is too painful to all of us, having you so close by. Then we’ll let lawyers decide about who gets the house and how the insurance settlement will be divided up.”
Cindy couldn’t leave the house, even if she wanted to. Clint was there. He belonged to her .
“I suppose you’re claiming that you gave Clint money for the insurance policy as well?” she said.
“Not claiming. We have evidence of it. Signed checks and receipts. Compensation is due us. Fair is fair.”
Cindy couldn’t take another second of this. “I’ll tell you what’s fair,” she finally burst out, livid. “It’s fair for me to have in-laws who care about me! It’s fair for you to realize that your precious son got married and didn’t belong to you! Who knows how he really died? Did it enrage you so much to actually lose him, that you arranged it yourself?”
Marge gasped. “You’re evil and insane.”
Cindy went on, only half in control. “I’m checking it all out. Including you!”
“Why would we kill our own child?” Clint’s mother began to heave. “We came to make you an offer. The law is completely on our side. Instead of leaving you with nothing, we’re offering you money if you just get out of town. It’s too painful for us to see you here. It keeps reminding us of what happened to him.”
Cindy fell back, silent on the couch. “You want to pay me to leave?”
“Please,” his mother said. “We’ll make it worth your while.”
“Aren’t there easier ways to get rid of me?” Cindy looked right at her.
She seemed confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cindy realized that she didn’t. When she looked over at Marge, she saw her gnawing on her lower lip.
At that moment, seeing how pathetic and helpless they were, she suddenly realized. She realized, without a doubt, that, however sick these people were, they were ultimately powerless, incapable of having Clint killed.
The realization struck Cindy hard. She had been barking up the wrong tree all this time. His family had nothing to do with it after all. Which meant that whoever had done it was still out there, still after her. And whoever that was, she’d better figure it out quick.
Chapter 13
When Clint’s family left, Cindy stood staring out of the window, wishing she could speak to Clint. He’d always shown her the bigger picture, helped her know what to do. If something had bothered her, he’d just put his arms around her and they’d thrash it out. After that, they’d spent the rest of the time in each other’s arms. It had made the whole world right.
Now, she was alone with everything. There were important decisions to be made. Leaving was out of the question. It wasn’t the house itself she was attached to—it was the feeling of Clint in it, everywhere. Where else could she go to be close to him now?
The visit with his family this afternoon had turned things around, though. Cindy knew Clint’s family was wealthy, but up to now, she didn’t know Clint took anything from them. He told her he’d paid for the wedding and the down payment on the house . She’d believed it, believed everything he’d said. She’d felt she’d found a soul mate, after years of rough times with guys.
She needed answers. Even though she was exhausted, Cindy went back into Clint’s study. She turned on a light and looked at the huge mess of papers. It would be a long night.
She pulled papers out of Clint’s desk and sorted them; there were old bills, faxes from work, receipts from restaurants. There was a receipt for the deposit he’d sent to the hotel they’d stayed at for the honeymoon. She picked it up and held it to her face to see if she could still smell the salty air. She couldn’t. She put it down and kept taking other papers out of the drawers and arranging them in piles.
Most of the bills and receipts were easy to recognize. Some were for business. Cindy put those in a pile. Then she found a receipt
Cindy couldn’t leave the house, even if she wanted to. Clint was there. He belonged to her .
“I suppose you’re claiming that you gave Clint money for the insurance policy as well?” she said.
“Not claiming. We have evidence of it. Signed checks and receipts. Compensation is due us. Fair is fair.”
Cindy couldn’t take another second of this. “I’ll tell you what’s fair,” she finally burst out, livid. “It’s fair for me to have in-laws who care about me! It’s fair for you to realize that your precious son got married and didn’t belong to you! Who knows how he really died? Did it enrage you so much to actually lose him, that you arranged it yourself?”
Marge gasped. “You’re evil and insane.”
Cindy went on, only half in control. “I’m checking it all out. Including you!”
“Why would we kill our own child?” Clint’s mother began to heave. “We came to make you an offer. The law is completely on our side. Instead of leaving you with nothing, we’re offering you money if you just get out of town. It’s too painful for us to see you here. It keeps reminding us of what happened to him.”
Cindy fell back, silent on the couch. “You want to pay me to leave?”
“Please,” his mother said. “We’ll make it worth your while.”
“Aren’t there easier ways to get rid of me?” Cindy looked right at her.
She seemed confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cindy realized that she didn’t. When she looked over at Marge, she saw her gnawing on her lower lip.
At that moment, seeing how pathetic and helpless they were, she suddenly realized. She realized, without a doubt, that, however sick these people were, they were ultimately powerless, incapable of having Clint killed.
The realization struck Cindy hard. She had been barking up the wrong tree all this time. His family had nothing to do with it after all. Which meant that whoever had done it was still out there, still after her. And whoever that was, she’d better figure it out quick.
Chapter 13
When Clint’s family left, Cindy stood staring out of the window, wishing she could speak to Clint. He’d always shown her the bigger picture, helped her know what to do. If something had bothered her, he’d just put his arms around her and they’d thrash it out. After that, they’d spent the rest of the time in each other’s arms. It had made the whole world right.
Now, she was alone with everything. There were important decisions to be made. Leaving was out of the question. It wasn’t the house itself she was attached to—it was the feeling of Clint in it, everywhere. Where else could she go to be close to him now?
The visit with his family this afternoon had turned things around, though. Cindy knew Clint’s family was wealthy, but up to now, she didn’t know Clint took anything from them. He told her he’d paid for the wedding and the down payment on the house . She’d believed it, believed everything he’d said. She’d felt she’d found a soul mate, after years of rough times with guys.
She needed answers. Even though she was exhausted, Cindy went back into Clint’s study. She turned on a light and looked at the huge mess of papers. It would be a long night.
She pulled papers out of Clint’s desk and sorted them; there were old bills, faxes from work, receipts from restaurants. There was a receipt for the deposit he’d sent to the hotel they’d stayed at for the honeymoon. She picked it up and held it to her face to see if she could still smell the salty air. She couldn’t. She put it down and kept taking other papers out of the drawers and arranging them in piles.
Most of the bills and receipts were easy to recognize. Some were for business. Cindy put those in a pile. Then she found a receipt
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