“You mean your girlfriend?” Kate said. “Why aren’t you calling her and bawling her out? But then, she’s probably too proud of her own cutesy writing to be upset. What happened to printing the real news? Facts? Not hearsay about bad boys and motorcycles.”
“Jack has Roy’s Harley
,” Sara said. “It’s in the garage at his old house.”
“Yeah?” Kate’s eyes lit up, but then she remembered that she’d declared she didn’t like motorcycle-type guys. “You’re going to go see the sheriff, aren’t you?”
Jack didn’t answer.
“Of course he is,” Sara said. “And I’m sure the infamous Wyatt temper will help our cause.” She looked at Kate. “How soon can you put on something nice? And short?”
“Are you pimping her out?” Jack sounded angry.
“I am.” Sara smiled big. “Use your youth while you have it.”
Kate looked from Jack to Sara, then back. “I have an Elaine Cross dress—a copy of one, anyway. I’ll...” She didn’t finish but hurried to her bedroom.
Minutes later, they were in the truck, Kate in the middle. “I think Krystal inadvertently gave us a date of when the murder happened.”
“Yeah,” Jack said. “Cheryl’s sixteenth birthday. The day I gave her the necklace.”
“And the day Roy ran over your bike.” Sara sounded bitter. “I feel like telling Krystal the truth about that.”
“She won’t listen,” Jack said. “She’s martyred Roy so he’s a saint.”
“Do you think that Verna is the one who packed the car?” Kate asked. “Did what Roy said to Cheryl make them decide to leave town?”
A muscle in Jack’s jaw was working. “Maybe Roy went back later. Maybe Verna got angry. Maybe he did kill them.”
Kate looked at him. “Let’s see what Sheriff Flynn has to say.”
“After his ‘intensive investigation’?” Jack sounded like he was gearing up for a fight.
He parked the truck in front of the sheriff’s department and the women waited for him to get out with his crutches. “Let me have your car keys,” he said to Kate.
“My—? Oh, no. I completely forgot! My car is still at the listing house.” She dug in her Dooney & Bourke handbag for them.
“I thought that after we leave here I’d drop Sara off there. She can drive your car home, then you and I can go to the grocery. I’d go myself but with these things it’s not easy.”
He meant his crutches, but he was looking at Kate hard, letting her know he wanted to talk to her in private.
She gave him a nod of understanding and they went into the office. As before, the same young man was behind the desk. He spoke to Jack. “He’s expecting you. Been on the phone for a day and a half. Watch your step or he might crack your other leg.”
Sheriff Flynn was sitting behind his big desk and already frowning. There were three chairs lined up across from him.
“Good morning,” Kate said, but the others were silent as they sat down. “Jack’s stepmother, Krystal Wyatt, showed us a newspaper article and we were wondering if you—”
Sheriff Flynn put up his hand. “I know all about it. Krystal called and told me everything. And last night I got a call from a Lachlan girl, Gena Upton. Ever hear of her?”
“Yes, we have,” Kate said.
“She’s a lying little—” Sara began.
Again, the sheriff put up his hand. “I know. Bad actress. Lots of tears and no truth. I know Jim Pendal and his family. They were happy when he got away from that girl, and they are very proud of the one he did marry.”
“Elaine,” Kate said.
The sheriff stood up. “I want you three to stop what you’re doing. Go back to building and selling houses and writing books.” He looked at Jack. “And you can stop sleeping with every pretty girl who smiles at you.”