Page 75 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“Are you saying you’d rather not know?”

She shrugged. “I liked my life the way it was thirty minutes ago.”

Sam had no idea what to say to that. How could anyone not want to know their spouse was lying to them? “We’ll, ah, see ourselves out.” She couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

“Ugh, that was horrible,” Freddie said when they were outside. “I feel so bad for her.”

“Why would she not want to know her husband was sleeping with someone else?”

“Because she needed to believe her life was exactly as she saw it. The happily married couple with the four accomplished children and a life anyone would envy. Now she’s the scorned wife with no source of income and a husband who’ll need to pay for two homes and probably can barely swing the one he already has.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of insight into marital meltdown from a newlywed.”

“Am I wrong?”

“Probably not.”

“What next?”

“I want to see Bob Tappen again.”

“So we can spread the good news to him, too?”

“Yep.”

“I really need some food before we continue on our path of destruction.”

“Fine, but make it snappy.”

“I’d rather make it greasy.”

“I’m sure you know exactly where you want to go, so you can drive.” She tossed him the keys and got into the passenger seat.

Freddie bounced in the driver’s seat like a five-year-old who’d had too much sugar. “One of my favorite sandwich shops is up here.”

Fifteen minutes later, Freddie got back in the car, bringing the mouthwatering aromas of grilled onions, peppers and steak. Because life wasn’t fair, it was probably smothered in cheese, too.

“Here’s your salad,” he said, handing her a separate bag.

“Thanks.”

They ate in silence—or rather, he powered through an extra-large sub while she picked at a tasteless salad. In the time it took her to eat half of hers, he’d also consumed two bags of chips and three chocolate chip cookies.

The salad would’ve been halfway appetizing if she hadn’t had to watch his dumpster show while she was trying to eat it. She put the uneaten half back in the bag and rolled it closed. She sent a text to Captain Malone. Will you please, please, PLEASE handle the media? We’re on a roll out here, and I don’t want to have to come back in. Just tell them we’re working the case and expect to have more info soon. PLEASE??

Fine!

Thank you!

Yeah, yeah.

“Phew. Malone is going to do the press briefing.”

“That’s good.”

With one less thing to do, Sam relaxed a bit as Freddie pulled the car into traffic to head for the 14th Street hotel where the Tappens were staying. On the way, she called Lieutenant Haggerty from Crime Scene to ask where they were with the processing of the Tappens’ home.

“Whatever happened to her didn’t take place in the house,” Haggerty said. “No signs of struggle or blood or anything that suggests a crime.”

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