Page 59 of Line of Sight (Second Sight #4)

GARY GLANCED at his phone, and Dan chuckled.

“Watching it will not make Greg’s call come any faster. He said he was away for a couple of days.”

“I don’t see why he wouldn’t let us take a statement wherever he is. Because he was right. He could be next.”

“Has he answered any of your calls? Replied to any of your texts?”

“No, he hasn’t,” Gary admitted.

“Then you’re just going to have to be patient.”

The door opened and Riley came in, smiling.

“Tell me you’ve got good news,” Gary demanded.

Riley waved his notebook in the air. “Cronin’s Landing has five apartment blocks.

I checked the list of tenants against the list of attendees from the ball you gave me.

Five names matched. I’ve already discounted two of them.

Two women. And yes, I know there have been female psychopaths, but Collins specifically said he, didn’t he? ”

Dan shrugged. “Unless he was trying to throw us off the scent.”

Riley narrowed his gaze. “Don’t even think it, Sherlock.”

“Sherlock?”

Riley’s eyes glittered. “Someone else who knew everything and made connections no one else did.” He smiled. “Which makes us damn lucky to have you around.”

Gary coughed. “Can I interrupt the banter—sweet though it is—to ask for the names you’ve discovered?” He picked up a dry-erase marker.

“Craig Ross, Anthony King, Justin Fraser.”

Gary scribbled them on the whiteboard. “Great. I’ll take Ross, Dan, you take King, and Riley, you take Fraser.”

Riley headed for the coffeepot. “If we’re gonna do this, we need coffee. You know, I used to think drinking a whole pot of coffee by myself meant I had a problem.”

“And now?” Dan inquired.

Riley grinned. “ Now I know it’s called ‘getting started.’” He poured himself a cup.

“I’ll have one while you’re at it,” Gary murmured, peering at his monitor. “Okay, Craig Ross—sorry, Dr . Ross—he’s now a cardiovascular surgeon. Top man in his field, apparently.”

Riley snorted. “Which explains why he can afford to live in Cronin’s Landing. I know we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but a psychopathic surgeon? I don’t buy it.”

“Me neither, but we’re still going to take a look at him, because this is what we do.”

“Perfect cover, don’t you think?” Dan remarked. “Maybe he’s leading a double life.”

Riley nodded. “After all, a doctor would never kill anyone , right? Can you say Harold Shipman?”

Dan frowned. “Who?”

“British doctor who killed two hundred fifty patients. He wasn’t the only one. There was Christopher Duntsch, William Husel…. And let’s not forget Joseph Mengele.” He paused. “I’m gonna say Justin Fraser is a possible too.”

Gary glanced up. “Oh?”

“Yeah, he’s a writer.”

“Of what?”

Riley’s eyes twinkled. “Crime fiction. Maybe he got a little carried away with his… research? I’ll dig into his tax records, see if we can work out where he’s lived for the past twenty-three years.”

“What about Anthony King?” Gary asked Dan.

Dan stared at his monitor. “Have either of you heard of King Enterprises?”

Gary whistled. “The security company? He’s one of those Kings?”

“Yeah. I’ve found two references.” He made a note. “The first is from a while ago. It’s an article from a Canadian newspaper. King Enterprises opened up a branch in Toronto, and Anthony was running it. It was big news in the business world.”

“How long was he in Canada? That kinda discounts him too.” Riley sighed. “Looks as if you were right, Gary. The killer wasn’t dumb enough to commit murder in his own building.”

Dan made another note. “He went there in the spring of 2000. No idea when he came back.”

“What was the other reference?” Gary asked.

“It was mostly about his parents.” His face tightened. “Home invasion. Double murder.”

“When was this?”

“Early 2010.” He paused. “Oh wow.”

“What have you found?”

“Talk about a family dogged by bad luck.” Dan scanned the screen. “The Kings had two children, Anthony and Robert. Robert was the older of the brothers by two years. He died when he was thirteen. Drowned in the pond in their own backyard.”

“Well, if Anthony inherited the family fortune, that explains the address. He can afford it too.” He stilled. “Where was he when his parents died?”

Riley chuckled. “I know what you’re thinking, because by now I know how your mind works, but you’re wrong.

I’m looking at an article written after their death.

He was still in Toronto when his parents were killed.

He came back to the US in the summer of 2010—for their funeral. Afterward, he stayed in Boston.”

Dan got up and went over to the board. “So… ten years in Canada. A time span that fits neatly into the gap between Mark Wilson’s murder in ’97 and Heather Kelly’s in 2013.” He smiled. “Mr. Anthony King begins to interest me.”

“Find out all you can about him,” Gary instructed. “Sean said they’d held reunions every six years since graduation. Find out who organized the one in 2012, and see if King was there.”

Dan nodded. “And there’s something else we can do that’s even more important.”

Riley gazed at him with obvious interest. “Yeah?”

“Barry Davis searched VICAP for brutal murders in Massachusetts and beyond, but I bet he stuck to the US.” Dan’s eyes shone. “What about Canada? I wonder if they have any deaths on their books that have gone unsolved? Deaths that look like murders from thrillers?”

Gary liked that a lot. “You’re right. Let’s check it out. Let’s also find out what we can about him from the company.” His phone pinged, and he glanced at it. “Kathy Wainwright’s on her way down.”

Riley instantly smoothed his hair and adjusted his tie.

Gary laughed. “Are you still crushing on her? Just ask her on a date, for God’s sake. It’s been a while since the last time you bombed out.”

Riley glared at him. “Remind me, why don’t you?”

Gary grabbed a chair for her.

It was time to get a glimpse into the mind of a psychopath.