Page 27 of Coveted Justice

“That’s fine. It’s a nice day so I’ll just sit out back on the patio and enjoy the sunshine.”

Chris and Ella nodded, obviously eager to leave as well.

“We’ll go with you,” Chris said. “It’s a great day outside.”

“A great day,” Ella echoed, easing toward the door. “Call us if you need anything. We’ll be right outside.”

The three of them left quickly, leaving him alone with his ex-wife.

“I’ll say one thing for you, Abby, you really know how to clear a room. They practically sprinted out of here. What did you say to them?”

Abby shrugged, sniffling into a wadded tissue in her hand.

“I may have mentioned that I don’t get to see the kids as much as Ella’s parents. I said that it wasn’t fair.”

Ella’s parents lived ten minutes from their grandchildren. Abby lived hundreds of miles. As far as Tanner knew, his ex-wife hadn’t made one single trip to see the kids. She expected Chris and Ella to bring them to her. Because traveling with small children was so easy, affordable, and most of all rewarding.

“Life isn’t fair. Now, how about you tell me about last night.”

“Are you going to help me?” she asked, hope in her tone. “If you don’t, I’m going to go to prison. I just know it.”

“Sam doesn’t make a habit of railroading innocent people. Why would he think you’re guilty? Do you have a motive?”

Abby didn’t answer right away, turning her back to him.

“You’re not going to help me, are you?”

“I haven’t decided what I’m going to do because you aren’t answering any of my questions. Abby, do you have a motive for killing Marty?”

“There was a prenup,” she said without turning around. “I would get very little if we divorced. However, he had a generous life insurance policy. I would be set up well for the rest of my life if he died.”

Marty had been rather short-sighted, making himself more valuable dead than alive.

“Were you getting divorced? Amanda said—“

Abby whirled around, suddenly right in front of Tanner.

“You have to tell your daughter not to talk to the police. If they hear that Marty and I were arguing, they’ll lock me in prison and throw away the key. You always said that the spouse is the prime suspect.”

That’s because it was mostly true.

“It’s too late, Abby. Amanda wasn’t the only one that saw you and Marty arguing last night. A bunch of other people saw it too. He even told them that he was calling his lawyer.”

The blood drained from her face and she sat heavily on the sofa cushion.

“Well…that’s it then. I’m toast.”

“Abby,” Tanner said, his patience wearing thin. “What were you and Marty arguing about? Did he ask you for a divorce?”

She shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“We’ve both mentioned divorce once or twice in the past. We didn’t mean it. It was simply something we said in the heat of the moment.”

“He threatened you with a divorce, Abby. It wasn’t a fight about how you squeeze the toothpaste tube from the middle.”

“We have separate toothpaste tubes.”

“You’re not taking this seriously.”

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