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?Mark stood up. “Who was it?”
?“The hall was pretty dark, and that fisheye distorts things a bit, but I did get a good look.”
?Mark leaned toward me. “And it was?”
?“Jon Kane.”
23. Foolscap
Mark Watkins
?I sat still as death for a moment and tried to get my brain around this new information. “Jon Kane?”
?“It makes sense, Mark,” Sheryl offered.
?I considered this. “He’s the one who hired me for the conference.”
?She ticked off each point on her fingers. “He had access to the spare room keys. He had a business relationship with Randall, and he was in charge of the conference.”
?“With Candy working under him.”
?Sheryl raised an eyebrow. “So, he could convince her to drug you.”
?“I don’t get it. He eliminates Randall and then Candy. Why?”
?“I think it all goes back to Randall’s money, and the fact that Ms. Cunningham was demanding an accounting. Last night, I spoke to the forensic accountant that worked on my divorce. In the past, he’d told me there were discrepancies with Randall’s income versus his wages.”
?“How did he find that out?” I pressed.
?“Randall’s income compared to his lifestyle. The accountant felt that Randall had an income stream that could not have legally come from his clients.”
?“So, you believe Randall created some kind of ‘slush’ fund illegally?”
?She nodded. “In retrospect, I don’t think it is one fund. That doesn’t sound like Randall. I think he would have had a series of hidden accounts.”
?“Why do you believe that?”
?“Several accounts would be smaller, less likely to attract too much attention.”
?“I see. But we have no way to track anything like that down. It’s not like we’re detectives—”
?“I asked the accountant to take another look. He has access to information you and I wouldn’t. The only reason I stopped pursuing this during the divorce was Randall gave me the settlement I wanted.”
?“So you think your guy can locate this money?”
?“I don’t know. But, if what Ms. Cunningham told us is true, someone did track those accounts down.”
?“I’m not following you.”
?“She was looking for ‘reports’ she said Candy had. Yet, Candy ends up dead before Winsley can get them.”
?“You think Candy found those hidden accounts?”
?“Or worked with someone who brought her in on the deal. Perhaps the idea of a lot of money made her greedy.”
?“But, if this is true, why kill Randall?”
?“Simple, Watkins,” Sheryl observed and slipped into her analytical “Sherlock” persona. “We can deduce that by looking at the evidence left on the scene.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a tiny screw. “Remember this?”
