The Wife Who Knew Too Much(42)

Stupid. She was so stupid.

She should have called a doctor right then, when she first suspected. But no, she had a plan and she would stick to it. She pushed the thought from her mind. Nina called them to her office. Connor. Kovacs. Her. Served the papers. Kicked him out. Banished. It was over. She’d won won won won.

Sounds echoed in her mind. They’d laughed. Or cried? She couldn’t remember.

She bent over and threw up in the wastebasket.

She needed help.

She unlocked the door and stumbled down the stairs. Falling, getting up. She couldn’t feel her extremities.

Who could she trust in this house?

“Gloria? Dennis?”

Her voice came out so weak that it didn’t travel. They wouldn’t hear. The room was spinning.

She was in the ballroom but didn’t remember getting there. It was empty, the tables bare, the caterers gone. How much time had passed since Kovacs left? Why hadn’t he come back? She doubled over, the pain in her stomach so bad that she moaned, holding her side. Dragged herself to the terrace. The tent was empty, the bandstand abandoned. Was this real? A dream? She fought her way through flapping canvas. Outside the tent, the winds had picked up. There were lights on in the pool house. Shapes moving. Someone was down there. They would help her.

Could she make it?

Down the path. Was someone behind her?

The light rain woke her up, like Dorothy in the snow. The aqua swimming pool glowed from within. It was luminous—so beautiful that she walked toward it, mesmerized. Heard footsteps behind her. Turned. Hands. Pushing. Falling. She was under the water. She struggled toward the light. Time slowed. Her limbs were heavy as lead. Her lungs burned. Finally, her head broke the surface, and she sucked in one sweet mouthful of air, before the hand pushed her under for good.





21



TABITHA

July 5, 6:00 P.M.

I wasn’t doing right by this baby.

I’d driven through the night last night to get home from the Hamptons, terrified of seeing Derek in my rearview mirror, then slept for a couple of fitful hours before going to work. I couldn’t afford to miss another shift. I needed the money. Last night, I’d finally admitted to myself that Connor had no intention of leaving his wife. I’d probably never see him again, which meant supporting the baby on my own. And the terror that induced made me push myself harder than I should. Lifting heavy trays. Running myself ragged and sneaking off to throw up in the bathroom. Liz, my manager, was a good person and a good friend. If I told her what was going on, she’d want to help. The problem was, I could imagine what she’d say upon finding out that I was pregnant. That I couldn’t support this child alone, and I needed to sue Connor for paternity and child support.

I wasn’t ready to face that harsh truth yet. I still loved him. I still hoped.

Halfway through the shift, Liz came and found me on the floor. I’d been avoiding her all night, worried that she was going to take me aside and demand to know what was wrong. Then I’d have to tell her, because I hated to lie.

It wasn’t what I was expecting.

“You’ve got a call in the office. Derek’s probation officer,” she said.

I hadn’t told Liz about Derek following me to New York. I hadn’t even told her that I went there. I’d called in sick. Why had I done that? Now I had to worry about getting caught in that lie.

“Why is he calling me?” I asked.

“I don’t know. He didn’t say.”

“I’ll be quick,” I said.

In her office, as I reached for the phone, I was overwhelmed by dread. At the time I left Windswept last night, Derek was at large, and the police officer had gone off in search of him. I was afraid to find out what had happened since.

“Hello? This is Tabitha.”

“Ms. Girard? Mike Mandel from the Probation Department. I just got off the phone with an Officer Rossi of the Southampton PD. She told me that you reported your ex-husband, Derek Cassidy, had traveled to Southampton last night because he was stalking you?”

“Uh. Yes.”

“It seems he was arrested down there, for attempted burglary and assault. The officer wanted you to know.”

“Wow. Thank you. That’s a relief. The police were called last night, but Derek got away. I’ve been looking over my shoulder ever since. So, they found him?”

“Oh, they found him, all right. He was arrested and charged. Because he was on probation, he won’t get bail. He’ll probably go away for a year or two, at least.”

“I’m very glad to hear that. He’s been coming around my work, actually. It was pretty scary.”

“I had no idea. I wish you’d contacted us. I could’ve intervened.”

“I called the police. The guy acted like there was nothing he could do.”

“Well, that’s wrong. Anyway, you don’t need to worry now.”

“Thank you. I’m very glad to hear that.”

“Hey, if you don’t mind, can I ask you a couple of questions?”

“Sure, I guess so. About what?”

“It’s just, I’m trying to understand what happened. The situation is strange to me.”

“In what way?”

“Like, why would Derek—who’s no angel, now, I know, but he stays in his lane—”