Page 66 of What the Wife Knew

“The lie about being a hero is all you are, Richmond. Without it, you’re a sad loser. Pathetic. Someone who should be locked up and forgotten. Thrown away like garbage.” She patted my shoulder. “But enough foreplay. It’s time to get married.”

The way her tone changed with that last part. Amused, almost chirpy.

Strangling her. That was the answer.

A satisfying buzz came with imagining the moment she realized her pleading blew apart my decades-oldnever againvow. Circumstances had changed. Not my fault. She did this. She pushed and nagged. She wouldn’t let go. She brought this on herself.

She straightened my tie. “Come on, darling. Time to get hitched and start that prenup rolling.”

One more time. I’d have to kill one more time.

Chapter Forty-Three

Her

Present Day

Elias arrived at the house the next morning with two to-go coffee cups and chocolate croissants. If he was trying to win me over, he’d found the right combination. I didn’t even care if he added the total café charge to my next legal bill.

“Why didn’t your mom want anything?” Elias asked as he sat across from me at the kitchen table.

“She’s getting her own coffee because, and I quote,I can’t stay locked up in this shithole forever.” The first words she said before storming out today. The house had been blissfully quiet since. “Lizzy does not impress easily.”

“She’s been here for four days.”

Was it only four? “An eternity.”

“Are you okay?” He shook his head. “You really should have gone to the hospital.”

“Sore and grumpy. Penned in and frustrated.” I took a sip of coffee. “So, the usual.”

“Well, I have good news for you.”

“That would be a nice change.”

“The DNA on the bat was compromised, and I think we know why. So does Nick.” Elias shrugged out of his suit jacket and tooka full minute hanging it on the back of the chair next to him before finishing his thought. “There’s no proof you did anything, though it’s clear you found a bat and cleaned it. Without getting fingerprints on it, which is interesting. Not a great look but not a theory they can make into a criminal charge without more.” He slowed down to take a sip of coffee. “For the record, if you had left the bat as it was the police might have been able to find DNA from the actual killer.”

“You think the person who used my bat to kill Richmond and planted it on my property for the sole purpose of framing me left their DNA?”

“Good point.”

I had one every now and then.

“Between the lack of forensics, the house security camera footage from the day Richmond died, including you racing around calling the ambulance when you found him, and the information from the diner, Nick knows unless he can find an accomplice, he doesn’t have a case against you.”

That was a load of good news but nothing had been solved. I didn’t feel an ounce of relief. Not after the last few days. “Does he have a case against anyone?”

“Not that I can tell.”

Talk about perfect timing. I dropped the baggie with the listening device, or what Mom insisted was a listening device, on the table in front of Elias. “Maybe he should look harder at Kathryn.”

He frowned but didn’t touch it. “Where did this come from?”

“Apparently Kathryn planted the device in this very room on a previous visit. I’m assuming during her drop-in after the police searched the house.”

“You’re sure it was her? Why would she do that?”

Excellent question. “Ask her. She’s your friend.”

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