"There's more happening here than champagne and canapés," Jason said. "These events are where a lot of deals are made."
"I'm surprised they would let you be a member since you work for the FBI," she commented. "Aren't they worried about you seeing something or overhearing something?"
"They like having a law enforcement presence. It makes them look legitimate, as if they have nothing to hide."
"Or maybe it's a good place for them to convince law enforcement to act on their behalf," she suggested. "Like shutting down a police investigation. No offense."
Jason smiled. "I'm fairly sure you meant that to be offensive, but I understand where you're coming from. The investigation into your brother's death was shoddy at best, criminal at worst."
"I'm sorry. You're trying to help me get to the truth. I didn't mean to insult you."
"You didn't. This isn't my scene any more than it's yours," Jason said. "But my father liked it. He was politically ambitious, and memberships like this helped him become the deputy director of the FBI. I have no such ambition. But sometimes, the membership proves useful, like today."
"There's Brooke," Haley said suddenly, tipping her head toward the brunette moving toward the women's lounge in a pale-yellow sundress that certainly didn't disguise her beauty. "I'm going to see if I can talk to her."
He didn't like that idea at all. "You can't confront her," he warned. "Not with so many people around."
"She might be alone in the locker room."
"I highly doubt that. We're here to observe, not act…not until it's the right time," he said. "And Brooke won't tell you anything with her friends around."
"I understand, Matt. I'm just going to observe her a little more closely, and if she sees me, I'll simply say hello. If she's alone, I'll see what else I can find out."
He didn't want her to go, but she was already gone, and he couldn't follow her into the women's locker room.
"She'll be fine. This place is crawling with people," Jason said, catching his eye.
"And at least a half dozen of them might have killed her brother."
"Well, I don't think they're going to kill her here, and you wanted to make people nervous, right?"
"By our presence as a group, not by hers alone."
"She's doing her part; let's do ours," Jason said. "Time to mingle."
Haley made her way into the women's locker room, which was as posh as the rest of the club. There was plush carpeting under her feet, alcoves of lockers with comfortable ottomans, mirrors for hair and makeup, a spa with a steam room and hot tub, as well as a large bathroom. There were several women washing their hands and reapplying makeup, but none of them were Brooke. As she moved around a corner past a sign pointing to the massage rooms, she heard voices coming from one of those rooms, where the door was slightly ajar. She paused next to a tall potted plant, pretending to be looking at her phone while she eavesdropped.
"You need to pull yourself together, Brooke."
"I'm trying, Jill, but Haley just walked in with that FBI guy and probably another agent. What are they doing here?"
Haley tensed at the mention of her name.
"They're just fishing," Jill said. "You need to get a grip. People are starting to worry about you."
"I can't help being nervous," Brooke replied, and Haley could hear the strain in her voice. "They keep asking me questions and looking at me with suspicion."
"Get past it," Jill said coolly. "You did what you had to do. We all did. This is almost over. Just keep it together for a few more weeks."
Her pulse quickened at Jill's words.A few more weeks until what?
"I don't know if I can," Brooke said. "I think I should take a vacation, go away for a few days."
"You can't do that. We have an event next weekend, and I need you in the office. It will also look suspicious if you leave. Just take a breath. They don't know anything. They can't prove anything. You need to act normal."
"What if they find out about?—"
"They won't." Jill's voice carried a warning edge.
