The Game Changer, стр. 64
“You’re not saying what I think you’re saying.”
“Agnes saw a woman with Farley the night of the hit-and-run—a woman who looked like her feet were hurting.”
“So? That could have been anyone.”
“Evangeline actually complained to me about her feet hurting that very night.” I paced, everything fitting so perfectly, I couldn’t believe I didn’t see it before. “Brooks said their evidence proved Evangeline was on the scene. That’s why she was their main suspect. But the woman Agnes saw wasn’t in a car. She was arguing with Farley, and then ran off when the hit-and-run happened and was gone before police got there. Why? Why would someone run away when they’ve witnessed a crime like that? Wouldn’t they run to him to make sure he’s okay?”
Daisy shook her head uncertainly. “Because she has a record?”
“Or because she didn’t want anyone to know she was there. She was very adamant that I leave this case alone. She seemed so angry at Farley. Brooks had assumed that was leftover from the days of her son being cut from the River Fork team, but maybe it wasn’t. And you know what else? When Evangeline showed up at the scene and was talking to me, her hair was down. She’d taken off her hair net, which Chief Henderson found underneath Farley, with red hairs still in it.”
“You’re not serious.”
“I am. And there’s more. Oh, my gosh, it’s so obvious now. The one and only person who was weirdly interested in details about the case—”
“You,” Daisy said.
“Besides me.” I waited for her to keep guessing, but had forgotten that I’d been alone when Francine Oglethorpe had all those questions for me. “The banker. And she looked familiar. You know where I’ve seen her before?”
“Francine?” Daisy looked completely lost. “Oh, I know Francine. She’s—” She stopped and clapped a hand over her mouth.
“Yeah. I saw her in a photo on Farley’s desk. Three blonde women who looked almost identical.”
“Wilma Louise Farley.”
“And her two sisters,” I said.
“Francine Oglethrope is Coach Farley’s sister-in-law. I totally forgot about that.” She squinted. “You think she did it? But why?”
“No,” I said. “Not her. But why was she so interested in the case without ever mentioning that he was her family? What else was on the scene of the hit-and-run?”
“The Mercedes hood ornament.”
“And…?”
“And…” She thought about it. “A hair net?”
“And…?”
“And a take-out menu!”
“Exactly!” I shouted, clasping her hands in mine. “A take-out menu to Mister Wok’s. Where Farley never ate, because he hated Chinese food. But Wilma Louise Farley was a regular there. And when Brooks and I went there for dinner, Mister Wok told us that her regular order was…” I pulled the receipt out of my pocket again and let it dangle in the wind between us.
“Sweet and sour chicken, hold the pineapple and green pepper,” we said together.
I saw the light begin to come on in Daisy’s expression. “And this receipt was on the ground by Evangeline today,” I continued.
“Almost like it blew out of someone’s car window or something,” she said, reaching out and squeezing my fingers excitedly.
“And here’s the other thing. What kind of headlights does a Jaguar have?”
She looked hesitant. “Are they? Yes—yeah, they’re circular. A Jaguar has circular headlights.”
“But she hasn’t been driving it. She’s been driving his truck.”
“I’ve literally never seen her drive his truck. It’s such a man truck. The license plate even says MANTRK. But, I mean, why would Wilma Louise kill her own husband? And why would she try to kill Evangel—” She gasped again. “No.”
I nodded. “Yes. What was the first thing everyone said to describe Farley to us?”
“He was a cheater,” Daisy said.
“Maybe they weren’t arguing so much as having a lover’s spat. Maybe she was angry at him because he wouldn’t leave Wilma Louise.”
Daisy’s eyes were round as saucers. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Farley was cheating on Wilma Louise with Evangeline, so Wilma Louise ran him over. And then ran Evangeline over. She ran over everybody. Mike was right.”
“The husband is always the first to go,” we said together.
She flung her arms around me. “Hollis! You solved the case!”
“No,” I said. “We’re a team. We solved it. Now, let’s go catch her.”
Brooks was sitting in his car just on the other side of my car. As I expected him to be. I had a few minutes to kill while Daisy ran Brant home, so instead of getting into my car, I walked over to his and motioned for him to roll down his window. He did.
“Still babysitting, I see?”
“Be fair, now,” he said. “I stuck up for you.”
“Yeah, you did,” I said. “Thank you for that.”
He cupped his ear. “What was that? Did I just hear a thank-you? Say it again. I want to savor it.” This time I was sure—he was openly flirting, and I didn’t hate it. Okay, I liked it. A lot, actually.
I put my hand on my hip. “Don’t press your luck. It was a rare moment of weakness.” I tried to sound tough, but my smile betrayed me.
His mouth dropped open, still turned up mischievously at the corners. “And she admits weakness, too? Someone call the press.”
I cocked my head to one side. “Very funny. I suppose I deserved that. I’ve been pretty hard on you.”
He opened his car door, and I stepped back so he could get out. He towered over me; I had to shade my eyes when I looked up. “I didn’t take it personally. Truth be told, I like the way you stand up for yourself. And I like the way you go all-in when you’ve got a lead.”
I cleared my throat. “Speaking of leads…”
His eyebrows went up. “I can’t wait to hear where this is going.”
“It’s going to River Fork. I’m pretty sure we cracked your case, Officer.”
“Oh, did you, now? Let me