Considering how well their interviews had gone thus far, Reese didn’t figure it would give them much to go on. However, she was a key component in this, so setting eyes on Nancy Wright might be enough.
*
The conversation shifted from the case tocasual chitchat while they attempted to enjoy their lunch.
Brantley didn’t contribute all that much. He wished he could say it was because he was so hung up on the case. Unfortunately, that wasn’t it. No, his distraction was with Reese and the fact the man seemed to be focused on his cell phone more than usual.
And fine, maybe that was some paranoia shit since they were actively working a case, and most likely Reese was messaging with JJ or Luca. Still, Brantley’s brain was conjuring up other ideas. Like Reese was texting Madison Adorite since the man hadn’t bothered to cop to the fact he’d done so in recent months. At least once, Brantley knew.
He hadn’t intentionally gone snooping in Reese’s phone to find that out. In his defense, it had been an accident. When the message had come through, Reese’s phone had been sitting on the breakfast bar, and Brantley’d been sitting there. He’d only seen the alert portion of the message, so he didn’t actually know what they’d discussed, but he figured that was inconsequential. The fact of the matter was, Reese was texting with his ex.
Now as they sat there and Reese continued to look at his phone, Brantley knew he should’ve let it go but found he couldn’t, so he inquired as to whether it was JJ with more details. Reese’s answer was a curt head shake, but he didn’t elaborate, didn’t tell him who it was.
Despite the evidence, Brantley knew it was stupid to worry about something going on between Reese and that woman. He knew deep down that Reese wasn’t doing something he shouldn’t. Hell, when did the man have time? They were always together.
Brantley’s phone rang, dragging him from his thoughts.
“Hey, boss, we found Hawkins’s car,” Baz said when Brantley answered.
Brantley glanced at the faces around the table, made a quick decision based on the information he had and perhaps a bit of that lingering paranoia. After instructing Baz to send him the details and meet him there, he disconnected the call.
“Charlie, I still want you to talk to Mrs. Wright. Take Trey with you,” he commanded, not surprised by the looks he received since he was mixing up the teams. “If you’re right and there’s a possibility she was abused by her husband and hid it for so long, I don’t think I’m the person she needs to be interviewed by.”
“Good call.” Trey held up his truck keys. “Who’s takin’ my ride?”
“Reese will,” he decided. “Reese, you and Evan can head back to HQ, see what JJ needs. Slade, you and I will go meet Baz. They found Hawkins’s car.”
Brantley saw the curious look Reese gave him. As of now, they’d remained a team throughout all the cases they’d worked. And though he preferred it that way, he also knew it wouldn’t always be the way things were. Especially not when they were getting the new members of the team ramped up. This would allow them both to see the others in action, which would help him decide how to proceed.
It certainly wasn’t because Brantley was pissed about Reese’s secrecy.
Or so he told himself.
“After,” he told the team, “we’ll meet back at HQ.”
While the team began to disperse, Brantley motioned for Slade to give him a minute and asked Reese to stay behind. When they were alone, he signaled the waitress for the bill.
While he waited for her to return with his credit card, Brantley turned to Reese.
“You cool?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
And that right there, the bitterness in his tone, told Brantley that Reese wasn’t as cool as he wanted him to believe.
“I just want to see Slade in action,” Brantley said in defense of his decision.
Reese looked him in the eye, held his gaze. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
The waitress returned, passed over his card and the receipt. Brantley was scribbling his name when Reese got up and headed for the door, Tesha in tow. He gritted his teeth at the fact Reese would just walk out without so much as a goodbye.
He managed to catch up just outside. “Hey.”
Reese stopped, turned. “What?”
Brantley, not caring who might see them, stepped right up to Reese. “Yes, I do have to explain myself.”
To his shock, Reese didn’t step back, didn’t shift away. He remained right where he was, nearly toe to toe with him.
