Page 114 of Happy Wife

He tapped at the table with his pointer finger. “Why won’t you just do this?”

“I don’t know. Because I don’t have to? Maybe because I don’t bow down to you like everyone else?” I shrugged. “Here comes Will now. You can ask him about the paperwork yourself.”

Fritz waved a defeated hand in my direction, taking his exit with a nod in Will’s direction and then mine. I watched him stalk out of the pool area with his head low, occasionally looking up to offer a distracted wave to the acquaintances he passed.

“Hey.” Will kissed my cheek, and the smell of his body wash was a welcome hit of comfort. “I just missed Fritz, huh?”

“God, am I happy to see you.” I reached for his hand. “Hey, listen. Do me a favor? Don’t ever fucking leave me alone with him again.” It was a voice I didn’t use often, but one that conveyed I was serious.

Will recognized the gravity right away. “You’re right. I think that’s for the best.”

The somber way he so quickly agreed made me shiver a little.

Chapter45

Fourteen days after

Fritz Hall has been living a life of easy money and no consequences for forty-six years. That ends now.

But I know the same thing Autumn did the night she heard Will and Fritz fighting: No one is going to want to believe me. In fact, at this point, most of them would probably love nothing more than to watch me burn.

Fritz killed Will with a hammer and he’s trying to frame me for the murder. Fuck that.

No, if people are going to believe me in this place where Fritz is king, I will have to prove everything irrefutably. And I can’t leave anything to Ardell. He’s too in love with the lore of this place, too eager to please the higher-ups to be trusted with just a hunch. I have to bring him a heap of evidence tied up with a bow.

Perry texted this morning, and I told him I had something big but didn’t want to put it in writing.

I’ve been sitting on the floor of my closet for the better part of an hour. I started getting dressed but then got pulled down into grief. The sorrow comes out of nowhere. I’ll see a cuff link or a book Will left out and fall head over heels into a paralyzed state of sadness. This time, it came when I realized that at some point I amgoing to have to deal with all of Will’s clothes. All of his things. I entertain the idea of donating them for a second, but I can’t stand the thought of someone else wearing his suits, his shoes. I’m clutching at his favorite old T-shirt, but I’m all cried out.

My phone rings, snapping me out of my spontaneous grief paralysis. It’s Marcus.

I think about answering but don’t because I hear Mia calling out from downstairs. I don’t need her to find me here.

“Hey, Mia. Coming down.” I splash a bunch of water on my face and pull myself together before heading downstairs.

She’s rummaging through the refrigerator when I reach the kitchen.

“Sorry, I don’t think there’s much in there,” I say. “I threw out most of the food. I couldn’t keep up with the casseroles on my own.”

Mia pulls out a LaCroix and sits down at the island. She looks pale, but at least the sparkle in her eyes is coming back.

“Is your mom outside?” I ask. “What’s going on? Everything okay?”

“No. My friend Ashleigh dropped me off. My chemistry books are here. Please don’t tell my mom I came. She said this is your house now and I’m not allowed to be around you.”

Shit. Constance hates me and Will is gone. I might be a murderer for all they know. WhywouldConstance allow Mia to have a room here?

“Oh, Mia, you can come here anytime you want.”

She looks at me with a “yeah, right” face. And, I get it. Constance is drawing her line in the sand.

“This is all so awful, I know. But, just because your dad…”

Is gone. Dead. No more. I can’t say it out loud one more time.

“Just because he’s not…” I shake my head. “I really am still your family, Mia.” I mean that when I say it. I had worked hard to build my relationship with Mia. Clearly, Constance is trying to sever all ties as quickly as possible, but I love Mia. “And I didn’t do what they’re saying I did.”

I can tell Mia’s not sure what to say to that.

---