Page 78 of The Truth in My Lies (Secrets of Suburbi 1)

“Excuse me?” He put his hand down on the file.

“Are you blackmailing her?”

He laughed. “What are you talking about? No, I’m not blackmailing your psychologist. But I am paying her handsomely for the inconvenience of moving. That’s probably motivation enough.”

“That’s crazy. I can just find a new doctor.”

“It’s already done.” He lifted up the file and tossed it in the box.

“But…”

“Go get some rest, babe. You look tired.”

I wanted to argue with him. But it was like a wave of exhaustion hit me. All the packing had worn me out. I watched the back of his head as he pulled out another file. I truly was exhausted. Of him. Of us.

“If you could do things differently…would you?” I asked.

He turned toward me. “What do you mean?”

“If you could go back and marry someone else. Someone less…”

“Never. I love you, Adeline.”

I nodded.

“I think a nap would do you some good.”

Why did he keep trying to make me go to sleep? My eyelids felt heavy, even though I didn’t want them to. “Maybe a nap would do me some good.”

“Yes. It most definitely would. I really do need to get back to these files. We’re running out of time.”

We most certainly were. Somehow this was the nicest exchange we?

??d had in years. And it made me incredibly suspicious of him. “If you were in trouble, you could tell me, you know,” I said.

“I know.”

There was no reason to press it. He’d tell me if he wanted. But it was disconcerting. Depending on what mess he was in, it could haunt me after he was dead. And I was so tired of running. I was so tired in general. I started to climb the stairs.

My ankle barely hurt anymore. In a few days, I’d probably be able to run again. Right around the same time when I’d never need to run again. I smiled as I made my way upstairs. Three more days.

Chapter 38

I pulled back the curtain and watched my husband’s sedan pull out of the driveway. It was go time.

I threw open the flaps of the Amazon box. The blowtorch looked especially fun. But if I was being honest, I didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t really know what to do with any of the items unless I was at close range. Which wasn’t an option. I knew from experience that I couldn’t overpower him.

Even though Ben didn’t approve of my plan, he was the one that had come up with it. He’d be able to help. I shot him a text letting him know that my husband was gone.

There was one other person that could help me. The little boy from Home Alone. And it would be nice to see how everything worked out for him. Because I was pretty sure I’d need a little luck on my side.

I dragged my box of equipment into the family room, put everything on the coffee table, and pulled up the movie On Demand. A light study session was just what I needed. It had been years since I was I college, but I was pretty sure I still knew how to take notes.

***

“Why are you watching Home Alone?”

My notebook fell out of my hands at the sound of Ben’s voice. “What the hell, Ben? How did you get into my house?”

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