Page 77 of What the Wife Knew

“Don’t use that woman’s pain to save yourself.” He took another step, closing the gap between us.

My thumb hit the cell’s screen. I’d read something about an emergency code. Buttons you should hit to call for help without actually making a sound. I dragged and pressed but I couldn’t see to unlock it, so I had no idea what was happening. That left me with one choice—more talking while I worked out a solution.

Pots filled with red and orange mums lined the steps to the porch. Perfect for fall. Perfect to throw. Could I bend down and heave one before he fired off a shot? Didn’t seem likely.

Words spilled out as I did a quick scan for a rake or a hammer or something with more heft than flowers. “Richmond’s surgical abilities are being questioned. You’ll be questioned.”

“Are you a lawyer now?”

“No, but I think I could be. Doesn’t seem that hard.”

“This conversation is over.” He pointed the gun at me then at the house. “Go.”

Was the plan to shoot me in the kitchen? The house would muffle the sound, but the security video would highlight the rest. He wasn’t hiding and didn’t know how to dodge the cameras... unless he did. I had so many questions.

“You helped Richmond fake his credentials.”

“Imagine having people tell you all your life that you’re special. That you’re better than everyone else. Combine that with real talent and a drive to be the best. That defined your husband.” Thomas sycophantic tone and rushed words hinted at excitement. As if his hero worship survived Richmond’s betrayal and the potential destruction of Thomas’s livelihood.

I needed a replacement bat.

Thomas continued. “You knew him, or maybe you didn’t. I can’t get a read on you, but Richmond wasn’t hard to assess. He enjoyed being a showman more than a surgical star. He preferred the lecture circuit to time in the operating room.”

The people in Richmond’s orbit never took responsibility. They pontificated while dancing around the sordid truth of their culpability. “You made it possible for his unchecked ego to continue. You covered for him by filling the room with other competent doctors and staff and pretending Richmond was the one doing all the work.”

“You saw how people reacted to him. He was larger-than-life. He got the benefit of the doubt. We made concessions because he had achieved things other people couldn’t dream of doing. When he acted like he was better than the rest of us, we accepted it because he was.”

The whole defense of Richmond thing... I didn’t get it. He cultivated this image and everyone went along. “He wasn’t. That’s the whole point.”

“People believed what he said and gave his worst behavior a pass. With every lecture he’d embellish his abilities a little further.” The more Thomas talked, the more enamored he becamewith his subject. “You let things slide once and then before you know it... they grow and...”

I didn’t hear anything else because of Wyatt. He appeared in my yard. He jogged along the inside of the security wall, out of Thomas’s direct line of vision. Thehowandwhydidn’t make sense but Wyatt’s presence renewed my hope of getting out of this conversation alive.

“Detective Sessions is a gigantic pain, but he’ll figure out you’re behind this. Is the plan to attack me then frame someone else?” Another familiar strategy. That was one coincidence too many. “Damn, it was you. At the gate. The tree branch.”

“Why are you still talking?”

“You’re the one who hit me. You set August up.” My thoughts and words blended. Wyatt was right behind Thomas. Only feet away. For once I appreciated his trespassing. “Did you buy August’s cologne and bathe in it so I wouldn’t forget the scent? Because that’s brilliant.”

“Dr. Linfield.” The only words Wyatt said.

An imperfect distraction but it worked. I grabbed the closest ceramic pot. It was heavier than expected and bulky. Not easy to throw, so I brought it up in an arc and slammed it into the side of Thomas’s head. A vicious crack of ceramic against bone.

My hands shook and the pot fell. It tumbled to the ground, landing with a thud a second before Thomas’s limp body dropped.

“The gun!” I reached for it and cradled it in both hands. Backed up and somehow stayed on my feet. Fought against the trembling running through me in case I needed to fire the weapon.

The steam ran out of my panic when Thomas didn’t move. He was down. He wouldn’t get back up for a while.

“You hit him.” Wyatt sounded shocked as he checked for Thomas’s pulse.

I also broke the pot. A split ran up its side.

“The police.” My voice sounded so small and wobbly.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Wyatt stood up and touched my arm. He managed to look confused and concerned at the same time. “I tripped your alarm at the gate. The police should be on the way.”

“Good thinking.” I exhaled but the adrenaline burn wouldn’t ease. A crash would come, but not yet. “Not to sound ungrateful but why are you here?”

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