One Foot in the Grave (Carly Moore #3) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,90
was hoping. Bart and Wyatt are both more stubborn than she realized. Bart wanted to use an attorney to make the whole thing go away, and Wyatt didn’t want a thing to do with his family.”
He was quiet for a moment. “We really need to find her boyfriend. Let’s go back to my place to make some calls. Then we can head to Ewing to talk to Dick Stinnett. After we talk to him, we can find May.”
I hunched my shoulders. “Actually, I need to go in for the lunch shift. I need to talk to Wyatt.”
He stilled. “And why do you think he’s gonna show up at the tavern?”
“I don’t,” I said. “But I suspect Lula knows how to get ahold of him, and I told her to have him contact me at the tavern between noon and one thirty.”
He gave me a long look. “Are you sure talkin to him is necessary?”
“I need to him to answer some questions.”
“Assuming he’ll tell you anything at all. You’re busting your ass to try to help him, and he’s not doing a single thing to make it easier on you,” Marco said, anger creeping into his voice. “While I don’t think he did it, he needs to start being a hell of a lot more up-front with what he knows.”
“Agreed,” I said quietly. “But what’s the alternative? Stop trying to help him?”
“I’ll admit that part of me is tempted, but you won’t because you’re worried he’ll get railroaded.”
“Marco,” I said, something tugging on my heart.
He gave me a soft smile. “I’m not mad, Carly. I admire your dedication to finding justice. I’m just not sure he appreciates everything you’re doing for him, and I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
“I’m not emotionally involved, Marco. Not like I was before.”
He looked into my eyes for a moment, as if considering that, then gave a nod of acknowledgment. “You don’t have to be at the tavern until twelve, so we still have time to make some calls. I’ll follow you to my house.”
“Okay.”
I got out and walked back to my car. Then we drove to his place. After we went inside, he found a phone book for Ewing and started calling used car lots, asking for Dick Stinnett. It only took three calls to locate him, and Marco set up an appointment to meet with him at two.
“Marco, are you sure about being involved in this?”
“I’ve been thinkin’ about trading in my Explorer.”
That was a bald-faced lie. His SUV was less than two years old and he loved it.
“Okay,” he said. “Let’s move on to May McMurphy.”
“Our best bet is to ask her sister,” I said. “She’s working the lunch shift.”
He nodded. “Okay, but we still have about a half hour to kill before you need to be at work. Anything you want to do between now and then?”
I found myself thinking of Emily Drummond, and of the look she’d given me when she talked about Max and his duty. Max. Why hadn’t we asked him about any of this?
“I say we head into the tavern and ask Max what he knows,” I said.
His eyes widened. “Shit. I didn’t even think about that.”
“I know. Me neither. It just occurred to me.”
“Of course, he wasn’t here when Wyatt was arrested,” Marco said, “but he was here when Heather left.”
“Let’s head to town,” I said, getting up and grabbing my purse. “You’ll follow me again?”
He gave me a pensive look. “Yeah, but after you get off work, maybe you should leave your car in the parking lot so we can ride together in the Explorer.”
“Is that really a good idea?” I asked. “I mean, I’m glad you’re coming with me, but maybe we should take my car.”
“I’ll think it over,” he said, moving for the door. “We can decide when you get off.”
When we walked in the back door to the tavern, Tiny gave us a wave from the kitchen, where he and Sweetie Pie were prepping for the day, and we found Max in his office.
Max looked up from his computer, startled, and turned his chair to face us. “What are you two doing here together?”
Marco gestured his thumb behind him. “We’d like to ask you a few questions about Wyatt and Heather, but can we do it in the dining room?”
“Are you serious, Marco?” His face hardened. “The ink’s barely dry on the warrant for Wyatt’s arrest.”
“You know about that?” Marco asked, rubbing the back of his neck.