Page 58 of What the Wife Knew

“Be careful what you wish for, Addison.” If the fake marriage suited me, I’d let it happen. If I needed it to get closer to her to steal this alleged tape, I would do it because the move came with the side benefit of finally cleaving Kathryn from my side.

No one blamed men for dumping their older-model wives and trading up. The mistress soaked up most of the hate, which worked well here. That would take care of Kathryn.

Addison deserved a harsher ending.

One day very soon she would fall to her knees and beg for my mercy. Those would be the last words she ever said.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Her

Present Day

Detective Sessions arrived a few minutes after the ambulance crew. Instead of surrendering to the sweet bliss of sleep and forgetting this day, which was my original plan, I fought through a barrage of annoying questions designed to determine the extent of my injuries.

Do you have a headache? What day is today? What’s your address? What really happened out there?That last one came from the detective, complete with his usual scowling lack of charm.

After a half hour the ambulance crew left with my thanks and my adamant refusal to go to the hospital. I didn’t trust the detective. He’d run tests or collect DNA, which would be a problem. I already had to hope my bat cleaning and general household subterfuge stopped that line of attack. I didn’t want to make anything easier on him... or for him to find out my secrets.

With the medical personnel gone, that left Detective Sessions, me, Mom, and Elias. We squared off across from each other at the kitchen table.

Mom glared at the detective. “You owe my daughter an apology.”

I could get to like this new, throw-up-the-barricades Mom.This was all for show, of course. Part of herI’m just here to helpscam but having her rush to my defense for a change ticked off an unexpected warmth inside me. This must be what kids who were loved and wanted by their parents felt like all the time.

The detective did not look impressed. “The same daughter who has a bedroom with a dent in the wall, a mess of strange paint on another wall, a hidden murder weapon in her greenhouse, and a motive to want her husband dead? That daughter?”

It did sound pretty grim when he lined the pieces up like that.

“You’ve falsely accused her of killing her dear husband. You leaked suggestive information about her. You’ve surrendered to Kathryn and her vindictiveness.” Mom ticked off her own list while showing off pretty pink nails and a new manicure. “You’ve put a target on Addison’s back and I want to know what you plan to do about that.”

Detective Sessions sighed. “Your daughter didn’t tell me about the threats.”

Always my fault. This guy never wavered in placing the blame on me. “I wonder why.”

Elias set down his coffee mug with a thud, grabbing the spotlight from the rest of the table. “Okay, let’s keep this civil.”

The detective kept staring at me. “Should you be in the hospital?”

Not happening. “I’m not leaving this house ever again.”

“That would be smart,” Elias said. “She has a sore back. She doesn’t have any signs of a concussion, but we’ll watch her for nausea, confusion, and the like.”

Wait, was he moving in, too?

Elias kept going. “We’re going to have a talk about hiring security.”

“Yes.” Mom nodded. “An excellent idea.”

“I’m not inviting evenmorepeople into this house.” If I felt better that might have sounded less targeted at Mom, but so what. My constant, futile search for peace kept getting derailed and everyone sitting at the table played a role in that.

“We have one letter and covert photos, which I will take back for testing. I doubt we’ll find anything because I doubt any evidence has been preserved. And I can’t tell what’s under that slap of paint on the wall in the bedroom. I’m guessing heavy duty cleaning supplies took care of that.” The detective hesitated for a few seconds. “Some people might think these alleged threats are a convenient way to throw the scent off you, Mrs. Dougherty.”

This guy. “Do these people also think I threw myself into a tree?”

The attack did have a novice hint to it. If I had gotten to that tree limb first. If a car had come down the street. If I’d looked up a second earlier and could identify who hit me. There were so many ways the camera ruse could have gone wrong. I’d been unlucky but someone had gotten very lucky... so far.

“We’re collecting security video from neighbors and checking Mrs. Dougherty’s feed. If someone stepped onto the property or played with the cameras, we should see them.”

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