Page 32 of Amazing Grace

“It would go much better for you if you turned yourself in. You were hurt by that asshole, Jeremy Prada, just as much as everyone else. And you got caught up in a bunch of gossip, most of which wasn’t true. It’s better to turn yourself in, take your licks, and then get on with your life.”

Bridget nodded, then slowly removed her apron. “I’ll need to tell Sondra.”

“We’ll go. No need for you to have to see Molly again, even though she’s innocent in all of this.”

“Thank you, Ms. Grace. Really. I appreciate it. I’ve been living with the guilt, and it’s been eating me alive. I’m really sorry I hurt you and Molly.”

Grace nodded, and quickly towel dried her hair. It hung in dark blond tangles around her face. “It’s better this way.”

Chapter 13

“So, Bridget McBain was the one who rammed your truck and hurt the two of you?” Emily asked.

They were sitting around the dining room table. Zoe had made coffee, and Lily was asleep upstairs in her crib. Now Zoe was pacing, obviously furious on their behalf, and Emily was digging to find out more information. “And you just let her go?”

“We didn’t. She’s going to turn herself in,” Grace explained.

“So she says. What if she doesn’t?”

Grace held up a hand. “Then I’ll go to Sheriff Maverick. Listen, because of Jeremy Prada’s lies, she’s ruined her life. Leaving the scene of an accident, especially after causing bodily injury, is a felony. I didn’t tell her that, but she’s probably facing jail time or, at the very least, probation. Her life will never be the same after this.”

“Well, she deserves it. She could’ve killed you both!” Emily exclaimed.

“Shh… You’ll wake the baby,” Zoe chided. She kissed her wife on the cheek to soften the admonishment. Then she turned to Grace. “Emily is right, though. You got a concussion and assorted bruises, and poor Molly broke her arm.”

“We know. But knowing who hit us and why takes a load off my mind,” Molly said. “Now I don’t need to be afraid that somebody’s going to ram my truck while I’m driving around town.”

“Do you think she did it? Bridget? Do you think she killed Jeremy?” Emily asked.

“No,” Grace said. “She was deeply in love with him. I think his death pushed her over the edge. She blamed Molly for it.”

“She also may think Anna Bonnet Sanders did it. She was having an affair with Jeremy,” Molly put in.

“Anna does have a temper,” Zoe said. “Remember how she stormed out of this house the other day? Yelling and slamming doors?”

“Maybe, but I don’t know if she would be capable of cold-blooded murder. She loved Jeremy. That’s why she got so angry.” Grace sat back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. “We still have to talk to Albert Herves. He’s the last one on our list.”

“I wonder if he owns a gun?” Molly asked.

“Why? Just because he’s a man? Lots of women own them and are proficient with them, too,” Emily countered.

“That’s true,” Molly said. “I just want this to be over. I want to find out who did it so we can get on with our lives.”

Just then, Grace’s cell phone rang. She answered it. “Hello?”

“Hello, Ms. Conroy. This is Sheriff Maverick.:

“Oh, hello, Sheriff.”

“I just wanted to let you know Bridget came in and confessed. Know anything about it?”

“She did? Yes, I knew about it. I’m just surprised Bridget came in so quickly. I know I promised not to interfere, but we went in for a haircut. Sondra, the manager, mentioned that Bridget had an accident and totaled her truck – her black truck -- and needed to take public transportation to work, which was why she was late. When Bridget saw Molly and asked me about her, it came out about how much Bridget hated Molly and believed Molly was still having an affair with Jeremy before he died. I put two and two together, and when I asked, sheconfessed everything. I told her the best thing she could do for herself was to turn herself in.”

“I ought to haul your ass in for interfering with my investigation.”

“But I helped!”

“Stop helping. That’s the only reason I’m letting you off the hook this time.”

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