We got back to the house after leaving the Brent service station, and everyone grabbed a fresh mug of brew and headed to the rear deck for a pow wow.
For a minute after getting settled, we all just sat, quiet as church mice at a Jesuit monastery.
Then:
"Rose, whatcha think?" Kip asked.
"Baby, you don't pay me enough to think."
We all laughed.
"Ok, you wanna know what I think? Here goes.
I go back to what you said, Kipper. Somebody is missing in this whole mess. Somebody ain't showing his or her face and that is making the puzzle very incomplete."
Kip nodded, but sat silently. So did the rest of us. Unusual, especially for Ofelia and Jake and God knows Rose is hardly ever quiet. Derek too, and Danny and Kenny and...
TEDDY? QUIET? Oh puleeze, that will be the day, but yes even Teddy Marshall was being silent for once. That struck me and so not being able to stand it I turned and looked at him...
"What gives, Tedster?"
"What you mean, Dylan?"
"You are being for you absolutely NEVER HAPPENS QUIET. So, what gives?"
He laughed, everybody laughed cause they knew exactly what I was saying and agreed. Teddy Marshall is NEVER quiet. NEVER. Sleeping or awake, that boy is a motormouth on steroids.
"I'm not sure, Dylan. Something seems just really odd."
"Yeh? How so?"
"Yeh. I mean, this kid shows up from out of nowhere, with others following...for some unknown reason. There doesn't seem so far to be any good reason why he would just suddenly come back. Was he running from or to? Something? But what? And what did Frankie Giordano have to do with it. Nobody has said he ever went to either Colorado or California to see Rick. Were they lovers at some point? Not? and then Rick and the other two wind up dead. But WHY? Was it someone followed them back here or was the killer already here? Are the murders related? Just because they all knew each other I happen to think doesn't make it automatic that they are. But certainly likely I admit."
He paused and we all looked at each other. Teddy had pretty much nailed it and that floored me for one and I could see Rose and Feelie and Kip and Derek and Jake ALL were impressed. I know I was. Brenda just sat beaming at her little rascal showing such perceptive ability...and nobody could blame her.
This was not the first time. When I discovered his artistic ability at the Book Store and told Frankie, we both were stunned...and pleasantly so.
"Got any hunches hawney," Feelie asked him.
"Not so much right now...just mostly questions."
and we all agreed that was where we were all at in this.
"Are we sure that Rick Longworth and the Woods twins are the only people who came here or came back here from California?" This again from Teddy."
"Sheriff Andy hasn't mentioned anyone else. But that doesn't mean, I suppose," this from Rose...
"No it certainly doesn't. Seems like a nice guy but let's face it. This is hardly Chicago and he is just a small-town sheriff in a very rural part of Michigan and I don't think he has ever handled a homicide case before."
This from Jake.
"No, and I think even he knows he is in way over his head. He will do his best, but..." This from Kenny.
"I think we need to bring in a couple of my boys from Memphis." This from Derek. "Subtly of course, no need to ruffle the sheriff's feathers, but he is gonna realize sooner or later that he needs help."
"If we make him feel included..."
"Right Rose."
We mulled that for a minute.
"Derek, you're right," I told him and he grabbed his cell and dialed. After a minute he got up and went back in the house.
"Okay...so we got reinforcements coming from M-town. But we got into this even if by accident and we need to do our part too," I said.
"Baby, I got an idea." This from Rico.
"Yeh?" I grinned at him.
"Yeh. We keep following up on these friends of Rick's and Frankie's. I don't get the impression that Andy is doing that. What you guys think?"
"Yeh," Rose countered.
"I have not heard so much as a consequential peep out of the sheriff as to following up on these bozo's."
"Ok, then. That is a go," this from Jake and Kenny simultaneously.
"Let me try Roger Wilder again, baby," Rico said and I nodded.
We sat quietly as I handed him my notes with the phone number and he dialed his cell,
Then someone answered.
"Mister Wilder?"
On my signal, the rest of us got up and headed to the kitchen to give Rico quiet and space. I knew he would nail what he could.
We stood around the big kitchen island, drinking our coffee and saying little to nothing. This was not usual for us. Showed how much this had all gotten to all of us. Derek came into the kitchen and told us there were three of his best people heading out and up our way. Be here sometime by morning. We all nodded and thanked him. Derek for his part had been keeping the FBI aspect of this low-key in deference to the sheriff. That is his natural bent to be sure. He always likes to utilize every resource he can...and local PD's are a prime resource to be sure. Even one in the boonies like this one.
Rico also came back into the kitchen and had just opened his mouth to speak when we all heard what we instantly knew were gunshots.
CONTINUE TO CHAPTER XXVI:
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