Page 23 of The Perfect Divorce

STACY HOWARD

Hey, D! Going to meet up with that guy I told you about, so I won’t be here when you get home from work. Could be a late night or an early morning

DEENA WALSH

The lawyer?

STACY HOWARD

That’s the one... for now

DEENA WALSH

Remind me of his name, just in case he’s a psychopath

STACY HOWARD

Bob Miller

DEENA WALSH

Bob? What is he sixty?

STACY HOWARD

No, midforties tops

“This is a text conversation between Stacy and her roommate, Deena, from Monday night.” Olson taps her finger on one of the messages. “Do you recognize that name, Bob?”

The name she’s pointing to is my own.

“That’s bullshit,” I scoff, pushing the paper back toward the deputy. “I haven’t had any communication with this Stacy woman in weeks.”

“Not according to these texts.”

“What’s this all about?” I ask, growing beyond frustrated.

Hudson leans forward in his chair. “Stacy’s roommate, Deena, filed a missing person’s report. No one’s seen or heard from Stacy in three days. So, can you tell us your whereabouts on Monday night?” He cocks his head.

Fuck!I exhale through my nose and think back a few days. My hand tingles, and I glance down at the bandage wrapped around it. I’m surprised they haven’t asked about the injury. Why the hell would this chick tell her roommate we were meeting up? That’s not true. I don’t even know her.

“I picked up my daughter from her friend’s house after work.”

“What time was that?” he interjects.

“Around seven.”

He nods.

“I had dinner with her and my wife at our home on Lake Manassas.”

“Time?” Hudson interjects again.

“Like seven thirty. Then, I drove back to DC, and I went to bed.”

“Why’d you drive to DC? Why not stay at your house with your wife and child?” Olson squints, clearly judging me.

“I have a place in the city, since I work there. Makes the commute easier when I have early meetings or I’m due in court,” I explain.

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