Page 105 of Happy Wife

“I had to pick something up.” I gesture behind myself at nothing in particular and hope she won’t notice the fact that I’m empty-handed.

“At Lemon and Fig?” She smirks. “Do you really think that’s wise? Did Will know you and Marcus were so…close?”

I will not punch Gianna Hall in public. I will not punch Gianna Hall in public.

“This has been…fun,” I mutter. “But I have to go.”

“I would want to get home, too, if I were in your current state.”

I move past Gianna and her posse and pick up the pace to get to my car, dying on the inside the whole way.

Chapter41

Driving back to my house, I am simultaneously beating myself up over accusing Marcus and trying to figure out what my next play is going to be. Processing the public shaming from Gianna will have to wait.

I have to find a way to prove I didn’t do this. I have to find out who did.

There’s a missed call from Perry on my phone, and I try him back, but it goes to voicemail. Pulling into my driveway reminds me why I can’t just drive around to try to find him. The reporters and press trucks that have flocked to Winter Park to cover Will’s murder are everywhere, but the center of their operation seems to be the entrance to the Isle of Sicily. They snap frantic photos of me and yell as I drive past them now. Their energy is voracious, their breath bated. It’s clear they understand that I’m the prime suspect and they want B-roll for the six o’clock news.

I would love to give Lindy Bedford the same treatment she gives to others. Splash her name all over the tabloids for being so close to something spectacularly terrible. Though, sadly, she probably enjoys attention of any variety. She chose her line of work for a reason.

God, when she gets the intel about the hammer…

I’m not sure anyone can do anything for me now. Except maybe Perry. I need to know if he called because he found something.

When I get inside, Este is in the kitchen.

“Hey,” I say.

“You okay? Marcus just called and asked me to come check on you.”

I sigh. “Yeah. I’m okay.”

“He said you stopped by the restaurant looking pretty upset. I thought you were showering.”

“I was, but then I got a call.”

“Did the caller tell you to go accuse Marcus of murder?” She folds her arms. I am being scolded, and I probably deserve it.

I definitely deserve it.

“He mentioned that?”

“Marcus is a golden retriever in human form, he wouldn’t—”

“I know. It’s like every time I think I’ve hit rock bottom there’s a mini-earthquake and a new layer of low opens just for me,” I say. “It was wrong. I’ll apologize, but listen, I need to find Perry. I’m pretty sure Will hired Dean to look into me.”

“About what?” Este’s eyes go wide.

“Maybe the Marcus thing? If you saw me getting out of his car early in the morning, maybe Will did, too. I have no idea.” My brain catches up to my mouth. “But none of it might matter now. They have the murder weapon.”

“What? How? Where?”

“A hammer. Under my dock.”

“That sounds bad.”

“It’s bad.”

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