Page 86 of Death on Gallows Path

“Should be there in a couple hours.”

“Great. I also picked up more on Bryon Georger. Word is he hasn’t been officially charged. They have time before they have to make that decision. Some said seventy-two hours — that was talk around town, not legal opinions. Speaking of legal, he has a lawyer. But the grapevine says he’s cooperating.”

“What about the suitcase? Was he trying to leave the area?”

“Nope. Going to stay at a hotel.” She snorted. “That doesn’t stop loose lips around town from saying Zoley kicked him out because she knew — or strongly suspected — he killed Damon.

“But I heard from two people at yoga class, along with Ruby at the Post Office, that he wasn’t kicked out. He chose to leave. Word is, they had an argument yesterday, over Pammy being there.”

“You’ve been busy.”

“That’s just the start. Glenn Selka called back. He’d heard of Damon and knew his reputation, but never had dealings with him. They’re not in the same business universe. That’s not Glenn saying that. That’s me. Glenn said people who knew he was from here brought up Damon, with nothing positive to say.”

“That matches what Rich said.”

“And Urban. Gundy—” That was Gundy Vance, owner of Shep’s Market. “—agrees, though lacking details. He kept saying all he knew were rumors. I kept telling him any hint could point us in a direction or eliminate other directions.”

“What were the rumors?”

“Pretty much what we’ve already heard. Damon sucking in people, taking their money, then saying it was gone. Some tried to get their money back, but it was like it fell into a black hole.”

“I wonder if Pammy could shed light on that. We need to talk to her and Zoley again. Might be harder with Bryon being questioned. Closing the gates, being more defensive.”

“We’ll get to them,” Clara said confidently. “I was thinking about them and a classic movie I saw with the idea of people swapping murders. Each would kill the other’s victim, so the one with a motive has a rock-solid alibi for that murder, then vice versa.”

I knew that movie.

“Except they don’t have alibis and the idea was two strangers doing that. If Pammy and Zoley killed each other’s husbands, their friendship would draw attention to them. After all, the movie title isn’t Best Friends on a Train.”

“That wasn’t the title of the movie I saw.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Alfred Hitchcock’s movie was Strangers on a Train, based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel.”

“No, that wasn’t it, either. Though I think train was in the title. It had that short guy and Billy Crystal.”

I didn’t think of Billy Crystal as a candidate for the NBA, so, who—? “Danny Devito? Throw Momma from the Train?”

“That’s it. That’s the movie. But you’re right. It doesn’t fit, because neither Zoley nor Pammy is completely crazy.”

I was stuck on her describing the movie as a classic.

We wrapped up the call, leaving me to drive past gentle hills and stretches of farm fields in southeastern Indiana, while stuck on the one line from Clara’s movie I remembered.

Just meet her. Maybe she’d be somebody you’d like to kill.

Seemed like a fair number of people reacted that way to meeting Damon Swindell.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

I reached Francisville Pizza first.

Clara had called me when I was about a half hour away, saying we’d meet Willow there — before dog training for us and an evening class for her.

My early arrival meant I got our order in and staked out the newer of two picnic tables near the north parking lot. The view wasn’t great, but at least it changed frequently, because the food being significantly better than the décor made it a popular place.

I received the message our order was ready as Clara arrived. Perfect timing. She held the table while I retrieved our meal.

When I returned, Willow was also there.