Page 55 of Line of Sight

Gary grinned. “You’re getting a feeling about this, aren’t you?”

Dan counted off on his fingers. “They’re supposedly at the concert in New York when Scott was murdered. That means witnessesandTV cameras. They’re all on a boat trip while someone kills Mark Wilson, with a witness to that effect. They’re at a wedding while someone kills Heather.Lotsof witnesses.”

“Even if they somehow managed to be in two places at once, what about motives?” Riley joined Dan in front of the board. “There’s a reason none of these four have ever been suspected of the murders. Not one of them has a motive.”

“Then let’s put our heads together and see if we can come up with one or two.” Gary picked up a dry wipe pen. He pointed to the McCarthy crime-scene photos. “Okay, Marie McCarthy said when Greg and Scott reached twenty-one, Owen told them they would eventually run all his companies. That’s a whole lotta money.”

“You think that’s important?” Riley asked. “What bearing could it have on the case?”

Dan stilled. “You didn’t see how Greg lives. Five-star luxury all the way.”

Gary nodded. “You think Scott would have had a similar lifestyle, knowing what we do about him?” He glanced at Riley. “This guy might only have been twenty-two when he died, but he was an honest-to-God philanthropist.”

“Exactly.” Dan’s heartbeat raced. “Now, just suppose Scott learns he’s going to inherit joint control of an empire. Would that sit well with him? Withhisideals?”

Gary shook his head. “I think it’s reasonable to conclude he’d probably have given away most of his money.”

“My thoughts too. But where does that leave Greg? All that money that’ll slip through his fingers one day….”

“Now wait a minute.” Riley scraped his hand over his scalp. “Suppose you’re right. Suppose Scottdidharbor thoughts of donating most of his inheritance to charities or worthy causes. Who’s to say by the time Owen stepped down, Scott might have changed his tune? Lost a few ideals? Discovered he was living in therealworld? How many years passed between Owen making the decision to hand it all over to the boys and actually relinquishing control?”

Gary consulted his notebook. “Eleven years. Owen died a year later.”

Dan caught his breath. “Riley, you might be on to something. Maybe Greg couldn’t count on that scenario. Perhaps he wanted to stack the odds in his favor early on.”

Riley let out a long whistle. “You mean Greg was playing a long game?”

Gary’s breathing hitched. “Remember what his mom said? She told us how he really stepped up for Owen. What if that wasalwaysthe goal? Scott dies, Greg is there for Owen, makes himself indispensable….”

“It’s a bit of a risk, though,” Dan remarked. “What if Owen changed his mind?”

“It’d be a risk worth taking if it worked.” Gary stared at him. “He’d haveyearsto ingratiate himself, remember. If he got a feeling Owen was thinking of changing his mind, all he had to do was up his game.”

Dan shook his head. “What guy in his early twenties considers murder to secure an inheritance?”

“Then you think it’s possible,” Gary concluded.

“Unfortunately yes.”

“What about Mark Wilson?” Riley demanded. “What’s the motive there?”

Dan consulted his notes. “Jennifer Sullivan hit the news in ’98 when she went public on the scientific breakthrough she and Mark had made. By the look of things, she got herself a pretty good career out of it. But at no time did she claim all the work as her own.”

“They were going to publish,” Gary added.

“Mark’s parents said he had two companies he wanted to work with.” Dan glanced at Gary. “Let’s talk to them before we meet with Jennifer.”

Gary cocked his head to one side. “What are you thinking?”

Dan’s mind raced. “This is only a theory, okay?”

Riley chuckled. “But your theories are usually on the money, so tell us.”

“Jennifer did the decent thing. She gave Mark credit for his contribution to their project. What if Markwasn’tso decent? Those two companies he approached…. Did he tell them it wastheirwork—or just his?”

Riley frowned. “So what if he did lie about it? No one’s gonna murder him over a lie.”

“Jennifer might,” Dan interjected. “If she found out what he was up to. Her future career was probably riding on this.”