My Wife Is Missing(55)

“Why would you inconvenience yourself like that?”

Kennett brushed the question aside with a wave of his hand like it was crazy to even ask.

“Hell, you’d be doing me a favor,” he said with a laugh. “My cousin can be a real pain in the ass.”

It occurred to Michael that there wasn’t any cousin from Medford, and Kennett had come here specifically because of Audrey Adler. If that were the case, not only was Kennett way out of his jurisdiction, Michael might also be way out of his depth.

Michael mulled it over. Maybe Kennett had an ulterior motive. Maybe this was exactly what it seemed to be—a setup, a trap of sorts, but it was also an offer that could be extremely helpful. As Kennett said, Ohio was a big state, and Michael had no experience with the business of tracking down missing persons. The stakes were too high.

“You can police out of your jurisdiction?” Michael asked.

“No, Mike, but I can vacation wherever I want,” Kennett said.

The dual message Michael read in Kennett’s second wink was easy enough to interpret.

I’m your best hope and your worst nightmare.





CHAPTER 24





NATALIE


BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED

Somehow, Natalie made it back home in one piece. She didn’t have any real memory of making the trip from Audrey Adler’s condo to Lexington—she thought she may even have blacked out for a time—but before she knew it, she was pulling into her driveway. There was a light on in the kitchen, but all was dark upstairs, meaning the children were fast asleep. She noticed Michael’s car wasn’t in the driveway or garage. Fine. Natalie was done texting him anyway. She knew he’d be home at some point, and that thought now gripped her with fear.

She couldn’t imagine where he’d gone to wash the blood off his hands, change his clothes, get himself cleaned up. Perhaps he’d eventually made it to his office as he’d told her. Or maybe he cleaned up in Audrey’s condo, still near the woman whose life he’d taken.

Natalie pictured Michael drying himself off, then driving to the woods or to some lake to rid himself of the murder weapon. Maybe someone else committed the crime, but Natalie doubted it. Michael was her lover. His shirt was there, and his locker key, too. Something happened between the time he’d left in a rush and when Natalie finally got to Audrey’s place, something violent and unholy. To Natalie, he was now a man capable of anything.

Numb and reeling, Natalie climbed out of her car in a daze.

She found Scarlett in the kitchen. Natalie noticed the nanny’s skimpy halter top and exposed shoulders, took in the curve of her hips, and again had the thought that Audrey Adler might not be Michael’s one and only secret lover. She decided tonight would be Scarlett’s final night working for the Hart family.

“Hello, Mrs. Hart. Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said flatly. From her purse, Natalie retrieved the money she owed Scarlett and made the exchange without banter before sending the nanny on her way for what would be the very last time.

Natalie listened for her car engine, hearing it rumble to life before the sound vanished into the night. Only when she was certain Scarlett was gone did Natalie let her legs relax enough to carry her to the kitchen, where she sank to the floor, resting her back against the cabinet containing the pots and pans. There, she let herself go, at last uncorking her bottled-up fear. Heaving sobs rattled her ribs as thick tears fell from her eyes. Pain gutted her inside and out.

Exhausted, she eventually settled. Using the counter for support, Natalie hoisted herself back to her feet. She considered going up to check on the children, but from the bottom landing, the stairs looked towering, and her legs felt too weak to make the climb. Instead, Natalie leaned against the railing, heaving heavy sighs.

She was still propped up on the railing when she heard a car coming down the road. Natalie’s heart raced. She knew that engine’s whine. Moments later, headlights cut through the darkness to illuminate the foyer where she stood. Natalie sucked down several shaky breaths before wiping her eyes clean with the back of her hand.

He can’t know I know, she told herself.

Natalie found her way back to the kitchen before Michael opened the door. She poured water into the kettle and then hit the switch at the base to apply heat.

“Babe?” Michael called out tentatively. “I’m home.”

A tangy smell of blood tickled her nostrils. A trick of the mind, she told herself.

“Babe?” Michael said again before appearing in the kitchen. “Hey,” he said, upon seeing her. He set the black nylon travel bag that he used to shuttle work papers to and from the office onto the floor before approaching her with an impish grin.

“Sorry I ran out on you like that,” he said. “Damn hackers. The tech guys are playing whack-a-mole. They knock down one attack, another pops up somewhere else, and I’ve got to be on-site to help calm down our high-net-worth investors. The attacks seem to be nonstop these days. Good for job security, I guess.” He planted a warm kiss on Natalie’s cheek. She worried he’d taste the lingering salt of her tears, but he said nothing. Her gaze went to that workbag. Does he have papers inside, or something else? She blinked away a vision of a bloody knife wrapped in a soiled cloth.

“Everything all right?” Michael asked, running his fingers down Natalie’s arm. His touch almost stung.