Stalked by Allison Brennan Page B

the reporters who documented the investigation. The guy Barnett.”
    Barnett, who’d been a key suspect in the Cinderella Strangler case, would not want to be the subject of any true crime book, not when it would drag his younger brother through this mess again. Barnett had a temper as well. But Suzanne didn’t see him stabbing Rosemary Weber and stealing her ring and phone to make it look like a robbery. And why would she meet with him in the parking lot of a baseball stadium? Still, Suzanne would talk to him. If he thought that Weber was a threat to his younger brother, he might hire someone to kill her. It didn’t feel right to Suzanne, but she’d have to confirm it one way or the other.
    â€œHow did the meeting go with Barnett?” she asked.
    â€œShe talked to him on the phone; that’s all I know. She didn’t give me any notes to transcribe.”
    â€œNotes?”
    â€œShe records everything; I transcribe them. But she hasn’t done any interviews yet. The only things I’ve transcribed were her notes to herself.”
    â€œDoes she use a tape recorder? Her phone?”
    â€œA small tape recorder. She has several.”
    No tape recorder had been found on Weber’s body.
    Suzanne asked, “Did Ms. Weber ask you to research a consultant on the case, Lucy Kincaid?”
    Kip shook his head and Suzanne was relieved; then Kip said, “She mentioned her, but didn’t ask me to do anything. Why?”
    â€œKincaid’s involvement wasn’t part of the public file.”
    Kip said, “Rosemary knew everyone. And I mean everyone. She knew things she probably shouldn’t know. You should read her books—you’ll know what I mean.”
    Joe said, “I’ll need all your notes and files.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œPart of the investigation.” Joe slid over his card. “To my attention, please.”
    Suzanne asked, “Did Rosemary receive any threatening letters or e-mails?”
    â€œNot that I know of. But she had a P.O. box and she handled her own mail. There was this one guy, though, up at Rikers, who kept sending her letters. Every week. He wanted her to write a book about his crimes and prove he was innocent. She laughed over them and threw them away. Said she got hundreds of letters from prisoners claiming they were framed, but this guy was the most persistent.”
    â€œDo you remember his name?”
    Kip shook his head. “Sorry.”
    â€œIf you remember anything else that may be important to the case, please let us know.” Suzanne gave Kip her card to go with Joe’s. “No matter how small.”
    Leaving, Joe said, “What do you think?”
    â€œI think I need to talk to Barnett and you need to check out her P.O. box and this guy from Rikers.”
    â€œMotive?”
    â€œI don’t see Barnett killing her, but he’s very protective of his brother, and leave no stone unturned, right?”
    â€œIf this prisoner wrote her every week, someone at the prison knows who he is. What about the assistant?”
    Suzanne raised an eyebrow. “Motive?”
    â€œMaybe she was going to fire him, or she pissed him off. His professor said he had no complaints about his job with Weber, but you never know. I’ll run him, but he seems to be what he is. In the meantime, I’m going to head over to the morgue. Want to come?”
    â€œNo. I’ll talk to Barnett and let you know what I learn.”
    â€œDinner?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI’ll see you at seven. Same place.”
    â€œI said no, Joe—and this time I mean it.”
    I hope.
    â€œWhere’s your FBI buddy?”
    Suzanne had almost forgotten about Tony Presidio. She glanced at her watch, then looked at the map of the library. “Manuscript archives.” She and Joe found the reference desk and asked about Tony.
    The clerk looked nervous. “He’s with the head librarian in the storage