“I figured you could use the support right now.”
I blinked at the sudden rush of tears. “Thank you.”
Christine patted my knee. “It’s what we do for family.”
I leaned on Brenner’s shoulder as the blocks faded away, leaving a piece of my heart behind.
Chapter Twenty-One
Brenner
Once his father began raving at Weston, I’d texted Christine, who’d started messaging me that morning as soon as she’d heard where we were going. I’d ducked her calls all week, unwilling to get into a discussion on the phone of my relationship with Weston. Even so, she was right there when I needed her, and I was never more grateful to have people like her in my corner. I knew the worst thing would be for Weston to be alone afterward, where he’d work himself up to a fever pitch of anger. Several reporters waited outside Weston’s building, shouting questions as we passed, but Weston ignored them. We walked into Weston’s apartment, and Madden took my arm.
“Hold up a second. I need to talk to you.”
“About?”
We paused in the entranceway while the rest of the group headed toward the living room. “It’ll only be a minute. For now.”
“What is it?” I asked once we were alone.
“I did some more digging into your mother.” I winced, and he shook his head. “Don’t make any judgments until I finish. My people made inquiries into her death, and it seems the investigation was swept under the rug. The detectives took at face value what the arresting officer said—a drug deal gonewrong—and closed the case. They knew she had no family, no one who cared, so they didn’t even bother to do much of an investigation. Sloppy, shitty work.”
“And? Why do you sound like you think it’s something else?”
“The tox screens were clean. Your mother wasn’t doing drugs. And she wasn’t a prostitute. She worked at a big-box store in Brooklyn, right off the BQE, near where her body was found.”
Stunned didn’t begin to describe my state of mind. “Wh-what? What’re you saying?”
“The cop who found her body was later convicted—he took drug money and let the gangs rule the streets. There’s a possibility, because of her background, the cops used her as a confidential informant. Maybe she was going to report on someone.” He paused. “I think your mother was murdered by that dirty cop. The gangs are brutal, and that cop was afraid of being exposed.”
My head spun. “I-I don’t know what to say.”
“Nothing yet.” Madden was grim-faced. “I’ll have my people dig further. Listen. I know what it’s like to grow up without a mother. But yours was young and didn’t have people she could count on. Yes, she screwed up big-time, but afterward she tried her best to turn her life around. There’s nothing you can do to help her now, except think more kindly of her.”
Weston appeared in the hallway entrance. “Hey. Everything all right?”
“We’re coming,” Madden said, and as he passed by me, he squeezed my arm. “I’ll be in touch.”
I joined Weston, who put a hand on my shoulder. “Something’s going on. What is it?”
“Nope. This time is for you. We’ll talk later.”
Archer and Madden sat on one end of the couch, in conversation with Christine. They all quieted down when Weston and I approached.
“Thank you, everyone, for being here.” Weston might not be a politician himself, but he’d grown up in that world. “Obviously, you’ve heard the news, so there’s no need to get into it.”
“On the contrary, Weston,” Christine called out. “I thought you two were only friends. That’s what you told us.”
Weston grinned. “I lied. Sue me.”
Archer snickered. “He’s got you there. And for the record, we knew.”
My brow furrowed. “How? You don’t believe two men can be friends without anything sexual going on between them?”
“Of course they can. But friends don’t kiss each other like you did that night we met for dinner. You thought we couldn’t see you after our car picked us up, but they don’t call me Eagle-Eyes Archer for nothing.”
“Who calls you that?” Madden joked and whispered loudly, “I have other names for you.”
