Page 50 of Corrupted By Sin

“May I give you a piece of advice?” Brook could see that any suggestion wasn’t really welcome, but she found herself parting with some wisdom that he really should take to heart. “It’s actually an old adage. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

Brook wasn’t sure the lengths that Dr. Kolsby would go to if he thought that Dr. Cranston would push back against the clear onslaught being waged against him. She now had no doubt that Kolsby was involved with the four skeletal remains found at the burial site, but there were still so many unanswered questions. She’d been able to work up half a profile based on Millie’s recount of what she’d overheard and the death of Margo Urie. So far, she was the only victim whose cause of death had been given. The other remains were currently being looked over by a forensics anthropologist.

There were a few more stops that Brook had to make before heading back into the office, but it was clear to her that she needed to start from the beginning. She needed to ignore everything and everyone involved in the case with the exception of Margo Urie. Brook needed to start from the very beginning, because the profile that she’d drafted wasn’t showing Dr. Kolsby as the unsub, even when all the leads they had gathered indicated his involvement. In turn, Dr. Kolsby was willingly and eagerly pointing a finger at Dr. Cranston.

A vicious circle had formed around every suspect, and it was time for Brook to shatter it.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Brooklyn Sloane

December 2022

Monday — 12:27pm

“Ifoundtwopossiblelakes near the burial site that could potentially be where the unsub dumped the vehicles,” Theo said as he walked into the conference room. “I’ve already put a call into Detective Raines. Both bodies of water are in his jurisdiction. Detective Soerig is meeting us there in about a half hour.”

Brook had everything up on the monitor that had to do with Margo Urie’s disappearance. If she were to include the other three victims, then it was possible to throw out the previous profile and start anew.

The woman’s facial features were very close to those of Millie Gwinn, so it could be understandable how Dr. Kolsby managed to get the two of them mixed up when he was coming out from under the effects of anesthesia. The question remained whether he was commenting from being up close and personal, or if he had simply connected the two women based on hearsay from a patient, a family member, or a friend.

The pool of suspects was vast.

“Can they send a diver down in this weather?” Brook asked as she reached for a slice of the medium pepperoni and mushroom pizza that she’d had delivered to the office. The others had chosen subs from a local sandwich shop, but she worked better with a pizza box nearby. “I heard that we’re supposed to get some snow later today.”

“Only an inch or two.” Theo crossed his arms as he stared at the far wall. Brook had finished tacking the appropriate strings to the associated pictures, facts, and locations. “The major part of the stormfront is moving slowly in from the West. Should be here before Thursday, but we should have answers by then. First, Detective Raines will have a technical team use sonar equipment before sending a diver down. Who knows how long it will take to extricate the vehicles if we actually find them? They have the specialty dive equipment that can work in freezing water, but their time under will be limited. Has Bit forgiven you for the manual murder board?”

“He will by this afternoon,” Brook quipped after she’d swallowed a bite of her pizza. She wiped her fingers with a napkin before turning back to the 4K touch screen monitor. She pulled up a schedule that she’d had Bit upload into the files. She then pointed toward the last date on the document. “The hospital has a fundraiser tonight. If the unsub is still active, we might be able to apprehend him in the act.”

“On a Monday?” Theo asked before recognition dawned regarding the direction that she was taking this conversation. “You’re going to have Bit use the tech van, aren’t you? What are you looking for? Those events draw hundreds of people, mostly high-net-worth individuals.”

Brook addressed his first question.

“Fundraisers are mostly scheduled around either grand openings or specific times of years…like the holiday season in December.”

Theo snapped his fingers.

“Tax write-offs.”

“Exactly.” Brook turned once again, pulling up a guest list. She zeroed in on specific names. “The Kolsby family has been invited, and I confirmed that Dr. Kolsby will be in attendance. He’s scheduled to give a speech, although I’m not certain about the topic. It would be rather difficult for him not to mention Millie Gwinn, especially since it leaked to the press that she had gone to the police with accusations of murder.”

“Kolsby has been doing his best to steer the unwanted attention toward Cranston. Do you think he’ll try to put the final nail in the coffin?”

“Funny that you brought up the subject,” Brook said as she finally took a seat at the table. She pulled her plate closer as Theo remained near the door. He’d need to leave soon if he was going to meet up with Detective Raines. “Dr. Cranston’s lawyer called a few minutes ago. It appears that a board member called and advised him that it wouldn’t in the hospital’s best interest for Dr. Cranston to make an appearance tonight.”

“They think that one of their top cardiac surgeons is under suspicion of being a serial killer. They are minimizing the damage to the hospital’s reputation.”

“I don’t blame them, but since I don’t believe that Dr. Cranston has anything to do with this case, the fundraising event gives us an opportunity.” Brook focused her attention on Margo Urie’s photograph. “Each of these victims went missing days after a hospital event such as the one this evening. Eliminating everything else and focusing on Margot, we’re left with a very cunning unsub who has a way of manipulating any given situation to their advantage. The unsub has managed to pit two powerful families against each other who had once been very close. That means the unsub is intimately close with both families. Since I would categorize both doctors as narcissists, I believe that the unsub is using that specific characteristic against each of them. Margo Urie was stabbed, which means the unsub obtains a personal gratification from a victim’s death. Take in the other victims, the unsub’s preferences are an open book.”

“But not the unsub’s signature?”

“Not until we have confirmation that the other three victims were stabbed to death. I’m holding off on a specific signature.” Brook glanced at the clock on the wall. “You should get going. Let me know what you and Raines find, because some of these murders took place in the winter. If the vehicles are at the bottom of those lakes, then that means there’s a place where the ice is either thin or a portion of the water doesn’t freeze over for whatever reason.”

“I’ll keep in touch, but you’re robbing me of witnessing Bit’s reaction to the news,” Theo said before stopping short of the doorway. “By the way, what exactly will he be monitoring? You already have a guest list.”

“I want him to monitor the Kolsbys’ comings and goings, as well as their communications during the event. And yes is the answer to the question that is floating around in that head of yours,” Brook said wryly as she lifted what was left of her slice of pizza. “Detective Soerig was able to obtain warrants to tap every single phone that is involved in the case, including the burner number that the text was sent from to lure Dr. Cranston into the woods.”

“Tap whose phones?” Sylvie asked as she came to stand beside Theo. She grimaced at the pizza, indicating her displeasure at the mushrooms. “I might have a name to add to that warrant.”