Page 29 of If She Stayed
"How did you feel about those dynamics?"
"Honestly?Sometimes I felt like I was being judged.During discussions, Margaret would ask questions that made it clear she expected you to have analyzed every detail of the book.If you gave an answer she considered superficial, she would correct you in front of everyone.She sometimes took this group that was supposed to be fun and turned it into… I don’t know… something more serious."
"Did that make you resentful toward Margaret?"
"Resentful?No, I wouldn't say that.Nervous, maybe.I started preparing much more thoroughly for meetings because I didn't want to look foolish in front of her.It became almost like some weird kind of homework."Patricia paused and when she started again, her tone had softened to little more than a whisper."But I understood that she wasn't trying to be mean, she just had very high expectations."
"What about Jennifer?Did you have any conflicts with her?"
"Jennifer could be overly dramatic about her emotional responses to books, which sometimes derailed our discussions.But she was enthusiastic and well-meaning.I can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt her.She was… God, she was such a sweetheart."
“Last night, Sandra Morrison mentioned that newer members had been trying to change the book selection process, pushing for more popular fiction rather than literary classics,” Kate revealed.“How did you feel about those conflicts?"
Patricia's expression became more animated as she warmed to the subject."I think Sandra and Margaret had valid concerns about maintaining the intellectual quality of our discussions.When you start selecting books based on popularity rather than literary merit, you risk turning a serious book club into a social hour."
"Did you support Sandra and Margaret's position on book selections?"
"Generally, yes.I joined the group because I wanted to read challenging material and engage in thoughtful discussions.If I wanted to chat about whatever book happened to be trending on social media, I could do that anywhere."
Kate noted the alignment between Patricia's views and the alliance Sandra had described between herself and Margaret.Patricia seemed to share their frustration with newer members who wanted to change the group's focus.
"And you think these conflicts over book selections created enough tension to motivate violence?"
Patricia looked genuinely shocked by the suggestion."Violence?Over book choices?That seems completely disproportionate.I mean, yes, people had strong opinions, but we're talking about literary discussions, not life-and-death matters."
Kate studied Patricia's face, looking for any signs of deception or concealed anger.What she saw was a woman who seemed genuinely bewildered by the suggestion that book club conflicts could escalate to murder.
"Mrs.Dunham, is there anyone in the group who you've ever felt uncomfortable around?Anyone whose behavior seemed concerning or unstable?"
Patricia thought for a moment before shaking her head."Everyone in the group has always seemed perfectly normal to me.We're all educated people who share a love of reading.I can't imagine any of us being capable of murder."
Kate felt the same frustration she'd experienced with Eleanor.The book club members seemed genuinely unable to conceive that someone within their trusted circle might be responsible for the murders.Kate doubted seriously that Patricia was the killer, but she wasn't ready to eliminate her entirely as a suspect.After all, she had access to information about Margaret's cancer diagnosis that supposedly only the Carlisles and Dunhams knew.She had weak alibis for both murder timeframes.And she clearly shared Sandra and Margaret's frustration with newer members wanting to change the book club's focus.
Could Patricia be an unhinged murderer, killing people to gain a better foothold in the book club's social hierarchy?It seemed far-fetched, but Kate had seen people commit murder for motives that seemed equally trivial to outside observers.
"I think that's all I need for now," Kate said."But I need you to be very careful about your personal safety over the next few days.Don't open your door to anyone you're not expecting, and consider varying your routine if possible.And if you absolutely must go somewhere, please try to have your husband or someone else go with you."
"Do you really think I'm in danger?"
"I think everyone associated with the book club should be taking precautions until we identify the killer."Kate stood up and handed Patricia her business card."If you think of anything else that might be relevant, or if you notice any unusual activity, please call me immediately."
Patricia nodded as Kate got to her feet and started for the door.The poor woman looked like she’d just survived a hurricane, her face a mix of shock relief, and sadness.
As Kate left Patricia's house, she found herself uncertain about the woman's potential involvement in the murders.Patricia had seemed genuinely shocked by news of Jennifer's death, and her emotional responses appeared authentic.But her knowledge of Margaret's secret cancer diagnosis and her alignment with Sandra's views about book club standards kept her on Kate's list of potential suspects.
It seemed highly unlikely that Patricia was the killer, but Kate had learned never to underestimate the depths of human resentment and the extremes people would go to in pursuit of what they perceived as justice or recognition.
Human emotion was tricky as hell, and she didn’t think book clubs were immune from it.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Diana Vance sat at the Hendersons’ dining room table, her cleaning supplies arranged neatly to one side.She was only here for the convenience and performance of it all.There would be no cleaning today.Instead, there were detailed notes about Allen and Kate spread across the polished surface in front of her.A crystal tumbler containing what appeared to be water sat at her right elbow, though the faint burn in her throat confirmed it was actually vodka she'd carefully measured from the Hendersons’ well-stocked bar cart.She'd been replacing what she drank with water for weeks now, and the Hendersons would never notice the gradual dilution of their expensive liquor.And by the time they did, she’d be long gone.
The vodka helped steady her nerves as she studied the timeline she'd been constructing.Kate's movements, Allen's schedule, and their routines as a couple.Every detail meticulously documented in her neat handwriting, cross-referenced with photos she'd taken through the windows and information she'd gathered from watching their daily patterns.
She took another sip of her drink and flipped through her notebook to the entry from earlier that afternoon.Allen had taken Michael to Riverside Park around two o'clock.Diana had followed at a distance, watching from her car as Allen pushed Michael on the swings and helped him navigate the small climbing structure.The sight of their easy father-son interaction had made her stomach clench with a familiar mixture of rage and grief.
Allen looked so natural with the toddler, so comfortable in his role as a devoted father figure.He smiled when Michael laughed, spoke to him with gentle patience.He maintained the kind of attentive watchfulness that good parents developed instinctively.Everything Diana's ex-husband had never been with their own children, even before Allen's testimony destroyed their family.
