“We realize you can’t divulge what Matthew was working on, but it seems that his death wasn’t random,” the senator said.
Jane glanced at Haversham, who nodded.
“I was telling the Scotts that Matthew was involved in a special case the four of us were working.” Interesting that Haversham included Grimshaw, who had been working with them on it before only peripherally through Jane.
“Yes, sir.”
“What made you go to his house yesterday?” Belinda asked.
Since Haversham was playing along and he’d been aware of Matthew’s concerns, Jane followed his lead and fished subtlyfor answers.
“Matthew had been looking into a suspect we’ve been investigating for some time. His name pops up now and again, but nothing sticks. He wanted me to keep aware and to let him know if I heard things.”
“And had you?” Mrs. Scott asked and leaned forward. “Did this person kill my son?”
Her husband reached for her hand again and gripped it.
“We don’t know yet. I was worried because I hadn’t heard from Matthew since Monday. We’d been texting about the case, sharing details. Because it seems like the case I’m working on now does involve that suspect to some extent.”
Haversham sighed. “It’s August Kaminski, Ronald. I know you know who he is.”
The senator blinked. “I’ve heard that name, yes, but in higher circles. He’s a rumored manipulator. No one’s ever seen him in person.”
Jane jumped in with both feet. “He’s never contacted you? Because your name is supposedly on the Collective list.”
Senator Scott took a beat to answer, his voice calm with the right shade of confusion. “Collective?”
That pause told Jane all she needed to know. A glance at Haversham showed he’d seen it too.
He explained, “The Collective is a group of eleven wealthy benefactors who have an agenda.”
“What agenda?” Belinda Scott looked perplexed. “What does this have to do with Matthew?”
“We think the Collective has a problem,” Jane continued since Haversham looked to her to explain. “They’re working to some end we don’t yet understand, but not everyone is on board. The families involved, the Duvalls and Coatneys, the Strands and Hartes, have been killed or threatened by the leader of the Collective. We don’t know why yet.”
“Matthew was working on this?” Senator Scott asked, obviously disturbed.
“He was aware of it,” Haversham answered. “But Jane is the lead agent on the case under Natalie.” He nodded to Grimshaw. “They’ve kept me aware and up to date on everything. As you know, the Duvalls, Coatneys, and Strands are all dead.”
Belinda’s hand rose to her throat. “Their families too. It’s horrible.”
“It is,” Jane agreed. “We believe August Kaminski is behind this Collective. And that he and his associates aren’t seeing eye to eye. So some of them are being eliminated.”
Belinda’s eyes widened. “Whole families, though. He’s killing children!”
“Yes. And we’ve been trying to stop him, but nothing connects to August.” She studied the senator. “Until we found your aide, Louis Miller, deceased.”
Belinda crumpled her tissue in a tight fist.
Jane continued as if she hadn’t noticed. “A notebook was found at the scene of the crime, which connects his death to the home invasions I’ve been investigating. The name August Kaminski was found in that notebook.”
If the Scotts were involved, nothing she’d told them would be news. But if they weren’t, they knew as much as Jane did. None of what she’d shared would hurt her case.
“I don’t understand.” Senator Scott frowned. “Why kill Louis? Why Matthew? It doesn’t make sense.”
“It does if Kaminski and his underlings are trying to blame each other for the deaths.”
“How?” Belinda’s breath hitched. “My son was investigating this Kaminski person. So Kaminski killed him?”
