Page 37 of Little Twisted Things

“Nadine just called. Bart was found dead in his office this morning.”

“What?” My brows furrowed.

“I don’t know all the details, but she needs me. Keep an eye on the gallery.” She grabbed her purse and flew out the door.

I grabbed the iPad and brought up the news.

“Breaking News out of Key West. Real Estate Developer, Bart Rexley, was found dead in his office this morning.”

The camera panned around the area outside the office building. Yellow crime scene tape stretched across the building as police cars with their flashing lights lined the street.

“The police are being tight-lipped and not releasing any information yet. Could Bart Rexley be the latest victim of The Last Chapter Killer?”

“Yes. Yes, he could be.” I smiled.

20

Detective Luke Larson

“Larson,” Captain Williams walked over to where I stood in Bart Rexley’s office.

“Yeah, Captain?”

“Detective Luke Larson, this is FBI Agents Cody Smith and Larissa Caine. We’ll be working with them on The Last Chapter Killer Case.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” I shook their hands.

“We’ve been hunting his guy for a long time,” Agent Caine said.

“I’m just going to be blunt here,” I said. “How have you guys not caught him yet?”

“How haven’t you?” Agent Smith’s brow raised.

“This guy is meticulous,” Agent Caine said. “He leaves nothing behind, and he’s careful. He studies the area before he takes his next victim, looking for cameras or anything that could identify him. He’s smart.”

“Meet our latest victim,” I said. “Bartholemew Rexley. Age 40. It’s the usual MO. Strangled first, carved, and then carefully staged. We were able to unlock his phone, and according to a couple of text messages, he was supposed to meet Celia Meadows last night around nine o’clock.”

“Who is Celia Meadows and why?” Agent Smith asked.

“Celia Meadows owns Meadows Design. She’s an interior designer.”

“Why were they meeting?” Agent Caine asked.

“I don’t know. She texted him, told him she needed to speak with him, and asked him to come over. Guess he never made it. I’m heading to her office to question her.”

“Any video footage of what went on here last night?”

“No cameras,” I said.

“That’s odd,” Agent Caine said.

“My theory is Mr. Rexley and Ms. Meadows were having an affair,” I said.

“The Last Chapter Killer only kills young women. These last couple of murders don’t make sense,” Agent Smith said.

“That’s because I don’t think this was the work of The Last Chapter Killer. I think it’s someone else wanting us to think that. I have a friend who is a detective with the NYPD Homicide Division. She was working on a case where cheating married men were being murdered in New York City. It was always the same MO. Twenty-two stab wounds and left for dead.”

“But this guy wasn’t stabbed twenty-two times,” Agent Smith said.