Page 89 of Little Last Words
“A ring? What ring? I didn’t give her a ring.”
“It had to have been you.”
“I’m telling you, it wasn’t.”
He walked me to the door and opened it and then thumbed in the direction of Penelope’s place. Patrol cars were parked out front.
“Any idea what’s going on over there now?” he asked.
“No, but I’m about to find out.”
CHAPTER35
Iapproached Whitlock, who was standing in Penelope’s front yard talking to Officer Higgins. Higgins went inside the house, and Whitlock turned toward me.
“What are you all doing here?” I asked.
He smiled and said, “Foley wants us to go back over the place one more time.”
“You’re looking for the ring, aren’t you?”
“Among other things. What are your thoughts about Penelope’s friend saying a neighbor gave it to her?”
“Until now, I thought Jack Becker gave it to her.”
“Why?”
“Because they were spotted at a diner together, and he just admitted he’s known Penelope since the year she graduated from high school. They spent a romantic weekend together back then.”
Whitlock’s eyes widened. “Well, I’ll be. What a rascal. He didn’t mention anything about it when we spoke to him before. I wonder why.”
“I’m not sure. He told me they’d lost touch over the years, and he hadn’t seen or spoken to her in a long time. He was shocked when she moved in across the street. They started hanging out, and their romance reignited.”
“Did you ask him about the ring?”
“I did. He said he didn’t give it to her.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I do,” I said.
“Why?”
“I’ve been struggling to reconcile what I now believe is the truth about what happened to Penelope and why. I see what I didn’t want to see before.”
“You’re talking like you’ve solved the case.”
“I believe I have.”
Whitlock rubbed his hands together, grinning like a child who’d just been given a lollipop. “Tell me more.”
“I’ll explain everything. I need to confirm my suspicions first, and … I need a favor.”
“Anything. I’m your man.”
I pointed at one of the houses on the street. “If I don’t walk out that door in the next ten minutes, come over and check on me.”
“I’m not sure where you’re going with this, but to hell with the ten minutes. Allow me to accompany you now.”