She's My Kind of Rain (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Eight

As Myles walked on campus, his cell rang. "Leland."

"I just talked to Candy's sister. Candy visited her once with her husband Claude and daughter Storm. She recognized them on the picture Tara gave us, and she showed me a picture of them with young Storm. No doubts, Myles. Oliver Brewster's real name was Claude DuMaurier and he was Earl Cluster's son."

"It makes sense, Jack."

"It does?"

"From what Tara dug out this afternoon, Cluster had ordered a hit on his rival and his son Claude had carried it out. In exchange of a guilty plea and the promise to testify against his father, Claude was released."

"Let me guess—Claude skipped bail?"

"Yes, and the charges against Cluster were dropped. We know now that Claude became Oliver Brewster and relocated in a quiet little town in the middle of nowhere, where he indirectly continued to work with his father. When his wife Candy left—whatever her reasons might have been—he couldn't risk she revealed his former identity."

"So he got her killed."

"Sounds like a likely scenario. Tara decrypted the rest of the Steve's notes. Candy was trying to negotiate a deal for her lover, but Steve had strong reservations about his eligibility."

"Did Steve mention the sheriff by name?"

"Yes. According to his last entry dated the day before his death, Steve suspected the sheriff of colluding with Brewster and he was going to deny him protection. Is it why the sheriff betrayed his mistress?" Myles shrugged. "One can only assume—not that it matters anymore."

"They're dead, Myles. Justice may not have been served, but it had been met—except I'm still not sure I understand why Brewster shot Storm and the agent."

"I received the autopsy report. Brewster had a brain tumor. He had less than three months to live. Maybe he thought by getting killed resisting arrest, he'd prove his loyalty to his father, maybe he thought his former identity would die with him, maybe it was his way to protect his father—I don't know—According to the coroner, the tumor might have caused some lapse of judgment."

"But to shoot the child he raised as his daughter?"

"I...I wish I had an explanation—unless he wanted to warn Storm against talking. Nonetheless, in the morning, if you have no objections, I'll turn everything to Morton. He wants Cluster's head, he can have fun chopping it and tying up the loose arteries."

"No objections. I'd rather enjoy my honeymoon than fill paperwork. What will happen to Storm?"

"I don't know. She'll have to pick up the pieces of her life and decide where she's going from there. Good night, Jack. I'll see you in a few days."

Relieved the case was solved, Myles pushed the heavy wooden door facing him and entered the building. His steps reverberated in the deserted hallway. The office of the man he sought was located on the second floor.

He knocked on the ajar door and waited for the director of the faculty to acknowledge his presence.

"Come in, Myles."

"Hello Albert," he greeted, shaking the man's hand. "Thank you for meeting me at such a late hour."

"It's my pleasure." Albert opened the book resting in front of him. "I reviewed her work. She's a very talented young woman, Myles."

"Will you make her an offer?"

Albert handed him a letter. "See for yourself."

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