He winked at me. “Are you gonna do the roller skating and singing tomorrow?”
“Probably. So we better come up with some great biscuit bowl ideas to compensate. I might still be able to roller-skate, but I’ve never been able to sing. And let’s not forget the taste challenge.”
We talked for another few moments, laying out some ideas on fillings for the biscuit bowls. I left him getting into the food truck with Ollie.
I needed to find one of the people in charge who could tell me about selling drinks tomorrow. The cool-down tent was already gone. Most of the stage and equipment was packed up, too. I couldn’t find Alex or any of the producers in the area. I had some phone numbers but wasn’t sure who to call. Making up the rules as they went along made it tough on the contestants.
I finally spotted the big RV that I knew Alex was traveling in. There was a line of expensive trailers, most elegantly appointed, as Chef Art’s was. They were completely out of the food truck league and weren’t intended to be part of that scene.
I knocked on Alex’s RV door. There was no answer. I didn’t know who the other RVs belonged to. I decided I would go and knock on each door until I found someone who could either answer my question about drinks or point me to someone who could.
I was walking along the side of Alex’s RV, almost reaching the back of the vehicle, when I heard someone talking. Thinking it was someone on a cell phone having a private conversation, I paused to let them finish.
“I don’t want to know the whole plan.” Alex’s voice sounded angry. “I paid you to take care of the problem. It was stupid to kill that food truck vendor.”
So Alex was involved with Reggie’s death? What plan was he talking about?
“It’s gonna be harder to make anything look like an accident now,” Alex continued. “The cops are all over. What were you thinking?”
There was a moment of silence as Alex was probably listening to the person speaking to him. I could hear him nervously pacing the street.
“Yeah, well, it better look right. If it looks suspicious in Columbia, the sponsors could stop the race. This is my best chance to make it happen.”
Time to panic!
Alex was talking about what had happened to Reggie in a way that sounded as though he was responsible. Even worse, it sounded like there could be more “accidents” to come.
I thought about Detective McSwain. I could tell him what I’d heard. He might not have jurisdiction in Columbia, but if he hurried, he could stop the problem in Charlotte.
Forgetting my need to know about soft drinks, I ran like a crazy person through the hot afternoon. The Biscuit Bowl was already gone from its location. The tow truck had taken the Dog House. There were only a few food trucks left on the street.
I spotted a group of uniformed police officers who were starting to direct traffic around the food trucks and the other RVs. Detective McSwain stood out among them in his dark blue sports coat and jeans.
“Detective.” I glanced uneasily across my shoulder when I finally reached him. “Could I have a word with you?”
“You’re free to go, Miss Chase.” He barely noticed me as he spoke to an officer.
“You don’t understand. I have something important to tell you about Reggie’s death. It can’t wait. You need to know before everyone leaves Charlotte.”
The detective shrugged and excused himself. “What is it, Miss Chase? Where’s your lawyer?”
“Look, I’m sorry. Miguel was only looking out for me.”
“Okay. What do you want to tell me?”
I explained the argument I’d overheard between Reggie and Alex. Then I carefully pointed out Alex Pardini’s RV where I’d heard him on the phone. “I think Reggie was murdered, and there may be more to come.”
He nodded, taking me seriously. “Did you actually see Mr. Pardini in the trailer with Johnson?”
“No,” I admitted. “But I recognized his voice. That was about an hour or so before we heard the refrigerator fall.”
He shook his head. “There may not be much I can do with this unless I get more evidence. You’re sure about what you heard Mr. Pardini say on the phone—and that it was him? Would you be willing to swear to that in court?”
I thought about what that could mean. Charlotte was a long ride from Mobile. I didn’t like Reggie, but he didn’t deserve to die in whatever game Alex was playing. “Yes.”
“Thanks for telling me. I’ll look into it.”
“Will you please keep my name out of it for now? I don’t want to be booted out of the race if Alex isn’t really involved.”
“Sure. I’ll ask a few questions, okay? Let me have your cell number so I can get in touch with you later.”
I gave him my business card. “I hope I’m wrong.”
He smiled. “You know, I get a lot of tips from people who overhear things or see things they aren’t supposed to. A lot of times that’s where convictions come from.”
I thanked him and went to find Miguel. I didn’t want to be standing there with the police when Detective McSwain went to talk to Alex.
I glanced around for Miguel. He was leaning against his older black Mercedes, talking to a very beautiful woman who looked elegant and cool in a green crepe dress, despite the heat.
She probably didn’t smell like biscuit bowls, either.
She laid her hand on his arm and lifted her chin as she smiled up into his handsome face. He smiled back as he looked deeply into her eyes.
I didn’t like the way this was going at all. Maybe I’d waited too long to make my move.
I stood off to the side until she left. I didn’t want to make it any worse by barging in like a total idiot. I didn’t want Miguel to think I was desperate or something. I was still going to have to drive to Columbia with him since the Biscuit Bowl was gone. There was nothing I could do but wait.
“Where have you been?” Miguel asked when the other woman was finally gone. “Were the police bothering you again?”
“No. It was just the opposite.” I explained what had happened as Miguel drove his car toward the interstate highway and Columbia.
I didn’t ask about her.
– – – – – – –
“Why would someone involved with the race want to kill off the contestants?”
We were gridlocked in heavy traffic leaving the city.
“I was wondering the same thing.” I longed to ask about his beautiful companion but couldn’t make the words come out of my mouth. We weren’t a couple yet. I had no claim on him. Besides, they were just talking.
And asking now would mean admitting that I’d seen them together and hadn’t casually walked over and spoken to them. I felt stupid either way. I wondered what Delia would have done in these circumstances.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Miguel continued about Reggie’s death. “The sponsors would lose their money and the charities wouldn’t get anything. The whole thing would be ruined.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to figure why people do the things they do.”
“I know.” He glanced at me as traffic began to pick up. “So, are you going to sell the food while you roller-skate and sing tomorrow?”
“Probably skate, if I can find a cheap pair of skates.” I felt so awkward even talking to him. “I don’t know about the singing.”
“Not a problem about the skates.” He inclined his head toward the backseat. “Compliments of the race. They gave out a pair of skates to each team. I went ahead and grabbed a pair in your size.”
“How did you know what size to get?”
He glanced at my feet. “I noticed when you kicked your shoes off in the car the other day. Six and a half, right?”
I arched my brows and smiled in what I hoped was a provocative manner. “It’s nice to be noticed.”
Ugh! That was awful.