Before She Knew Him(27)

And now Henrietta Mazur was after him, sending cops his way, probably spying on him. It occurred to Matthew that Henrietta’s criminal past could help him, if it came to it. He suddenly wasn’t nervous. He felt strangely calm and just a little bit excited that his new neighbor seemed to suspect who he really was.

That evening Matthew’s brother called.

“When’s Mira getting back?” Richard asked.

“Later tonight.”

“Too bad. I was going to come over again. I have something to show you.”

The last time Richard had said those words, he’d shown Matthew a truly disturbing website.

“Why are you showing me this?” Matthew had asked.

“Relax. They’re just actors. I’m showing you because can you imagine if Dad had been alive when the internet was around? He would’ve thrived on this stuff, don’t you think?”

“Sounds like you’re thriving on it yourself.”

“This shit, not really. I’m just showing you because I was thinking of Dad. Remember how we used to think he was one of a kind, you know, a true original, like Dracula or Frankenstein.”

“I don’t really remember that.”

“Well, I thought it. And now it’s pretty clear that there’s a whole shitload of men out there who think just like Dad. Enough to support a website like this. It’s a strange world, Matthew.”

Richard had been almost thoughtful that time. He’d drunk too much, though, and Matthew had accidentally walked into the living room the next morning to find him masturbating, the laptop open on his lap, a look of shame and happiness in his eyes.

“What is it you wanted to show me?” Matthew asked on the phone.

“I met someone.”

“Oh, yeah. Has she met you yet?”

“Not in the flesh, but we’ve exchanged a few messages. I wanted to show you some of the pictures she posts.”

“I’ll pass, thanks.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing. When’s Mira leaving again?”

“Not for a while, Richard. You’re going to be okay, aren’t you?”

Richard laughed, but said he’d be fine, and that was the end of the conversation. Despite being disgusted by his brother, Matthew worried about him all the time. And it wasn’t just worry about his brother; he worried about what he might do. He knew, more than anyone, just what the Dolamores were capable of.

When Mira returned that night Matthew was already in bed.

“Shh, keep sleeping,” she said as she slid in next to him, looping a hand around his chest and squeezing him toward her.

“Welcome home,” he said.

“Your heart’s racing. You okay?”

“I’m just so happy to see you,” he said, turning and kissing her on her neck. She was wearing a T-shirt with nothing on underneath, and he slid a hand between her legs. She shifted, opening her legs for him. Quickly, before the feeling went away, he slid on top of her, pressing his face into the pillow next to her neck. He thought of his neighbor, what she might sound like if he were doing the same thing to her, then quickly pushed the thought away.

“That was a surprise,” Mira said, after he had rolled away from her, and they were in the same position as before, Mira up against his back, her hand around his chest.

“I’ve missed you,” he said.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

“It was a long trip,” Matthew said.

Mira laughed. “Not really, but I’m glad you think it was.”

“What are you doing Columbus Day weekend?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Why?”

“Wanna go away for a night?” he asked. “Maybe up to that hotel in Portsmouth?”

“The one with the clam dip?”

He laughed. “Yes, the one with the good clam dip. You would remember that part.”

“I remember the rest, too. Yes, I’d love it.”

“I’ll book it tomorrow,” Matthew said.

Before they fell asleep, Mira said, “Your heart rate is back to normal.”





Chapter 15




Detective Martinez called just as Lloyd, home from the office, was rooting through the refrigerator.

“Can you hold on a moment?” Hen said, then told Lloyd it was her agent and she needed to talk with him in her office. Hen raced up the stairs, wondering if it had been obvious that she was lying. Once in her tiny office—the place where she struggled with all forms of paperwork—she said into the phone, “Yes?”

“I wanted to let you know that I visited your neighbor and we talked.”

“And?”

The detective paused, and Hen knew that he was about to report that nothing was going to be done. “And he’s a person of interest, that’s all I can say right now.”

“Oh,” Hen said. “You think he’s guilty?”

Detective Martinez laughed. “No, I didn’t say that. Frankly, the interview produced nothing, really, but he was aware of the situation between Dustin Miller and Courtney Cheigh, so you’ve provided some valuable information. I’m calling to thank you for the tip.”

“It wasn’t just a tip. He’s guilty, you know.”