Selena watched Amanda’s hands.They had stopped moving.
“When did Marlene tell you this?”
“A couple of weeks ago.Maybe a bit more,” she answered.
“Did she ever say anything about Carl Higgins coming to see Victor?”
Amanda’s brow furrowed.“Oh, yeah, she mentioned Carl threatening Victor or something.But I don’t know anything more than that.”
Selena made another note.“When you heard Victor had been killed, what did you think?”
Amanda’s eyes lifted to hers.
“I was worried for Marlene.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew her little plan, you see.”Amanda looked down, then back up.“And I’m sure you fancy FBI agents have already worked it out.”
Selena did not blink.She had to go along with it to see what she could uncover.“That’s right.That’s what I wanted to ask you.Whether you knew she followed through.”
“I know she did.”
Selena kept her face still.Amanda thought she was confirming something.Good.
“Tell me exactly what happened.”Selena waited, trying not to seem too eager.
Amanda shifted in the chair.“She took the kids to her mother’s in Lexington, like she said.Dropped them off.Then drove back.”
“To Elmsview?”
“Yeah.”
"That's a six-hour round trip.What time did she come back at?"
“She left her mom’s after dinner.It’s about three hours, maybe a little less if you push it.”
This is it, Selena thought.
Selena calculated quickly.“Why did she come back?”
“To catch Victor in the act with his piece on the side.”
“Did she say that?”
“Yes.She said she couldn’t live not knowing.She wanted to walk in and see it for herself, or maybe scare the woman off, or maybe make Victor admit it.She was angry.Hurt.Mostly hurt.”
“Did Marlene call you after she got back into town?”
“No.”
“Text?”
Amanda hesitated.
Selena let the silence work.
“Around eleven-thirty,” Amanda said.“She texted that his car was home.”
