The One That Got Away.

Our Next Move

"Josh is gonna be ok, Kelly. I'll make sure he's protected." 

"He's not going to like it, but you have to make sure he has a bodyguard. No matter what he says." 

Josh doesn't put up a fight, anything for Kelly to feel safer and worry less. Everyone, especially Kelly, needs to worry less. He met Betty and thought she seemed like a nice person. She was friendly and seemed to mean well, she didn't make googly eyes at him, and seemed to know how to not overstay her welcome. 

"So, I'm just crazy? Making it up, is that what I'm doing?"

"I never said or thought anything like that. I'm just saying it's weird is all. I'm sure Desmond will  get to the bottom of it."

In the meantime, she paces around the coach, sick with anxiety. She will feel sick until Desmond finds out what kind of criminal this Betty would turn out to be. Fortunately, she doesn't have to wait long. In mere days, Desmond has all the information he needs. 

"Her name is actually Betty. Well, Elizabeth. Elizabeth Cantù. She's from Reedley, California - which is near Fresno - and she's married. Yes, I know she's told people she's single but she's been married for over a decade. No kids, no pets, husband is a mortgage broker and it appears she's done some sales work, real estate mostly, for a while but never renewed her license after the pandemic. And, that's about it. Pretty mundane really. She's never been in trouble, not even a traffic infringement. Nothing."

"This is... no, no, this can't be right," Kelly shakes her head. "She's gotta be... I know what she did!"

"In addition, I have the footage from that night. I've reviewed it several times and I'll show it to you right now." 

The footage depicts the entire scene from four different angles. 

Kelly glimpses Betty's hand moving toward Desmond's can of cola, "Right there! Right -oh," she deflates as she can clearly, and without a doubt, see Betty's hand land on Desmond's arm, and no sleight of hand was used to slip anything into his drink. 

"Maybe it was bad prawns? Bad timing? Probably just bad luck."

"Wait. She said something about Dickhead. How did she know his real name?"

"Florida has some pretty loose public records laws. She found some information and connected the dots. Now, don't get me wrong, Kelly, she was up to something devious, that's for sure. Devious, but not dangerous. She took advantage of a situation and wanted you to think something had happened."

"Why though?"

"In this case, I don't think the why matters."

"What about her threats to squeal to the press?"

"She won't. She has been dealt with."

"Dealt with?"

"Yes. She's not going to talk. End of discussion." When Desmond closes a subject, it stays closed. 

"She's not... dead, is she?" Kelly can't help herself.

Desmond gives her a ridiculous look. 

"What?"

"Kelly," he warns firmly.

"I want a copy of that footage," she tells him in the same firm tone. It is an order. 

She doesn't attend the band's performance that night, staying on the coach instead. She stares at the security footage of Betty, watching it again and again as if she expects something new to catch her eye. She sends a copy to Cade, maybe a younger set of eyes needs to review it. Undoubtedly, there is more to the situation.