Page 26 of Junior Has a Secret

Fear is a grave someone else will be buried in, and right now I’m afraid that means my brother.

Andrew’s gaze finally meets mine and in the depths of his stare I find ten shades of fucked up, the kind of fucked up that comes from watching your own sister stab a man to death and then burying a body, all while wearing a badge.He didn’t give up his badge to take down the Society.He gave it away because he thinks he doesn’t deserve it and I’m literally going to beat his ass.Just not now with witnesses.“I got this, Andrew.Step back.”

Shockingly for my non-compliant brother, he steps back, and repeats that action three times until he almost hits the wall.

My attention slides to Adams.“Why isn’t this place locked down?”

“It is.I have everyone who was here when I got here confined to the offices upstairs, told not to leave until their interviews, printed and asked for DNA samples.”

That’s reasonable, but still feels off.All of this feels off.

“Why isn’t the forensics team here?”Andrew asks, clear headed enough now that he’s not looking at the body to read my mind.“And what about the medical examiner?”

“We’ve claimed jurisdiction.Our team will be here soon.”

He means the FBI which doesn’t surprise me considering the circumstances and location of the body.“You were here before me.Where are they?Why aren’t they here?”

“At your father’s request, I waited to call them until you were present and you’d spoken to him.”

Andrew holds up his hands.“That’s wrong in so many ways, and I don’t even want to know what words come out of your mouth next.”He’s talking to Adams.I think.I’ve been known to have words come out of my mouth, too, often in offensive ways.“I’ll go talk to Dad,” he adds.“I really don’t know why he thinks Lilah is a good choice.Ever.”He rotates and starts walking.

I’d be offended if he were wrong.“Tell him you can’t help him without the truth,” I call out though we both know he’ll never admit foul play, at least by him, to Andrew.He damn sure didn’t mind admitting what he did to me when I cornered him over it.I didn’t turn him in for that.He’s mistaken if he thinks that means I won’t take him down in the future.

Andrew lifts a hand of acknowledgment and disappears.“Wasn’t he a sheriff?He looked like he was going to puke.”

“Bad chicken,” I say, turning the attention off my brother, and back to the crime scene.“Do we know who the dead guy is?”

“No identification.”

“Teeth intact?”

“I don’t know that yet,” he confirms.“One of the guards found him and checked for a pulse.That’s when I got called in.”

“But you know there’s no identification?”

There’s a tic of irritation in his jaw.“We don’t know who he is.”

They didn’t look or they already knew, I think, and keep pushing “No one calls the FBI director instead of 911.Most people don’t have that kind of access, let alone a clear mind.”

“We aren’t dealing with most people.”

“In other words, abuse of political power gets your stamp of approval.”I don’t wait for a reply.“Who called you?My father?”

“Pocher for your father.”

“Because you’re on his payroll.”It’s not a question.

“I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.”His tone is pure irritation.“I had to report this to the president and after the directors we lost, we can’t afford to lose more, nor can we afford the bad press.I’m expected to assure the discreet handling of this problem and safety of our elected officials.”

“Who is guarding my father now?”

“State police.The president wants us.And you, Lilah.He asked for you.Apparently, you made quite the impression on him.”

“And you should have told him what I plan to tell him.I am not a fan of my father’s.I am not on his side.And I damn sure won’t cover his ass.”

“This is not good for your father or his reputation.I don’t believe he was involved.”

But Pocher might be, I think.What better way to tear away the power lifting up my father than murder?“I’m too close to the potential suspects.Any good defense attorney will use that to get a conviction thrown out.”