Little Secrets(76)
Jeans are appropriate attire for Sal’s Bar, and she dresses quickly in her closet, sliding on her most comfortable and well-worn pair. She reaches for a pair of boots, then notices something odd, something she didn’t notice that morning when she dressed for work.
Her most prized Louboutins have been moved.
The designer heels were a complete splurge, meant for only the fanciest of special occasions, thanks to the crystal bows on the toes. They’ve been relocated out of their usual spot, which is near the bottom of the shoe rack, and arranged at eye level in front of her purse collection, one shoe posed on its side to show off its signature red sole. It’s as if they’ve been prepped for a photo.
Did Derek do this? Or Daniela? She pauses, thinking. Derek has no interest in her shoes, and Daniela, in the ten years she’s been cleaning for them, has never touched Marin’s personal things. The last time these shoes were on her feet was at the Holiday Ball, well before Sebastian was taken, more than two years ago.
As she moves the Louboutins back down into the empty spot where they belong, a piece of paper near the shoe rack catches her eye. It’s partially crumpled, as if it fell out of a pocket, and she picks it up.
It’s a taxi receipt, from the Sunshine Cab Co. Probably one of Derek’s. He takes taxis often, saying he prefers them over Uber, which is hilarious since he’s never taken an Uber before. But then she notes the date and time, printed right on the receipt.
It’s from two nights ago, when she and Derek were in Whistler. Marin stares at the little piece of paper, so innocuous she almost threw it away without looking at it. It takes a moment for her to process what it means.
Someone was in her house while they were away.
Chapter 24
Sal’s Bar is busy for a Monday night. The Mariners are playing at home, which explains why everyone is wearing baseball jerseys.
Marin rarely comes here in the evenings anymore. She’s not used to weaving her way through loud customers shouting at the TV screens and groups of men glancing twice at her as she passes. It feels weird to be in a crowded bar by herself, but she declined Derek’s offer to come with her.
She was leaving the house as her husband was coming in, and when she told him where she was going, he surprised her with his response.
“I’ll come with you,” he said, and it was yet another sign that things are now different between them. A week ago, he wouldn’t have said anything.
“It’s just to Sal’s bar, for a beer,” she said, holding her breath. “I said I’d stop in. His mother’s not doing well.”
She knows Derek doesn’t like Sal, though he’s never said the words out loud. Sal can be abrasive and rough around the edges, and it confuses Derek because he thinks Sal grew up with privilege. The winery had a solid reputation, and Sal’s family had both money and legacy. Sal just never wanted any of it, which is the thing Derek can’t understand, because Derek’s family gave him nothing.
“You’re a good friend to him,” Derek said. “You go ahead. I have to get some work done anyway.”
“I won’t be long,” she said, relieved. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.
He pulled her back for another one. “I’ll wait up for you.”
Derek is trying, that much is clear, and it’s wonderful and confusing all at the same time. The crevasse that opened between them after Sebastian disappeared is still there, though perhaps not quite as wide. There’s love and affection mixed in with the anger and resentment, and it will take time to undo all the months of not connecting with her husband to get back on solid ground. But for the first time in a long time, she’d like to get there. For the first time since their son went missing, their marriage feels like a priority.
For today, anyway. There’s no predicting how she’ll feel once she figures out what happened to McKenzie.
As she makes her way through the bar, she sees Ginny, the server Sal’s been sleeping with. While the thought doesn’t exactly thrill Marin, her friend is entitled to do whatever he wants, with whomever he wants. Ginny is balancing a tray full of beers on one arm, and her face darkens when she sees Marin. They’re within a foot of each other, and up close she realizes the server is much younger than she originally thought. Marin had her pegged as mid-thirties, but now she’s guessing she’s closer to mid-twenties. Ugh. Seriously, Sal?
She forces herself to smile. “Sal around?”
“Office. He said to send you back when you got here.” Ginny jerks her head in the direction of the back room, then continues on her way.
Whatever just happened in the baseball game, the crowded bar cheers its approval. Marin passes a man who offers his palm for a high-five. She smacks it and keeps moving.
She pushes through to the back of the bar, where a door leads to a long hallway. The bathrooms are on the left, and the kitchen and Sal’s small office are on the right. If it can even be called an office. It’s barely big enough for a desk and two chairs.
Sal looks up when she knocks.
“Hey,” he says. “Shut the door. I can’t hear myself think with that noise.”
She does as he asks, and the volume from the main bar is cut in half. He gestures for her to sit, giving her the once-over as she sinks into the chair opposite him.
“Missed me already, huh? I don’t usually see you twice in one week. Hell, I don’t usually see you twice in one month these days.”