Page 31 of The Better Sister

I had a sudden image of Adam’s face turning red, the veins bulging in his neck, as he screamed at Ethan in the car outside the school. A woman walking by heard him even through the closed windows. I had mouthed “It’s okay” and implored her with a hand wave to keep going on her way. It was that stupid gun.

“Unusually so,” I added, “given that Adam was his primary parent.”

I looked at Nicky. She nodded and reached over to give me a supportive pat on the arm. “She’s right. I wouldn’t have allowed Adam to raise my son here without me if there had been any problems. I know it’s not a traditional family arrangement, but Adam and Chloe have given Ethan an amazing life.”

“So, then... no problems at all between them?” Guidry asked.

“I mean, he’s sixteen years old,” I said. “His room’s a pigsty, and he’s constantly in front of one screen or another. But no, nothing you’d call aproblem.You can’t seriously be suggesting...”

Guidry softened her expression. “Of course not. We just have to ask. Maybe we can speak in private with Ethan, and then we’ll be all set here.”

I looked up at the ceiling and blew out a long sigh. “Fine, let me get him.”

I was barely out of my chair when Nicky rose to her feet. “Huh-uh. We’re done here, at least as far as Ethan is concerned.”

“We’ll be just a few minutes,” Guidry said. “Chloe—”

“No!” Nicky held up a hand, blocking my view of the detectives. “Chloe isn’t his mother. I am. I have the legal documents if you need them. With Adam gone, I’m his legal guardian. And you’re not talking to my kid after asking two different times if he was having problems with his murdered father, while you’re obviously ignoring the evidence that my sister is trying to give you. This whole thing is disgusting.”

I could hear a clock I forgot we owned ticking from a bookshelf in the hallway.

Guidry finally said, “Maybe you two could ask Ethan what he wants—”

I shook my head. “No, my sister is right. The next time you want to speak to Ethan or me, you can call my lawyer, Bill Braddock.”

20

We waited until we heard the ding of the elevator before saying another word.

“What the hell was that, Nicky? You’re his mother, and I’m not?They’re going to think we’re hiding something now.”

She resumed her spot in the same white chair and lowered her face into her hands. When she looked up, I could tell that she was struggling to remain calm. “With all due respect, Chloe, why do you care so fucking much about what other people think?”

I had no idea what she was talking about.

“I couldn’t figure out why you were answeringanyof those questions, let alone letting them speak to Ethan. But then I realized: you were trying to please those cops, like you can keep them on your side if they just see how perfect and sweet you are.”

“It’s not about me being ‘perfect and sweet.’ But I don’t want them to think we’re hiding something.”

“I’d say that ship has sailed, baby sister. It’s obvious they’re looking to solve Adam’s murder inside your house. Don’t you see what they were doing? They were asking about Ethan’s relationship with Adam to trick you. Once they got him alone, they would have asked him about the dynamic betweenyouand Adam. Who would have thought between the two of us,you’dbe the murder suspect?” Her brows lifted in amusement.

“I’m not a suspect,” I said.

“Well, tell the internet that. The reason my phone was dying on the way here is because I was refreshing Twitter so much.”

“You’re not taking this very seriously, Nicky. Adam’s dead. It’s not funny.”

“‘It’s neither fun nor funny.’ Got it, Saint Chloe. Jesus, you don’t think I’m taking this seriously? I’m here, aren’t I? And who’s the one who told that cop to stay the fuck away from Ethan? But just because something sucks doesn’t mean you can’t find a glimmer of humor in it. Laughing at screwed up shit is how I’ve managed to stay alive after everything I’ve been through.”

I steeled myself for a familiar round of all the ways fate had victimized Nicole Taylor, but the room fell silent instead. Nicky looked down the hall to make sure Ethan’s bedroom door was still closed. When she spoke again, her voice was low.

“So how long were you cheating on Adam?”

I grimaced and shook my head. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I could tell you were lying when that asshole asked you about... ‘third parties.’” She used air quotes to mark the euphemism. “Don’t worry—you were always a good liar to everyone but me.”

“I’m not a good liar, Nicky. Or a bad one, either. Because I wasn’t lying. Some people don’t lie.”

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