Page 48 of The Perfect Marriage

She nods. “I actually took the class on fiction writing you taught at the community college over a year back.”

After we bought this lake house, I was approached to teach a class on writing at the local community college. I almost said no but had decided teaching might be a great career to fall back on since my writing was dead in the water. I only ended up teaching one semester though and then went back to full-time writing. I ended up overromanticizing the process as I despised most of my students and how little they cared. Plus, in most cases, their writing was fucking terrible and a chore to read.

“I thought you looked familiar,” I say, although I’m not entirely convinced.

I look around, left, right and straight ahead to ensure no one sees me let her in. For all I know, Sarah has someone watching me. “Okay, come on in.” I gesture in with a flick of my wrist, and she follows. “So, you’re a reporter? My class must have done you good,” I add with a chuckle.

She lets out a little laugh.

I tell her to have a seat at the kitchen table, and she does. She pulls out a notepad and pen. “Okay, how long were you and Kelly Summers seeing each other?” she asks, getting right to it.

I’ve already decided that if she wants a story out of me, she’s going to have to help me. I can only do so much from a lake house in the middle of nowhere. “Ah, ah, ah,” I say. “I’ll give you an interview, but I need something in return.” I’m not sure if I can trust this girl and this might prove to be a horrible idea, but I’m desperate and desperate people, well…

“Help you how? Like escape? I can’t do that.” She re-caps her pen as if she’s done with this interview.

“No. I don’t need your help escaping. I need your help getting some information on Kelly’s past. I think I was framed. Someone else did this, and they set me up, and I think it has to do with her past.”

Rebecca uncaps her pen and begins jotting down notes. “Why do you think it was someone from her past?”

I pour her a cup of coffee and set it in front of her. “Because she killed her first husband.”

Rebecca’s eyes widen, and she quickly writes it down. “Well, how come none of the newspapers have uncovered that then?”

“Because she changed her name and got married. It’s quite the paper trail. She went by Jenna Way. She stabbed her husband to death or at least that’s what she was charged with. The case fell apart during the trial when key evidence went missing, which I think her husband Scott Summers helped with. Everyone thought she did it, and she essentially got off on a technicality.”

“Oh my God. That’s awful.” Rebecca takes a sip of her coffee, and I can practically see her brain working as her eyes stare off into the distance and her forehead crinkles.

“Well, who would want to hurt her?”

“My guess would be a family member or friend of her first husband. Someone who wasn’t happy to see her get away with murder. The way she was killed was the same way she killed her husband—almost like poetic justice for the person who did it.”

“What about her husband? I’ve heard rumblings in town that he may have been involved.”

“I thought that too. And I think that’s still a possibility. Although, she had said that he abused her while she and I were together, but he adamantly denies it. I really don’t know what to believe there, but he does seem to have an anger problem, and he did suspect Kelly of cheating. So, he should be considered. Although, apparently his alibi for the night in question is his partner Deputy Marcus Hudson. Despite that, there’s something in my gut that’s telling me to look into her past.”

“Got it.” Rebecca sets her coffee down and proceeds to take more notes. “What about the third set of DNA that was found in her?”

“Is that public knowledge?”

“Not yet, but I have my ways.” She gives me a coy smile.

“I really don’t know who that third guy could be. Maybe a one-night stand? I couldn’t even believe she was with another man other than myself and her husband. And I know how weird that sounds. Plus, someone threatened me. They sent a photo of Kelly and me together with a note that said, ‘End it or I will.’”

“Who knew about you two?”

“Her husband Scott, I’m sure. Maybe his partner. I don’t really know.”

“What is it you need me to do?” she asks.

“Well—thanks to this,” I pull up my pant leg showing off my ankle monitor. “I can’t leave this house, and it makes it difficult to investigate my own case.”

“What about your lawyer?”

“You mean my wife?”

Rebecca lets out a nervous laugh.

“I’d say considering the circumstances I’m not sure she has my best interests in mind.” I raise an eyebrow.

---