The Woman in the Window(45)

“I lied. She sat at that table. We played chess.”

He looks at Norelli, helpless.

“And you made her scream,” I say.

Now Norelli turns to Alistair.

“She says she heard a scream,” he explains.

“I did hear a scream. Three days ago.” Is that accurate? Maybe not. “And Ethan told me it was her.” Not strictly true, but close.

“Let’s leave Ethan out of it,” Little says.

I stare at them, ranged around me, like those three kids hurling eggs, those three little shits.

I’m going to lay them out flat.

“So where is she?” I ask, snapping my arms across my chest. “Where’s Jane? If she’s fine, bring her over here.”

They share a glance.

“Come on.” I gather my robe around me, yank the sash, cross my arms again. “Go get her.”

Norelli turns to Alistair. “Will you . . .” she murmurs, and he nods, recedes into the living room, pulling his phone from his pocket.

“And then,” I say to Little, “I want all of you out of my house. You think I’m delusional.” He flinches. “And you think I’m lying.” Norelli doesn’t react. “And he’s saying I never met a woman I met twice.” Alistair mutters into the phone. “And I want to know exactly who went where in here when where—” Snarling myself in my words. I pause, recover. “I want to know who else has been in here.”

Alistair walks back toward us. “It’ll just take a moment,” he says, slipping the phone into his pocket.

I lock eyes with him. “I bet this’ll be a long moment.”

No one speaks. My eyes roam the room: Alistair, inspecting his watch; Norelli, placidly observing the cat. Only Little watches me.

Twenty seconds pass.

Twenty more.

I sigh, unfold my arms.

This is ridiculous. The woman was—

The buzzer stutters.

My head swerves toward Norelli, then Little.

“Let me get that,” says Alistair, as he turns toward the door.

I watch, stock-still, as he presses the buzzer button, twists the knob, opens the hall door, stands to one side.

A second later, Ethan slopes into the room, eyes cast low.

“You’ve met my son,” Alistair says. “And this is my wife,” he adds, shutting the door after her.

I look at him. I look at her.

I’ve never seen this woman in my life.





41


She’s tall but fine-boned, with sleek dark hair framing a sculpted face. Her brows are slender, sharp, arched above a pair of gray-green eyes. She regards me coolly, then crosses the kitchen and extends a hand.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” she says.

Her voice is low and lush, very Bacall. It clots in my ears.

I don’t move. I can’t.

Her hand stays there, thrust toward my chest. After a moment I wave it away.

“Who is this?”

“This is your neighbor.” Little sounds almost sad.

“Jane Russell,” says Norelli.

I look at her, then at him. Then at the woman.

“No, you’re not,” I tell her.

She withdraws her hand.

Back to the detectives: “No, she isn’t. What are you saying? She isn’t Jane.”

“I promise you,” Alistair begins, “she is—”

“You don’t need to promise anything, Mr. Russell,” Norelli tells him.

“Does it make a difference if I promise?” asks the woman.

I round on her, step forward. “Who are you?” I sound raw, jagged, and I’m pleased to see her and Alistair scuttle back together, as though they’re cuffed at the ankle.

“Dr. Fox,” Little says, “let’s calm down.” He places a hand on my arm.

It jolts me. I spin away from him, away from Norelli, and now I’m in the center of the kitchen, the detectives looming by the window, Alistair and the woman backed into the living room.

I turn to them, advance. “I have met Jane Russell twice,” I say slowly, simply. “You are not Jane Russell.”

This time she stands her ground. “I can show you my driver’s license,” she offers, dipping a hand into her pocket.

I shake my head, simply, slowly. “I don’t want to see your driver’s license.”

“Ma’am,” calls Norelli, and I twist my head over my shoulder. She approaches, steps between us. “That’s enough.”

Alistair is watching me with wide eyes. The woman’s hand is still burrowed in her pocket. Behind them, Ethan has retreated to the chaise, Punch coiled at his feet.

“Ethan,” I say, and his gaze glides up to me, like he was waiting to be summoned. “Ethan.” I push between Alistair and the woman. “What’s happening?”

He looks at me. Looks away.

“She is not your mother.” I touch his shoulder. “Tell them that.”

He cocks his head, swerves his eyes left. Clenches his jaw and swallows. Picks at a fingernail. “You’ve never met my mother,” he mumbles.

I remove my hand.

Turn around, slowly, dazed.

Then they speak at once, a little chorus: “Can we—” asks Alistair, nodding toward the hall door just as Norelli says, “We’re finished here,” and Little invites me to “get some rest.”