Pretty Little Wife(32)

“Do you know about her parents?” Jared asked.

Ginny wasn’t sure if she was being tested, so she played along. “Her father is in prison. Does she ever talk about him?”

“Never. Would you? He sounds like a psychopath.”

Probably not a surprise. Ginny couldn’t imagine having that man as a father or the destruction he’d unleashed on Lila’s life. But there was one more player. “And her mother?”

Jared’s eyes narrowed. “She died.”

“How?”

This time he drained the cup before speaking. “The official story is she fell off the rooftop of her office building. People went up there to smoke, and she smoked. It was one of those misty, rainy days, and she fell.”

Pete stopped taking notes. “What’s the unofficial story?”

“She killed herself.” Jared let out a long breath. “Lila thinks she jumped. The pressure of having a pedophile for a husband was too much. The trial was all over the news. Someone tried to burn down their house. Lila couldn’t go to school because she was getting beaten up and threatened.”

Pete whistled. “That’s pretty awful.”

“Unimaginable, actually.”

The words sounded defensive. Rough, as if he wanted to do battle for her. An interesting idea, since Lila struck Ginny as a pretty self-reliant and tough woman. The kind that didn’t need a savior. “You’re fond of your sister-in-law.”

“Not sure what you’re saying there, but yes, in a sister kind of way only.”

Very defensive. Ginny saw Pete freeze at the sound of Jared’s voice that time.

“That’s what I meant,” Ginny said.

“She’s perfect for Aaron.” Jared sat forward in his chair again with his elbows resting on the table. “She doesn’t demand much from him. Neither wanted children. She’s quieter, prefers being at home, but she’s friendly. Smart. I enjoy talking to her about things.”

“She very attractive,” Pete said. “It’s one of the first things people say about her when you ask them.”

“Sure, she’s pretty.” When no one jumped in, Jared added on to his explanation. “A lot of women are pretty. I think what people are reacting to is her affect. She’s confident. Very self-aware. Then there’s the fact she always looks perfect.”

It sounded to Ginny like he was describing a mannequin, not a woman. “But you’ve seen her in sweatpants and workout gear, right?”

“Honestly? Rarely.” A smile came and went. “She looks pretty amazing just sitting around the house, too.”

Ginny wasn’t sure what to do with that tidbit of information. She stored it away, thinking Jared might have a bit of a crush. Harmless, but there.

“You’ve spent a lot of time together.” Ginny held up her hand before he could launch into another denial. “With them as a couple, I mean.”

Jared’s shoulders unbunched as he nodded. “Yes, and a lot of fishing and hiking time with Aaron.”

“What about their relationship? Do they fight?” Pete asked.

“They’re human.”

Ginny tried to imagine how fair of a fight Lila would engage in. “Anything that concerned you? That you considered out of the norm for them?”

“No.” He winced. “Well . . . It’s not a big thing, but they had a fight and Aaron ended up at my house for a few nights, but he went home and apologized. They were working it out.”

Ginny thought about that interview with Brent. “When was this?”

Jared picked at the mug handle again. “Six or seven weeks ago.”

Ginny felt Pete glance in her direction before he took over. He’d watched her interview with Brent. He knew about the odd comments. “They still hadn’t made up?”

“They did. He went back home, but things could still get tense.” Jared made a strangled sound. “I’m not married, but I assume it’s a normal marital thing.”

This matched the timing Brent had mentioned, so Ginny wasn’t quite ready to let it go. “What was the fight about?”

“I have no idea. Neither of them volunteered a lot of information. Again, they’re very private.”

No . . . that sounded wrong. She had a sister. She would ask. Poke and wait it out, but she’d give her every chance to talk about it. “Did he normally run to your house when they fought?”

“The way you’re saying it sounds like you’re attaching some sort of judgment, but no. This was the first time.” He hesitated for a few seconds. “I don’t think she kicked him out. It was more like he was giving her space.”

“Some guys need that.” Pete leaned in. Did a sort of man-to-man, just-us-talking thing with Jared. “Do you think your brother needed an escape and left for a while? A too-much-yelling-at-home sort of thing?”

“We had plans to go fishing this weekend. He rented a boat. I can get you the information, but it’s the same one we’ve used before. Just the two of us. Why do that if he was going to run?” Jared smacked the side of his hand on the table as he made each point. “And he’s not the type. Not without talking about it or formally separating from Lila, which I can’t really see him doing anyway.”