“But Grandma—”
“No buts. Go to sleep.”
He got up, kissed me on the forehead, and went to my room. I heard him close the door softly.
I was left alone in the living room with my cell phone in my hand and the photos of my bruised grandson filling the screen. Then I did something I hadn’t done in years. I opened a drawer of the living room cabinet and took out an old leather-bound notebook. It was my investigation notebook—the same one I used when I was on active duty. Inside were phone numbers, contacts, notes from old cases.
I looked for a specific name.
Linda Davis.
Linda had been my partner for ten years in criminal investigations. She was younger than me but just as tenacious. When I retired, she continued working for a couple more years until she opened her own private investigation agency. We had seen each other a few times since then, but I knew that if anyone could help me, it was her.
I dialed her number. It rang four times before she answered.
“Hello?”
Her hoarse voice sounded sleepy.
“Linda, it’s Elellanena Stone.”
There was a silence, then a sigh.
“Commander… I haven’t heard from you in ages. What time is it?”
“6:30 a.m. I’m sorry to wake you, but I need your help. It’s urgent.”
“Tell me.”
I told her everything—from Ethan’s call to what I had heard about Chelsea’s plans. I told her about the photos, the bruises, the precinct, about Rob. When I finished, Linda let out a long whistle.
“That woman is a professional, Commander. What you’re describing isn’t a cruel stepmother. It’s a con artist—and a good one.”
“That’s what I thought. I need to investigate her. Full name, date of birth, everything you have.”
“Chelsea Brooks. I don’t know her middle name. She’s thirty-two years old, according to what Rob told me when he met her. They got married five years ago.”
“That’s enough for me. Give me two days. I’ll check her background, previous marriages, financial history. If she has a past to hide, I’ll find it.”
“Thank you, Linda.”
“Don’t thank me yet. This is going to take work. And if we find something big, we’re going to need more than good intentions to act.”
