Page 19 of Shattered Truth (Off The Grid: FBI #15)

Chapter Eleven

"I feel like I should have worn something fancier," Haley said as they got out of the car.

"You look great,” he said, silently noting how the light-blue dress highlighted her eyes and her curves.

"You don't look so bad, either," she muttered, her gaze sweeping down his gray suit and maroon-colored tie. "But you might be hot. It's supposed to be low eighties today."

"I had a feeling this was a suit and tie event," he replied. And he was right. Every man within his view was formally dressed.

He put a hand on her back as they walked up the steps to the main entrance to enter the building through a pair of massive oak doors flanked by marble columns.

Inside, the lobby hummed with quiet chatter as guests checked in at the reception desk and then accepted glasses of sparkling champagne from waiters moving through the rotunda.

The interior was breathtaking. Soaring twenty-foot ceilings were supported by hand-carved wooden beams, while crystal chandeliers cast warm light over polished floors inlaid with intricate geometric patterns.

After checking in with the receptionist, a woman in a silky gray dress directed them toward the main gallery, where the special exhibition was housed.

"The contemporary pieces are in the east wing," the woman said with a practiced smile, "and the garden reception is just through those doors." She gestured toward a wall of floor-to-ceiling French doors that opened to a spectacular view.

Through the glass, Matt could see the museum's crown jewel—formal gardens that would have made Versailles jealous.

Geometric hedges formed perfect patterns around a central fountain, while ancient oak trees provided shade for elegantly dressed patrons browsing the silent auction tables scattered throughout the space.

They accepted champagne from a nearby waiter, then headed farther into the museum.

"There she is," Haley said suddenly, nodding toward a woman near a large abstract painting that looked like someone had thrown red and black paint at a canvas. "That's Brooke Mercer."

Brooke was even more striking than she'd been in the picture he'd seen last night. Her dark hair was swept into an elegant updo, and in a champagne-colored dress, she had the kind of polished beauty that came from expensive skincare and professional styling.

"She's very attractive," Haley commented. "Probably the prettiest woman Landon ever dated. He was a shy, nerdy kind of guy, but he did blossom when he got to Westbridge. He gained confidence."

"Enough confidence to get himself a beautiful girlfriend," he murmured.

"I still think it's strange he never told me about her."

A tall, skinny blonde woman interrupted Brooke's conversation with the older couple.

And as the two of them moved away, the blonde gestured toward the entrance, as if she were displeased about something.

Brooke nodded in response and walked back to the check-in desk.

As the blonde turned her face in their direction, he realized he recognized her. "That's Jill Adler, isn't it?"

"Yes. Trent's twin sister and Henry's cousin."

"She looks stressed. And she seemed annoyed with Brooke about something."

"Events like this are probably always stressful. Should we try to talk to Jill?"

"Let's start with Brooke and let Jill calm down a bit."

They walked quickly back toward the hostess. As Brooke finished her conversation, she turned around and then halted when she saw Haley.

"Oh my God," Brooke breathed, her hand flying to her throat. "Haley? Haley Kenton? I can't believe it's you. It's been so long since I've seen you."

"Hello, Brooke," Haley said. "You look wonderful."

"I...thank you. You do too." Brooke's gaze darted between Haley and Matt, clearly trying to process this unexpected encounter. "What brings you here? Are you interested in contemporary art?"

"Actually, we came to see you," Haley said. "This is Agent Matt Lawson with the FBI. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Landon."

If Matt had thought Brooke looked pale before, she went absolutely white now.

"FBI?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't understand. What could you possibly want to know about Landon now? He died so long ago."

"We're following up on some new information," Haley said.

"New information?" Brooke's voice cracked slightly. "About Landon's death? But it was ruled an accident."

"Could we speak somewhere more private?" Haley asked, glancing around at the crowded entry, where their conversation was beginning to attract curious looks.

"Of course," Brooke said quickly. "Let's go into the garden."

Brooke led them to a quiet, secluded corner of the museum's sculpture garden, which was adjacent to where the outdoor event was being held.

"What kind of new information?" Brooke asked again, her body stiff with tension.

"We can't discuss the details of an ongoing investigation," Matt said. "But we'd like to ask you about your relationship with Landon. How well did you know him?"

"We dated for a few months. Haley already knows our story." Brooke gave Haley a look, as if begging for intervention.

"Agent Lawson wants to hear it from you, Brooke," she said.

"It was a whirlwind romance," Brook said, turning her attention back to him. "An instantly perfect relationship. We just…clicked. Landon was different from the other guys. He was quieter. More serious. I liked that."

"You told me you were planning to move in together after graduation," Haley said. "I have to admit I was surprised to learn you were so serious, because Landon never mentioned you to me."

"Really? I thought he had. He said he couldn't wait to tell you about us.

" She paused. "Actually, I think he said you'd gone through a recent breakup, and he didn't want to rub our newfound happiness in your face.

I guess he never had a chance to tell you.

" She took another breath. "I couldn't wait for graduation.

I was excited to plan a future with Landon away from school. "

"What kind of future?" he asked.

"Oh, you know. Living together. Taking a trip to celebrate graduation."

"A trip where?" Haley interrupted.

"Uh, well, Landon really wanted to go to Costa Rica. He'd seen a documentary about the rain forests and became obsessed with seeing them in person."

Matt noticed Haley stiffen beside him, her blue eyes sharpening. "Really? Costa Rica?" Haley questioned.

"Yes," Brooke said. "We thought it would be fun."

"Interesting," Haley commented.

Clearly, she found it more interesting than he did, but he'd follow up with her on that later. "Did Landon ever talk to you about his work?" he asked. "His research projects? Maybe something he was working on outside of his classes?"

Brooke's brow furrowed. "He did talk to me, but to be honest, I rarely understood anything he was saying. I was an English major, and his tech talk was way over my head."

"One of his friends said he was working on a personal project, and he would write down details about his research and his experimentation in a black notebook. He wrote so much, he had filled up probably six of them that year. Did you see him doing that?"

"Yes. He said he was working on stuff for his classes. I was surprised how much he liked to scribble in his notebooks. I preferred the computer."

"Did you see the notebooks after he died?" Matt asked.

"I don't remember." Brooke's gaze turned to Haley. "You cleaned out his apartment."

"I didn't see them," Haley said. "You were in his apartment when I arrived. I wondered if you had taken them or if someone else had been there before me?"

"I didn't take them," Brooke said. "And I didn't see anyone else come into the apartment. Are you accusing me of stealing something?"

"I'm just trying to figure out where his notebooks went."

"I have no idea. And what do notebooks have to do with him drinking too much?"

"That's another question I have," he said, drawing her gaze back to him. "Haley tells me her brother wasn't a drinker. Obviously, a sister might not know as much as a girlfriend. What was your reaction when you heard he'd fallen into a pond and drowned because he was staggeringly drunk?"

Brooke drew in a deep breath. "I couldn't believe Landon had gotten that drunk, because he wasn't a big drinker.

Haley isn't wrong about that. But he was stressed out that week.

He said he had some decisions to make, and he needed time to figure things out.

I felt a little annoyed with his reluctance to confide in me.

That's why I went away that weekend. But after what happened, I felt guilty.

If I had stayed that weekend, he might not have died. "

Brooke's emotion seemed genuine, the guilt in her eyes, the pain in her voice. But he still wasn't sure he trusted her, and he didn't know why. There was just something off.

Before he could ask her another question, a male voice rang out.

"There you are," the man said as he joined them.

"I've been looking all over for you, Brooke.

" He gave Brooke a kiss and then turned to them with a warm and easy smile.

"Hello. Sorry to interrupt. But I need Brooke to tell me what painting I'm supposed to bid on.

" He slipped his arm around Brooke's shoulders, clearly indicating they were together.

"This is my fiancé, Kyle Vance," Brooke said. "Kyle, this is Haley Kenton. She was…Landon's sister."

Kyle's expression immediately shifted to surprise, then sympathy. "Oh. I'm so sorry. Brooke told me about Landon. He sounded like an amazing guy."

"Thank you," Haley said tightly.

"And this is Agent Lawson," Brooke continued. "The FBI has some new information about Landon's death."

Kyle's eyebrows rose slightly, but his smile remained in place. "Really? I thought it was an accident."

"It wasn't," Haley put in.

"How could it be anything else?" Brooke asked.