Chapter 13

Emma

I glanced up at the peeling gray paint on the walls and the flickering fluorescent lights, then down to the scratched metal table in front of me. Instead of finally being able to relax with my daughter without the fear of Alex coming home to destroy our peace, I was doing other things. Instead of planning for our future, figuring out how I would make money to support us and enjoying being hopeful for once since meeting Dr. Edwards, I was here. At the police station.

For the third time in as many days.

Slate had given me a pep talk before I left, a stern reminder that it wasn’t my job to open up to them. “They aren’t your fucking therapist, don’t give them more than they ask. Period.” His lips had pulled into a lopsided grin that was truly irresistible.

He was such an odd man, both gruff and gentle at the same time. When it seemed as if he was angry, he was really just showing me how serious the situation was. My own smile had matched his own. I’d given him a hug, gotten embarrassed, and quickly found Ash to kiss her goodbye, telling them both that I’d be back soon.

I hoped that was correct, and today wouldn’t be the day I’d find myself in cuffs.

The drive over hadn’t taken but ten minutes and I spent another five in my car, taking deep breaths and clearing my mind of the stress and worry and anger that had taken over since Sheriff Cross called to ask if I could come in. Again. Slate’s words were circling around my head—they might have suspicions, but they have no proof. There’s nothing to tie me to what happened to Alex, nothing at all. I had to trust him on that. But thinking about trust brought me back to the other secret I’ve been keeping and the more time I spent with Slate, the harder it was going to be when I finally told him the truth.

Once I’d reported at the reception desk, they’d sat me inside the same damn room as before and kept me waiting for at least twenty minutes by my last check. Yep, I was upset and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. You’d think I would be used to it by now, but you would be wrong.

Feeling helpless right now? It made me good and angry, and I found that being angry cancelled out any guilt and the chance that I might breakdown and confess.

The sheriff walked in first with Massey close on his heels. They both took their time taking seats and getting situated with folders filled with papers. I knew what they were doing, not because I was some criminal mastermind but because I ingested a steady diet of crime procedurals and true crime series. They were applying pressure.

And it was my job not to let it get to me.

“Emma. Tell me about Alex’s life insurance policies,” Cross began.

“And don’t lie,” Massey added. “A man like him definitely has life insurance.”

My lips curled into a tight smile. “A man like him?” I knew exactly what he meant because Alex had worked hard to make sure people saw him as a man like that. “While I tend to agree with you, a married doctor would likely have life insurance, I couldn’t tell you anything specific, but I doubt he’d leave me with anything.”

Confusion showed on both men’s faces. “Anything?” Massey scoffed.

“That’s right. I would be completely surprised if you find my name on any life insurance documents.”

“What about your daughter?”

“You think he would leave anything to a reminder that he wasn’t the only man to have me?” I said bitterly and shook my head. It was the one time throughout our marriage that I was actually happy, maybe even grateful that Alex was such a prick.

A commotion sounded in the hallway outside the interrogation room and my entire body tensed, my fight or flight instinct waiting to decide. A man’s voice sounded loud and angry, and my first thought was that there was shooter inside the Sheriff’s Department.

“Stay here,” Cross ordered as he got to his feet and headed for the door.

Massey followed silently, his mouth twisted into an angry line.

Before either man reached the door it flung open and there stood Alex’s brother, Mark. He was tall but unlike Alex who was big and well-muscled, Mark was lean with long limbs and broad shoulders. He thought he was big shit just like Alex did, the only difference was that he was a disgraced cop turned private investigator. And boy did he hate my guts. From the moment we met, he had nothing but disdain for me and it only took me about a year to figure out why.

Competition.

Alex had a new pet, a new project and it meant less time for his younger brother. And there was no secret why he’d burst in here with an angry fire burning in his eyes. “Something happened to my brother and she’s the reason why. I don’t know what she’s done yet, but I know she’s done something.” He shouted and yelled, spit flew from his mouth and his eyes were wide with a lost sort of anger that he might actually have to get along in this world without his brother. “She is the only person who would want him dead.”

Stay calm, I reminded myself as I stared at Mark. “The only? You forget that I know you two didn’t get along. How much money do you owe him at this point, Mark?”

“Fucking bitch!” Mark lunged forward but the cops stood between us and pushed him back. “What did you do?”

“What did you do?” I shot the question right back at him because the truth was that he was as much of a suspect as I was. Maybe the cops hadn’t questioned him yet, but him showing up here with all guns blazing, wasn’t doing himself any favors. “You didn’t like each other, and chances are you benefit more than I do if something happens to him.”

“See?” His eyes got wider and wilder as they bounced between Cross and Massey. “She knows something. What the fuck did you do to him?”

I dug my heels into the cement floor to keep my calm and avoid reacting the way Mark—and the cops—wanted or expected me too. “Alex is just punishing me, there’s nothing wrong with him.”

“Liar.”

“If I was going to do something to Alex and try to get away with it, I might have done it while he was actively physically abusing me. Wouldn’t I?”

Mark was undeterred. He shook his head excitedly and pointed at me. “She’s lying. You have to look into her. You know she’s got a boyfriend staying at my brother’s house, some fucking biker, don’t you?”

Cross was at the end of his rope and put a firm hand to Mark’s chest. “There’s no body, and no sign that anything has happened to Dr. Edwards. She said he took off and nothing contradicts it.” The yet was silent at the end of the sentence and we all knew it.

“Bullshit,” he spat at the men before he sent me another withering glare.

“It’s not,” the sheriff urged. “His phone has pinged in Colorado and Louisiana which suggests he’s heading east. We haven’t laid eyes on him yet but that’s what we have, Mark.”

Some of that was news to me but I kept my expression blank just as Slate had advised.

“This is such bullshit. She plays the poor concerned wife act, and you believe it. I know you did something Emma and I’m going to prove it.” There was a look of determination in his eyes that gave me pause.

“The same you proved it when you were a cop?” I shouldn’t have taunted him but there was something empowering about fighting back.

He lunged one last time before Sheriff Cross shoved him from the room and closed the door behind him, which would have been good if it hadn’t left me alone with the angry Detective Massey.

“He seems convinced you did something.”

“Well Mark has never liked me. A wife and stepdaughter meant Alex wasn’t as quick to jump in and bail his brother out of financial trouble. In fact, I’d bet that Mark’s name is on those insurance policies you were so curious about.” I left the police station feeling better but also worried because in addition to the police, I knew Mark was going to be trouble.

He always was.