Page 95 of The Night the Lights Went Out
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Lindi said, her voice soothing. “Let’s just look at the facts. You weren’t having an affair with Dan; we know that for a fact. The rest is just coincidental.” Lindi scribbled something in her notebook. “You need to understand something, though. If the police are calling this a homicide, they’re going to be looking for suspects with a motive. And if they believe that you were having an affair with Dan, that could be something they’ll pay special attention to.”
Merilee started shaking, and Lindi took her hand. “There’s no hard evidence that indicates an affair or your involvement in Dan’s death because there isn’t any. Keep reminding yourself of that, okay?” Lindi squeezed her hand. “I’ve got your back.”
Merilee nodded as Lindi let go of her hand and sat back. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to come with you when you meet with Cynthia. We’ve known each other since law school and she was always telling me I should be in criminal law because I like solving puzzles and figuring out who’s really telling the truth. Not that I don’t get enough practice with that in family law, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I’d like to share my thoughts with her, along with all of my notes. And then I promise to leave her to what she does best, and that’s to be your legal counsel.” She thumped her pencil against the notebook a couple more times before abruptly stopping. “Sorry. I just want to help. Call Cynthia today, all right?”
“You’re making me nervous, Lindi.”
“I’m sorry. That’s not my intention. I’m just trying to make you prepared for a worst-case scenario.”
“Now I actuallyamnervous.”
“Please, don’t be. You’ve done nothing wrong. And you’re not alone in this. I know it’s not been your experience to open yourself up to others—and I understand why. Your trust has been shaken by your parents and your husband, the people who should have protected you. I know it’s asking a lot, but I want you to trust me. As your friend. Not because you might need my help as someone who knows the law. But as someone who can maybe lighten your load a bit. Here.” She pressed her palm against her heart. “My mother used to say that to me. And maybe you need a little mothering right now.”
Merilee glanced away, embarrassed to have Lindi see the tears forming in her eyes. “I wouldn’t know what that’s like.”
Lindi squeezed her hand. “Then maybe it’s time you find out.”
“Thanks,” Merilee said, squeezing back. A cold wind struck them from the side, making Merilee shiver. “I can’t understand this weather. It’s November, and we’re getting alternating seasons all in the same day, it seems.”
Lindi looked up at the sky, a mixture of cobalt blue and odd streaks of grayish clouds. “I agree—something’s up, I think. Hurricane season doesn’t officially end until November thirtieth, you know. Maybe there’s a storm brewing somewhere.”
“It’s fixin’ to come up a bad cloud,” Merilee said.
Lindi laughed. “From that blog, right?” She shook her head slowly. “As much as I hate to admit it, there are a lot of pearls of wisdom that can be found in it.”
Lindi packed up her notebook and laptop and called over to the girls, while Merilee went to extricate Colin and gather all of his shoes and clothes—he’d discarded everything except for his pants—from the playground. His binoculars had been carefully stored in Merilee’s purse. At least there was one thing in his life he could keep track of.
As they walked toward the parking lot, Merilee thanked Lindi again and gave her an impromptu hug. “Thanks. I do feel better and not so alone anymore.”
“You never were, Merilee. Sugar’s got your back. And so does Wade. It’s not a sin to trust people, all right? You just need to make sure you know which ones.”
“Thanks again. I’ll let you know when my appointment with Cynthia is.”
Lindi gave her a thumbs-up as she helped Jenna into their Prius, then slid behind the steering wheel. Merilee waved good-bye as they drove away, waiting for Lily and Colin to haul themselves into the backseat of the minivan.
As Merilee drove home, she occupied her mind with thoughts of how she’d finagle a midday bath for a very reluctant Colin, weighing the merits of cleaning up dirty footprints and clods of mud all day as she followed him around, or just figuring out a way for a surprise attack so that he was immersed in the tub before he knew what was happening.
“Mom?” Lily said from the backseat.
Merilee met her daughter’s eyes in the rearview mirror, dark circles under her eyes accentuating the perpetual frown of worry. “Yes, sweetie?”
“Are you going to jail?”
The minivan jerked as her foot accidentally hit the brake. “No, honey. I’ve done nothing wrong, and they don’t put innocent people in jail.” She hoped lightning wouldn’t strike her, because anybody who read the news or watched the hundreds of crime shows on TV knew this to be an absolute lie. But she had to believe it. Just as much as Lily needed to.
Apparently mollified, Lily sat back in her seat, complaining that Colin was sitting too close and Colin complaining that she was breathing on him. Merilee couldn’t bear to scold them, so relieved to be experiencing something normal.
Merilee parked the minivan in front of the house and waited as they got out, still arguing. She paused for a moment, looking up again at the sky, which mimicked her conflicted emotions: calm yet cloudy, a balmy temperature with cold winds behind it. She set her feet on the ground as a strong wind blew the last leaves from a hickory tree on the side of the house. “It’s fixin’ to come up a bad cloud,” she said to no one as she shut the minivan door and headed up the steps.
Thirty-two
SUGAR
Sugar sat on the porch swing next to Wade and watched the police cruiser and unmarked sedan head back down the driveway. They’d barely turned onto the road before Merilee’s minivan pulled in from the opposite direction, making Sugar believe that the timing had been planned.
“I just need to know one thing, Wade,” Sugar said.
“Oh, no. Ever since I was a little kid, those words always got me in trouble. What do you need to know?”
