couldnât share with her to come between them, Barbara Jean accepted Sanders for who and what he was. His past was just thatâhis past. It had made him the man he was today, but other than that, it had nothing to do with her.
If only Nic could see things as she did.
Barbara Jean maneuvered her wheelchair out onto the patio where Nic sat in a chaise lounge, her computer resting in her lap.
âIâve put on the kettle for tea,â Barbara Jean said. âWould you care for a cup?â
âNo, thanks.â Nic glanced over her shoulder and smiled. âIâve been going over the information on Jerome Browning again and some things donât add up.â
âSuch as?â Barbara Jean asked as she wheeled herself out into the morning sunshine.
âThe original Carver didnât mail the pieces of flesh he removed from his victims to anyone. Those triangular pieces were never found.â Nic paused for a moment, closed the lid on her laptop and faced Barbara Jean.
âSo, the copycat killer is not following every detail of the Carverâs MO, is he?â Barbara Jean said.
âNo, which makes me ask why he isnât. And if heâs differing in one aspect, then heâs possibly going to differ in other areas.â
âI havenât actually studied copycat cases in general, but it stands to reason that there might be differences between the original and the copy.â
âIn most cases, the copycat closely mimics the original, but often deviates in small details,â Nic said as she closed her laptop and set it on the glass and metal side table to her right. âOur killer sending Maleah the triangles of flesh from the first four victims, coupled with the fact that heâs copying the killer who murdered Maleahâs college sweetheart, tells me that he wants her involved.â
âDoes that mean that neither you nor Griff is his ultimate target?â
âI donât know. My gut tells me that itâs one of us, but what if this new Carver has been killing Powell Agency people in order to set things up to lure Maleah into some sort of vicious game heâs playing?â
âHave you talked to Griff about your theory?â Barbara Jean asked.
âIâm afraid Griff is concentrating so much on a possible connection between the Powell Agency murders and the rumor in Europe about Malcolm York being alive that he isnât giving consideration to any other possibility.â
âSanders says there is no way York can still be alive.â She lowered her voice. âWhen they left the island, York was dead. They were certain of it.â Barbara Jean preferred not to think about the fact that Sanders was more than capable of cold-blooded murder, as were Griff and Yvette. She understood why they had killed York and knew in her heart that under the same circumstances, she would have done what they did. They had destroyed the monster who had tortured them with such great pleasure.
âGriff says the same thing.â Nic stood to her full five-ten height, her feet bare, her long, tan legs clad in white walking shorts. An oversized orange and white UT T-shirt hung loosely to her hips. âHeâs convinced that someone in Europe is using Yorkâs name, but he has no idea who or why.â
âI know very little about the years Sanders spent on Amara, only that he blames York for the death of his wife and child, and that York forced him to do some terrible things.â
âIâve grown to hate Malcolm York with every fiber of my being.â Nic walked to the edge of the patio and gazed out over Douglas Lake. âEven after all these years, he still haunts Griff.â
âAs he does Sanders and Yvette.â
At the mention of Yvetteâs name, Nic glanced over her shoulder at Barbara Jean. âThey both love her, you know. My Griffin and your Sanders.â
âYes, I know. And she loves them. But . . .â
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