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“So, either we’re looking at a serial killer perfecting the scene, or someone who wants us to think that.” Malone put his hands on his hips.
She hated to think that meant Burr was simply collateral damage in the game of a demented killer. But if so, there was a potential lead in that. “If the latter is true, the killer must have been someone we’ve already spoken to, set on edge. But who?” She wracked her brain and as each man’s name surfaced, she released them. No one stood out. She turned to Trent. “I hope we didn’t fail this woman by abandoning the theory of a copycat serial killer.” She fell silent, thinking about those differences that Malone had alluded to. It was possible they read far too much into them.
“Well, one of those differences was hard to ignore, Amanda,” Trent said, indicating he must have been thinking about Malone’s words too. “All of Kelley’s paperwork was destroyed. That seemed far more personally driven than one would expect from a serial killer.”
Malone rubbed his beard. “Don’t drive yourself crazy by second-guessing yourself. Besides, the killer could just be watching you.”
“And why doesn’t that make me feel better?” Still, she took her first full breath since Malone’s call. He’d reminded her of her father’s words. What unsettled her stomach was the knife handle looked like the one left in Felicity Kelley. It could have been from the same set. Was it as Malone had suggested—a desperate act from Felicity’s killer to complicate the investigation?
“Who found her?” Trent asked Malone.
“Lee Steedman. He says he’s Burr’s boyfriend. He was here to take her away for the weekend.”
There must have been some weekend special out there Amanda wasn’t aware of.
“Anything to back up what he said?” Trent asked.
“There’s a packed suitcase in the closet, and her toiletries and makeup are on the bathroom counter. Ida does that before we are about to go away so she doesn’t forget anything.”
Ida was Malone’s wife. “Then that part of his story seems legit.” Amanda refused to become paranoid and entertain it was done to support his cover story though she’d still see if there was a connection between Steedman and Felicity Kelley. “Anyone pull his background yet?”
“First thing, and no record,” Malone said.
“Where is he now?” she asked.
“Out front with Officer Wyatt.”
She motioned for Trent to join her outside. They found a gray-haired man leaning against a Mercedes in the driveway, Wyatt standing next to him. Neither of them had been there when they had arrived, but she’d guess he was Lee Steedman.
Wyatt excused himself from the man and helped close the distance.
“What’s he telling you?” Amanda asked him.
“He was here to pick up Burr for their getaway. He let himself in with his copy of the key and found her in the bedroom.”
Amanda glanced at the man. He repeatedly pushed his hand through his hair as if unsure how to occupy his hands, and his face was flushed. Finding his lover that way couldn’t have been easy and would be an image he wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon. While she saw a man in shock, she had to consider his nervous energy might be guilt. “What’s your take on him?”
“Do I think he’s involved? Nah, I wouldn’t say so. He’s a bit of a wreck.”
Amanda nodded. “All right, well, Trent and I will talk with him now.”
“You got it.”
Wyatt walked off, and Amanda and Trent joined Lee Steedman. “I’m Detective Steele, and this is Detective Stenson. We understand that Jane Burr was your girlfriend and you found her?”
“That’s right.” He sniffled and seemed to avoid eye contact.
Again, it was too soon to decide the reason—pain or guilt. “Take us through everything, please.” She held up a hand when Steedman opened his mouth to protest. “I realize that you would have been through this already. For that I apologize, but as the lead detectives on your girlfriend’s investigation, we could benefit from hearing your statement directly.”
“Fine.” Lee flailed a hand in reluctant surrender.
“What time did you arrive?” Trent asked.
“It was just after nine o’clock. I knocked, rang the bell, then let myself in. It’s what I normally do, but it was so quiet. I called out her name, and there was no… no response.” He choked on the last word, and his eyes pooled with tears.
“Then what did you do?” Amanda wanted to keep Lee talking, not derailing due to grief.
“I went upstairs, thinking she might have slept in. She loved sleeping.” Lee scratched an eyebrow. “That’s when I found her.”
