Page 88 of Nash Falls
Upstairs Nash found his wife lying on the sofa in their bedroom sitting room.
He sat across from her.
“The detectives have left,” he said.
She nodded absently, her gaze on the wall, her eyes vacant.
“Can you tell me the truth now, Judith?”
“What are you talking about?” she said dully, glancing at him.
“You told me that Maggie was upset last night. But you told the detectives that she was normal, no problems.”
“I… I was confused. And when I said she was upset, it was justthe normal stuff. Nothing that would explain…this,” she added with a sharp wave of her hand.
“Okay, I have another question.”
“Walter, do we really have to do this right now?”
“Where were you last night?”
Her features became so still it was like she was in rigor. “I… was… here. Like I told you.”
“I found the vomit in the shower. I saw the clothes on your closet floor.”
She leapt up and hurried into the bedroom.
He called after her, “Running away is not doing Maggie any good, Judith. Right now, I really need the truth.”
She slowly walked back into the sitting area. “Look, Walter, I just think that—”
He stood. His furious features and his towering presence made her shrink back.
“You were with another man last night. Yourclothessaid as much. Maybe you and Maggie got into an argument about that. Maybe it made you throw up in the shower and you were too out of it to clean it up. Or hide your clothes from me.”
She wavered and then plopped down on the couch.
He sat across from her in the chair, the distance between them far greater than that right now. “So… how long has Rhett been screwing you?”
Judith shuddered, but then looked defiant. “Rhett? Temple? Are you insane?”
“He knew about my dad’s Agent Orange settlement. I never mentioned that to him, or anyone else, except you and Maggie. Now, I highly doubt Maggie would have anything to do with a guy like Rhett. So the only way he could have found out was through you.” He stood and started to pace. “And the other night when you came home late and found me still awake? You looked… guilty. You had clothes on that were, well, not the sort that one would wear to a dinner with a girlfriend. I always knew you were attracted to Rhett.Over the years I’ve seen how flirty and handsy you are around him, and he around you. And I think we can both agree that Rhett will screw anything in a skirt. And I’m sure the thrill of doing it with other men’s wives was just the cherry on top. And, as a final clue, his cologne, which is very expensive and distinctive, is all over the clothes on your closet floor.”
“Walter, please stop.” She was shaking now, her head dangling, her arms limp.
“I guess the Asian trip was another way to be with Rhett. I mentioned it to him. He tried to hide it, but I could tell he already knew all about it. And then you did your best to dissuade me from going.”
“Walter, I—”
He sat back down. “But that is not something I want to think about right now. The only thing I care about is finding Maggie.”
“I… I don’t know where she is.”
“Did she confront you last night when you got home? About being with another man?”
Judith slowly nodded. “Y-yes.”
“And what happened?”
