Lucas and Brooke had just been interrupted in the cemetery, fortunately they weren't doing anything compromising. Sister Karen had told Brooke that a visitor was there for her... She immediately thought of her father. A strange feeling invaded her as she thought back to her promise when she called a few days ago.
BROOKE'S THOUGHT : He did it... So he did come here as he promised me...
A mixture of astonishment and perplexity but also comfort and gratitude invaded Brooke, but she remained cautious. Lucas didn't miss any of his reaction. Attentive to his beauty, he approached her without touching her.
LUCAS : Are you okay, Brooke? Would you prefer that I accompany you?
Brooke knew he was holding back from putting his hand on her arm since they weren't alone... But just his kind eyes and smile were enough to comfort her and give her the courage she needed. Brooke smiled back, shaking her head. She also managed to give him a discreet wink.
BROOKE : It'll be fine!
LUCAS : Well... I wish you a good rest of the day, ladies! And a great weekend, too!
Brooke's already sketched smile became more mischievous, knowing and a bit naughty.
BROOKE : Thank you. I can't wait to be there!
Brooke didn't see Lucas' knowing reaction as he lowered his eyes while laughing, avoiding meeting her gaze at that moment. Because at the moment she said those words, she realized something... If her father had landed in Le Bec, how would she manage to slip away for the whole weekend with her man!? She grumbled inwardly while thinking about what she was going to invent so as not to have to give up on him... For a few meters, she followed Sister Karen along the graves. The latter, silent, left Brooke to her thoughts. However, she sought her gaze and Brooke felt that she wanted to tell her something. But she was too focused on developing her strategy to pay attention to it, she stared at the grass and then the path. When she finally looked up, she saw him... He was right in front of the entrance to the building reserved for the nuns.
BROOKE : ...
Brooke looked at Sister Karen but it was already too late, so she just looked at her kindly.
SISTER KAREN : Stay calm and everything will be fine, my child!
Still, Brooke's face tightened in irritation and anxiety as the man advanced toward her.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Ah! Miss Davis, there you are!
Her favorite judicial assistant stepped closer as she quickly examined him. His suit was already in better taste, but Brooke couldn't help but find it even more ugly in the daylight.
BROOKE : Here I am... Indeed!
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : You were busy with dear Brother Lucas, I hear. I hope I didn't interrupt you in your task!
BROOKE'S THOUGHT : Oh yes, we were very busy... If you knew!
BROOKE : We had just finished, that's good... I suppose.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : I was hoping at least that my coming would have had the merit of freeing you up a little earlier from your work day... It might have allowed you to appreciate me a little more... Well!
BROOKE : No, not even. So, what do I owe this visit... Impromptu... If I'm not mistaken?
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Indeed it is a surprise visit today, still as perceptive as I see!
BROOKE'S THOUGHT : And you still as stupid!
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Thank you my Sister, you can leave us! We will continue without you...
SISTER KAREN : Good. Brooke, I will be in the kitchen if you need me...
Brooke rewarded her with a grateful smile while nodding. She turned back towards the building.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : I wanted to check in with you a little...
BROOKE : Everything is going well.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : That's what Sister Karen told me, yes. Come, let's walk around a little...
Brooke didn't need to try to dodge since she knew she didn't really have a choice. She followed suit.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : We're already more than halfway through the sentence... Well, you... You've already served half of your assigned hours.
BROOKE : Oh really, already?!
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Yes, yes! And this visit will be an opportunity to feed my interim report for the Judge! So I hope that you will be more cooperative than during our first meeting...
BROOKE : And I hope that you will be more respectful.
The judicial assistant stopped briefly in his walk, challenged. He put on a forced smile that was falsely benevolent.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : It depends only on you and your cooperation, Miss Davis...
And then... It smacked him in the face, like a huge slap!
BROOKE'S THOUGHT : Owen! Of course he's referring to Owen! Shit, shit, shit!
The cogs in Brooke's brain were activated at a crazy speed... Especially with Tim's arrest the day before! So she did the one and only thing she had to do... But she was going to have to play it smart and without a blunder!
BROOKE : By the way, I guess you know Owen is here... I know too, but I don't know where exactly.
The assistant stared at her with his small eyes, apparently surprised by her spontaneous confession but he nevertheless seemed to remain on his guard.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Uh... Yes. How did you find out about that?
BROOKE : The same way you did, I suppose. By the presence of Tim, his accomplice, at the Gala last night... His accomplice who is none other than my ex-accomplice as well... And his arrest, at the same time.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Indeed. But Mr. Morello was neither arrested nor even seen... How do you know he was there, too?
BROOKE : I have the firm conviction of it. No need to think long... If one was there, the other was too, of course. And then, Tim was never the mastermind of the operations... I don't see why that would have changed since then.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : In light of your analysis, another question catches my attention... Why here? In Le Bec?
BROOKE : Seriously...? I thought you were more perceptive. Unless this is yet another way to test me...
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : You will agree that we did not start off on the best footing, you and I... And trust is earned. I'm not the one to be held accountable, so just answer my question, Miss.
BROOKE : That's so kindly asked... Because he found out I was here... For what other reason!?
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : You see, that's what I'm assuming too... While I could have favored another hypothesis...
Brooke put on her most surprised and indignant look.
BROOKE : And which one? Don't tell me you think I asked him to come here!?
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : I'm just evaluating all the options... Because I wonder why you didn't notify the Police?
Brooke quickly thought about the best option facing her. She hesitated between denying or using something... And finally, she decided to play the half-truth card, the most credible according to her.
BROOKE : Maybe you should have checked before, I notified the police last night...
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : I did. I just wanted to check... However, they only mentioned an anonymous call.
BROOKE : And they certainly told you that it was a man's voice on the phone, didn't they?
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Again, correct! It's definitely a 360 turn in your cooperation today!
BROOKE : I would say 180... Because a complete turn would mean ending up exactly at the starting point...
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : You understood the idea of the change of direction... On the other hand, your sarcasm has remained intact!
BROOKE : I'm afraid it's an integral part of my personality... Definitely!
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : I'm afraid so! Well, back to the facts... A man made the call, who was it?
Brooke knew she would have to warn Lucas as soon as possible so that they could agree on their version.
BROOKE : I was terrified to know that Owen was here... When I realized, I felt really bad... Brother Lucas then offered to accompany me outside for a bit. I told him everything...
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Why did you confide in him instead of Mrs. Lee, for example?
Brooke was obviously not going to explain the real reasons to her, but other, entirely plausible, reasons came naturally.
BROOKE : Firstly, because Debie was very busy with the Gala, I didn't want to add that to her... Then, because I also spent a lot of time with Brother Lucas and I learned to trust him.
No need to make the slightest effort to evoke her trust in Lucas... On the contrary, she tried to moderate it.
BROOKE : And his status as a man of God places him in a position that reassures me, in terms of absolute confidentiality. So he agreed to help me, we agreed to make this call anonymously, he spoke. That's all.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : I see... Do you now that you will be summoned to the police station?
BROOKE : I'll tell them the exact same thing... The truth.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : What about the phone?!
Brooke hadn't thought of this delicate point... So, she tried to gain time to prepare her answer.
BROOKE : What phone?
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Well, the one the anonymous call was made with... Was it yours? Brother Lucas's?
BROOKE : Brother Lucas doesn't have a cell phone, so the call was made with mine.
Brooke made sure her tone of voice showed as much aplomb as possible, and before her second question, she added:
BROOKE : On the other hand, I lost it last night... Or threw it away, I don't remember.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : You don't remember!? It's annoying, admit it...
His little suspicious look resurfaced when he answered her. Brooke decided to play the vulnerability card.
BROOKE : Look, I wouldn't have told you all this and then lied to you in such a grotesque and almost laughable way... Like I said, I felt so bad, scared... I went back to the Abbey in a panic. Either I rushed so much that I dropped it somewhere... Or I got rid of it for fear that Owen could trace it back to me... Everything is so blurry, I was upset.
Brooke inwardly crossed her fingers that he would believe her story and she tried to change the subject.
BROOKE : You... The justice system, the police... You have to find him before he comes after me.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : He will undoubtedly seek revenge on you... You almost sent him to prison last night! He had a lucky escape, again! But, he won't escape his fate forever! Especially since your affair seems to be well and truly over... It could even end in an even more tragic way!
Brooke already knew he had little psychology... But these words managed to send shivers down his spine. A flash of lucidity seemed to pass through his eyes when he realized her frightened and very unusual expression.
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT : Would you like to be placed under police protection, Miss Davis?
His frankly worried and for once, scathing look did not reassure her, quite the contrary. The anguish that Owen was trying to physically harm her made her throat tighten and her stomach churn.
... : Who should she be protected from?
This time, it was him... Brooke recognized his voice and that familiar timbre. She turned around and he was right in front of her... Her father. They all three remained silent until the words naturally came out of Brooke's mouth.
BROOKE : Dad!