Page 54 of Happy Wife

As I turn onto my street, I hear the clang of metal equipment being banged around. And my stomach drops at the sight of cameras on tripods being set up just before thePrivate Drivesign. A camp of reporters. There must be one for every local station, and every last one of them is pointing their camera at my house. And then I recognize the guy with the iPhone I saw outside the precinct the other day.

Are you the jerk I should thank for leaking Will’s shirt?

The press corps setting up camp at the top of my street is the last thing I’m prepared for. I shake my head in disbelief and pull on my sunglasses. I slink a little lower in my seat as I drive down the road, being careful not to hit anyone. I may not understand everything that is going on, but even I know that would bebad.

They notice me. I’m sure of it because I hear voices rising as I pass them. The shouting doesn’t quiet until the garage door is completely shut. There’s a feeding frenzy outside, and Ardell is in my kitchen. I sit in my car wondering if I can just stay here forever instead of going inside. Probably not. I check the mirror and make sure I look somewhat presentable, mentally organizing what I will and won’t share from what I’ve learned. Between his brush-off of Dean and the leaking of the shirt and how he made me feel like a suspect, I’m not sure I can trust him.

A minute later, I walk in to see Ardell sitting on one of the tall stools at the island in the kitchen and Este standing at the sink, uncomfortably making small talk, which might be funny under different circumstances. At the sight of me, she folds her arms, snapping back to protective mode.

“Hey,” she says.

“Thanks for coming home, Nora,” Ardell says. “Listen, I’ve warned the reporters outside not to trespass. The whole drive is private property—owned by the residents of the street—so they shouldn’t go past the entrance sign. I can’t do anything aboutthem where they are now, but if anyone crosses the line you let us know, and I’ll have them removed.”

I nod, wondering how the hell things have gotten this out of control.

“And I’m sorry that the press got the shirt and the photos. Fritz has already called about it. We had no intention of divulging any of this information to anyone.”

God, Fritz and Ardell should get a buddy comedy.

“You’ve heard about the road to hell, right?” Este needles. “The one that was paved with…What was it again?”

“Este,” I admonish.

“I’m just saying.” She swivels her gaze back around to Ardell. “Someone should have to explain themselves.”

“It was an overzealous rookie. He’s been disciplined,” he says, definitively shutting Este down. “Nora, I need to ask you some more questions, would that be all right?”

“I—I guess?”

“Why don’t you have a seat?”

Why don’t I have a seat in my own house, Ardell? Really?

I don’t want to sit, but I comply because there’s something in his tone that feels different, and I’m a little worried. “Have you all found anything new?”

“Not yet. But we’re trying to understand Will’s state of mind the night of the party as we continue to investigate possibilities. How was he last Saturday? What was his demeanor?”

“He was Will. We were hosting a party and he was happy to be doing it.”

“And how were things between you two?”

“Us? Totally normal. Good. Everything was fine.”

“Had you all had any fights lately? Anything you were disagreeing on?”

“None at all.” Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Este shifting.

What was that?

She moves toward the kitchen island, away from me.

What did I just say? I said that Will and I were fine. Why is she being weird?

“This is really helpful, Nora. What about your finances? Have you all had any issues lately?”

Este lets out a little bit of a snort. I cut a look in her direction.

“What?” She puts up her hands. “He regularly drops three grand on dinner out with friends just because it’s Friday.”

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