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Jessica’s heart skipped a beat, and she dug her fingers into Finn’s arm.
“How do you know this, Plank? What do you mean by personal? Has this guy been in touch with you? Is he a fanboy?”
“So many questions, Professor. I think I like you better when we’re discussing your book about me, and I did just give you a nugget for that book, an exclusive. I did not kill Tiffany Hunt. You can tell her sister that bit of news, not that she ever believed I had killed her.”
“You got that right, Plank.” Jessica punched the pillow in her lap. “Now, how do you know so much about this guy?”
Plank said, “Oh, she’s there.”
Finn shook his head. Jessica knew he didn’t want her talking to Plank, but she was tired of being afraid. “I’m here and I want answers. Why, other than the obvious, do you think these murders are some sort of personal message to me?”
“The first murder was to get you there, to get your attention. He copied your sister’s killing—even if he wasn’t responsible for that one. The second and third murders were to bring you glory.”
She barked out a bitter laugh. “How did those murders bring me glory? They made me sick.”
“The Kitsap Killer, as I believe he’s now being called, let you find the bodies.”
“Letme?”
Plank coughed and lowered his voice. “He was doing you a favor, Jessica. He knows your line of work. He figured giving you a heads-up on the murders would win you points the lab.”
She snorted. “He doesn’t know how the lab works. We’re supposed to be investigating and analyzing evidence, not discovering it on our own.”
Finn interrupted. “He didn’t do her any favors tonight. He tried to kill her.”
“Hmm.” Sounded like Plank was tapping on the phone. “He didn’t plan that. You must’ve done something to upset him. Did you call him a name? Try to humiliate him?”
“No.” Jessica squeezed her eyes closed, replaying the moments when she approached the fountain with the gun pulled. “I had a gun, and I told him I’d called the cops. Ihadcalled the cops.”
“Ahh.” Plank released a noisy breath. “That’s it. You betrayed him. He was sharing his kill with you, and you came with a gun intending to harm him, and you called the police. He reacted to that.”
They could hear another voice in the background. “My turn.”
“So sorry, Jessica, Professor. My time is up, but I’ll be following the case of the Kitsap Killer—not as colorful as the Creekside Killer, though.” Plank cleared his throat. “Now that you know I didn’t kill Tiffany, maybe we can be friends, Jessica.”
Jessica almost gagged. As she opened her mouth to return a nasty retort, Finn tapped her hand. He shook his head and ran a finger across his neck.
She gulped back her bile. “I don’t know about being friends, but I do appreciate your input, and I’m glad to finally get confirmation that Tiffany’s killer is still out there. So…thanks for that.”
“Of course. If I have any more insight, I’ll call you.”
“Jessica doesn’t have a phone. You can call me.”
“Yes, Professor. You’ll need to protect her.”
Plank ended the call abruptly, and she and Finn stared at the phone on the bed.
She asked, “Is that what you do when you interview him for the book? You pretend to be his friend?”
“Avery Scott Plank is a psychopath. He doesn’t understand the concept of friendship, so that’s not necessary. It’s a game to him. He’s a smart guy. Don’t underestimate him because he also happens to be evil.” Finn drummed his fingers against the headboard. “What he said on the phone about the Kitsap Killer and you makes sense. You were just wondering why KK hadn’t tried to harm you before last night.”
“Why would he want to do me any favors? He doesn’t owe me anything…unless he did kill Tiffany. I don’t believe for a second he feels bad about that murder, but maybe in his warped mind he thinks he can make up for my loss by giving me the heads-up on his current crimes. Like you said, it’s a game.”
“Or he’s taunting you.”
“Taunting me?”
Finn jumped from the bed and paced to the window. “You couldn’t save Tiffany. You were away at college, butyou still blamed yourself. KK is giving you a chance to redeem yourself, but not really. It’s just an illusion.”