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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

brOOKS

B ob’s hardware store was a short twenty-minute drive, just on the other side of the county line.

It was small, and the type of place you only shopped at if you had a reason to go there.

My dad and I used to come here when we needed something that the bigger chains didn’t carry.

Bob was a quiet guy who didn’t like getting pulled into other people’s messes.

That was why I had to be careful when I walked through the door and started asking questions.

I had just left the flower shop. I had only stopped by to pay for the flowers that Harlow ordered.

The moment Mona spotted me, she beckoned me over to the counter.

Her voice was low as she went into detail with me about the conversation she had with Harlow earlier.

By the time she was finished, I was thanking her for letting me know and flying out the door.

Now, I was standing outside the hardware store, trying to keep my temper in check so I didn’t come across as a crazy lunatic.

The bell jingled as I stepped inside. I spotted Bob crouched low in front of the electrical aisle, balancing a box of outlet covers on his bad knee.

He didn’t ask why I was there, because he already knew.

Instead of beating around the bush, I pulled out my phone and showed him a photo.

It was a picture of Baz, all decked out in a tux, with a slimy smile on his face.

Bob took one look at the photo and confirmed everything. It was clear, based on his recollection, that I needed to call my brother.

I wasn’t sure what pissed me off more? The fact that Baz would mess up her house, or that she almost married the guy.

I paced outside the hardware store, probably looking like a strung out coke head. I watched the traffic crawl by, waved hello to a few people I recognized, but I was about ready to jump out of my skin by the time Tuck’s car rolled down the street.

He pulled up to a parking spot in front of the store, put his cruiser into park, and stepped out.

“What’s going on?” he asked, pushing his sunglasses onto his head.

I folded my arms. “According to Bob Henning, Baz was at the store the night Harlow’s house was flooded. He was rude and acting weird. He didn’t think much of it until he spotted him at the pub the night we got into a fight. Said Baz came in and picked up some supplies right before closing.”

“What kind of supplies?” he asked, glancing over at the store and staring through the glass window.

I exhaled through my nose. “The kind of supplies you would need if you wanted to flood someone’s house.”

I had my suspicion, but this was more like a confirmation.

He squinted his eyes against the sun. “How did you figure that out?”

“Mona,” I said, placing my hands on my hips, trying to stop them from shaking. “Bob was in Blooms and Vines this morning. He and Mona got talking. Said everything clicked when he saw him at the pub last week. I showed him a photo on my phone, and he confirmed it was him. There was no hesitation.”

Tuck went quiet for a moment and ran a hand down his face. I could see him thinking that over and connecting all the dots. “I’ll need to obtain his statement. Does he have a copy of the transaction?”

“I didn’t ask,” I said, rubbing at the knot in the back of my neck. I had so much nervous energy flowing through my limbs, I was about ready to burst. “Do you think that’s enough?”

He adjusted the badge on his waist. “Not sure. I’m going to check. The ID helps, but if he has a copy of the receipt, that’s even better. It might still be all circumstantial, though.”

“Figures.” I kicked a pebble off the curb. “But this is good, right?”

He nodded his head and pulled his phone out. “I gotta call Chief and see what he thinks. I need to get a formal statement from Bob. It definitely helps make the case.”

It was a strong lead. I hoped it would be enough.

I paced the sidewalk while I waited for Tuck to finish up his call.

I didn’t know what would happen next or if this would even lead to any charges, but it was a start.

It was the only proof we had that connected him to the house.

It still blew my mind how far an entitled asshole would go to get what he wanted.

She never did a damn thing to either of them, yet they both treated her like she owed them her life. All she wanted was a little peace, and they couldn’t even give her that.

I wanted to drive to New York and kick down his door so I could finish what I started, but I understood this had to be handled the right way.

Tuck pocketed his phone and started walking toward the store. “I’m going inside to talk to Bob and see if he is comfortable making a formal statement.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said, falling into step beside him.

He rolled his eyes as he reached the door. “Let me do all the talking, and don’t go all Sherlock Holmes on me.”

The corner of my mouth twitched. “I’m not stupid.”

“That’s up for debate.” He gave me a warning look as we reached the entrance. “Remember, I’m going to ask the questions and you’re to stay out of it.”

I gave him a nod, even though we both knew I would have a hard time keeping my mouth shut. For Harlow’s sake, I would have to. It was the least I could do.

Chief Scott was still in his office, sipping from a chipped coffee mug while eating a turkey sub from the gas station across the street, when we walked in.

His office was sparsely decorated, consisting of a metal desk, a small file cabinet, and a coffee machine that was probably older than me sitting by the window.

“What do you got?” he asked, looking up from his computer monitor.

Tuck and I slid into the two chairs at his desk. “There is a witness who places the victim’s ex-fiancé at the hardware store the night the damage occurred. The items he purchased are consistent with what was used to do the damage. So, there is an eyewitness, a paper trail, and a motive.”

Chief Scott picked up his glasses and pored over the report without saying a word.

He looked up and scratched his bald head. “So, let me get this straight. We’re dealing with Senator Zimmerman’s son, who purchased supplies the night his ex-fiancée’s house was flooded, and you want me to charge him with trespassing, breaking and entering, and vandalism?”

Tuck tapped his hands on the desk. “Are you good with that?”

Chief leaned back in his chair. “We need to be careful. If we go in too hot, it could blow up in our face.”

Tuck leaned forward. “It would be by the book, I swear.”

He rolled his pen between his fingers like he was thinking it over. “I need to reach out to my NYPD connections. It may take a few days, and we will have to bring in a bigger agency to take over.”

Tuck smiled and nodded. “I’m only looking to bring him in for questioning. We don’t need to book him.”

He exhaled and rubbed his chin. “This is a big deal, Tuck. Even if we politely ask him to come in and answer a few questions, someone high-profile like this will draw attention. We can’t afford to make any mistakes.

” He looked at me. “You shouldn’t even be in this room, Brooks.

You understand that going forward, this is an official police matter. ”

I nodded, letting him know I understood how serious this was. “I’m aware.”

“I mean it, Brooks.” He narrowed his eyes. “You are already a liability to this case. This is a small town. We are family friends, but I’m asking you to step back.”

He wasn’t wrong. I knew it, and I couldn’t blame him for saying that.

Chief Scott used to be our neighbor. My brothers and I went to school and played ball with his sons.

We would get invited to family barbecues and birthday parties, but right now, he was drawing a line, and I needed to respect that.

I folded my hands in my lap and gave him the confirmation he needed. “I give you my word, Chief.”

He took a sip of his coffee and folded his arms. “This guy has connections. His father makes phone calls, and people start panicking. If you want to help your girl, you stay out of our way and let us handle him.”

“Done.”

“Good, because if we bring someone in on that level, we can’t give his lawyers anything to latch onto, and you better believe he will have a big-time lawyer.”

Oh, I had no doubt. They would probably assume he would get off, too. That’s how rich people worked. They bribed, schemed, and threw money at problems to make them go away. That was why I would not do anything to screw this up. I couldn’t let my emotions get in the way.

Tuck cleared his throat and spoke up. “I should probably excuse myself and turn this over to someone else due to a conflict of interest.”

Chief laughed. “Well, seeing the department has ten employees total, that narrows our options.”

The three of us laughed, but the weight of everything was finally catching up to me. This was real. It was happening. He would probably get a slap on the wrist, maybe walk away with a fine, but his precious reputation would be tarnished. I would make sure of that.

At the very least, he would sweat it out. He wasn’t the type of guy who answered to anybody.

But as far as the investigation went, I would stay out of it.

I walked out into the waiting room while Tuck and Chief finished up. My head was spinning. All I could think about was Harlow. I just wanted her to move on from all this bullshit.

I glanced down at the text message she sent me earlier today, letting me know she was going back to New York. I had to be honest, for a split second, I thought she was leaving me, until I learned why she was going.

Now, I needed to drive to New York so she wouldn’t have to face those two idiots by herself.