Page 92 of Romeo

After I got home, I never wanted to be in this place again.And nothing has changed even now as I stand on the front porch of his large estate, buzzed in by his maid.

Lord, grant me strength.

I take a deep breath.

Then knock.

A few moments pass before the door opens, and his wife, Helena, pulls open the door, a friendly smile on her face.I don’t know her well, but I do know that they got married shortly after I returned home.

I always wondered if it wasn’t a way for him to hide what he’d done to me.It would be less believable if the doctor had a loving wife, right?A family?

“Jules, it’s so nice to see you.Is everything all right?”

“I would like to speak to your husband.I found some stuff of my grandfather’s and wanted to see if he knew what they meant.”

“Of course, honey, come on in.Glen is currently out, but he should be home any minute.”She ushers me inside and closes the door.

My heart pounds as I stare at a portrait of him on the wall, standing right beside her.Does she even realize that the man she’s married to is a monster?Or does he hide it so well she doesn’t suspect it?

There’s a part of me that honestly feels bad for her.Then, there’s another part of me that can’t believe there aren’t at least some signs she can see.

A part that believes she ignores them because of the perks she gets as his wife.The big house, expensive car, jewelry, clothes—what does she ignore so she can keep all of that?

She leads me into the kitchen.“Can I get you something to drink?I was just about to make a fresh pot of coffee.”

“Coffee would be great, thanks.”

“Absolutely.”She adds some coffee beans to the basket then slips it into the coffee maker and hits a button on the front before she turns to me.“I was so sorry to hear about your brother.A friend of Glen’s called when the body was brought in.”She winces.“And that was so callous of me.”

“It’s okay, I know you didn’t mean anything by it.And thanks.I think I’m still in shock.”

“And why wouldn’t you be?After everything you’ve been through.I have to say, I’m impressed by your strength.I would have already crumpled into a ball by now.”

This is the most I’ve ever spoken to the woman, and every word she says grates against my fraying nerves.“Crumpling doesn’t make things happen.And right now, I have a lot to handle.”

She smiles warmly at me.“I completely understand.”The coffeepot beeps, so she retrieves two mugs and turns her back to me as she fills them with coffee.With her back turned, I take a moment to study the kitchen.

The appliances are pristine, the counters polished.

Yet, all I can see is dirt.The griminess of the room he held me in when we were overseas.The bugs that would come in with him whenever he opened the door.I’m sure the place he’d been staying looked like this.

Clean.

But he kept me in the dirt.

I clench my hands into fists.

I can do this because I am not alone.

“Here you go.Let’s head into the living room.We’ll be much more comfortable there.”She starts walking, so I take my mug of coffee and follow her into a living area with two white couches, a high-back chair with a floral pattern, and a long coffee table.She takes a seat in the chair, so I take one on the couch, then take a drink of my coffee.

“So how long have you two been married now?”I ask, trying to make small talk that won’t lead to bigger topics.

“Nearly ten years,” she replies.“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for that man.He’s my everything.”

Bile sears my throat.All I can do is force a smile and nod, then take another drink of my coffee.

“Is it true that Riley Hunt was arrested for Odie’s murder?I cannot believe it.I just met those men a couple of days ago.They all seemed so kind.”

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