Chapter 80
CHAPTER
NASH WAS BEHIND AND TO the left of Rhett as he knocked on the door of Nash’s childhood home. He heard footsteps coming and tensed. He had formulated a plan, an absurdly tricky one timing-wise, and he just hoped to hell it worked, or else it was all over.
The door opened and there she was. She looked at Rhett first and then when her gaze caught on Nash, he immediately shook his head and mouthed the words, You’ve never seen me.
She froze but only for a moment.
“Yes?” she said, looking back at Rhett. And then Parker flinched, and Nash knew it was because she had just recognized a man whom Nash now knew the woman loathed.
“Are you Rosie Parker?”
“Yes. What is this about?”
“Walter Nash worked for me, and we were trying to see if we could find him.”
“Well, if the police can’t, I’m not sure how you can.”
“Might we come in?”
Her eyes drifted to Nash, who once more shook his head.
“No, I’m getting ready to go out. I don’t have time.”
“Okay,” said Rhett as he took the letter out. “Walt’s father wrote him this letter before he died. He said that if Walt ever needed help he should get in touch with a guy named Shock, who was apparently his father’s friend. He’s a big Black guy. Do you know him?”
Parker again looked at Nash, and he shook his head.
To her quick-witted credit, Parker also subtly moved to her right to block the view of the framed photo on the wall that Nash had seen on his last visit here, of Ty Nash and Shock. “I don’t know anyone named Shock.”
“But that was just a nickname.”
“I still don’t know him.”
“But I understood that he was at the funeral service. This big Black guy who said some nasty things about Walt. That had to be this Shock guy. Weren’t you at the funeral?”
Parker didn’t chance looking at Nash again. “Of course, yes, that’s right, a tall Black man. He did say some terrible things about Walter at the service. I guess I’d just blocked it out of my mind. It was awful.”
“But you don’t know who he is?” asked Rhett.
“No, I mean he’s never been around here before. Ty obviously knew him, but I only knew Ty for two years before he died. I didn’t get a chance to meet most of his old friends.”
“Did his father ever mention any of his son’s friends?”
“They were estranged. Ty never spoke about him.”
Rhett looked crestfallen and slipped the letter back into his pocket. “Yeah, Walt did mention that to me. Okay, um, well, I guess that’s it.” He handed her a business card. “But if anything should occur to you, please call me. I will make it worth your while.”
She nodded curtly and shut the door.
Once they were back in the car Rhett turned to Nash. “Did it seem like she was acting a little odd?”
“Well, I think I would have acted a little odd if someone had shown up on my doorstep and started asking those sorts of questions.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But that’s okay. My private detectives will be able to track this Shock guy down.”
“And then what?”
“And then we pay him a visit.”
“You want to find Nash so the cops can arrest him?”
“If he did what he’s accused of, he should be in prison.”
“How often do you go over and check on his wife?”
Now Rhett gave Nash a dark stare. “You just pay attention to your job, Dillon. And I’ll worry about everything else. Understood?”
“Understood, Mr. Temple.”
Rhett glared at him for a moment before gunning the engine, and the Porsche’s turbos accelerated the car like a badass with a purpose.