making decisions for us, and Graham noted too many unsecured areas in the initial block of rooms. He’ll do another sweep before we arrive.”
“I’ll drop Sylvie a text. She and Bit can meet up with him.”
Brook had complete confidence that Graham Elliott would ensure the hotel was secure for their arrival. As a retired Commanding General of the Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), no one on the team possessed his level of expertise. He also happened to be her silent partner in S&E Investigations and the man she cared for deeply enough to pursue another attempt at a normal life.
Graham hadn’t left her side since the news of the plea deal broke, and while she wasn’t used to him being underfoot twenty-four-seven, he had proven himself to be an anchor. He also hadn’t coddled her, which had gone a long way in her accepting his constant presence of late.
The pilot's voice crackled over the intercom, bringing Brook’s short reprieve to an end.The breathing room from Jacob’s smothering company had been much needed.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will be landing in fifteen minutes. Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for descent.”
“Showtime,” Theo muttered as he swiped his laptop off the table. He then reached for the case. “Did I hear Agent Houser say he arranged for two local field agents to meet us at the landing strip?”
“Yes,” Brook replied as Theo reached for his drink. As he secured the cap before tucking the plastic bottle in the outside pocket of the carrier, a thought occurred to her. “Do me a favor. When we land, collect the empty water bottle near Mitch’s seat. We don’t need a warrant for anything found in public.”
“I can do that,” Theo agreed, leaning back against the leather cushion. He stretched his arm out to reach into a pocket usually found on the back of a passenger seat and pulled out an airsick bag. “Improvisation at its finest.”
As Brook returned to her seat, she considered informing Nathaniel about her decision to test Mitch Norona’s DNA. She quickly dismissed the thought. The less he knew about the actions taken by S&E Investigations, the better. She hadn’t even informed him about Sylvie and Bit seeking out Mekhi Hale this morning.
Basically, the federal prosecutor had been kept in the dark about a lot of things.
“I’m curious.” Jacob had waited until after Brook had fastened her seatbelt to speak. She braced herself for another comment about Sarah Evanston or Stella Bennett. Curiously enough, he had yet to bring up Lusa Kalluk. “Does your sidekick take that patch off to sleep? I mean, what exactly is behind that thing? Does his eyelid sink in or?—”
“Do you need to use the lavatory before we land?” Brook asked as she feigned the removal of imaginary lint off her turtleneck. She refused to rise to his bait, and she would never display signs of weakness in front of him. “I’m sure Agent Brall wouldn’t mind accompanying you.”
“He can hold it.”
Jacob never took his gaze off Brook, so she was well aware that he caught the corner lift of her lips. Special Agent Victor Brall was former military, in his early thirties, and he carried out his duties by the book.
She had personally vetted him.
An added bonus of having Victor remain with Jacob throughout the entirety of this trip was that the special agent had experience with the BAU before being assigned to counter-terrorism investigations. The Behavioral Analysis Unit had nothing but good things to say about the man’s work ethic.
“Looks like you’ll have to hold it,” Brook replied, backing up Victor’s directive.
She cleared her throat before turning her attention to the wing of the aircraft. Her jacket and backpack rested in the seat next to her. Although this trip was expected to have a quick turnaround, she had instructed everyone—well, almost everyone—on board to pack enough clothes for a week. If Jacob somehow delayed their return, it was up to Mitch Norona to provide himself with additional clothes and toiletries.
As the wheels finally touched down, the jet jolted slightly before leveling off to glide gracefully down the small runway. Dense forest stretched out to the horizon, with the dark green of the trees contrasting against the slate-grey sky. Although there was no snow on the ground, June marked the beginning of summer in this region.
Before too long, a large hangar that had seen better days came into view with several dark SUVs parked in front, along with two government-issued vehicles.Nathaniel had seen to it that several rental SUVs had been arranged for them.
“Everyone, please remain seated.”
The pilot had given the instruction over the intercom, but that hadn’t stopped Special Agent Russell Houser from vacating his seat.He had his phone pressed against his ear, and his concerned gaze caught hers as he walked past her toward the front of the plane.
Something was wrong.
Russell had been the lead agent on Jacob’s case for many years now. Even though Jacob had been behind bars for nearly the same duration, Russell had accompanied them at Brook’s request.
She didn’t need to instruct Theo to follow Russell. He was already making his way toward the exit, where Russell stood listening to whoever was on the other end of the line. After Theo joined him, the two exchanged hushed words about what had caused their departure from the jet to be delayed.
Jacob seemed utterly unfazed by the proceedings, and Brook made sure she mimicked his demeanor. She would delay joining the others just long enough to give the impression that she wasn’t concerned about what waited for them on the tarmac.
“Brook?”
Not needing to wait any longer, Brook took her time unfastening her seatbelt. She gave a casual nod toward Victor before making her way to the front of the plane.
“What’s wrong?” Brook inquired softly, not wanting her voice to travel.
“Around a hundred and twenty yards from here, give or take, something was dumped on the runway,” Russell informed her while keeping his phone against his ear. “For all we know, it could be a tree branch. Maybe a dead animal. I’m having one of the two agents who?—”
“No.” Brook had made it a point not to overstep her role up to this point, but the time had come to take over. Jacob had ensured she was part of his plea deal, and she wouldn’t go any further without taking the lead. She certainly wouldn’t put her team at risk for some type of power struggle between the two sides of the judicial system. “Until we know what it is, I want this to stay in-house. Russell, you and Theo should be the ones to approach whatever is out there. Best case scenario, it’s debris.”
Brook didn’t bother to tack on the worst case. Jacob’s non-reaction wasn’t surprising, but she had caught sight of Mitch’s response to Russell’s phone call. She got the sense that the defense attorney wasn’t shocked by the delay.
“What’s going on, Brook?” Nathaniel asked when she reached her seat. He didn’t seem to mind that Jacob was observing them intently. She calmly collected her jacket, slipping her arms in the sleeves before taking hold of a strap on the back of her backpack. “Is there some sort of problem?”
“We’re not sure.” Brook removed her cell phone from the side pocket, studying the lighted screen. She quickly dismissed several messages that would need to be returned later today. Keeping her phone in hand, she slid the strap of the backpack over her shoulder. “Theo and Russell are checking on something, but we should be able to exit the plane shortly.”
Cold air began to seep into the cabin, indicating that Theo and Russell were finally able to descend from the aircraft’s exit. While the month of June brought mild temperatures to Alaska, this afternoon’s high was still only fifty-four degrees.
“Ma’am?”
“Not yet,” Brook murmured in response to Victor’s subtle question. Nathaniel had already made his way to the front of the plane with his briefcase in hand. No doubt, Victor was keen to move things along, as well. His partner on this trip, however, seemed content to monitor the federal prosecutor’s movements. “We’ll wait for the all-clear.”
Jacob’s eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing her statement. She had intentionally not included him in any of the conversations. He didn’t get to perceive any more authority on this recovery mission than what was necessary. Her brother believed he was calling the shots, guiding them to the remains of a victim, but she wouldn’t give him the impression that she would trip over herself for the information. It was bad enough that she had agreed and even pushed for this trip in the end, though not for the reasons everyone currently on board believed of her.
“I’ll be waiting outside,” Mitch stated as he stood from his seat. He had chosen to sit near Victor, leaving an open space between them. Jacob’s defense attorney didn’t even bother to glance in his client’s direction. “I need to make a few phone?—”
“Sit down, Mr. Norona,” Brook ordered without hesitation. “No one else leaves this plane until we’re given permission from my colleague.”
Brook maintained eye contact with Mitch until he slowly lowered himself to the cream leather sofa. He rubbed his chin in frustration, which was when she caught sight of the pearl of blood on the side of his thumbnail. Two things made an impression on her—Norona was nervous, and Jacob was curious.
The vibrations of the cell phone diverted her attention. She swiped to accept the call and lifted the phone to her ear while switching her focus back to Jacob. He met her gaze, and she got the distinct impression that he was at war with himself. It was as if he wanted her to believe he was aware of what was taking place outside, but something told her he was just as in the dark as she was right now.
“Brook, we’ve got ourselves a crime scene,” Theo advised, his tone grim under the muted muffling of the wind. “Keep everyone on board for now. You’ll want to see the body yourself before we call in a forensics team.”
Theo’s long pause conveyed there was something more to the crime scene…something worse.
“It’s Jacob’s signature, Brook.”
She didn’t reply to Theo’s depiction of the victim. Unless the woman had any form of identification on her body, it could be days before they had a name. Brook slowly lowered the phone while assessing Jacob’s reaction. He hadn’t personally taken another life, but she wouldn’t put it past him to pull the strings of another. He had done it before, and he would no doubt try again…if not having done so already.
“Nathaniel?” Brook slipped her cell phone into the pocket of her jacket while waiting for the federal prosecutor’s full attention. Keeping her tone casual, she made a request. “I’ve received word we might have a situation on our hands. You and the others are to stay on board until you hear otherwise. I’ll be back shortly.”
“What kind of situation?” Nathaniel asked in frustration. “If it involves this case, then I have a right to?—”
“I’ll let you know when I know,” Brook stated firmly as she made her way past him toward the exit. She glanced at Norona’s empty water bottle and made a mental note to collect it later. “Take a seat and make yourself comfortable.”
“Hey, sis?” Jacob called out with a touch of humor. She slid her thumb underneath the strap of her backpack to give herself something to grip. Her brother was enjoying the disruption a bit too much for her liking. “Welcome to Alaska.”