Acknowledged. Working …
“Secondary task. Search for any unsolved murders in which subject was detained, questioned, or connected. Further task, search for any self-terminations or accidental deaths connected to subject or Big Bang Productions.”
She pushed up as the computer acknowledged the tasks. She went into the kitchen, programmed coffee, and took it with her back to her board.
Facts, she thought. Harris threatened Marlo, Matthew, Julian, Preston, Andrea, Connie.
Harris had words or confrontations with Matthew, Julian, Andrea, and Connie on the night of her death.
Harris spent time in the dome on the roof, smoking zoner and herbal tobacco.
Harris incurred an injury due to a fall on the back of the head.
Death by drowning.
It was only supposition that she’d had a ’link in her bag, and the preview of the recording as well. Solid supposition, high probability, but not fact.
Dome partially opened.
Blood washed away with bar rag and pool water.
As she went through it again, Eve fiddled with the arrangement on the board.
Harris hired Asner to plant recorders in the loft shared by Marlo and Matthew.
Asner did so, retrieved same, provided Harris with a copy.
Again, it was only supposition he’d retained the original.
Witness statement rather than hard fact had Asner tagged on his personal ’link, then making arrangements for a meet.
Asner met the killer in his office. That was fact.
Asner died as a result of multiple, violent blows with a bronze statue.
Killer, because who the hell else, removed all records and electronics, using Asner’s car to transport.
Asner’s vehicle found at marina.
Task one complete …
“Okay, let’s see what we’ve got. Data on-screen.”
The list was long, but she’d expected it. She’d deliberately aimed the first search wide.
Three out of four grandparents, his father, a stepmother, one sibling—various cousins, aunts, uncles, and one ex-wife. She ordered family members as a subset.
Nonfamily made for a longer list. A college roommate, several actors, other industry professionals, his gardener, his longtime family doctor, a business partner, his current wife’s former voice coach (retired at the time of her death).
Eve ordered subsets of professional associates, another of nonbusiness or nonindustry connections.
She then ordered the computer to cross-reference any connections on or between subsets, and to generate another subset with those results.
As she studied the list, the computer informed her there were no unsolved murders, other than those currently under investigation, connected with the subject.
“That’s too damn bad,” Eve muttered.
Accidental or self-termination proved a different matter. There were plenty.