“How are these victims being killed?”

“I have no idea. But BK said the method was foolproof, and that there was never any evidence to suggest foul play.”

Nate finished unfolding the sheet of paper Mullins had brought. Scanned the names of the six people who’d bought into the investment opportunity the man had presented. Mavis, Fred, and Lorraine were among them, as was one of the people Grace had culled from the list of deaths over the past two years.

He set the paper down and gave the man across from him his full attention. “Four of these people are dead. I expect the other two are as well.”

The man’s features contorted. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

“You didn’t know about any of these deaths?”

“Not until recently. All I did was sell them the investment and deposit their checks. BK handled the monthly interest payments. The first death notice I saw was Fred’s. It bothered me a little, since he’d bought the investment not long before, but it wasn’t until I saw Mavis’s two weeks ago that I began to suspect the scheme had taken a lethal turn.” He twisted his hands together on the table. “I swear that’s the truth.”

“I’m not the one you’ll have to convince of that.” Nate set the paper aside. “Did you bring the cellphone that was provided to you?”

“Yes.” He pulled it out and laid it on the table.

Definitely a burner phone.

And Mullins had said he couldn’t tell whether this BK was a man or a woman.

An idea began to percolate in Nate’s mind.

“Did the person who’s calling the shots ever mention Grace Reilly, the county pathologist?”

“Not by name. But in one of our recent conversations, they said no one raised an eyebrow when old people die—except the county pathologist. They also said that could be dealt with.”

Bingo.

Unless his deductive powers were failing him, Grace was being targeted by BK because she was viewed as a potential threat. Someone who, if she dug deep enough, could possibly uncover the truth behind what appeared to be perfect murders and expose Mullins’s blackmailer.

Meaning the person who’d hired Tyler Holmes was also the person tormenting Mullins.

BK probably hadn’t used the same burner phone for both men, but it was worth checking the incoming number against the one Tyler had provided.

“You said BK had threatened to expose you.” Nate linked his fingers on the table. “Do you think that’s who called in the tip about you to my office?”

“I considered that, but why would this person risk having me get involved with law enforcement?”

A logical question.

“It could have been a scare tactic. BK may have assumed a visit from the police would remind you of all you had to lose and persuade you to toe the line. If this person is convinced the murder weapon of choice is foolproof, he or she may view the anonymous tip more as a warning to you than a risk to the scheme.”