Lie To Me. J.T. Ellison

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СКАЧАТЬ furrowed, then handed it back. “That’s too bad. I always thought the two of you were thick as thieves. Don’t worry yourself too much. With any luck, she’ll see the error of her ways and come home soon.”

      “Here’s the issue, Joel. She’s left without her things. No wallet, no phone, no laptop. Fifty thousand is missing from our accounts. On the surface, this all looks standard, I know. But I have a bad feeling. Something’s wrong. She’s been very depressed and upset since our baby...since Dashiell died. My head says she left. My heart is concerned that she’s done something stupid.”

      Robinson tapped his fingers on the desk, rhythmic, endless, processing.

      “Suicide makes no sense. Why take money? If you’re planning to off yourself, why the cash?”

      “Exactly. I agree. Problem is, none of her friends know where she is, and get this, they think I had something to do with her disappearance. They came by to confront me. I could tell by the way they were acting, they’re scared of me. They said if I didn’t call the police they’d do it for me. I don’t—”

      A hairy white brow rose, and Robinson held up his hands. “Stop. I don’t want to know.”

      “I didn’t—”

      “Seriously. Stop. Right now.”

      “No. Listen to me. I didn’t hurt my wife. But I think it’s time to call the police. Get out in front of this. Just in case.”

      Robinson was shaking his head, eyes closed. “You’re screwed if you do. They will tear your lives apart.”

      “I can’t sit around and do nothing. I’m worried about her.”

      “Sit down.”

      Ethan hesitated for two seconds, then sat.

      “Here’s how this is going to go. If you call the police, they will immediately consider you a suspect. Every word you utter will be parsed. Say they find her living it up in Rio, all fine and dandy. But say something has happened to her. God forbid, I know, but if someone has harmed her—”

      “God, no. Don’t even say it.”

      Robinson sighed. “It’s a terrible thought, I know. But no matter the circumstance, you are going to be turned inside out. They will investigate you until warrants are coming out your ass, and if they find nothing, you’ll be convicted in the media regardless. You know how they love to spin things. Once word gets out on this, you can’t turn back. Have you tried looking for her?”

      “Not really. I mean, I’ve been giving her space. She asked me not to look for her. I’m honoring that request.” He sounded prim, like a schoolmarm, and Robinson shook his head again.

      “Come on, Ethan. Think. That’s a guilty man’s answer. The media will spin your hesitation into the story. They’ll claim you’ve been buying time, making sure your tracks are covered.”

      “What would you have me do then? Lie? Say I’ve been combing the town looking for her? If she left, that makes me look like an abusive asshole.”

      “Lose-lose, dude. Sorry.”

      “Great. So now what? I go home and wait for her to show up? What if something has happened? They find her dead, and I haven’t reported her missing? Then I do look guilty. You know I have to call them. If I don’t, her friends will. I don’t have a choice.”

      “I want to be there.”

      Ethan felt a surge of panic. “I was worried you’d say that. If I show up with you by my side, isn’t that going to look even worse?”

      “If anything, it will help. I know everyone on the force down here. If I’m there, no one’s going to try and jam you up without cause. They will interrogate the living shit out of you, though, so it’s better if I’m there in case they start off into territory that could get dicey for you later on. I’ll just sit quietly in the corner unless something goes awry. I promise. But you want me there.”

      “All right. When do we call?”

      Robinson glanced at his watch. “I need to get going. Give me two hours. I’ll meet you at the house at five.”

      “Thank you, Joel.”

      Robinson stood, shuffling papers into his briefcase. “No thanks needed. I’m just trying to watch your back. Now, for God’s sake, go out and look for her.”

       THE TANGLED WEBS WE WEAVE

      Ethan took his time going home. He knew he needed to search for Sutton, but he had no idea where to look. Where would she go if she was trying to hide from him? Franklin was a small town. She had no real ties outside of it, no family in California or anything so convenient.

      He stopped in the Starbucks, looked around, as if Sutton would be sitting at the table in her favorite corner, writing away. She can’t write here anyway, mate, her laptop’s at the house. A pang in his heart. He sometimes walked up to meet her, days when he couldn’t do his own work. Just a quick hello, popping in for a cuppa, how are you getting on? Though it wasn’t exceptional interest in her work that drove him to seek her out, and she knew it. He didn’t like being far from her for very long. Three hours was enough to make him jittery. Three days felt like a lifetime. Leaving was an effective punishment; she knew how hard he found their separations.

      Nothing at the Starbucks, so he moved on. Walked down the street to the Coffee House at Second and Bridge, his preferred haunt, ordered himself gluten-free crepes and a cup of tea. He ate in the back room, the plate balanced on his knee, the squashy leather chair he was in almost too comfortable. It felt terrible to him, eating and drinking tea as if nothing was wrong in the world, as if Sutton was simply off at yoga, or working.

      Keep up your strength, mate. You need to keep things in hand.

      He kept the refrain on a loop as he walked home. Keep it together, keep it together, keep it together.

      What if someone had harmed her? His stomach heaved at the thought.

      Inside the too-empty house, he puttered from room to room. Imagining. If she wouldn’t be coming home, was he obligated to keep the heavy orange silk curtains he didn’t like? Then admonishing himself: Don’t be daft, man, she’s coming back.

      He’d felt this same way when Dashiell died. He’d known his son wouldn’t ever be found giggling in his crib again, and yet he’d circle the house and find himself staring into the nursery as if he could conjure the child from thin air.

      Ghosts. He was surrounded by ghosts. Of those he’d wronged, and those he’d disappointed, and those he’d failed.

      The doorbell rang. He ran to the foyer and pulled open the door with teeth bared, only to see Ivy on the step, suitcase and briefcase in hand, an UberBLACK Suburban driving away.

      A calm came over him. He took his first real breath all day.

      “Thank God. Sanity arrives. You got here fast.”

      “I was able to get an earlier flight.”

      He СКАЧАТЬ