"I was thinking about what we talked about earlier."
John waited. "All right," he said. Was she talking personal or professional? He made an attempt to curve his enthusiasm.
Mutt came over with a drink in each hand. He sat them down awkwardly on the table and spilled a little of one. He was definitely not a waitress. "Brad said to give you two these. Complements of the house," the drummer added.
Tammy smiled politely and took a glass.
John shook his head. "Give the house my best."
The lanky drummer found his way back to the bar.
"What are you thinking about?"
She took a long sip from her Pepsi, stirring it with her straw. "Maybe I can find out some things about Hank and Taylor Time for you," she finally said. "Maybe."
John nodded.
"Do the police suspect them at all?"
"No. Frank gave no indication that he suspected anybody. They're playing the accident card all the way."
"Would it make a difference if you tell him about the brake line and then give your theory of what happened?"
John thought for a few seconds. The street outside was finally calm. Just buildings and asphalt through the front windows of the Sundowner. The only real action was the occasional passing police car. "It might help, but he'll need good evidence. There's something else, anyway."
Tammy swallowed. "That is?"
"Just keep getting the feeling that gambling fits into all this and I don't know why."
She gave the private eye a puzzled expression.
"It keeps popping up. Michael was heavily into it, right?"
"He was," she admitted. "I saw it first hand. He was constantly on the cell phone with bookies and things like that. He would be waiting for a payoff to pay another payoff and the whole thing would start all over again."
"Put that together with the fact that Frank never mentioned the cut brake line and wants to wrap the case up without looking into any suspects." John took a gulp from his drink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I hate to point any fingers. Frank's also a good friend of mine, which makes this even more awkward."
"You think maybe Frank and Michael might have something to do with each other?" Tammy asked looking stunned.
"I seriously doubt it. But it just keeps coming back to me. I can't shake the notion."