What Have You Done(50)
Liam closed the file and tossed it onto the bench next to him. He stood on weary legs and made his way into the kitchen, crossing to the refrigerator, where he grabbed a beer, twisted the cap off, and took a long sip, almost finishing it in one gulp.
The front door opened, and Liam could hear Vanessa shuffling inside, dropping her bag on the bench, and slipping off her raincoat.
“In the kitchen,” he called as he took another sip of his beer, finishing it.
There was no answer.
He walked into the hall and found his wife untying her sneakers. “Hey.”
Vanessa didn’t look up. “Hey.”
“Something wrong?”
“Yes, something is definitely wrong.” Vanessa looked at him, and now he could see she’d been crying. Black mascara had run down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and swollen.
“What happened?”
Vanessa kicked off her sneakers and brushed past him, into the kitchen. “I called your office today on my break. I was going to surprise you and stop over for a late lunch. Our census dropped, and they let some of us go early. I thought it’d be a nice opportunity to spend some time together.”
“I was in Delaware today. Wilmington. We had a lead we had to follow up with. I just got back.”
“Yeah, that’s what they told me. They said you went to Wilmington with Jane Somebody.”
“Campelli. Jane Campelli. She’s on my team.” Liam followed his wife. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Why are you so upset?”
Vanessa threw open a cabinet next to the stove and took out a wine glass. She walked over to the pantry and retrieved a bottle of merlot. “If you had to cross the state line on a lead, wouldn’t the FBI have to get involved?”
“No. It was just a lead. We were following up on it from our jurisdiction.”
“Are you lying to me, Liam? After everything we’ve been through, I need to know. Are you really trying to make things work? To make us work? Or are you lying about loving me and making our life together work again?”
A mixture of confusion and anger began to boil within Liam. He knew it was the result of this ridiculous accusation but also the fact that she wasn’t totally wrong. It was as if she could somehow read his mind and make him see things for what they were, and he wasn’t ready for that.
“Where is this coming from?” Liam asked. “What are you even talking about?”
Vanessa poured the wine into her glass and took a sip. She put the glass down and stared at her husband. “I need to know the truth,” she said. “Are you having an affair with Jane Campelli?”
Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you kidding me? Jesus, this is all I need. You’re all worked up because I went to Wilmington with Jane on a lead? And now you think I’m having an affair with her?”
“Answer the question!”
“Of course not! That’s the most ridiculous and childish thing I ever heard. I was working today. Doing my job. The only reason why you know where I was is because you called to go to lunch. I have news for you: I travel all around the area during investigations, and this isn’t the first time I’ve crossed a border. Look, I’ve been patient, and I’ve been willing to reconstruct this marriage, but if this is how you’re going to act every time I’m not where you think I should be, then we have a lot more work ahead of us.” He stormed out of the kitchen, grabbed the file from the bench in the hall, and came back. He tossed the file across the marble island and watched as it landed in front of Vanessa, the glossy photos spilling from beneath the cover. “This is what I was doing today. Not an affair. A homicide.”
Vanessa looked at some of the pictures and then pushed them away. “Tell me you love me,” she said.
“Why are you—”
“Tell me you love me!”
Liam could feel everything crashing down on him. His anger intensified as he tried to reconcile his wife’s irrational reaction to the fact that he wasn’t at his office when she’d called. The two things didn’t mesh. The entire situation was so completely bizarre. “Why didn’t you call my cell?” he asked.
“I did.”
Liam pulled out his phone and checked the log. Two calls from Vanessa’s phone had posted. He hadn’t heard either of them.
“Tell me you love me. That’s what I want to hear. I need to hear it.”
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Tell me you love me and you’d never do anything to hurt me.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
Vanessa slammed her wine glass down on the counter, and it shattered all over the photos and file. “Tell me!”
“No, I can’t.” Liam backed out of the kitchen, shaking his head. “Not when you’re like this.” He turned, walked through the hall, and opened the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Away from you.”
“Tell me you—”
He slammed the door and ran out into the cool, silent night. His anger was getting the better of him, and he needed to get away. There was no particular destination in mind. Just away. He had to think.
38
Liam backed out of the driveway and whipped the car around onto the street. He drove for half a block, his anger fueling him to the point where he thought he might burst. His breathing was shallow, so he pulled over to the side of the road, sat back in his seat, and closed his eyes. He concentrated on his breathing. In, out. In, out. After a little while, he steadied himself and felt better. A thought flashed through his mind.