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“I want to know if last night’s victim had connections to the original neighborhood before I assume our killer really expanded his radius.”
“What about that waitress, Bonnie? Tic Tac said she slept with one of the victims.”
“Yeah. Nathan. And she called in sick after he died. I talked to her. She seemed pretty freaked out. I don’t think she’s involved.”
“Are we sure she didn’t run, like Landry?”
“It’s worth double-checking,” I agree. “We’ll divide and conquer. I’ll get Landry handled in Europe. You get someone involved and talk to her.”
“The idea of this being a group of people…” Jack interjects. “InScream, it’s a group of people killing the victims. It’s a horror movie twist that was mind-blowing when the first movie came out. It’snot one person.Maybe that’s what we’re looking at here, too.”
My mind goes back to Miguel last night, and the idea that he’s not working alone. We keep thinking it’s one other person which means Pocher or someone else. But what if it’s Pocherandsomeone else? The question is who? And why?
Chapter Thirty-One
I’m contemplating the bigger picture of drug cartels and the Society when Rollins drags me back to the pizza parlor, and an equally important murder investigation. “I hate when he starts making sense,” Rollins grumbles, and it takes me a moment to realize he’s talking about Jack’s idea that this isn’t one killer but a group of killers. “But these murders do feel bigger than one person is capable of pulling off,” Rollins adds. “This means if we find one piece of that puzzle you mentioned, we don’t find them all. We need to talk about the press. Because we can only put off warning the public so long.”
Which is a topic I’m not discussing with him in Jack’s presence, I think. This is why I say, “We’ll talk later today. I have some thoughts on that, but I want to go visit this old lady first.” I steal one more bite of my pizza and pull my trench coat on. “I don’t need to be at the autopsy. It’s not like there’s much that’s going to come from this one. I’ll head over to see her now. Text me the address, Rollins.” I point at Jack. “You have some good ideas. Sometimes I still think they’re too good.”
“Oh, jeez,” the goofball says, and he’s not even trying to be goofy, He holds up his hands. “I’m not the killer or one of the killers. I’m not.”
“You better hope you’re not, Jack,” I snap. “Because it won’t be a plot twist to find out you are.”
I glower with the warning but I don’t really think Jack is involved anymore. I just need him to stay out of this before he ends up dead and with his obstinate personality fear might be the only thing that works.
Rollins stands. “I’ll walk you to your car.” Nowhepoints at Jack. “Don’t leave. Don’t eat my pizza. We’re going to have a much overdue talk.”
I motion to “Team Lilah,” and they’re prepared for my sudden departure. They’re eating out of a pizza box, which is instantly shut, and brought along for the trip. Good. I’ll have some. Kit intercepts me before I reach the door. “I’m going to grab the vehicle and pull up to the door.”
“Lilah.”
I turn to find Rollins standing in front of me. “I forgot to mention, I followed up on Noah, that tech who was on your radar. There was a boot issue when he first arrived. And apparently, he was told to get to work, but nobody thought he’d be stupid enough to do it without boots.”
“Does he have a history of being stupid?”
“No, but he’s highly praised. I can speak from experience and say when big wigs are breathing down your neck, it gets to you.”
“And why didn’t those bigwigs call you?”
“Because the pressure makes them stupid, too. I don’t think Noah is an issue.”
“I’m still having my guy check him out.”
He studies me for a long moment. “Is Jack right? He said you’re a target.”
“I sure as fuck hope so, because it works for my plan to catch this guy.”
“Which is what?”
“First, for the record, before I explain, I still feel like this is one person doing the killing. I also think this person triggers easily. That’s why he kills. That’s why he killed last night. Like I said, my father, triggered him. My very existence triggered him.”
“Then you are a target?”
“I’m not the one he killed last night. My worry here is that he’s no longer waiting for the victims to trigger him. He’s waiting on me to do it.”
“Then how does he pick his victims?”
“It still might be someone that pissed him off or did something he doesn’t like, but maybe he would have waited to kill them or let them off the hook for another victim if he’s not agitated or proving a point at the time. If we talk to the media, and we trigger him again, and I’m right, he kills sooner than later. We can’t let that happen until we know how to set a trap with a real net we currently don’t have.”
