Needless to say, he was willing to get back to the morning runs, especially if he had that to look forward to each day.
“I had to clean two layers of dust off it, but it turned on,” Reese said with a grin, shifting his attention to the television.
“What’re you watchin’?”
“I was hopin’ to catch the Formula 1 qualifying, but it’s not on yet.”
Brantley glanced at the TV. “So you’re watchin’ the news?”
Reese shrugged. “Nothin’ else on.”
“Well, I can certainly think of somethin’ else that’ll keep you busy, if you’re—” Brantley’s words cut off, and his eyes widened, still locked on the television.
Reese turned back to see a picture of Harrison Rivers along with a live feed of a reporter standing outside the familiar house they’d staked out the other night.
“Did they arrest him?” Brantley asked at the same time Reese was turning up the volume.
“We’re standing outside the home of Senator Harrison Rivers. As you can see behind me”—the reporter motioned with her hand—“it’s a hub of activity this morning. Police were called out shortly after eight when they received a 911 call from a distressed employee of Mr. Rivers. The barricade tape has been erected, and we’re being told that it’s the scene of a murder/suicide. We don’t have all the details, but we will be bringing you more on this breaking news as we have it.”
“Murder/suicide?” Brantley asked, his eyebrows lowered. “Where’s Ava?”
“Still in the hospital,” Reese told him, already on his feet and heading for his cell phone on the kitchen counter. “We got an update from Charlie half an hour ago. Yesterday’s surgery went well, and Ava’s awake and alert this morning.”
“So, what?” Brantley chirped. “He killed Ava’s mother and turned the gun on himself?”
The screen flashed back to the reporter outside the house, and Reese paused before placing the call to listen.
“We’ve just been told that police believe the senator’s mother-in-law shot him while he was asleep, then turned the gun on herself.” Her expression sobered. “It’s a sad, sad day for all involved, Tom.”
“Holy shit,” Brantley muttered.
“Do they believe this has something to do with the senator’s wife, who was found beaten and left for dead just two days ago?” the news anchor questioned, the man’s voice far too pleasant to be discussing something so morose.
“How would they think that?” Brantley grumbled. “Are they fuckin’ mind readers?”
Reese dialed Charlie’s number, greeted with a clipped “Hey” when she answered.
“Everything’s good here,” she said with a smile in her voice.
With the phone on speaker, he turned to face Brantley as he spoke. “Charlie, don’t let Ava turn on the news. And don’t let anyone in to talk to her.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
He gave her the high level of what they’d just seen on the news, most importantly the fact that her mother was dead.
“Oh, shit. Do you want me to tell Magnus? He’s been with her the entire time.”
Across the room, Brantley was shaking his head.
“No,” Reese told her. “We’ll head up there, fill him in so he can tell her.”
“Okay. I’ll keep everyone else out until you get here.”
Reese disconnected the call, tucked his phone in his pocket.
By the time they got to the hospital forty-five minutes later, there were already swarms of news vans parked outside. Reese figured the vultures were looking to land a firsthand account from Ava. Hopefully, Charlie had managed to keep everyone out.
They were able to sneak into the building without any questions lobbed their direction. They made it up to the floor Ava was on, saw that Charlie was stationed down the hall, keeping anyone from making it as far as Ava’s room.
