into the house.
“Can you get them to leave?” I asked.
“As long as they aren’t on your property and aren’t physically hurting you, they are free to report and hang out.” She opened her portfolio case. “I stopped by to check on you and see how you’re holding up.”
“I’m fine.”
She looked at me skeptically. “Fine isn’t how I would define this.”
I liked Stella. She was practical and she wasn’t trying to shove food down my throat.
“Then I’m shitty. Fucked up. Destroyed. Nervous. Does that sound better?”
She smiled. “Yes, that I can believe.”
“Do you want some coffee?” I poured another cup for myself.
“No, I’ll pass. I’m only here for a few minutes.” She sat at the kitchen table. “Now that the news of your affair has broken, I’m afraid you’re going to be slaughtered in the press. I just wanted to check on how you’re handling everything.”
I stared at my mug. “This is a nightmare.”
“It is. I don’t have anything to sugar coat it.”
“What’s going on with the investigation?” I asked.
“The good news is that you’re not a suspect or a person of interest. Not even a witness as far as I can tell.”
“But won’t I have to testify about Paxton? I mean about us? About his motive? Do the police want another statement from me?”
She shook her head. “They released him this morning.”
“Released him?” I wondered how much money it took to post bond. His family’s pockets were limitless.
“The charges didn’t hold up in his hearing this morning. He’s a free man.”
I sipped my coffee.
“You don’t look as surprised as I thought you’d be,” Stella commented.
“He has money.”
“That he does, but it also seems he wasn’t behind this. No weapon has been found. You were his alibi for that night. There’s nothing pointing to him killing Spencer. He’s offered to put up a reward for any information about the shooting.”
“He did?”
Stella glanced over the flower arrangements I had gathered near the trash can. “He started the base at $50,000. If the man is guilty, he has a weird way of showing it.”
There it was again, reason poking through the fog, making me think. Forcing me to face information. “I-I guess in all the confusion and panic I misjudged him. God, what a horrible thing to do.” I had accused a man of murder.
“Don’t beat yourself up. These haven’t been the most normal of circumstances. There has been a lot of emotion involved.” She stood to leave. “You don’t need representation, but if something comes up, you can call me, Audrey. You can call any of us. We all liked Spencer. He was a good man. I’m going to miss seeing him at the office.” She said it as if he had only transferred to another firm.
“Thank you. Let me know what I owe you.”
She shook her head. “Oh no. This was on the house. The least I could do. I’m serious. Call me for anything.”
“I will.” I hugged her.
I heard the reporters yell questions at Stella as she made her way to her car. They must be bored sitting outside. I hadn’t surfaced since Avery left and Paxton’s house was dark.
I dumped my coffee in the sink and poured a glass of wine. Who in the hell cared if it was 10 a.m.?
I fell asleep on the couch watching a documentary on Civil War history. It was the only channel I could guarantee wouldn’t break in with an update on Spence’s case.
My phone rang. I should have stopped to see who was calling.
“Hello?”
“Audrey, don’t hang up.”
My stomach curdled, the wine the only thing sloshing inside. “What do you want, Paxton? I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I know. I know. Look, I think I have some information about Spencer.”
I sat up, grabbing my head. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t think we should talk on the phone. Can I come over?”
“There are twenty reporters outside. I don’t think so. I don’t want to see you.” We had never met at my house. It was
“Can you get them to leave?” I asked.
“As long as they aren’t on your property and aren’t physically hurting you, they are free to report and hang out.” She opened her portfolio case. “I stopped by to check on you and see how you’re holding up.”
“I’m fine.”
She looked at me skeptically. “Fine isn’t how I would define this.”
I liked Stella. She was practical and she wasn’t trying to shove food down my throat.
“Then I’m shitty. Fucked up. Destroyed. Nervous. Does that sound better?”
She smiled. “Yes, that I can believe.”
“Do you want some coffee?” I poured another cup for myself.
“No, I’ll pass. I’m only here for a few minutes.” She sat at the kitchen table. “Now that the news of your affair has broken, I’m afraid you’re going to be slaughtered in the press. I just wanted to check on how you’re handling everything.”
I stared at my mug. “This is a nightmare.”
“It is. I don’t have anything to sugar coat it.”
“What’s going on with the investigation?” I asked.
“The good news is that you’re not a suspect or a person of interest. Not even a witness as far as I can tell.”
“But won’t I have to testify about Paxton? I mean about us? About his motive? Do the police want another statement from me?”
She shook her head. “They released him this morning.”
“Released him?” I wondered how much money it took to post bond. His family’s pockets were limitless.
“The charges didn’t hold up in his hearing this morning. He’s a free man.”
I sipped my coffee.
“You don’t look as surprised as I thought you’d be,” Stella commented.
“He has money.”
“That he does, but it also seems he wasn’t behind this. No weapon has been found. You were his alibi for that night. There’s nothing pointing to him killing Spencer. He’s offered to put up a reward for any information about the shooting.”
“He did?”
Stella glanced over the flower arrangements I had gathered near the trash can. “He started the base at $50,000. If the man is guilty, he has a weird way of showing it.”
There it was again, reason poking through the fog, making me think. Forcing me to face information. “I-I guess in all the confusion and panic I misjudged him. God, what a horrible thing to do.” I had accused a man of murder.
“Don’t beat yourself up. These haven’t been the most normal of circumstances. There has been a lot of emotion involved.” She stood to leave. “You don’t need representation, but if something comes up, you can call me, Audrey. You can call any of us. We all liked Spencer. He was a good man. I’m going to miss seeing him at the office.” She said it as if he had only transferred to another firm.
“Thank you. Let me know what I owe you.”
She shook her head. “Oh no. This was on the house. The least I could do. I’m serious. Call me for anything.”
“I will.” I hugged her.
I heard the reporters yell questions at Stella as she made her way to her car. They must be bored sitting outside. I hadn’t surfaced since Avery left and Paxton’s house was dark.
I dumped my coffee in the sink and poured a glass of wine. Who in the hell cared if it was 10 a.m.?
I fell asleep on the couch watching a documentary on Civil War history. It was the only channel I could guarantee wouldn’t break in with an update on Spence’s case.
My phone rang. I should have stopped to see who was calling.
“Hello?”
“Audrey, don’t hang up.”
My stomach curdled, the wine the only thing sloshing inside. “What do you want, Paxton? I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I know. I know. Look, I think I have some information about Spencer.”
I sat up, grabbing my head. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t think we should talk on the phone. Can I come over?”
“There are twenty reporters outside. I don’t think so. I don’t want to see you.” We had never met at my house. It was
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