“You’re not under arrest.” Kane sat relaxed in an unthreatening pose, his face almost expressionless. “We’re trying to establish a timeline for each of the deceased and we need to know if you crossed paths is all. We’re gathering all the information we can find.”
“Honestly, if this is part of an elaborate hoax, I’ll be sending you a bill for my time.” Finnian shook his head. “This is a business trip for me, this is where I find new clients.”
Jenna nodded. “I wish it were a game, but it’s not.” She lifted her pen and looked at him. “I’m sure you’re aware of the names of the people involved by now. We’ve been tracking their whereabouts before their deaths and it seems all of them were in plain sight almost up to the time they died. This is very unusual, which leads us to believe they all knew their killers. So, Mr. Finnian, let’s take this one at a time. Did you know Kitty Pandora?”
“I’ve never actually met her, but she pitched to me at one time.” Finnian bent and fished a tablet from his briefcase. “I only remember her name because when her book was published, I recalled the title. I rejected her submission.” He scrolled through his tablet. “Ah yes, I liked her story but she had nothing else to offer. I don’t work with one-hit wonders; I prefer to represent someone with a ton of ideas.”
“Are you sure you didn’t run into her here? She did do a reading of her book, I believe.” Kane made a few notes.
“Very sure. Like I said, I’ve never met her.” Finnian sighed. “Next.”
The aggravation poured off Finnian like a thick fog. “Dakota Storm?”
“Everyone in this business knows Miss Storm.” He drummed his fingers on the desk. “In fact, most of the agents at the conference know each other. Many of us move from one agency to the next as we learn the business.”
Interested more by the insights of the publishing business by the day, Jenna lifted her chin. “Has she ever undercut you in a deal?”
“Trust me, she’s undercut everyone.” Finnian barked a laugh. “She is the queen of the deal. I’ve lost clients to her. Everyone has. It wasn’t worth killing her for. There are hidden gems everywhere, but admittedly, with her out of the picture it will level the playing field a little.”
“Okay.” Kane looked up from his notes. “While you have your files open. Do you recall anyone by the name of Paul Tate?”
Finnian gave a slight shake of his head but his eyes remained fixed on the screen. Jenna chewed on her bottom lip. Was this a tell? She exchanged a glance with Kane but couldn’t read his expression. After some moments had passed without Finnian saying a word, she leaned forward. “Well, Mr. Finnian. Have you had any contact with Paul Tate?”
“No, I have not.” Finnian straightened. “At least he’s not in my current records. He could have pitched to me. I have thousands of authors pitching to me by email each week, not to mention the current conventions around the country. I do represent a variety of genres not just crime.”
“I see.” Jenna sighed. They weren’t getting much information from him. “What about Jedidiah Longfellow?”
“Yes, I’ve met Jed.” Finnian placed his tablet on the desk and leaned back in the chair. “He was one of the clients Miss Storm managed to tear from my clutches, but he did have a ton of offers.” He stared at the wall and shook his head slowly. “We could have made a great team. I would have guided him to a greatness Miss Storm could have only imagined.” His attention shifted back to Jenna. “To think that talent is gone. Such a waste, such a waste.”
A sudden thought grasped Jenna. “Do you know August Bradford, Parker Rain, or Bexley Grayson?”
“Parker, yes. I know her quite well. She’s an agent, and August Bradford and Bexley Grayson pitched to me here at the conference.” Finnian opened his hands wide. “Have I made them an offer? No, not as yet. I gave them my card and they’ll be forwarding the first three chapters of their manuscripts. They sounded reasonably interesting, but talking the talk isn’t walking the walk, is it?”
Unable to think of any more questions to ask, Jenna looked at Kane. “Do you have any further questions?”
“I’ve seen some of the presentations and noted with interest that many of the presenters use laser pointers during their sessions.” Kane was scrutinizing Finnian and had his combat face front and center. “Do you own one?”
“Yeah, most of us do if we’re using the screen with examples.” Finnian shrugged. “It’s nothing unusual. Why?”
“No reason.” Kane made a note and then closed his book. “That’s all we need for now. Thank you for your time.” He stood and walked Finnian to the door and out to the elevator.
The elevator doors opened, Jenna heard Julie’s voice and she looked up to see Rio, Emily, and Julie spill into the hallway. They came inside and Julie rushed over to her. The girl looked wide-eyed and concerned. “Is something wrong?”
“Yeah, I think someone is stalking me.” Julie dropped into the chair Finnian had vacated and explained.
Concerned, Jenna listened with interest. “Show me the selfies.”
She flicked through the image files and handed the phone to Kane. “That’s creepy.”
“Yeah.” Kane’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the screen. “Maybe I should sleep on the sofa in your room until we catch this guy.”
“I will.” Rio leaned on the table. “You’ll never fit on that sofa. Don’t worry, I’ll keep them safe.”
Anxiety gripped Jenna’s stomach. “As soon as we can get you down the mountain, we will.” She held a hand up to stop the protest she could see forming on Julie’s lips. “In the meantime, one of us will be with you at all times.”
“That’s crazy.” Julie’s eyes blazed. “Okay to and from the conference like now, but please don’t make me look like a kid in front of my friends. Come on, I have to go to school with these guys.” She looked from Jenna to Kane. “Do you honestly think the killer will try and hurt me in a crowd of people? Look I’ll even sit between my friends—okay? If I see anyone with a hoodie close by, I’ll move away.”
Jenna shook her head. “I don’t like it, but as you’re legally an adult, I can’t make you do anything. But we all just want to keep you safe.” She looked at Julie’s distraught expression. “Okay, inside the halls, we’ll leave you be, but one of us will be there to walk you to your next session. We’ll try not to be noticeable but will be close by just in case. It’s not just you. Emily isn’t going anywhere alone either.”