So far, Miranda checks out the area where Dougie's truck was found over a year ago. She is determined to find out what happened to him. She gets pulled over for speeding by Mitch. Then he follows her to town.

**********************************

It's bad enough that Mitch pulls me, lectures me, then follows me into town, but he follows me with the lights flashing. I really don't care while we're on the lonely stretch of road, but the closer we get to town, the more annoyed I get.

People are stopping to watch as I make sure to do exactly the speed limit with the light show behind me. If my speedometer shows one mile over the set limit, I hit the brakes, just so he has to.

Then I decide to pretend I'm in the world's shortest parade. I wave at all I pass by. Some wave back, but most just stare. Around Patterson, not a whole lot happens. We get an occasional murder but other than that it's pretty quiet. So, in my own way, my little parade route is giving the good folks of this county a little something to talk about. And talk they will.

I pull into the parking lot of The Little Eagle Gas and Go, ease into a parking space and turn off the car. I watch as Mitch drives slowly by and he has the nerve to blow me a kiss.

Guess what I did.

There is one car, other than Rita's, in the parking lot. Thank goodness.

Rita looks over at me as I rush through the door.

"Was that Mitch?" she asks.

"Yes. Yes, it was."

"Why did he have his lights on? And why are you late?"

"Don't ask and long story. Did I miss anything?" I grab the stupid vest with the ugly Eagle on the back and slip my arms into the sleeves.

"Not really." She looks down at her hand then starts tapping her nails on the counter.

Now, the Rita I know would be eagerly pumping me for details about the police escort and the lateness. But I can see she's preoccupied.

"What's wrong with you?"

She smiles but it looks like it pains her to do so.

"Okay. Suit yourself. I'll go check the restrooms and let you sit here."

I start around the counter but I hear a sigh come from her. I look over. Her lips are turned down and she looks, well, she looks pitiful.

"What's wrong?"

"I think Bill is, uh," she says, her words barely audible as her bottom lip quivers. "I think he's seeing somebody."

My first instinct is to tell her if she feels that, it's probably true. I wish someone had been that blunt with me. It would have saved me a lot of heartache. But this is Rita, my polar opposite. So, I do what any good friend does, I lie about my feelings on the subject.

"Bill? Cheat on you? That's silly."

She looks up, eyes brimming but hopeful. "You really think I'm being silly?"

"Yes. But, first, tell me why you think he's stepping out on you?"

"He's been coming home really late."

"Maybe he's getting overtime."

She shakes her head. "I thought that at first. But when I say late, Miranda, he's not getting home until after three in the morning."

"Does he have a drinking problem?"

"No."

I watch as she tries to keep herself from crying. It makes me think about all those nights Farley would come home late, tiptoeing into the bedroom, slinking into the bed because he thought I was asleep. I should have sat up and confronted him. That might have saved me years of humiliation and deception. But, I didn't. I just laid there in my bed, next to that deceitful bastard, all wrapped up in a blanket of lies.

"Rita, have you asked him?"

A single tear tolls down her cheek. "No. I'm afraid to."

"Afraid? You think he'll hit you?"

"No. I'm afraid he'll confess. I don't want to lose him, Miranda. I love him too much."

I nod. I want to tell her it's not love if you have to look the other way.

**********************************

I call home on my lunch break. Waylon answers, then proceeds to chew into the phone.

"Can you stop eating for a second. Did you grab the mail by any chance?"

"Yeah. You got another letter from the Women's Correctional Center."

"Toss it with the others." I roll my eyes thinking about Missy and her delusional pen pal fantasy. "Anything else? "

"Piggly Wiggly ad, cable bill and two things addressed to resident."

"Okay. Just put them on the kitchen counter. How was school?"

"Dragon lady got socked in the tits."

I smile, thankful that Waylon can't see me. "Oh no. What happened?"

"She was trying to separate two girls who were fighting. One of them swung and Dragon lady's boobs got in the way. She crumpled like a paper bag."

I close my eyes and picture my ex-mother-in-law going down for the count. "Well, hope she wasn't hurt too bad."

He laughs into the phone. "Yeah, right."

"No comment. Make sure you lock up when it gets dark, okay?"

"Got it."

"See you when I get home."

I stir the soup I brought for my break and sit back in the chair. My life might not be perfect, but it's never dull.

As much as I want to find out what happened to Dougie, I have another pressing mystery to solve ... for Rita. Is Bill stepping out? And, if he is, God help him if I find out.