Page 36 of Ghost of You
“Sounds like a great friendship,” Fitz said, offering a kind smile. “In the week leading up to Frankie’s disappearance, had you seen her at all?”
Angie nodded. She took a deep breath and appeared to be relaxing. She obviously believed Fitz when he said he just wanted to talk about her friendship with Frankie. “We had yoga on Monday at noon. We always went across the street and got milkshakes when class was over.” Angie barked a quick laugh, turning her attention to Oliver who was silent, but smiling. “We had plans on Friday to have lunch, but she’d already been taken.”
Fitz nodded, scribbling notes on his pad. “Did you talk on the phone or text between milkshakes on Monday and Frankie going missing on Thursday?”
“We texted each other every day, but we didn’t talk. Frankie was busy with her charities and an upcoming vote on some city council bill.”
“This is all very helpful, Angie.” Fitz tapped his pad with his pen. “When was it that you started sleeping with Oliver? Before or after her death?”
Cope’s full attention was on Oliver as Fitz asked his question. Fear rolled off him in waves. Scared people made stupid decisions. Oliver’s guard was dropping. Cope also sensed a feeling of relief that the detectives were going at Angie, not him.
“What the fuck business is that of yours?” Angie asked, red in the face.
“Oliver ruled over his wife with an iron fist. He monitored her phone, tracked her whereabouts. How the hell did he have time for you, when stalking his wife seemed to be his favorite hobby?” Jude asked, sounding benign.
Cope knew better. He was about to drop the hammer.
“When Oliver was with me, neither of us were thinking about Frankie,” Angie said, her eyes tearing up. “Yeah, he was my best friend’s husband, but I was in love. My marriage was a disaster. Dom didn’t want to work, fucked around with other women and drank too much. Oliver was the exact opposite of him.”
“Actually, he wasn’t,” Fitz said. “We have it on good authority that Oliver was seeing other women besides you, both before and after Frankie disappeared.”
“What are you talking about?” Angie’s bravado faltered. “Oliver hasalwaysbeen faithful to me.”
“If he’ll cheat with you, he’ll cheat on you,” Ronan said. “A smart woman like yourself should have known that.”
Angie stammered. Cope watched as her entire world crumbled around her. Everything she thought she’d known about Oliver was a lie.
A lie Cope was going to use to his benefit. “Who is Jenn French? Misty Harrington? Deb Collins? Joy Prince?” Cope asked, slapping on a dazed look, as if his gift had just shocked him with what it had revealed.
Angie’s mouth dropped open. “I work with them? Why?”
“I think youknowwhy,” Cope said. He could feel the anger building inside Angie. It wasn’t going to take much more for her to explode at Oliver. Then it would be game on.
“Oliver knows them too, but not in a professional manner like you do.” Jude paused, obviously giving Angie a few seconds to understand what he was saying.
“You used to think it was cute when Oliver would come see you at work. Bring you flowers. Take you to lunch.” Cope could see those afternoons in his mind’s eye. “Only while you werefinishing up your work or freshening your make up in the ladies room, he was charming all of your coworkers. He was a real fox in the henhouse.”
“That’s not true,” Angie said, looking back and forth between Oliver and Cope. When Oliver said nothing, she slammed her hand on the table. “Tell me this isn’t true,” she demanded.
“Angie, baby, I-” Oliver began.
“Don’t youbabyme!” Angie shouted. “Tell me what the fuck is going on, Ollie. When Frankie disappeared you promised it was us against the world.”
“Is that what he told you, Angie? That when Frankie was out of the picture the two of you could be together forever?” Jude asked, his voice full of sympathy. “You poor thing.”
“That’s enough!” Oliver thundered. “You said you were here to question Angie about her friendship with Frankie. This has gone way beyond what you promised.”
Ronan chuckled. “I’ve been friends with Jude for going on seven years. Not once in that time have I fucked his husband.”
“Good to know,” Jude deadpanned. “But you did just that, Angie. Is that why you killed Frankie? Because you knew Oliver would run to you for comfort?”
Angie looked like she’d been struck by lightning.
“Oliver promised he would be all mine if Frankie was out of the picture. I believed you. I loved you so much that I was willing to do anything to have you.” She looked as if she had more to say when Oliver interrupted.
“Angie, shut up!” Oliver commanded. “Shut the fuck up. You don’t have to say another word without your lawyer present.”
Oliver’s fear was palpable. The man was terrified that Angie would keep talking, but with as scared as he was, Cope couldn’t reach the truth Oliver was so desperate to protect.
