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Brooklyn Sloane

June 2025

Wednesday — 2:31 pm

T he zippers of all three black nylon duffel bags were pulled back for inspection. Inside, tactical equipment and apparel were organized with military precision. Headlamps, battery packs, climbing gear, thicker jackets, and gloves were all included as requested.

Brook had planned for many contingencies, but an ice cave had never been on her list. She pulled one of the zippers farther back, revealing coils of safety rope, carabiners, and harnesses. The items were standard protocols for cave exploration, even one as improvised as this.

Not that such an exploration would actually take place.

The second bag contained other equipment, such as portable oxygen monitors and first aid supplies. A thermal imaging camera caught her eye—expensive equipment that could detect heat signatures through layers of ice. Someone at the Bureau had been generous with their budget allocation.

The third duffel bag contained thick down jackets in various sizes, insulated gloves, and thermal face masks. The temperature inside the ice cave was well below freezing. She ran a hand over the nearest jacket, pondering whether these would be enough to convince Jacob that they were truly committed to having him lead them into the ice cave.

“Let’s head back,” Brook said as she zipped the duffel bags closed. Once they were ready for transport, she straightened and gripped the handle of the first bag. “If you could grab those two, we can get moving.”

The chopper had to drop the bags a short distance from the cave’s entrance because of the dense tree coverage, necessitating a brief walk. The pilot aimed to prevent the bags from snagging on branches, despite their weight being sufficient to break some.

“Care to clue me in on what you have planned, Sloane?” Russell said wryly as he leaned down to pick up the other two bags. “I would think working with me over the past few years would have given you some indication that I don’t like working in the dark.”

“I've already said I’m going to improvise.” Brook almost stumbled on the slope but managed to steady herself with the weight of the bag. “You heard what Bit had to say about the hit-and-run. Jacob probably discovered that Mitch was a lawyer during their fishing trip. If Mitch had been drinking and was part of a hit-and-run, he would have understood that his career was over. In fact, his whole life would have been ruined because he would have been staring down the possibility of vehicular manslaughter.”

“And what? Jacob held it over Norona’s head all these years?”

“Do you have any idea how many favors I culled during my time at the FBI?” Brook countered, only slowing down when the terrain made it necessary for her to. While Victor was more than capable of handling himself, she still wasn’t sure why being near this ice cave was so important to Jacob. “I have one from my first year that I’m saving for when it’s truly needed, Russell.”

Brook hated comparing herself to Jacob. It made her physically ill to think they had anything in common. She had assured herself time and again that the favors she had gathered over the years had been quid pro quo. Jacob’s version of those types of benefits was returned only under the threat of blackmail.

The bottom line was that she had been trying to prove a point.

Brook hefted her bag a little more as she continued to mind her step over some thick roots sticking out of the ground. Once she was on somewhat of an even plane, she turned her focus to where Victor stood near the mouth of the cave. Jacob’s attention was fixated on her, though she and Russell were still far enough away that their voices wouldn’t carry.

“There is one thing I’ve picked up on that Jacob undoubtedly noticed, as well.” Russell’s observation brought Brook to a standstill. Since he had been a few steps behind her, it wasn’t until he came to a stop beside her that he revealed said observation. “You’re too relaxed not to have a failsafe. Nanuq Kalluk being in the wind should have had you calling this whole thing off.”

Russell wasn’t wrong, but Brook and her team had agreed to keep their strategic plans in-house. One safeguard tactic was to have a team of private contractors ready in case something or someone got past the federal agents on the ground. The challenging part was managing their locations to ensure no one overlapped or risked being in each other’s crosshairs.

“You mentioned how we have known each other for years,” Brook reiterated as she casually studied her surroundings. “Did you really believe I would jeopardize everything we've worked for by allowing Jacob to lead us into a place with no additional coverage?”

Once Brook was assured that nothing had changed in the surrounding area since she and Russell had left to collect the equipment, she refocused her attention on Jacob. Her brother’s posture was relaxed, almost bored, which was his intent.

Behind his calm exterior, however, his mind worked continuously, analyzing possibilities and planning contingencies. Unfortunately, that was one of the traits they shared—the constant calculation of odds and outcomes.

“I need Jacob to believe we're entering the ice cave until everyone is in custody. Once that happens, we’ll escort him back down the mountain.”

“You could have just shared all this with me.”

“I needed your reactions to be genuine.”

“You were hellbent on figuring out why Jacob needed to be in Alaska this month,” Russell pointed out, still holding both bags. “You’ll never know if we head down now.”

“Weren’t you pushing to bring this all to an end anyway?”

Russell studied her for a long moment before nodding, a gesture of understanding rather than agreement. He wanted answers, too. The difference between them was that he was willing to settle for less. She, on the other hand, had to force herself to live without answers.

The satellite radio at Brook's hip emitted a crackling sound before Bit's voice cut through with clarity. She unclipped the device after setting her bag on the ground, her gaze leaving Jacob. They were still out of earshot from the others. The distance allowed for a final exchange of information before she played her hand.

“Go ahead, Bit.”

“We found the connection,” Bit stated with eagerness. “I've been digging through Nanuq's financials. One of his accounts just happened to be connected to his mother’s savings account. Get this— regular deposits have been going into her account twice a year for the past twelve years. All the deposits coincide with the dates of the wildlife conservation fundraisers.”

“So, Lusa was right all along.”

“And it got her killed, not that I know how her death connects to Jacob or Slick Mitch.” Bit didn’t release the button, so she could still hear the tapping of the keys on his laptop. “Speaking of Slick Mitch, it looks as if he deleted some older messages on the burner phone. I’m running some programs now and should be able to retrieve them shortly.”

“Thanks, Bit.”

Brook ended the transmission, lowering the radio slowly as she processed another piece of the puzzle. She was confident she had enough edge pieces in place to bluff Jacob into making a couple of admissions.

“You need to follow my lead,” Brook murmured, meeting his gaze with a significance that conveyed more than her words. “Please.”

Russell slowly nodded once again, and she didn’t hesitate to pick up the duffel bag. She noticed Jacob's subtle shift in posture as he monitored the reason for their delay. She sensed that he was relieved to see the necessary items to enter the ice cave.

His expression was very familiar.

It was the same one he had worn as a teenager when he had convinced their parents that Ben Pearson was the last person to be seen with Pamela Murray. The same satisfied angle of his jaw, the similar shadows that played at the corners of his mouth. He believed she would escort him into the ice cave due to her need for closure.

“Bit just reached out,” Brook announced as they finally approached Jacob. She kept her tone conversational, dropping the duffel bag next to the ones Russell had already placed on the ground. The soft impact sent up a small puff of dirt, causing the contents to shuffle around inside. “Nanuq has been taken into custody.”

To his credit, Russell didn't display any surprise at her lie. He maintained a neutral expression, with his stance relaxed yet alert as he positioned himself slightly to her right. He was close enough to intervene if necessary, yet far enough away to give her room to work.

“Fortunately for us,” Brook continued, making no move to retrieve the equipment from the duffel bags, “Nanuq didn't take long to start talking.”

Brook continued to study Jacob's expression as she spoke, noting the slight shifts in his expression. Most people wouldn't have noticed the subtle tightening around his eyes, the almost imperceptible flex of his jaw.

Brook had spent most of her teenage years learning to read them.

“Nanuq admitted to murdering Lusa because she figured out that he was skimming off the donations to the wildlife center.” The words flowed easily, a blend of fact and fabrication woven together. “He is even hinting at killing Kate, but he wants to know what he’ll get in exchange for turning on you.”

Jacob remained silent, his gaze steady on hers.

“This is my theory—Mitch alerted Nanuq to the recovery mission. No amount of reassurance could ease his fear that you were going to throw him under the bus. Nanuq wanted to create a distraction from the recovery mission. He lured Kate to Alaska, attempted to kill her using your signature method, and then left her body at the end of the tarmac. He believed that would be enough cause for us to call off the recovery mission. You had no idea he would go that far, did you?”

Brook tsked her disappointment. Victor maintained his position beside Jacob and Justin while resting his hand casually near his holstered weapon. She had also caught the way Jacob shifted away from the mountain wall.

“Kavik probably figured out that Nanuq has been lying all along after we started re-questioning everyone. Kavik never thought Nanuq would murder his own cousin, so he provided an alibi for his friend. Kavik fixed that fence alone. Nanuq was already in Blackpeak before Mitch’s hit-and-run, wasn’t he? Nanuq abducted Lusa, and you were in the right place and time to notice. As for Mitch, he reached out to you at some point, believing that you could help him.”

Brook waved her hand dismissively. She was already taking chances by making too many assumptions. If she were mistaken about the specifics, the overall framework of her plan wouldn’t hold.

“We’ll figure it out, I’m sure. Between Nanuq and Mitch, we’ll get our answers.” Brook lifted a hand and signaled that everyone should start packing up. “But this is the end of the road, Jacob. We don’t need your help anymore.”

Not once had she broken script.

Her delivery had remained measured, her posture comfortable but alert, and her gaze direct. She had learned long ago that the best lies contained kernels of truth, and the reality here was that Jacob had manipulated everyone around him.

“Why would Nanuq Kalluk admit to killing someone whose murder I already took credit for, dear sister?” Jacob tilted his head in curiosity. Brook had anticipated his attempt to trip her up. Her brother always deflected when cornered, redirecting attention to weaknesses in others' arguments rather than addressing the flaws in his own position. “Does that make sense to you, Special Agent Houser?”

“Both men were mere puppets,” Brook said before Russell could reply to Jacob’s question. “You made sure they owed you favors, and they knew you could destroy their lives if they didn't help when the time came.”

Brook decided it was time to play her ace.

She turned slightly and called out to the two forensic technicians who remained nearby. They sat with their backs against a cluster of wind-stunted pines, fully engaged in conversation.

“Do you recall the last place we took a break?” Brook asked, her voice carrying clearly across the space between them. “The area with the large boulders and some fallen trees?”

“Yes.” Both techs stood, brushing the debris from their pants as they responded with synchronized nods. “Yes, ma'am.”

Brook's eyes shifted back to Jacob, recognizing the faint tension in his posture after her request. She had reviewed each moment of their hike in her mind, analyzing Jacob’s body language. He had maintained a steady pace without faltering—until they arrived at that small clearing.

The way he had used the soles of his boots to brush away debris on the ground while sitting on the rough bark of the fallen log hadn’t gone unnoticed, either.The action had resembled the tender way a man stroked a woman’s hair.

“Go ahead and start back to that area,” Brook instructed with a small smile. Jacob’s carefully controlled expression cracked, and he could no longer contain his hatred for her. “That’s where you’ll discover Lusa Kalluk’s remains.”