Page 24 of Riordan's Revenge

Tyler sighed. “Anyway, by murder, I assume you mean the Deadwater killings?”

“Bingo. I want your insight. I formed a detective club to solve the mystery and want to sense check what we know.”

“Of course you do.” He twisted his lips, his gaze distancing for a moment. “I’ve been far from the action so am playing catch-up, but when I heard about the first death, I figured it had the feel of either an obsessed man, a random act of aggression, or an initiation.”

I cocked my head. “Cherry had clients but none we can pinpoint as being obsessed. We also know it wasn’t random because of the three who came after, but what do you mean initiation?”

“Gangs and other secretive organisations often use a binding act to recruit new members, particularly to an inner circle. Some kind of proof the as-yet untrusted person isn’t there to betray them and that they’re a good fit.”

“Such as by creating a mutual secret both have to keep.”

He pointed a ham roll at me. “Exactly. Killing a defenceless sex worker in a graveyard fits the MO. Easy pickings, but jailtime for the perpetrator if the person they’re trying to impress squeals.”

My mind sped. “The first person we suspected was a man named Don who was a low-ranking member of the Four Milers. It makes sense that he would want to climb up the pecking order. But he was found dead in his burned-out car down the hill from where Cherry was killed.”

“Maybe he did it then sped off to report in and lost control? Then afterwards, you have a copycat.” Tyler took a large bite of his food.

I toyed with mine, gazing into the middle distance. “Or the Milers are recruiting several people and each had to do the same thing.” As explanations went, it didn’t feel strong, but a good detective was willing to consider anything.

“The Milers?” Tyler scoffed. “Don’t make the mistake of being casual with that fucking drugs gang. They would never be so with you.”

“What if Don isn’t dead?” Riordan suddenly said.

“Couldn’t they identify the body?” Tyler asked him.

“His cousin, by marriage, so not genetically, was the only relative he had, so they weren’t able to DNA test the remains. Nor could she identify the lump of charcoal that was left of him. I took her to talk to the police and pathologist myself.”

Insidious envy crawled through me yet again at Moniqua’s friendship with Riordan. A hit so hard I couldn’t reply.

“Have there been any sightings?” Tyler asked.

Riordan raised a shoulder. “None. It’s just bothering me that it’s a box left unticked.”

Tyler palmed his jaw but moved on. “The multiple-recruitment theory doesn’t necessarily stack up either. Killing as an entry requirement probably wouldn’t be mandated for anything but the top tier. Convict got accepted by drug dealing for them.”

There was an interesting note in his voice when he said his crewmember’s name. A hesitation, like it carried weight. Convict was a double agent, working for the Four Milers in order to win back the trust of Arran and Shade. For some unknown reason, Tyler was interested in him as well. I packed away that intrigue for now.

Tyler asked Riordan about his initiation into Arran’s gang—something I knew hadn’t really happened yet—and I took up my phone to send my thoughts on the conversation to my Skeleton Girls Detective Agency group.

Instant replies came in.

Genevieve: Super ooh! New theories for the list.

Everly: Interesting, but it doesn’t do anything to support B as a culprit.

She was right. I tapped back a reply.

Cassie: Only as a mastermind. Any update on his capture?

Genevieve: We’re not allowed to talk about it, even over encrypted chat.

Cassie: Rolling my eyes at Arran but okay. He’s probably right.

Genevieve: I also haven’t seen him in a day so literally have nothing to say.

I snorted a laugh.

Everly: We miss you. Is everything okay there?

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