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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Phoenix

It was all very organized. The brothers decided to cover all bases just in case at any time this got away from the FBI.

Angel and Four headed to the shop. Nick, Gabe, and Mason stayed at the house.

Nick was dealing with all the surveillance while Gabe and Mason watched the property.

Noel, Hazel, Shep, and JJ were coming with me to the police station nearby, where Carmichael had explained he’d brought Jaron’s associates.

Unfortunately, Aziza was three hours from us with a client, but Noel reassured her that they wouldn’t leave my side, and we promised to call if things got out of hand and we needed her to step in.

We drove to the police station in two vehicles. Carmichael was in Noel’s SUV with me, Hazel and Shep, and JJ went with Rose in the FBI’s SUV.

“You doing ok, Nix?” Hazel was sitting in the back with me while Noel drove, and Carmichael was the passenger.

“Nervous, but I’m okay.”

“You know what I was thinking about before?”

“What?”

“Do you remember when you were ten, and we went to that cabin on the lake for spring break? Mom filled the truck with food, and Dad got all his fishing gear, and all you wanted to do was bring your music so you could practice for the auditions coming up at school after vacation.”

I snorted. “Oh God, yeah. Even I was tired of hearing the soundtrack to Jesus Christ Superstar by the time the week was up.” We laughed in unison. “But why was that memory in your head?”

“The neighbors got so tired of hearing you belt out ‘Heaven on Their Minds,’ they marched to our house and started yelling at you.”

“The Bergers, they were awful people.”

“ Mmhmm . Anyway, we were all exhausted listening to your soundtrack but when Frank started at you, Mom reamed him a new one, and then Dad was arguing. Do you remember what we did for the next three nights?”

I remembered; I actually thought about those nights when I was missing my parents. They died three years ago in a car accident, and I’d thought for sure that would be the worst thing to ever happen to me until this whole Adonis thing.

“Yeah,” I whispered, but either Hazel didn’t hear me or she wanted to say it out loud.

“We’d go outside when the sun set, build a bonfire, play the soundtrack, and sing as loud as we could to the songs while we danced around the fire.”

I chuckled. “It was both amazing and horrifying because Dad couldn’t hold a tune.”

She squeezed my hand. “They were our army. Even if they didn’t understand something we did or liked, they supported us and would stand in front of us to take all the blows so none hit us.”

“That’s what family does, Haze.”

She tilted her chin toward Noel in the driver’s seat. “It’s what he does. What Mason did today, what they all have been doing.”

“They’ve been amazing.”

“They’ve become our army, Nix. A family. You have to have felt that…I mean, you and Noel are getting pretty close.”

“Okay, it’s quiet time.” I laughed.

“I like him, Nixy. A lot, and while I wish none of this ever happened to you, I’m glad something good came from it.”

“Thanks, Hazel.” I glanced at Noel, who was saying something to Carmichael. “I like him a lot, too.”

The station we parked at wasn’t overly large but it was the closest to the house, so Carmichael had opted for them to be there.

We got out and Shep and JJ took the lead with Noel, Hazel and myself behind them.

We followed the agents inside, bypassing the counter and going straight back into a conference room.

“Now, how we’d like to do this is, you’ll be able to see and hear them, but they won’t be able to see or hear you.” Carmichael sat and we all took our seats.

That was reassuring. “I never saw his face. I don’t understand why showing me them will make a difference.”

“Voice recognition is incredibly accurate, almost ninety nine percent. In a court of law it can and has led to many victories. But it’s not perfect, and some people are quite skeptical.”

“Okay…” I didn’t understand what Carmichael was getting at. “But his voice is really all I have.”

“But it’s not.”

I regarded Noel. “Am I missing something?”

Noel sat forward, his expression serious. “He’s not getting in the room with any of them.”

“What!” I gasped.

Carmichael held up his hands. “No, I just said he wasn’t. But. We’ll be asking each of them to be wearing a doll mask and say a few words. You said you saw the back of his head, his eyes through the mask. Perhaps that, with the voice, will get us a one hundred percent identity.”

“You want to traumatize my brother by having those guys dress up like the man who tormented him for months on end just so he can get you that one percent?” Hazel pointed at Carmichael. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”

I reached out and touched Hazel’s arm. “Calm down, please.” I looked at Carmichael. “You should have told me this at the house, so I could talk to Dr. Bakir about it.”

He dipped his head. “I know. This is a shit situation, and I’m in a tight spot. People are afraid, more have gone missing, and we need this to work, Mr. Briar.”

“Very sketchy behavior,” JJ sneered. “I’d expect that from Rose over there.”

“Screw you.” Rose narrowed his eyes.

“Let’s just do this.” The sooner it was done, the sooner I could leave.

“Thank you. So, how it will work is, one at a time they will walk into the room. You’ll see them through one-way glass.

They will be dressed as close to what you told Agent Rose he wore when you saw him.

We will have them say a few things, but randomly.

Nothing we hope will trigger you or upset you more than this already is. ”

“Okay.”

“When you’ve made your identification, it will end, and you can go home.”

I nodded. “Can we do this now?”

“Absolutely. I’ll take you to the room. It’s not very large, so I ask only one person to accompany you, if that’s okay. Agent Rose will be in the room with each man on the other side and me with you.”

“Noel, you go with him.” Hazel winked at me. “We’ll be right here for you when you’re done, and then we’ll go home, eat all the ice cream in the freezer, and watch Ted Lasso .”

I grinned. “Sounds perfect.”

“If you and Mr. Saint will follow me, please.” Carmichael stood.

I gave Hazel a quick hug, slipped my hand in Noel’s, and followed the agent to the room.