AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Was it possible this artist was still out there?
“Find something?” Kennedy asked.
Jason looked up blankly. “What?”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m almost positive it’s the same artist.”
Kennedy seemed to be waiting for more. “Okay,” he said when Jason didn’t continue.
“They’re all different, but the workmanship is so unique, so distinct. I’d swear it’s the same artist.”
“So the question is how did the unsub get hold of another mermaid charm?”
“Yes. Or…yes.” Was that the question? Probably. It was certainly a good one. How the hell had Rebecca’s murderer obtained one of these mermaids ten years after the last killing? Jason said, “I think if we knew who this artist was…”
“You think the artist himself is involved?”
It was sort of unnerving the way Kennedy instantly jumped to where Jason’s thoughts were headed even as Jason was deciding on a direction. “I don’t know. Why shouldn’t he be out there?”
“You tell me.”
Jason gazed at Kennedy. “You—the taskforce—never connected him—or her—to the crimes. Maybe this person was unaware her work was linked to a series of homicides. She might live out of state. She might live in another country.”
“That’s exactly right.”
“Or she might not.”
Kennedy was still watching, still waiting. For what? Some brilliant deduction? Some sign Jason was going to be of actual use in this investigation?
“Not all the original victims were found with mermaid charms,” Kennedy said. “Only five of the girls had them. We couldn’t be sure if the other charms were lost or if no charms were left at the scene. The first victim’s b—”
“Honey,” Jason said.
Kennedy gave him a quick look. “Yes. Honey Corrigan was not found with a mermaid. Correction. Her mermaid was hanging on the keychain in her car. In fact, that particular connection wasn’t made until some months after the Bureau joined the taskforce.”
“She’d bought that charm a few weeks before she…”
“Right. The others were purchased by Pink. He bought the last four mermaids in Simpson’s shop. You see the problem. There’s a six-year gap. Honey didn’t buy her charm from Simpson because Simpson didn’t own the gift shop at that time.”
“Who did own the shop?”
“Bethany Douglas. She moved to Oregon after she sold the shop to Simpson.”
“Douglas? Is she related to Patricia Douglas? Rebecca’s best friend? The girl she quarreled with Friday night?”
Kennedy looked startled. “I don’t know. I didn’t make that connection.” The look of surprised approval in his gaze made Jason feel warm.
And then like an idiot for being flattered.
“Was the Douglas woman questioned?” he asked.
“Yep. She was elderly and in poor health. She believed the charms were made by a local artist. She believed the artist was a woman, but she wasn’t sure and couldn’t remember the name or any details. She said Simpson had all that information. Simpson insisted there was no information to be had.”
“That should have sent up some flags.”
“It did.” Kennedy’s expression was wry. “Until we talked to a bunch of people who corroborated the gift shop’s ledgers and records were in complete chaos by the time Simpson stepped in.”
