“I don’t want to say the name,” Marcus said, “but this reminds me a little bit of another well-known collection of records facilitated by another well-known island-living billionaire.”
Right.Bigger things to worry about than her jealousy.
“That’s a bit of a stretch,” Rivera replied.
“It’s not a stretch to say that keeping detailed records of people’s indiscretions is a possible motive for murder,” Kate said.
Indiscretions was right.The Carltons didn’t just keep the minutes of their parties.Nor did they just throw swinger parties.The team of analysts studying the records had identified patterns that showed the Carltons were using their parties as a sort of elite matchmaking service.
The swinging thing was legitimate, and a lot of happy couples showed up just to have fun, but there were numerous notes about "connections," and several guests were noted as either "looking," "potentially looking," or "found connection on" followed by a date and the names of both parties.Other records identified which people attended the swinging parties with people other than their known partners.The Carltons, it appeared, had mapped out the extended love lives of most of Miami's upper class.
“It’s blackmail,” Marcus said.“It’s got to be.”
“It’s looking more likely,” Kate admitted.“Rivera, start getting alibis from the guests marked as attending last night.Have your team look through records of each attendee and see if any of them show up on these ‘connections’ lists.Bonus points if they’re people who are married to other people and extra bonus points if they’re people who are no longer married to other people, and a big cherry on top if the dissolution of those marriages occurred sometime after they popped up on the Carltons’ connections list.”
“Keeping us busy tonight, huh?”Rivera said.“What are you guys gonna do?”
“I’m going to keep working on the cipher,” Kate replied.
“I’m going to stay here and help you,” Marcus said.He glanced at Kate.“If that’s okay.”
“Sure,” Kate said.
It was better if he kept busy.Anxious as he was, he would only get worse if left with nothing to occupy himself with.
“Well, we’ll get to it,” Rivera replied.“By the way, the coroner’s report came back.They confirmed that the Carltons were mutilated prior to their murders.They also confirmed that the Carltons were drugged.”
Kate lifted an eyebrow.“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.Barbiturates.Enough to make them mellow but not enough to put them out.”
Marcus’s lips thinned.“The killer wanted them awake to suffer but not resistant.”
Kate shared a grim look with her partner.“Good to know.Maybe put an asterisk that prioritizes people who are prescribed or otherwise have access to whatever medication was used to sedate them.”
“You got it,” Rivera agreed.
Kate processed this new information as she made her way downstairs.The killer had taken pains to ensure the Carltons suffered before they died.They weren’t correcting sinners.They were seeking satisfaction for their own suffering.
This wasn’t just punishment.This was retribution.
