>> mm-hmm. yes. >> she had just told me that shawn was getting violent. >> he broke into her apartment one night, came in through the bathroom window, threw her head up against the tile floor. >> reporter: brooke's family didn't know about any of this. the relationship, the alleged violence. it wasn't until after her death that her family finally learned brooke's secret. >> did that just give you chills when you found that -- >> yeah, it was -- >> -- manila envelope? >> it was horrible. >> reporter: it was brittany who discovered it, as she went about the grim task of cleaning out brooke's apartment. >> and we were kind of getting stuff in order to pack away and send. and so i went in her kitchen. and on top of the refrigerator >> reporter: brittany opened the folder. it was an order of protection brooke had taken out about a year before her murder against her former boss, shawn smoot. >> and it was page after page of