not relevant. Suffice to say, unless you plan to arrest me or Stuart Telarday, Iâm shocked-out.â
âHmm.â
âYou donât, do you?â
âNot quite yet, but we appreciate your continued cooperation.â
My insides churned. Iâd have preferred a definite âno.â
As the detective wrapped up, he confirmed what Tom told me. The police questioned everyone in the Tavern before allowing them to leave the night beforeâthough it wasnât clear if anything there was related to Ellieâs death. Theyâd also be contacting anyone they knew of whoâd been in the Tavern earlier in the evening.
Back at my hotel room shortly before five, I arranged dinner via text message with Stuart, whoâd left the police station only minutes before me. Then I sat on the side of my bed and stared at my phone. Iâd made my apologies to the LinkTime Corvette team in person after the race, but I owed Miles Hanson a callâdriver to driver, no teams, media, or assistants in the way. I admitted to myself that I dreaded reaching out because I didnât know how heâd respond.
I cracked the knuckles on my free hand while I rang the number Iâd gotten from his team. My heart was in my throat, which annoyed me. Heâs simply another driver, and the accident was his fault, too . I slumped in relief when voicemail picked up.
âHi, Miles, itâs Kate Reilly. I, uh, wanted to call and see how you were doing, and apologize for my part in this. Seemed to me like a racing incidentâlike we both should have known better in the rain, right? Anyway, I hope youâre healing well, and Iâm really sorry to hear youâre going to be out of your Cup car for a couple weeks. Take care.â
That duty done, a little more weight dropped off my shoulders.
Zeke Andrews, my long-time friend, surrogate big-brother, and racing mentor, was the next person I dialed. Heâd messaged me earlier in the day wondering if I was free for lunch and saying heâd seen me the night before at Siebkens talking to the police. I reached him waiting for a plane at the Milwaukee airport and explained the situation.
âAt least Iâm not a murder suspect this time around,â I assured him. I hoped.
âI should hope not. Iâm sorry we couldnât grab lunch, since Rosalieâs with me.â
âI canât believe I missed her.â I hadnât seen Zekeâs wife in three years.
âShe was only around last night, but you can see her at Petit.â
I was surprised. Iâd never seen Rosalie at the races. âI thought she hated crowds.â
âSo did I.â He didnât elaborate because he was called to board. We agreed to talk later in the week.
While I was in an explaining mood, I called my grandparents. Theyâd caught the news item about a death in Elkhart Lake after the race, but they hadnât realized âHelen Prescottâ was the Ellie Grayson weâd all known.
âThat poor girl,â Gramps muttered. âVivien, you remember little Ellie?â
I heard Grandmother saying indistinguishable words in the background.
âI know she was an adult by then, but they were all little to us. Besides, she was the sunniest little thing.â
âGramps.â I reclaimed his attention. âShe was taller than you.â
âYou know what I mean, Katie. How are you taking her loss? I donât remember you seeing her recently. Did you keep in touch?â
âI hadnât seen her since we all went different directions. I was the only one who kept racing. Iâm sad we wonât have a chance to be friends again. Sorry for what could have been.â
âWell, now, thatâs life youâre talking about. You keep your head up, Katie. Donât let those turkeys get you down.â Grampsâ parting shot made me smile.
I had enough time to shower before meeting Holly and Stuart at the
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