Lie, Lie Again(106)

“It’s Embry. Something’s happened at Nadine’s. I just sent Riki there. Can you go too? I’m scared.”

“I’ll be right over.” She looked to Lily. “I need to help Embry. You should leave.”

“I need a minute.”

Sylvia studied her face for a moment but was met with a vacant stare. Part of her worried for Lily, but she had to go. If Jonathan was somehow awake and chatting with Embry, she needed to be there to perform damage control. “Fine. I’ll be just across the way if you need me. And if Hugh shows up, stay out of the kitchen.”

“Huh?”

“It’s where the knives are.” Sylvia left, letting her words hang in the air for Lily to grab on to.





CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Riki twisted her hands as she stood over Jonathan. He was facedown on the floor next to the bed. Embry had called her in a panic, describing a strange thumping noise she’d heard in the apartment above, and she’d begged her to take a look, since she couldn’t leave her kids unsupervised. Riki fished her phone from her pocket and called Embry back. “It was Jonathan,” she rushed to say as soon as Embry answered. “He must’ve fallen off the bed.” She lowered her voice as she looked at his body, splayed in an awkward position. “I’m scared, Em. He doesn’t look good. In fact, he looks really bad.”

“Like he’s sick? Or is he . . . ?”

Riki nodded, even though she knew Embry couldn’t see her. “Passed out? I don’t know.”

“Sylvia’s on her way. I should’ve just called 911 when I heard the noise,” she said, her voice shaky. “But what with her odd request to have me ask about Nadine . . . Oh, I just don’t know!”

Did Sylvia kill him? Riki willed herself to check for a pulse, but she couldn’t move. All she could do was stand there and stare. Footsteps sounded, and she turned. “Sylvia’s here,” she said into the phone. “I’ll call you back.” She ended the call and looked at Sylvia. “What did you do to him?”

Sylvia smirked. “Well, I didn’t do a thing. The man was inebriated, and I helped him to bed.” She marched toward Jonathan and touched her foot to his leg, jiggling it. He didn’t move. “Oh, for God’s sake.”

Riki cried out. “What?”

Sylvia raised a brow. “Calm down. It’s not like we’re going to have to roll him up in the bedcovers like a burrito and pitch his body off the pier. He’s not dead. Can’t you see his chest rising and falling?”

She looked down at him. “I guess I can now. It was just so scary to see him like this.”

“Well, he is dead asleep.” She moved so she was near his head and reached her hands below his shoulders. “Come on. You’re going to help me lift him back onto the bed. We can’t leave him here.”

Riki rushed to grab his legs. He muttered something, and her hands slid.

“Please, Riki. My wrist is literally going to break.”

“Right! Sorry.” She bent her knees before attempting to lift, the way she’d been taught to do at the gym, but he wouldn’t budge. “I think we’re going to have to wait for Brandon.”

“Concentrate. We can do this. On the count of three.” She counted, and they tried again. This time, they were able to deposit him back onto the bed, and Sylvia rolled him to his side. It was miraculous he didn’t wake up.

Riki rubbed her hands down her jeans. “What do we do now?”

Sylvia exhaled. “Leave him. I’ll check on him in the morning. And for all of our sakes, please don’t let him know you saw him like this. Who knows what he might think?”

“I won’t say a word,” she whispered. “Can we go now? I’m totally creeped out.”

“Don’t be. He just had too much to drink. It happens. Let’s leave him to sleep it off.”

Riki rushed out. It had started to drizzle, and she shivered as she let herself into her apartment.



Sylvia marched toward her apartment, attempting to crush her annoyance with each heavy step. Why couldn’t Jonathan just stay put and let her enjoy her victory? The fact that he’d fallen right off the edge of the bed was a little worrisome, but at least he’d stayed asleep. Now, he just needed to make it through the rest of the night. She opened her door to find Lily sitting at the kitchen table like a statue. There was no sign of Hugh. “He’s clearly not coming,” she said flatly. “And to be honest, I’d like to take a shower and get some rest. I’m exhausted.”

Lily turned her head slowly to look at her. “You seem like a smart woman. How is it that you didn’t know?”

Sylvia frowned. “I could ask you the same thing. How come you didn’t suspect anything?” Footsteps pounded the stairs, and she cursed under her breath. “What now?” A knock sounded, and Sylvia headed to the door. She startled as Lily suddenly flew past her.

Yanking the door open, Lily stepped onto the landing. “How could you, Hugh? How could you?” she shouted.

Sylvia watched from the doorway, a sick thrill rushing through her as she absorbed the pained look in Hugh’s eyes.

“What did I do? You told me you were here,” he said, his hands raised as though pleading his innocence.