Chapter 36
After calling Sergio to inform him that Gemma was offering herself as Carrie’s alibi and that according to her trust-worthy daughter there was no way Carrie was directly involved in the death of Mickey Pritchett, Hayley showered, applied a little mascara, and brushed out her hair. Then she rummaged through her closet for a dressy sweater to wear to the concert. Her mind wasn’t on her appearance at all because she was too consumed by Gemma’s admission. The facts of the case kept swirling about in her head, making her more and more confused as to who could’ve done it.
She did a quick once-over in the mirror, grabbed her bag, and walked out of the bedroom.
Dustin was in his room doing his homework, which was due in the morning. Hayley stopped.
Where was she? In an alternate universe? Dustin doing his homework?
She decided not to question it. She just kissed him lightly on the forehead.
He squirmed, irritated, like most teenage boys do, and she gently patted his back before heading out.
She was at the top of the staircase and stopped suddenly.
She heard a song.
But it wasn’t from Hairspray.
Gemma and Reid had stopped watching the movie and turned off the TV.
No, this was a live performance.
Someone in her living room strumming a guitar.
Obviously Reid.
He was singing Gemma a song.
It was a quiet ballad.
Strangely familiar.
About a woman in love with a man.
And how she gets the man to fall in love with her by cooking for him.
And how the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.
Wait.
She had heard this song before.
Wade sang it to her in his dressing room.
Reid continued singing the chorus.
The way to a man’s heart.
And then he segued into another refrain.
How the man couldn’t stop thinking about the woman’s food.
And how she put so much tender loving care into each and every dish, it was as if they were her own children.
And how a man like him couldn’t help but fall in love with a woman like that.
And how, when you’ve found someone you love that much, there’s always room for dessert.
Reid sang the chorus again. “The way to a man’s heart . . .”
This was Mickey Pritchett’s song.
The one he wrote and submitted to Wade.
But Wade had yet to record it or even perform it because he said he had more work to do on it.
Then how on earth did Reid know the song?
Where could he have possibly heard it?
Hayley’s blood ran cold as she listened to Reid singing the song to her daughter.
She instinctively pulled her cell phone out of her pants pocket and began recording Reid singing.
The pieces of the puzzle were finally starting to come together.