Page 86 of Noble Neighbor
How long she stood staring at the white plastic she couldn’t say, but a loud wail from little Mary yankedher from her stupor. Without second-guessing her action,she snatched the laundry bag and stormed across the kitchen, almost bowling over Paloma as the woman walked in the back door.
“Senora,” the housekeeper called out in surprise. “Buenos días.”
Savannah ignored the greeting, continuing until the garage door slammed behind her. Drawing in ragged breaths, she took a minute in the dark to organize her thoughts. Above all else, she needed to verify her suspicions. “Please let it all be an appalling misunderstanding,” she mumbled as her hand felt for the light switch.
The brightness blinded her for a beat, and she blinked rapidly to clear her sight. A plan forming, she resumed her course to stow the bag in her Mercedes, dumping it on the floor of the front passenger side.
She walked back into the kitchen, astonished at the calm settling over her.
Despite Mary’s wretched wailing, Savannah paused at the fridge and removed a bottle of water. Her gaze shot to the ceiling when the crying cut out, and then she heard Paloma’s soothing voice, followed by Kate’s girlish one.
“You’ve got this,” she muttered, wending her way up to join them.
Letting Paloma continue changing the baby’ssoaked diaper, Savannah murmured a “thank you” beforescooping her eldest up. She placed a smacking kiss on Kate’s mouth.
Her daughter giggled, and Savannah relished the thin arms sliding around her neck, squeezing tight. “Story time, Mommy,” she sang out.
No matter what the future brought, her girls were priority. “Yes, honey. Have you decided on a book for this morning?” It was a new ritual of theirs — while Savannah fed Mary, she and Kate read a story.
“Uh huh.” Her daughter wriggled, and Savannah let her down. The little girl rushed to the bookshelf as soon as her feet touched the floor.
Kate grabbed the book, and Savanah’s heart dropped out the bottom of her sweatpants. “Maybe we can read another story today. Mommy’s tired ofSparkle, the Magical Unicorn. How about one with a mermaid?”
“Okay, Mommy.” Kate took a few moments before pulling another book out. “This one!” She held it up for Savannah’s approval.
“How to Catch a Mermaid,” Savannah read the title and managed a small smile. “Great choice, hon.” She turned back to the changing table and watched Paloma snap the last fastener. “Gracias, Paloma.”
“De nada, SenoraRandolph.” Paloma placed a hand on Savannah’s arm. “Está todo bien?”
Waseverything all right? Most likely not, she wanted to admit, but instead she replied, “Sí.Everything is fine. I’m just … distracted. Thanks for taking care of Mary.”
With a nod and a smile, Paloma left the room.
Savannah lifted Mary, delighting in the warmth of holding her baby in her arms. Taking position beside Kate on the couch, Savannah pushed all thoughts of murder and what awaited from her mind.
For the next half-hour, all that mattered were her girls.
*
A couple of hours later, instead of working on new designs for the fall clothing line, Savannah mapped her husband’s movements spanning the last two years. Business trips, campaign meetings, political rallies, even his “boys-only” weekends. She then added the dates and places the Silk Rope Strangler had struck. With the final date — Friday’s — entered, she sat back in shocked revulsion as her perfect world tumbled down around her, one irrefutable fact after another.
Eight women murdered. By her husband.
The rising nausea bubbled over, and she barely made it to the bathroom across the hallway before her stomach emptied. Savannah stumbled to the washbasin, splashed water on her face, and swished her mouth, thinking hard.
It could be a mistake, her disbelieving-self consoled.
It’s not. And you know that, the realist in her countered.
It was Bethany Knox — number seven — who’d cinched it for Savannah.
She’d been heavily pregnant, and Lathan had gone on a hunting trip. With Trent, he’d said. Except Trent had called that weekend, looking for Lathan, and Savannah logged into the GPS tracking website, locating her husband.
In Wilmington, North Carolina.
Bethany’s body had been found in Wilmington.
The first seed of cheating had rooted that weekend.
