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“No, not yet. We’ve talked to everyone we could find. A few people heard the bang of the collision, and a few people saw the other vehicle – another pickup truck, black – but it sped off before anyone could get a good video of it.”
“Damn it! How many dented black trucks are in this town? Somebody tried to kill us, Sheriff.”
“First, we’re looking at black trucks in the area, but there’s no proof it’s still in town or visible from the street. Second, we don’t know if it was done on purpose. It could have been just a normal, run-of-the-mill hit-and-run. Happens all the time.”
“Right after somebody is murdered in my hay maze? And that person turns out to be one Jeremy Prada, who ran a Ponzi scheme?”
“How did you know about that?”
“Molly told me. She wasn’t involved in it, and left him because he was basically as weasel wearing a man suit. But he was a con man, Sheriff. I think he conned the wrong person this time.” Grace put a hand to shield her eyes. “Would you mind dimming the light? My head is killing me.”
Maverick did as she was requested.
“How did he die, anyway? Was he shot? Stabbed?” Grace asked.
Maverick shook her head. “We’re withholding releasing that information until after the autopsy report comes in. Listen, I heard you’ve been to see Ginny Windom.”
“Wow, news travels at the freaking speed of light in this town. Yes, we went to her store. Vintage stuff from the eighties. Really cool. I bought a pair of leg warmers. They’re in the truck if you don’t believe me.”
“I know all about the leg warmers. Are you saying you wandered into her store completely by accident? Ginny also happened to have invested with Albert Herves in Jeremy Prada’s Ponzi scheme. Listen, your alibi and Molly’s have proved out, but there’s still a time gap you can’t account for. You both say you were sleeping, and I’m inclined to believe you, especially after today’s accident. But if I catch you trying to run your own investigation and getting in the way of mine, I’ll haul your ass in so fast you’ll break the sound barrier.”
Grace frowned. “So what are we supposed to do? Just sit around and wait for somebody to kill us, too?”
“Why would anybody want to kill you?”
“Because they think Molly knows more than she does. Like who was in on the Ponzi scheme with Jeremy? Or that she was in it with him and knows where the money is buried?”
“Does she?”
“Of course not!” Grace huffed.
“I really don’t, Sheriff,” Molly said, appearing in the opening of the cubicle. Her arm was wrapped in bright purple plaster gauze.
“Oh, hon. It was broken, huh?” Grace asked.
“Yeah. Six weeks in a cast, I’m afraid,” Molly answered. She looked at the sheriff. “I really don’t know anything. WhenI found out Jeremy was conning people, I left him. I haven’t spoken to him in a year. I heard he was in trouble with the Ponzi scheme thing from my folks, who still live in Denver. If you really want to know, I don’t even understand what a Ponzi scheme is — I don’t even know what a Ponzi is. It sounds like some sort of exotic fruit.”
Sheriff Maverick sighed. “It’s when you take on investors promising high returns with little risk, then bring in new investors and usetheirmoney to pay the old investors. It takes more and more investors to pay the existing investors, and eventually, the system collapses. The people running it are the only ones who make money, and maybe the first or second tier of investors. It’s named after a guy named Charles Ponzi.”
“See? I had no idea.” Molly sat on the edge of Grace’s bed.
“How did you find out about Ginny Windom?” Maverick asked Molly.
“From my roommates. And you might as well know my folks made some money with him. They didn’t know it was a Ponzi scheme – they thought the investments were legitimate. I talked to them after I heard the news from my roommates.”
“I want a list of other names your folks may have mentioned as having invested with Prada.”
Molly nodded. “Sure. It’s not a long list.” She turned to Grace. “They released me last night. Are they going to keep you another night?”
Well, that answered the question of how long Grace had been in the ER. “Nope. I’m being set free. I have a prescription to pick up at the pharmacy, then I’m out of here.”
Molly smiled. “Good. I’m glad.”
Maverick cleared her throat. “I spoke to your two roommates, Molly. They confirmed you were in the house the night of the murder, but they don’t seem too thrilled with you going back there.”
“I’m not. I’m staying with Grace at Zoe and Emily Callahan’s house until I can find an apartment.”
Maverick cocked an eyebrow. “Really? Are you moving in together already? I thought you just met the day of the murder?”
