16 #2
The medical examiner’s report reveals that Dr. Tyler died of exsanguination.
“A long and deep, oblique incision was found on the front of the neck. There were no defense or hesitation injuries. Death was caused by a homicidal cut by a right-handed person standing behind the victim, using a bladed weapon such as a knife or a razor.”
The weapon has not been found. However, a mask that is believed to be the murderer’s was found near the cemetery on hospital grounds.
“No one could survive an attack like that,” a witness said.
“Everyone here is freaked out. If it could happen to Dr. Tyler, it could happen to anyone. They say the killer isn’t a patient, but who else could it be?
It happened on a locked ward. There’s no getting in or out of there.
Except staff. Scary to think the killer princess could be someone who works here. ”
“Why was she wearing a white dress?” asked a staff psychiatrist who requested anonymity.
“The answer to that question is excruciatingly obvious. The killer wanted to wear his blood. A throat slashing would cause propulsive arterial spray. Blood would have covered the killer, turned a white dress scarlet. This is a very violent individual. Was Jonathan targeted, or was this a thrill kill? We don’t know.
I have encountered individuals to whom killing is the entire point.
Murder from which pleasure is derived. But I doubt that in this case.
I would say that passion played a role, passion directed very specifically at Jonathan. ”
Dr. Tyler’s widow, Belinda Quinn Tyler, had no comment.
Police reports indicate that at the time of her husband’s killing, she was in Black Hall, Connecticut, over an hour away from Narragansett.
She was with her brother, Clark Quinn, and an unnamed childhood friend.
Law enforcement sources state that Mrs. Tyler and Mr. Quinn are not suspects in Dr. Tyler’s murder.
The investigation continues, and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Martin Matthews of the Rhode Island State Police.
The last article Sam read was Jonathan Tyler’s obituary. It listed his accomplishments and awards, said that he left his wife, Belinda, and a stepdaughter—again, the child’s name was not mentioned—and that he was buried in the Maynard-King cemetery.
That struck Sam as odd—a cemetery with the same name as the hospital?
Was it the spot where the holographic mask was found that Halloween night?
The article stated that many of the dead buried there had been patients or staff.
It also said that the cemetery was the only part of the hospital property that was open to the public.
Sam closed her laptop again. Did the police investigating Belinda’s murder know that her husband had died because someone had slashed his throat—the same method that had killed her? Did Kate and Conor know?
It couldn’t be a coincidence. Sam stood up from the lounge chair by the lovely pool, waved to Hadley and CeCe, and hurried to find Kate, to give this evidence to Conor.
When she got to the top of the stairs, she saw Lincoln talking to Bernard’s girlfriend, Miranda.
They seemed deep in conversation, but when Lincoln saw Sam watching them, they stepped apart, as if they didn’t want to be seen together.
“Hey, Sam,” he said as Miranda hurried away.
“Are you leaving?” she asked, gesturing at the overnight bag slung over his shoulder.
“Yeah, I’m checking out,” he said.
“Did the police give Maeve back her stuff?” she asked.
“Most of it,” he said.
“Mainly, she wanted her address book,” Sam said. “Did she get it?”
Lincoln seemed not to hear the question. “She’s staying in case Kate needs her,” he said. “How about you?”
“Me?” Sam asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “How long are you staying?”
“Our reservations are until tomorrow. We were supposed to have the big fireworks tonight.”
“They’ll still go on, right?” Lincoln said.
“Yes,” Sam said. “You and Maeve have your room for another night too. Don’t you want to stay?”
“You want me to?” he asked, grinning.
It felt weirdly as if he was flirting with her, but he seemed to realize that he’d made her uncomfortable and backed off. “I really have to get home,” he said. “Too much stuff to do.” He paused, then added, “Work. I have a lot of work piling up.”
“Playing music?” she asked.
“Yes. Well, writing it,” he said. “I have a side job composing strange little jingles for this guy who will never tell me what they’re for.”
“That sounds . . . interesting,” Sam said.
“It’s bizarre, but it pays the bills,” he said, taking a step closer to her. “You should come to my studio sometime. I’ll play for you. You won’t believe this stuff he wants me to write.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
He gave her a hug that lasted a few seconds too long and walked away. She watched him go. Maybe it was an innocent enough invitation, to hear him play the strange music he’d been commissioned to write, but there’d been a tone to his voice that made Sam wonder.
Lincoln was Maeve’s boyfriend. He had introduced Suzanne to Maeve, brought her into their lives. Sam wondered what he and Miranda been talking about so intently. Sam had the idea that they had known each other before this time in Watch Hill.
She decided that her next search would be for Lincoln Adams. But first she had to tell Kate and Conor about Belinda’s murdered husband.