The Dead and the Dreamer

John pulled himself up onto his feet. How would Brad know, he wondered. Was he that good of a listener? He walked back to where Tammy stood and told her what he had found.

"You're going to tell your friend the lieutenant aren't you?" she asked.

"First thing Monday morning. I'm scheduled to meet with him to talk about the accident anyway," he told her.

John closed the fence and made sure the padlock was locked. The fat guy gave them a steady stare as they passed on the way to the Jeep. When he held the door open for her, she asked, "Who'd cut the line like that?"

John went around to his side. "You can't think of anyone who might have had it in for Michael?"

Tammy was silent as he drove the Jeep out to Cedar Road and was still silent when they turned north onto Battlefield Boulevard. "There was this one band," she finally said.

John listened. God, she was beautiful.

"They're called Candy Pop. I know it's a stupid name but hear me out. They would always argue with Michael." She was playing with her fingernails again the same way she did the first time he met her in his office just three days ago.

The light changed to green and John turned the Jeep towards the bridge. "Argue about what?" he asked.

"Everything. I think they thought he wasn't holding up his end of their arrangement. They wanted more work and more recording projects. I guess they felt he wasn't doing all that he could have been doing for them."

"What's your take?"

"About what?"

John was thinking about more than one thing. Their kiss had his mind spinning. He really did not know what to do about it. Should he bring it up? Try again? Was she just emotional? "You think they're worth questioning?" he finally asked.

"I think so," she said. "Wouldn't hurt. Do whatever you think. I just don't want the police to link me to anything."

John checked his rearview mirror and changed lanes.

"Deep down I kind of had a feeling."

"'Bout what?"

"'Bout Michael," she said.

"What kind of feeling? Good? Bad?"

"I can't put my finger on it right now. It was just something that would always rub me the wrong way. You know how when you're with someone and you think you know them and then every once in a while they make an odd decision or comment."