“I didn’t get his name, but he must have been driving behind you. By the time I put Cody inside and returned, he was gone.”

“No one else saw him?”

“I told the police officer about him, and when the officer asked around, no one said they’d seen him. But like I said, he vanished before the crowds showed up.”

I pulled up the picture from Brit’s social media page and then David’s professional headshot. “Could it be this guy?”

The woman stared at me, a quizzical look on her face before she dropped her gaze. “It’s hard to tell. This guy’s face is turned, and the other guy looks younger. And it was dark that night.”

I enlarged the picture with a swipe of my fingers. “Can you have a second look?”

Again, she studied the picture. “It could be him, but I can’t be sure.” Jenny rubbed Cody’s head. “Did he just happen by, or is this about something else?”

“Like I said, I don’t remember the accident or the week leading up to it. I’m not sure of much at this point.”

Jenny’s brows furrowed. “Was he trying to hurt you?”

I considered lying. Then decided I’d had enough of that. “I don’t know.”

“Let me take another look.” Eyes narrowing, Jenny studied the picture.

My heart beat faster, and I couldn’t decide whether I wanted David to be identified. It would have been just like me to stir up another shitstorm in Brit Stockton’s life.

The woman shook her head. “I can’t say for certain if it’s him or not. I’m sorry.”

“Anything you remember about the guy?”

“He was pretty upset. He was clearly worried about you. He reached in the car, shut off the engine, and told me to call for the rescue squad.”

“How long were you gone?”

“Two or three minutes. Maybe a little more. Time really slows at moments like that.”

“Okay, thank you.” I glanced at David’s face one last time and tucked the phone in my back pocket. Maybe I was overreaching. Maybe I wanted to find Clare’s killer so badly I saw connections that didn’t exist.

“Sorry I couldn’t be more help.”

I turned and was on the bottom step when the woman called out. “Do you know Clare?”

“What?”

“I thought he called you Clare.”

48 BRIT

48

BRIT

Sunday, March 20, 2022

4:00 p.m.