Kate resumed her pacing, considering the implications of multiple killers versus a single perpetrator with an elaborate plan."Maybe Rick didn't kill Margaret, but he knew Margaret's killer and copied their methods.Or maybe we're dealing with two different killers who are coordinating their attacks."
"Or maybe Rick is our killer for both victims, and his claim of disinterest in the book club is a lie designed to throw us off," DeMarco suggested.“Or, you know… not the killer at all.Which, honestly, is sort of where I’m leaning.”
Kate's phone buzzed with a text message.She glanced at the screen and saw Allen's name.Emma can watch Michael until 2 PM.Hope you're making progress.Be safe.
The reminder of her family responsibilities brought Kate back to the present moment.She was standing in a dead woman's dining room, theorizing about whether that woman's husband had murdered her, while her own husband was juggling childcare arrangements to accommodate her work schedule.
"Jennifer's brother should be arriving from Raleigh sometime this afternoon," DeMarco added, still consulting her notes."That might give us additional insight into Jennifer and Rick's relationship."
"In the meantime, we need to consider the safety of the other book club members," Kate said."If our killer is working through the group systematically, everyone who was at last night's meeting could be a potential target."
"Including you," DeMarco pointed out.It reminded her of concern Allen had expressed earlier in the morning."You were there as an observer, but the killer might not know that.As far as they're concerned, you're a new member who could disrupt whatever plan they're executing."
Kate felt a cold realization settle in her stomach.Allen had been right to worry about her safety.By attending the book club meeting, she might have inadvertently placed herself on a serial killer's target list.
"We need to contact Eleanor and the other members," Kate said."Warn them to take precautions, vary their routines, maybe stay with friends or family until we catch this person."
"Agreed.But we also need to be careful about how we approach them.If one of the book club members is our killer, we don't want to alert them that we're closing in."
“Good point.”Kate realized that this might be trickier than they thought.Two women were dead, possibly a third in danger, and she had spent the previous evening sitting in the same room as their killer.The realization that she had been so close to the murderer without recognizing the threat made her feel both professionally frustrated and personally vulnerable.
"Let's head back to the office," DeMarco said."We can dig into Rick’s history and see if Records and Research have any developments with the other book club members.”
"Actually, maybe we should divide and conquer," Kate said."You head to the office, and I'll swing by Eleanor's house.I'll break this news to her and talk to her about the possibility of contacting the other members."
“Sounds like a plan,” DeMarco said as they made their way back down the hallway, toward the Haynes’ front door.
As they left Jennifer's house, Kate found herself thinking about the yellow ceramic mug that had contained Jennifer's final cup of tea.Someone had carefully prepared that poison, knowing exactly how much would be needed to incapacitate but not immediately kill their victim.They had wanted Jennifer to suffer, to experience terror and pain before death finally took her.
The personal nature of that cruelty suggested someone with deep emotional investment in Jennifer's death.Whether that someone was Rick Haynes or another member of the Willowbrook Book Club, Kate was determined to find them before they could stage another literary-inspired crime scene.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kate pulled into Eleanor Whitman's driveway for the third time in less than twenty-four hours.But as she stepped out of the car, this visit already felt entirely different from her undercover observation the previous evening.Now she was arriving as an FBI agent with devastating news, and she could already see Eleanor watching from behind the lace curtains with obvious concern.The older woman had probably recognized Kate's car and was wondering why she had returned so soon.
Eleanor opened the front door before Kate could knock, her silver hair slightly disheveled and her green eyes wide with anxiety.She wore a simple navy cardigan over a white blouse, but her usually impeccable appearance showed signs of stress.Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the door frame.
"Kate?What's wrong?Has something happened with the investigation?"Eleanor's voice carried a note of dread, as if she already suspected the news wouldn't be good.
"Mrs.Whitman, I need to speak with you about something very serious.May I come in?"
Eleanor stepped aside immediately, leading Kate through the familiar hallway into the same living room where the book club had met the night before.The house was back to its normal state, leaving no signs of last night’s meeting.
"Please, sit down," Kate said gently, choosing one of the armchairs from last night's gathering.
Eleanor perched on the edge of the sofa, her posture rigid with anticipation."You're frightening me, Kate.What's happened?"
Kate took a deep breath, knowing there was no way to soften news this devastating."Mrs.Whitman, I'm afraid Jennifer Haynes was found dead in her home early this morning."
The color drained from Eleanor's face so quickly that Kate worried the older woman might faint.Eleanor's hands flew to her mouth, and she made a small, strangled sound that might have been Jennifer's name.Her eyes went wide, and she began to shake her head—a very common response to news of this sort.
"Dead?But she was just here last night.She was just..."Eleanor's voice trailed off as the reality sank in."How?My God, what happened to her?"Her voice grew thin and was watery with tears by the end of the question.
"We're still investigating the exact cause of death, but Jennifer appears to have been murdered.I can't share all the details of our investigation, but I can tell you that we believe her death is connected to Margaret's murder."
Eleanor began to cry then, not the quiet tears of grief but the harsh, shocked sobs of someone whose world was suddenly spiraling out of control.She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she struggled to process the information.Kate waited patiently while Eleanor composed herself, understanding that the woman needed time to absorb the magnitude of what was happening to her book club.Similarly, Eleanor seemed to also understand that she may be able to help and needed to center herself in order to speak with Kate.
"I don't understand," Eleanor finally managed, looking up at Kate with red-rimmed eyes."Why would someone want to hurt Margaret and Jennifer?They were both such good people.They never hurt anyone."
