Page 64 of Happy Wife

Fritz isn’t the only one playing a role. Ardell’s demeanor has shifted from the last time I saw him. His eyes are on me like he is waiting for my next move.

Will is dead. The game has changed.

He takes a step toward me, but Este puts herself between us.

“I’m going to get Nora home. If you need to talk to her, you can do it later.” Este grabs Beau and puts an arm around me. As she cracks the back door to their pool, the shouts from reporters trigger Fritz and Ardell to step up, doing their best to shield me as we cut through the hedges. A few of the press who can’t help themselves have started to inch up the street. I’m sure they know it’s a private drive, but they’re magnets to tragedy. Ardell sees it.

“Get her inside. I’ll deal with them.”

As we cross the threshold into the house, it all looks different now that I know Will’s never going to come home again. I excuse myself and go up to my room, where I stand, stunned, numb. Lost.

Will Somerset dies in a lake? Will—the man who can do anything, the smartest man I know—gets murdered?

That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.

An unhinged laugh escapes my lips.

This isn’t happening.

The laughter gets bigger and louder until it folds me in half. I’m doubled over and howling when Este puts a gentle hand on my back.

“Nora,” she says softly.

“This isn’t happening,” I say, wiping at the tears stinging my eyes as the laughter persists in a painful sort of mania. My stomach aches with every breath. “Will isn’t dead. There’s no way.”

And then the gurgles in my stomach turn and I’m rushing for the bathroom. Fig jam spread, cheese, and crackers come back up in a violent rush, and I reach the toilet just in time.

She hands me a glass of water. “Sip it slowly. It’s okay.”

I take a gulp and feel my chest tighten as I swallow.

“Here.” Her open palm offers half a pill. “Xanax. It’s just half. Lay down for a little bit.”

I wash my mouth and tromp to bed, downing the pill and water without a word. Crawling under the covers and pulling them over my head.

My phone starts to ping from across the room.

Este hands it to me. “Marcus is texting. The news must be out.”

I pull the covers tighter, ignoring Marcus and the news. I don’t want to know anything. I never want to hear about anything ever again. I squeeze my eyes shut and wait for the drug to work. I can feel the pill hit my bloodstream as the questions hanging over my head get quieter. But even as I drift off to sleep, they’re still haunting me.

How did this happen? What are any of us going to do without Will? And how in the hell did he end up murdered?

Chapter27

Before

Work-widowed was starting to feel like my permanent state of being. Over a stretch of weeks that turned into months, Will had bounced from one big trial or case to another, breaking only once, to attend a legal conference in Malibu.

“You can come?” he sort-of-kind-of offered.

“That might be nice. We could finally spend some time together.” I smiled, swallowing the complaint that I wanted him to insist that Ihadto come.

“I’ll be tied up most of the day, but the spas at the hotel are supposed to be amazing.”

I’m supposed to spend three days in the spa? I can do that here, where I get to bring Este along.

“It’s okay.” I shrugged.

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