Page 58 of Little Dark Deeds

“Aww, I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself,” Foley said.“She was a big girl.She made her own decisions.What else can you tell us about round two with Chad?”

“Chad thought things were going well the second time around, and then she met Tyler, and she ...well, dropped him to pursue Tyler.”

Foley slapped his knee.“Sounds like motive for murder to me.What’s your take on the guy?”

“He admitted the breakup was harder on him the second time than the first.And sure, he had motive.I’m just not sure he has the temperament to commit murder, though.He seems too soft.”

“So did Jeffrey Dahmer.People described him as quiet and polite.And yeah, the guy was socially awkward, so much so that people didn’t see him as threatening.”

“And then when that kid escaped in ’91, cops found out Dahmer had murdered seventeen people,” Whitlock added.

I sighed.“I get it.I didn’t say I’d ruled him out yet.The fact is, we have several people to focus on right now.”

“We weren’t trying to give you a hard time,” Whitlock said.

“I know.”

Foley’s cell phone buzzed.He pulled it from his pocket and turned toward us, saying, “Be right back.”

He went inside the house, returning less than a minute later.

“That was fast,” I said.

“It was your sister, Phoebe.I’m late for dinner.”

“I’m sure she understands.”

“Of course she does.She’s far more understanding than she should be.Still, we should wrap up and reconvene later.”

“Before you go, there’s something I haven’t mentioned yet, or rather, someone.I’ll be right back.”

I walked to my bedroom, lifted my handbag off the doorknob, and met them both in the kitchen.I placed the bag on the counter, pulling out the envelope inside.

“What do you have there?”Foley asked.

“It just might be the best piece of information I’ve received all day.When I visited Jana, she was standoffish at first, but by the end of our conversation, she came around.I asked her how she knew about Tyler’s affair.Turns out, someone left this envelope under one of her windshield wipers.”

“What’s in the envelope?”Whitlock asked.

“Photos of Tiffany and Tyler—photos proving he was having an affair.”

“Any idea who left them on her car?”

“Queenie said she saw a man taking photos of the two of them across the street from Tiffany’s house one night,” I said.“He drove a black truck.She didn’t get a good look at him.”

“It’s a start,” Foley said.

“Also, in terms of suspects, there was a divorce case Tiffany was working on several months ago that just wrapped up a few weeks ago.I remember the case.We talked about it a few times.It was hard on her, but she did end up winning the case.Her client’s husband didn’t take the loss well.According to Chad, he confronted Tiffany and threatened to ruin her life.”

Foley and Whitlock nodded, exchanging worrisome glances.

“How long ago?”Foley asked.

“It was after the case came to an end, so it hasn’t been long.It’s something to consider, though.If this disgruntled man wanted payback, a good place to start is by alerting Jana to the fact her husband was cheating.It would have blown up Tiffany’s world, to find out the man she knew and loved had been lying to her all along.”

“Do you have a name?”

“I will tomorrow.Once you’ve looked them over, will you pass them on to Silas?”