*** So far Miranda Jessup Buckley has been dumped, fired and left to handle her ex-lover's kid.  She thinks she's figured motherhood out and was rehired by a frazzled boss.  Now, she is slowly learning about Waylon, the boy and a bit about herself.

She has agreed to help her neighbor, Aaron Earl get his truck. But she has no idea he bought it from her nemesis, Missy Toblerone.***

 

 

 

Waylon climbs into the back seat of Aaron's new truck.  It is a nice truck.  There wasn't a speck of dirt on the outside or a grain of sand on the floormats.

 

"Dang, Aaron.  This is a nice truck. How are you going to afford the payments?"  I run my hand across the chocolate brown leather seat.

 

"You won't believe me when I tell you how much I got her for."

 

We get settled in and fasten our seat belts.  He puts the key in the ignition and it revs up nice and smooth.  He drives us slow by Mrs. Fine.  I wave real friendly like at her.  "Gosh, I hate that old bat."

 

I hear Waylon snicker behind me. "She tells me she's watching me every morning when I'm walking to the busstop," he says.

 

"Shoot, she watches everybody so don't go feeling too special."

 

Aaron looks over at me and I'm not sure if he's trying to flirt, is nervous or just realized he needs to use the bathroom.

 

"Aaron?  You need to tell me something?"

 

"I probably should have told you where we're going.   I'm feeling kinda bad now for not telling you."

 

I've got no patience for people who are afraid to just say what's on their minds.   My arms involuntarily fold across my middle.  It's defensive posturing or so I've been told.

 

"Now might be a good time to tell me then."

 

"Just know, if there was anyone else I could have asked, I would have."

 

"Spit it out or pull over."

 

"I bought it from Missy." He says the words fast like I might not catch what he says.

 

"You jack ass.  You know damn well how I feel about that - that murderer."

 

"I said I felt bad for not telling you. And it's only you and a handful of others who think she did something to him."

 

"That's because I know her, Aaron.  She's always been a manipulative, lying bitch."

 

Waylon leans forward.  "Who are y'all talking about."

 

Aaron looks at Waylon in the rear view mirror. "A real sweet girl who could melt butter when she talks to you.  Miranda, apparently, knows something about her that no one else does."

 

I drum my fingers anxiously on the door handle.  "Acid also melts things, Aaron. "

 

"So, you gonna tell us?" Waylon asks.

 

"It's not gonna be the same because you weren't there but here goes.  In the eleventh grade, Missy and I were both elected for Homecoming  Court.  Well, there could only be one from the grade so we were neck and neck.  I used to be pretty friendly with her.  But we weren't good friends.  I just never trusted her.  Gut feeling.   You know how that is."

 

'Did she win?  Is that what this is about?"  Waylon sighs and sits back.  

 

"She did but that's not the point of the story.  She had bought some weed and asked me to stow it in my locker.  Promised she'd share it with me.  And I did it.  But that very afternoon, surprise locker checks.  The bitch knew they'd be checking lockers.   She set me up."

 

Waylon popped up again suddenly interested.  "So, she got you in trouble, won the beauty pageant and you're still pissed about it."

 

"It wasn't a beauty pageant.  Homecoming was a way for your friends to show the school who they liked.  It wasn't based on grades or shit like that.  Your friends voted for you.  Meant a lot.  So, instead of being at the game and then the dance, I was at home suspended for a week."

 

"She ever apologize?" Aaron asks.

 

"She said that she went to them afterwards and told them it was hers but she said they didn't believe her."

 

"That could be true," Aaron says.

 

"She never did that.  She's a liar."

 

"Are you gonna kick her butt?"  Waylon says.

 

"No.  I'm gonna taunt her about killing her husband like I always do."

 

"I get that she narc'd on you but do you really think she killed someone?"

 

"I do.  And I'll tell you why.  She married Jason for his money.  Made no secret of that.   She was right up there with my ex-husband as far as fidelity went.  Then she goes out of town for the weekend all by herself.  Comes home to find Jason missing.  One tearful plea to the public for any information and that's it.  Wouldn't cooperate with police.  Wouldn't allow them into her home until they got a warrant.  To me, that's pretty damn suspicious."

 

"I'll admit it's weird behavior but it doesn't mean she killed him."

 

I study Aaron for a few seconds.  He's young, pretty niave and a bit of a tree hugger.  "I know why you don't believe it.  You don't think a woman is capable of murder, do you?"

 

"Some are, I guess.  Just don't want to think about any of the ones I know being capable."

 

We pull down the long driveway to Missy's very grand house.  

 

"Let's make this quick," I say, unbuckling my seat belt and hopping out.

 

Aaron nods and turns off the truck.

 

He runs up to the front door and rings the bell.  When she opens the door she looks over.  She starts walking towards me with that big plastic smile on her face.

 

"Oh, crap," Waylon says. "This is gonna be good."

 

To be continued...