“Maybe.” But Mullins didn’t appear convinced. “BK does know how much I want to protect Kimberly and preserve my marriage.”

“Since you said you were discreet in your meetings during the affair, have you given any thought to the possibility that the woman you were seeing may be BK?”

“Yes.” He stared down at his hands. “In fact, I went to see her a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to find out if she’d told anyone about us or had any inkling who might be blackmailing me. After I left, I did wonder if it could be her. But much as she hates me, I don’t think she’d kill innocent people for money.”

“Hate and greed are powerful motivators.” Nate picked up his pen. “What’s her name?”

Mullins raked his fingers through his hair, distress etching his features. “She’s had more than her share of tough breaks. I hate to add any more trauma to her life.”

“If she’s killing people, she has to be stopped. If she’s innocent, she has nothing to worry about.”

He sighed. “Lee Jordan.”

As Mullins recited the contact information, Nate jotted it down. “Anything else I should know?”

“I did tell Lee about Mavis and Fred. In fact, she asked for their names. So it’s possible she called in the tip. Now you know everything I know.” He swallowed. “Are you going to arrest me?”

“That depends.” Nate sat back in his chair. “Are you a flight risk?”

“No. Kimberly needs me. I’d never desert her—by choice.”

“Are you willing to cooperate with our investigation?”

“Yes.”

“Then for the present, stick with your usual routine. Assuming our subject isn’t Lee Jordan, let’s not do anything to tip them off you’ve contacted law enforcement.”

“I’m not certain I can continue with my usual routine.”

“What do you mean?”

“Kimberly was asleep when I left this morning. I can’t guarantee she’ll be willing to let me stay at the house.”

“Try to convince her. If you move out, our subject could put two and two together and realize they’ve lost their bargaining chip.”

“I’ll do my best. What if BK calls again?” He indicated the burner phone on the table.

Nate picked up the cell. Most basic burners weren’t GPS equipped. If BK was using such a phone, cell tower triangulation would be the only way to target the source location of an incoming call—but that would give them no more than a general geographic area. Nothing precise enough to swoop in and nab the caller.

He scrolled through the phone log. The number had changed over the years. BK had switched burner phones on a regular basis. Smart move, if you wanted to stay one step ahead of the law. Although he jotted down the number for the most recent calls, there was no guarantee it was still active.

“If you get another call, answer—and contact me as soon as you hang up.” Nate pushed the cell back across the table.

Mullins pocketed the phone, lines of weariness creasing his cheeks. “What will happen to me after this is over?”