Full Circle

 Kinsey Millhone was driving back home in her little, old Volkswagen feeling good. She had just solved a case and had a cheque for a lot of money. Kinsey was a private female detective.

 She was driving in the middle lane and a white small car was behind her. It was driven by a young woman. A red Porsche was behind the woman and Kinsey thought the young woman wanted to move into the middle lane in front of her to let the Porsche pass, so Kinsey reduced her speed. On Kinsey’s right, there was a dark blue Toyota, and while Kinsey looked in the mirror, she heard a loud noise like a gunshot.

 The white car was out of control and all the cars crashed between them. Suddenly a green Mercedes appeared and hit the white car. All the cars were out of control.

 Kinsey and the man from the blue Toyota went o the white car. The girl was unconscious and her face was covered in blood. Kinsey decided that the ambulance people had to move her; not them. The man from the blue Toyota said that the girl seemed to be alive.

 Then, Kinsey went to help other people. She noticed a friend of hers, the local newspaper photographer John Birkett. Kinsey and the other people had to tell the police what they had seen.

 The next day, Kinsey read in the newspaper that the girl had died. Her name was Caroline and there was a short piece about her.

 Kinsey’s office was being painted so she was working at home. Then there was a knock at the door. It was Michelle, Caroline’s mother. She said that somebody had shot to her daughter; a bullet had been found. The police had told her that it had been a crazy man shooting at the cars, but Michelle didn’t accept this. Her daughter had gone from work very early without telling a word to anybody. Caroline worked in a restaurant near the University. A man had been going out with her and bothering her. So Michelle wanted Kinsey to find out who was responsible for Caroline’s death. She said that Lieutenant Dolan had told her to see Kinsey. Michelle told Kinsey that she had to go away from there to look after her husband, who was very ill. Finally, Kinsey agreed and asked Michelle for some names. Michelle gave her the names of the girl who shared Caroline’s room and the restaurant where she worked. Michelle went away.

 Kinsey was surprised that Lieutenant Dolan had told Michelle to see HER because he wasn’t very fond of private detectives.

 Then, Kinsey went to the police station and read a copy of the police report (she had to pay 6 dollars). After that, she went to talk to Emerald; the secretary. She said that nobody had seen from where the shot had been fired from. But she didn’t want to talk any more. She said that she wasn’t allowed to give out information. So, Kinsey told her that Lieutenant Dolan knew she was doing that. And Emerald agreed to give her just one name. And Kinsey wanted the blue Toyota man’s. But Emerald told her that he had given a false name: Benny Seco. Kinsey told her that he could have been the killer. But Emerald didn’t have any more information. So she gave Kinsey the list of all the witnesses.

 Kinsey drove to the restaurant where Caroline worked. She talked with the manager. He talked about the man who was going out with her. His name was Terry. He used to follow Caroline in a green Ford car. Kinsey thanked him and went to the university houses where Caroline had lived.

 There, was a girl called Judy Layton who said that she was living there because she had a difficult relationship with her mother. She told Kinsey that she had known Caroline a year ago. But they weren’t very close. Then, Kinsey looked at some boxes. Judy was packing. She said that she was going to her house and her brother was going to help her with the boxes. She didn’t say much more.

 The next two days, Kinsey talked to Caroline’s teachers and friends. But she didn’t find out anything else. Suddenly, an idea came to her mind. She could visit her friend John Birkett the photographer! She found a photo of the man in the blue Toyota. She could see the numberplate. It belonged to a man called Ron Cagle. And now Kinsey had his address too.

 She went to Ron’s house. But he was much different. So she asked him if anyone else had been driving the blue Toyota. And the man said that no. Then he showed her the car. It was broken and had been like it for 6 months. Then Kinsey told him that that car had been in an accident. But Ron said that it couldn’t have been that one. Suddenly, Ron pointed to the numberplate. It was completely different! Kinsey told him that maybe somebody had stolen it and had put that one in its place. Perhaps they had stolen a blue Toyota like that one and had wanted new numberplates. (Ron’s car could be seen from the road.)

 Then Kinsey called Lieutenant Dolan and told him what she’d found out. But Dolan thought that that man wasn’t connected with the shooting. Kinsey didn’t believe him.

 Kinsey called the witnesses. But there was nothing new to add.

 So Kinsey drove back to Judy’s house. She had already moved and she was able to get her parents’ house’s address in Colgate from the manager of the apartments.

 She went there but there was no one in the house. Through the threecar-garage window, she could see a car with the paint taken off it. The door was open and Kinsey went in. It was the blue Toyota! She found a gun in the car and called the police. But while Kinsey was walking to get into her car, she saw the green Ford coming towards the Layton entrance. It was Judy’s Brother! The man drove the car very fast and Kinsey followed him in her car. Then, the Ford ran into a heavy vehicle and Kinsey noticed that it was exactly the same place where Caroline had died. He was probably crazy and had killed Caroline because he was jealous. And now he was dead.