man, thickly built with a head of blond hair, intense blue eyes and a cleft chin.
While striking, his looks were just short of handsome. When he saw Shep looking at a used truck in the lot, he came over to give him a toothy smile and a strong handshake.
“This is a nice one. I know the guy who owned it. Can’t go wrong with this truck, but I do have some rebates right now. I can put you in a new one if you’re interested.”
“I want to ask you about Lindy Parker.”
It took Fletch—that was how he’d introduced himself—a couple of moments to change gears. “Who?”
“Lindy Parker, the girl who was murdered your senior year in high school.”
“That had to be—”
“Fifteen years ago,” Shep said, helping him with the math. “I heard you had a crush on her.”
Fletch let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t know where you heard that but...” He shook his head, seeming at a loss for words.
“But you knew her.”
“Sure. We went to the same school.”
“Her sister remembers the two of you arguing.”
“Her sister?” Fletch said, frowning. “That dark-haired girl?”
“Charlie. She said you grabbed Lindy’s arm and the two of you had words. What was that about?”
Fletch looked around as if wanting desperately to escape. “Are you serious? That was so long ago. You expect me to remember?”
“Did you see Lindy outside of school?”
The man blinked. “What did her sister say?”
“How about you tell me the truth?”
Fletch shifted on his feet. “Are you some kind of cop?”
“I teach middle school math, but I’m a friend of Charlie’s. I’m just looking for answers. Anything you say is between the two of us. I’m trying to get a handle on what Lindy was like and why someone wanted her dead.”
“I thought some vagrant passing through town killed her?”
“So what was Lindy like?” Shep asked. And waited.
Fletch shook his head again and looked toward the Bridger Mountains. They were white with glistening snow in the fading twilight. “She was different.”
Shep continued to wait as patiently as he could. The car salesman had a gift of gab when he was trying to make a deal. Otherwise, it was as if he thought he had to pay for every word he uttered.
“She was a...challenge,” Fletch said, avoiding his gaze.
“A challenge you won?”
It took Fletch a moment before he shifted to look back at Shep. “We met a few times after school down by the creek, but not much happened. She was a tease. The more she thought you wanted her, the more she held back.”
“That sounds like a motive for murder.”
Fletch took a step back. “Not me. I wasn’t even in town the night she died.”
“You can prove that?”
“I can. I was at an away game. I threw the winning pass that night. It’s funny. I was actually thinking about her on the way back on the bus. I wondered if that pass would get me anywhere with her. The bus got a flat and we didn’t get back into town until like three in the morning. I heard about her murder the next day.”
“Who do you think killed her?” Shep asked, disappointed.
“If not a vagrant?” Fletch scratched his head. “I guess someone she messed with like she did me. Someone who was tired of putting up with it.”
“There were others she led on?”
Fletch laughed. “Lindy didn’t just tempt boys. She liked to make our male teachers squirm. She was ruthless, especially with the teachers closer to her age.”
“What teachers?”
* * *
THE MOMENT CHARLIE walked in the door of the restaurant where the shower was being held, her friend snagged her and drew her aside.
“Where have you been?” Tara demanded. “Amanda is in a really bad mood. I thought she might stab herself with one of the cake-cutting knives.”
“Sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. Is everyone already here?”
“Not to worry. We still have a few stragglers and Amanda didn’t like the way they arranged the tables so she’s making everyone move them. How did things go with Daniel?”
“Not well,” Charlie said, hearing Amanda barking out orders in the other room. “I... Never mind, today is about you and your baby shower.”
Tara rolled her eyes. “I was hoping you would tell me that Greg wasn’t going through with the marriage and that’s why she’s moping. I could use a day brightener.”
“Why would you think Greg would share that with me?”
“Because I heard from Connie that he left the building after you did with Daniel.” Connie was an artist who sat closest to