Page 39 of Every Deadly Suspicion

Hanna thought for a minute. “Scammers scam. They prey on people’s weaknesses. Bobby was Edda’s weakness. Scammers target pain, whether it’s caused by loneliness or guilt.”

“He played to her pain, but eventually she saw through it.”

“You’re not thinking there’s two different killers, are you?” Hanna stared, her mind churning with the horrific ramifications of such a thought.

“No, no. It’s too early in the investigation. You know me, I likethe ducks to all line up. We’ve got a duck out of order here, and it bugs me. Could be he changed his MO because Edda found him out.”

They sipped their coffee in silence for a moment. Could killers break form? Sure, it just wasn’t terribly likely. She prayed that there were not two killers and switched back to Edda being vulnerable online.

“Bobby’s death really knocked Edda sideways.” Hanna broke the silence. “The thought that someone played with that information, scammed her, and then killed her because she figured it out is excruciating. My mom went on a date once with someone she’d met online. I’m thankful nothing came of it, and the only thing that guy lied about was his weight and his hairline.”

“Yes, social media can make it so much easier for illegal and dangerous activity. And now it’s probable we have a serial killer. I don’t even want to look at Marcus’s headline this morning.”

“I saw it; it’s sensational for sure.”

“He’s been dogging us since Victim Two.”

“It’s almost as if he’s salivating for more victims.” As soon as Hanna said the words, she regretted it. “Aw, it’s probably not fair of me to assign motives to Marcus, is it?”

Nathan let out a rueful chuckle. “I would never assume he wants to see someone murdered, but that man cares little for anyone but himself, and sensational headlines get clicks. I’m tired of thinking about Marshall.”

“If you had to give your investigation a progress report, where would you be?”

“Moving forward, but slowly. At least the online angle is clear in all three cases. Though catfish are usually all about money, not murder. I am worried that he’s escalating. Right now, it looks asif he just got sloppy yesterday, leaving a witness, albeit not a great one. Good for us but dangerous for any potential victims.”

“I have faith in you and Manny. You’ll catch the guy.”

“Thanks. By the way, where did little Gizmo end up?”

Hanna smiled, perhaps a little sheepish. “When I left this morning, he was curled up on a towel in my kitchen.”

“Hmph.”

“I did take him to Mandy. She’s busy. She’s going to coordinate Edda’s celebration of life. And she has Betty staying with her, recuperating from hip surgery.”

“Okay. Personally, I think you should keep the dog.”

“Really?”

“He took to you right away. I’d say you guys fit together.”

“Well, thank you, Nathan. I think so too.” She finished her coffee.

He sipped his coffee. “Have you decided about Joe? I mean, will you say yes for Mandy?”

“I don’t know. Her request surprised me. I never considered that she would still be thinking about finding her parents’ remains. She was only two when they died.”

“Working homicide, I’ve noticed how important having a body to bury is to some people. And with Mandy, well, she’s never known the true story of what happened to her mom and dad. Really, all most people know about that is what Marcus concocted. The truth might be very different.”

“How different can it be? You’re not going to say Joe could be innocent, are you?” The question came out sharper than she intended.

“No, of course not. But you know as well as I do that his confession was short on specifics. I’m not sure why that would make you angry.”

Hanna bristled. “I’m not angry, I just—” She shook her head. “I’m irritated, okay? Irritated that this all has come up now. Why now? In addition to everything else, we have to bury a friend.”

“Will you help Mandy with Edda’s arrangements?”

Hanna sighed. “If she asks me, yes. It’s taking all my self-control not to jump into your investigation and find the guy who killed Edda.”

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