Question B

[Jonetta]

Sam is called to the murder scene at Nick’s friend Derek Cavanaugh’s home where his wife Victoria was badly beaten and strangled. Derek is the White House deputy chief of staff and their 13-month old daughter Maeve is missing. Did you initially think this was related to Derek’s job, a kidnapping or something else?

[Sharon]

My first thought was...Isn’t this a little much? If you like living, don’t be friends with Nick.

When I walked past that, I thought it was related to Derek’s job. I was wondering if they wanted favors from the President. I thought that the kidnapping was part of the plan. Do what we want or your daughter is next.

When Sam commented that there were no pictures of Victoria with anyone but her husband and daughter. It made me think maybe Victoria did something.

[Anita]

LOL Sharon! But so true, anyone connected with Nick should be rethinking that relationship!

At first, I thought Victoria's death was personal and when we learned she wasn't who she presented herself to be, I thought Russian spy plant, and it was related to Derek's position close to the President.

I didn't see how this would benefit anyone wanting information about the Nelson administration because any covert spying was lost due to the very public murder. I didn't see how the kidnapping would be of any benefit.

[Lauren]

That is so true, Sharon! Nick's a bad luck charm for those close to him...

I wasn't really thinking of motive this early on in the case but it quickly became clear that Victoria wasn't who she said she was. Thus, the connection to Derek's connection to the White House was obvious.

[Jonetta]

The kidnapping confused me. Why take the baby if you don’t have ransom plans? I thought that’s what it was initially and Victoria was killed trying to stop it. When her past started getting murky, I turned to her being the intended target.

[Lauren]

Jonetta wrote: "The kidnapping confused me.."

The kidnapping confused me throughout the entire book. It never made sense to take the baby after killing Victoria - Maeve could no longer be used for leverage and ransom was never the motive. Why didn't Jerry just leave her to be found when Victoria was? Why get Bobby and his mother involved at all?

[Anita]

Involving Bobby and his mother never made any sense to me. If he wanted a place to keep Maeve while he set up a ransom plan, he never followed through. Then to go all scorched earth was overkill.

[Lauren]

The only thing I can think of is that Jerry didn't plan to kill Victoria at all. It's possible that the plan was to kidnap Maeve to keep Victoria under control, but she caught him and he accidentally killed her in the struggle.

If this is the case, why didn't Force just provide the explanation rather than leaving us all wondering...

[Jonetta]

I thought of that, too, and came to the same conclusion.

[Anita]

If Jerry meant to kidnap Maeve, he still didn't have a good plan of how to deal with her. Leaving her with Bobbie, a guy he barely knows and him giving Maeve to his mother is no real plan.

I think Jerry didn't intend to kill Victoria, only ruff her up real good, but it got out of hand and he killed her.

[Robin]

Like many of you, I thought the murder had something to do with Derek's job for the President. After learning there was something going on with Victoria's past, I thought someone meant to scare her and take the baby has leverage, things got out of hand and Victoria ended up dead.