Page 3 of The Devoted Husband

“I’m not sure if you kept up with the news a couple of months ago, but a man was killed after breaking into a Vanzette resident’s home and trying to rape her...”

“Yeah, I heard about that,” Elliot replied.

“That was Sade. The man who broke in was her sister’s boyfriend, Adam. Adam was on his way here to kill Dante, Imani’s husband.” The couple’s confused and surprised expressions made him smile. “You heard that right. She had a husband and boyfriend. Now, the husband was missing. Turns out he had amnesia and had been in Vanzette the whole time with Sade.

“I don’t know if he really had amnesia or if that was a lie, but that’s his story to justify leaving Memphis while the police were looking for him. Anyway, Sade was helping Dante after his accident and while he had amnesia. I believe that’s why she killed your daughter. I believe Sade didn’t want anyone to know Dante was here with her, and Patrice found out. Because they all went to school together, Patrice knew Dante was considered missing in Memphis. So Sade killed her to keep her quiet.”

“Do you have any proof of this? If there’s a suspect, why is the case still closed?” Elliot asked.

“I don’t have any actual proof yet. There was hair in the car that didn’t belong to Patrice, but we didn’t get a DNA match. Even if we did, any good defense lawyer could argue the hair belonged to someone who had been in the car with Patrice and not to the murderer.”

Amanda shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense. I don’t understand why Sade would keep her brother-in-law hidden from her sister and go as far as killing someone to do it, even if she didn’t have the best relationship with our daughter.”

“It’s my understanding that Dante was facing the charges Imani was recently convicted of. If so, that’s motive for murder—protecting him. Also, I did a little research and learned Imani’s boyfriend tried to have Dante killed, which is how he ended up with amnesia. If Sade believed Dante was in danger in Memphis, she wouldn’t want anyone to know where he was.”

“So if Patrice found out, there is a chance Sade would try to silence her,” Elliot said.

“Exactly,” Jones replied.

Again, Amanda shook her head as she stood and began to pace. Wringing her fingers, she clicked her tongue.

“I can’t accept that without proof. I want to know who did this to my daughter and why, but this seems like something in a movie. If Sade really killed Patrice, I need you to be able to prove it. Until then, I can’t accept this.”

“That’s exactly what I intend to do,” Jones said. “I know Sade killed your daughter. I feel it in my gut. I might not have all the proof and details now, but I know this is the truth.” Standing, he added, “Keep this under wraps for now. Sade has left town and if she knows I’m still looking into this, she won’t return. But I promise I will get the answers you need.”

They both thanked him before Jones made his way out and headed to the house of Trina Roe’s parents...determined to connect the dots and paint a picture that showed him exactly what happened to both women and why.

Dante

Three Weeks Later

“Are you sure you don’t want to come home?” Olivia asked.

Dante’s head shook as he stared at the beautiful view of New York that his penthouse apartment offered. He was sure he’d enjoy this view with Sade, but she abandoned him. As hurt as Dante was behind her choice, he meant it when he said he would take the time to prepare things for her before going after her.

For the last three weeks, he’d been going from New York to Decatur, then San Diego, making sure each abode was furnished comfortably in a way that complemented his style and Sade’s. His ego wanted him to let it go, but his heart told him she needed this, that she needed him to plan for their future. That she needed proof that he was serious about her...about them...and Dante was more than willing to give her that.

“Nah, not right now, at least. I still have a lot to do to prepare.”

Olivia scoffed. “And what if she never comes to you?”

“She will, Ma. That girl loves me, and I love her too.”

“I don’t deny that, but love isn’t everything.”

“You’re right, but it’s a foundation and a start. What I’m doing might not make sense to you, but it does to me. Sade is mine, and I have to be prepared for when I get her back.”

“All right, baby. If that’s what you want, I support you. I just hope you don’t end up disappointing yourself by waiting for her for too long.”

Dante laughed softly with a shake of his head. “She watched me marry her sister, Ma. I’m going to wait for as long as it takes.”

Jones

Receiving the box of Willow’s belongings made Jones feel like a kid at Christmas. Because she had been missing for months and was behind on her mortgage payments, her parents didn’t know what they should do. They struggled with trying to keep her house from going into foreclosure and letting fate take its course. Her mom expressed not wanting to get rid of Willow’s home, and she returned to nothing. Her father wanted to accept that she was gone forever so they could start to grieve and heal.

Jones offered a solution—renting the home for a year or until she returned, whichever came first. The Franks agreed and asked what he wanted in exchange for his great idea. His request? Access to her phone logs again and any diaries or to-do lists she may have had in her home. They granted Jones access to both.

There hadn’t been any outgoing calls or text messages from her phone, further causing him to believe she was dead. She didn’t have a diary, but they gave him her planners and the legal pad she scribbled random notes on while seated at her desk.

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