Page 63 of Blink of an Eye
"That'snotofficial department policy," Susan said. "And yes, the statute has passed for you too, Eleanor."
"And before you ask, I didn't tell anybody because I was already in so much trouble for wrecking that dang Buick! My daddy would have grounded me for the rest of my life if he knew I'd deliberately run a man down!"
Mr. Oliver hugged her. "You are the bravest woman in the world. I'm so proud you're going to be my wife."
Congratulations started flowing, so I waited a few moments to steer the conversation back on track.
"Uncle Mike? Do you want to add anything?"
"I may as well," he said, giving me a long, steady look. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Tess."
I just nodded.
Uncle Mike told the room about finding the three women, all unconscious, in the yard. About his friend, the medic. About Beau calling to say he was driving Earl to the bus stop in Orlando.
"So I went outside, after Eleanor's folks took her home and after Ruby and Lorraine were asleep, and I kicked the hell out of a hay bale, hoping to blow off some of the rage I felt over what that man did."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Did it work?"
"No, it didn't. But I guess you've had enough experience to know that."
Susan stretched out her legs and sighed. "Tess, this is all very interesting, but all you've told us so far is whodidn'tkill Earl. This isn't exactly the big reveal we were hoping for."
Nigel stood up to his full nine feet in height. "That's me. I'm the big reveal."
"You know who killed Earl?"
He nodded slowly. "Yes, actually. I did."
19
"No you did not," I said firmly. "Please, just tell everyone what you told us."
Erin touched his hand and nodded her encouragement and, whatever else you could say about her, it was clear she really loved Nigel.
First, he sketched out a picture of his gambling establishment. How he'd gotten in trouble letting people like Earl run up bills. At that, he gave me an apologetic glance.
"I'm sorry I lied to you, Tess. I was afraid you'd decide I must have killed Earl."
I grinned. "You should have known how trustworthy somebody who made the best pirouette in the five-to-seven-years class would be."
Jack pointed at Aunt Ruby. "Pictures. I want to see all the pictures."
"Getting back to thestory," I said.
Nigel cleared his throat. "Well. I was in trouble. And Earl owed me nearly ten thousand dollars."
Lorraine gasped. "Ten thousand dollars? I thought it was five! How did he ever think he was going to pay that off on our salaries?"
Nigel's ears drooped, and his shoulders slumped. "I know. I'm sorry. My ancestors in the Stone Clan know better, but the Mountain Clan is known for their greed. I was not the best person back then, profiting off the gambling addictions of others."
"Well, notprofitingso much, it sounds like," Andy pointed out, and a few people chuckled.
Even Nigel cracked a faint smile. "Yes, as you say. Then we come to that evening. I drove over to the apartments, because I'd heard the Petersons had fired Earl, and I wanted my money before he tried to run away. When I got there, Earl was wounded. Badly, although I had no idea what had happened to him."
He nodded at Aunt Ruby and Eleanor. "Now I learn it was by car and pitchfork. But he was bleeding a lot, from his head and his back, and he was drunk, and he was so furious it was like he had completely lost his sanity."
He shuddered, and even his ears shook. "He was roaring about 'those awful women' and how he'd show them and—worst of all—he was waving a large handgun around."
