To whom it may concern: This evening I’m headed back down to the Linc, the very place where Eagles dare, on Sunday, to clinch the NFC championship. By my side is my faithful companion Lupe, who is expert at working the crowds. Even a crowd as hostile as the one I’m about to face.
Yeah, it’s safe to say the Birds ain’t gonna be happy to see me. I am definitely a distraction they don’t need.
But you know what? I don’t give a shit. I’ve got questions that demand answers. Questions for Mr. James “Jimmy” Tua. Specifically, this: Why were you fooling around with your best friend’s wife just three days before he was murdered? As the kids say, it’s not a good look.
What do we know about Jimmy Tua? For one, he’s kind of a genius. Scratch that—he’s a certified genius. Victor found the test results and everything. And that high-powered mind is encased in two hundred and seventy pounds of sheer muscle.
So you’d think a big guy with a big brain would know better than to step out with his bestie’s best girl. Especially in public.
Yeah, I know. Chestnut Street was dark, and it was sort of late…for the Quaker City, anyway. But still, you’re two of the most recognizable figures in Philly, and you’re out canoodling in public?
Francine and Jimmy had to know what they were doing. Which tells me that they’d reached a point in their affair when they really didn’t care if anyone saw them or not. You don’t go waving matches and a can of gasoline around unless you’re ready to burn the house down.
There are more pieces on the board than anyone is willing to acknowledge. We’ve got Francine and Jimmy and, possibly, Archie and Maya. Though Francine and Maya don’t act as if they’re opponents on the battlefield of love. They’re downright chummy, in fact.
So maybe Archie and Francine were going to separate amicably, and their new lovers were waiting in the wings? That’s right, ladies and germs, an Eagles pun. But if that’s the case, who killed Archie? And did it have anything to do with Francine and Jimmy Tua?
There are at least two people who know the truth about them. One of them just made bail and has clammed up on the advice of her attorney—i.e., my employer. The other is currently practicing for one of the most important games of his career. And I’m about to ruin his day.