Neighborly(84)

I know that Doug continued to ignore me for hours, until he walked inside at six p.m., pretending it had been a long day at the office. He was obviously genuinely thrilled that Sadie was back with us, and he asked questions about how she was. As an afterthought, he asked about me.

What I didn’t tell him was that I’d called the police. That two officers came out and took my statement. They also took all the cardboard notes, except for “Does your husband know?” I hid that one, wanting to retain some evidence of my own and not wanting them to wonder what it was that my husband doesn’t know. I can’t afford to lose any credibility, with such an incredible story.

I’ve already forgotten the officers’ names, though I wrote them down. I thought of them as Big and Little, for obvious reasons. They seemed sympathetic about Sadie’s recent hospitalization, but Big raised an eyebrow about Dr. Vreeland’s intimation of poisoning, like he thought maybe the doctor was some kind of quack. “Do you know Dr. Vreeland?” I asked, and they shook their heads. “He’s very professional,” I told them. “He has no reason to make anything up.” Another slight eyebrow lift from Big.

Little assured me that they’d speak with Dr. Vreeland, and Big said that they’d start talking to my neighbors, see if anyone suspicious had been hanging around. Big wanted to know whether anyone had directly made a threat against Sadie or me, if I’d had any negative run-ins, and I said no, everyone had seemed lovely—to my face. “It’s a great neighborhood,” Little said, with the most feeling either of them had shown, and I had a sinking sensation. Even though I stressed again that the bacteria was rare, that the virus showed up most often in people working with livestock, Big asked, “Do any of your neighbors have dogs?” and I knew I was fighting a losing battle.

They clearly didn’t believe anyone in the AV would do something like this. I had the sense that their investigation would be cursory at best. Though they were unfailingly polite, I was pretty sure they’d laugh at me later. Maybe they’d even call Wyatt to let him in on the joke.

I decided not to even fill Doug in when he got home. He’d just find a way to dismiss me, too, to downplay everything. I’m on my own.

I can’t sleep in the bed with him, not after everything, so I’m lying on the love seat, staring up at the ceiling; my mind is spinning like Sadie’s mobile. I go back to Big’s final question: “Is there anyone you’ve wronged? Anyone who could be holding a grudge against you?”

I hear a noise outside, and there’s Yolanda, pushing her double stroller. It’s definitely odd, since it’s ten at night. Shouldn’t her kids be in their beds sleeping? Though the ground is flat, she seems to be huffing. I think she’s put on more weight since I last saw her, or it could just be the unflattering shorts she’s wearing.

Without thinking, I dash outside. I plant myself directly in her path. Her hair is pulled back severely in a bun, and she’s not wearing any makeup. She looks aged.

“Oh,” she says without a smile. “You’re back.”

“Sadie was discharged.”

“Congratulations.” She starts to push the stroller around me.

Her kids are asleep. I might not get a more perfect moment. If Yolanda’s behind all this, then I need to call a cease-fire. Even though she hates me now, the notes started way before whatever it was that happened with Wyatt, the day of the block party. I have to start somewhere.

“I’m glad I ran into you,” I say. I take a deep breath.

“I wanted to say I’m truly sorry. For what happened at girls’ night, with Wyatt.” Her face goes from stony to stormy. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t even remember it. I only found out when I saw a picture on my phone.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I was blacked out that night. Someone slipped me a roofie. I’m positive. Someone in this neighborhood has had it out for me since I moved here. They leave me hateful notes.”

She shakes her head angrily. “This is the story you’re going with?”

“It was a kiss,” I say. “Nothing else.”

“How do I know that?”

“Well, what did Wyatt tell you?”

She looks away. “He doesn’t remember what happened that night, either. But he’s pretty sure it was just a kiss.”

“Wyatt doesn’t want me, and I don’t want him. Doug and I aren’t going to be open.”

She snorts. “You could have fooled me.”

Is that a reference to Doug and Andie? “I’m not going to be a regular. I’m not going to put myself in that position ever again. You have nothing to worry about.”

She looks directly at me, trying to figure out if she should keep hating me. I can tell she’s vilified me in her own mind in order to be able to live with Wyatt. I get that. All the compromises, all the rationalizations, all the little mental tricks we do just to get through the day and have what we thought we’d always wanted.

“I am so sorry,” I say again. “There was never anything between Wyatt and me, I swear to you. We never even flirted. Someone put ketamine in my drink. That makes people overly sexual.”

She’s dubious, but then I see her dawning realization that this could work in her favor. “Do you think someone could have drugged Wyatt, too?”