Kate looked out the window, brow furrowed.“People knew that Gloria Prentiss was a priest.”
“Yeah, her daughter.”
"I think that Warren's ex-wives knew he was a thief, too.By all accounts, he was a kind, soft-spoken individual.Kind, soft-spoken people don't have three divorces."
“That tells us why those victims,” Marcus said, “but it doesn’t tell us where to go next.That’s the problem.Cox wanted the world to see those objects, but if there’s no connection between the victims, then how do we figure out where he goes next?”
Kate didn’t have an answer.
Notyet.You don’t have an answeryet.
“Let’s look at the photographs Kate’s sending us.Maybe we’ll see something there that will help us understand.”
***
Kate and Marcus got a room at a small economy hotel near the airport and looked over the new crime scene photos Winters sent them.They were identical to the other scenes.Both victims had been thrown to the ground and strangled from the front, rapidly enough that they lost consciousness before they could incur any defensive wounds.Both scenes revealed objects oddly placed.In Ruth Osgood’s case, the object was a stone dog statue about eighteen inches high.It looked like a lawn ornament, but it was sitting on top of Osgood’s bed facing the bedroom window.
The object in Paul Delaney’s home was more subtle.A single silver cufflink sitting in a key bowl.Two keys were carefully arranged to form a cradle so the cufflink pointed up at the window in the front door.
“I want to go to Knoxville,” Kate said.“Paul was the first victim.That’s the beginning of whatever story Cox is trying to tell.”
“I’ll get us a flight for first thing in the morning.”
While Marcus booked their flight, Kate studied the photograph of the cufflink.
“He took a lot of care with that scene,” Kate said.“I wonder why.”
“You don’t think it was just because he wanted it to face the window?”
“Yes, but why place the cufflink in a key bowl?Why not somewhere else on the table?”
Marcus frowned.“Yeah, that’s a good point.Why would placing it in a key bowl make a difference?”
She tilted her head.“Maybe that’s the piece we’re missing.Not just placing it near a window, but in a specific location.The window is for people to see, but maybe he wants them to see more than just the stolen item.”
She began to pace as she worked this out.“What do the locations mean?”
“Well, we’ve got a bedroom, two living rooms, a bathroom, a foyer, and a kitchen.I’m… somewhat at a loss.”
Kate folded her arms across her chest.“Gloria wanted to not be seen.So she hid her thefts.”
“Not very well.”
“Not very well, no, but it’s intention that Cox is punishing here.No, more than just intention.Behavior.”
“So the bathroom because… unseen things happen there?”
Kate’s brow furrowed.“No, that’s too crass.Cox wouldn’t be that crude in his symbolism.”
“I mean… the last killer cut people’s genitals off.”
“Yes, but she was acting on rage.She was working on Cox’s behalf, but she was also punishing the victims.Cox is correcting them.”
Marcus rolled his eyes.Kate looked sharply at him.“Got something to say to that?”
“No, not at all.Your instincts have carried us so far.There’s no reason to doubt them now.It’s just… Correcting is such a bullshit excuse.”
She calmed now that she realized he wasn’t attacking her thought process.“Yeah, I know.The point is Cox’s symbol is different.”She started to pace again.“Gloria tried to make amends at the end.She tried to call Olivia.”
