Silent Thunder

Oh, God. Oh, God. Please, God…

'Let me take you up.' Freiland was walking toward her. 'This is nothing you should see. Hell, it's nothing anyone should see. We'll take care of your brother.'

Not her brother. Not that mutilated horror of a-Not Conner.

The digital camera was smashed and shattered to fragments lying by his right hand.

I'll need stronger lights.

His gray wool sweater Cathy had wanted destroyed was now stained with blood and bits of flesh.

Conner…

Sweet Jesus.

An agonized scream tore from her throat.

I told you that you shouldn't go down there.' Bradworth met her as Agent Freiland helped her out of the hatch. 'I tried to stop you.'

Not very hard, she thought numbly. 'What happened to him? His head…'

'We believe it was a high-caliber Magnum pistol. Close range.'

She shuddered. 'Why?'

'We're not sure. An investigation is under way.'

'He's dead.' Her voice was shaking. 'My brother's dead, and there's no reason for it. No reason at all. He was kind and generous and he…' She had to stop for a moment. 'No one would want to kill Conner.'

'I'm sure you're right.' Bradworth's gaze shifted to Agent Freiland. 'Take her to the hospital and have her checked out. Stay with her.'

'I'm not going to the hospital.'

'You may think you're okay, but you have a head wound, possibly a concussion. You're wet, cold, and you're in shock.'

'And I have a brother I love who was murdered. I have to tell his wife that he's not coming home.'

'We can call her,' Bradworth said.

'No.' She shook her head. 'It's my job.' She started down the pier. Horrible job. Horrible night. 'I'm going back to the inn.'

'You can barely walk,' Bradworth said impatiently. 'You'll be lucky if you don't collapse before you get there. Go with her, Freiland. Stay with her. She's your assignment from now on.'

'Right.' Ted Freiland caught up with her and put his hand beneath her elbow. 'We'll take good care of you, Ms. Bryson. It's going to be okay.'

She gazed at him in disbelief. How could it be okay? How could anything be right or normal again? Conner was dead.

'Ms. Bryson.'

She looked over her shoulder at Bradworth.

'We need to keep this investigation confidential if we're to find the man who killed your brother. No statements to the press.'

'It's all wrong. It shouldn't have happened.' Don't cry. Don't break down. Wait until you've done your duty and talked to Cathy. Then you can let go. She swallowed to ease the tightness in her throat. 'Damn you, I don't promise anything. It's all wrong, and you know more than you're telling me.'

'We'll talk later,' Bradworth said. 'Go call your sister-in-law.'

'You bet we'll talk later. What am I going to tell her? Not enough. Not nearly enough. I need to know why my brother died and who killed him, Bradworth.'

'That's what we all want.'

We've got a big enough mess to cover up without her dying on us.

His first words she had heard when she had regained consciousness came back to her.

Cover-up.

'Is it?' She didn't wait for an answer as she walked away from him. She didn't know what was going on, but she couldn't sift through it right now. She was hurting too much.

'Here.' Freiland was putting his jacket around her shoulders. 'You're shaking with cold from that dip you took in the ocean. We need to get you warm and dry.'

The chill didn't come from being in the sea, she wanted to tell him. It was bone deep, soul deep, and she felt as if she'd never be warm again. But Freiland seemed to be trying to be kind. 'Thank you.' She drew the jacket closer. 'Who pulled me out of the water?'

'I don't know. This pier was crawling with agents by the time I arrived from my post near the lighthouse. It was probably one of them. You were lying on the pier with Bradworth standing over you when I got here. Maybe it was him.'

'No.' Bradworth had shown no signs of being in the water, and she vaguely remembered someone had been in the sea with her.

'Then you'll have to ask Bradworth.'

'I will.' But not now. Not until she could blunder through this haze of pain to think clearly. 'You say there were other agents on the pier? I only saw Bradworth and one other man. And I didn't see anyone but you on the sub.'

'Jenkins and Bobeck were down in the officers' quarters. I had orders to stay with the body.' He saw her flinch, and said quickly, 'I mean, your brother. I didn't mean to be insensitive.'

'I know.' Yet, he was right. That wasn't her brother lying in that control room. It was a bloody, broken body with all the spirit and lovable humor and character that had made Conner what he was torn away.

Shit. Hold on. She was shattering, falling apart, and she couldn't do that yet.

Freiland handed her a handkerchief. 'Can you make it?'

It was only then that she realized tears were running down her cheeks. She nodded jerkily as she wiped her eyes. 'I'll make it.' But that memory of Conner had splintered what little self-control she still had, and she felt as if she were bleeding inside. She didn't know how long she'd be able to keep from breaking down. Her pace quickened. 'Come on, I have to get to the inn and call Cathy right away.'

Cathy arrived at the inn seven hours later.

She entered Hannah's room without knocking. She was small and thin, but no one usually noticed her lack of stature because of her boundless vitality. Today, she looked very fragile. She was haggard, her short, brown hair clinging limply around her pale face, her dark eyes red from weeping. 'He's dead. I didn't believe you. But he's really dead.'

Hannah got up from her chair and came toward her. 'Cathy…'

Cathy shook her head and stepped back before Hannah could take her in her arms. 'No, don't touch me yet. I can't break down again. I have to ask you some questions first.'

'It's no use. I don't have any answers yet.'

'Don't tell me that. I just saw what used to be my husband in that morgue downtown. I have to have answers.'

'Oh, Christ, I told you not to go to see him.'

'And I told you, I didn't believe you. I called Bradworth and asked him to meet me at the morgue. I had to see Conner for myself.' She drew a deep shaky breath. 'I couldn't make any sense of it.'

'Neither can I.'

'But you must know something. This couldn't have just happened out of the blue.' Cathy's voice vibrated with intensity. 'Why? '

'I'll find out. I promise you.' Hannah's voice broke. 'Don't you think I'm asking myself the same questions? Cathy, I'd never have brought Conner on board any job that would have endangered him. I loved him.'

The tears were suddenly flowing down Cathy's cheeks. 'Oh, shit. I know you did.' She went into Hannah's arms, and whispered, 'I couldn't tell the kids. How could I? When I couldn't believe it myself. What was I to say? Your daddy got his head blown off and won't be home anymore? He won't be there to watch your next game or be proud when you go to your first prom or see you grow up or-' She broke off, sobbing. 'I don't know how to tell them. I don't know how to make sense out of something that's-'

'We'll figure it out.' Hannah's arms tightened around her. 'Are they with your mother?'

'Yes, but I'll have to go back and make arrangements for the memorial service. Conner wanted to be