Irene groaned. “That’s not a comforting thought.”
“If it makes you feel any better, you can bet that whoever killed Spencer is probably concerned about the competition, too,” Oliver said.
She eyed him warily. “Why should that make me feel better?”
“It means that whoever found you in L.A. will be strongly motivated to take some risks. And that leads to the very strong possibility that he’ll make mistakes—especially if he’s pushed to act quickly.”
Chester snapped the notebook shut. “We need to know why these notes are so important. I’ve licensed a few of my patents to various firms around the country. I know some people. Someone out there will have some idea of what is going on at Saltwood.”
“You must be very careful,” Irene said.
“Take it easy,” Oliver said. “Chester knows what he’s doing. Meanwhile, I think we should put that notebook in a more secure place. No offense, but your handbag is not exactly Fort Knox.”
Instinctively Irene tightened her grip on the strap of her handbag. “I’ve been afraid to let it out of my sight.”
“Don’t worry,” Chester said. “After I’ve finished examining it, I’ll put it in a very safe place.”
“All right. I guess.”
“You two go on now,” Chester said. “I need peace and quiet to work on this project.”
Oliver grasped Irene’s shoulder and gently turned her toward the door. Reluctantly she allowed him to steer her out of the workshop.
“It feels weird,” she said.
“Giving Atherton’s notebook to someone else? I understand. But we need to know what makes that notebook worth the risk of a murder rap.”
“If we’re right about the killer—if he found my apartment in L.A.—then by now he knows that I’m here in Burning Cove.”
“Yes, but he’s in my territory now. We’ve got a good chance of picking him out of the crowd.”
“How?”
He got her outside into the gardens. The sun felt very good, she thought, and the ocean looked especially dazzling.
“This is a small town,” Oliver said. “It will be no trouble at all for Detective Brandon to get us a list of people who have recently checked in to the local inns and hotels.”
“Including this one?” she said. “I thought you kept your guest list secret.”
Oliver looked amused. “We don’t give it out to the press but I make it a policy to always know who is staying in my hotel.”
“Do you really think the killer would be so bold as to check in to your hotel?”
“I think,” Oliver said, “that it would be a very smart thing for him to do.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s the last thing you would expect.”
“Misdirection.”
“Either that or a breathtaking degree of arrogance.” Oliver sounded very thoughtful now.
“What makes you so sure you can tell what he’s thinking?” Irene demanded. “You’ve never met the monster who murdered Helen Spencer.”
“But I already know a great deal about him, starting with the fact that he is a human monster. There was, after all, no need to murder Spencer in the grisly manner you described.”
She shuddered. “No.”
“It sounds like he enjoyed himself. That definitely makes him a monster. In addition, I’m very sure it also makes him arrogant. The receptionist at Whispers mentioned his accent.”
“What about it?”
“That fits with the fact that he seems to have been acquainted with Helen Spencer. Odds are the man we’re looking for is from the East Coast.”
“Yes. Helen’s acquaintances all moved in very exclusive social circles back east. It’s possible she met someone from outside that world, though. I just can’t say. It’s obvious I didn’t know nearly as much about her as I thought I did.”
“We get our share of guests from the East Coast. They tend to stand out.”
“How? Clothes? Manners?”
“And the accent. Gives them away every time. It would appear that we are dealing with two killers. I think we need some assistance.”
“The police?”
“No, someone who can afford to be somewhat more flexible than the local cops. Luther Pell. Let’s go to my office. I’ll telephone him and ask him to meet with us as soon as possible.”
“You’re sure you can trust him?”
“Yes,” Oliver said.
A short time later he put down the telephone and looked at Irene.
“Luther will be here in an hour,” he said.
She took a deep breath. “All right.”