Part 16 (1/2)

Finally, we unwound ourselves from each other, and I moved to get up. But Trevor stopped me, placing his hand on my arm.

”I'm glad you came by today, that you found me in town.”

”I probably shouldn't have interrupted you.”

”Didn't hurt.”

”She probably didn't like it.”

”I doubt it, but it wouldn't matter.”

I waited for him to continue. He rolled over and gazed down at me. ”You were jealous, weren't you?”

”No,” I said, suppressing a laugh.

”You were right to be. She is hot for me.”

”You're kidding.”

”Why? Is that so hard to believe?”

”No, but it's hard to believe you'd tell me about it. Especially now.”

”I just didn't want you to get the wrong impression. If that's why you're mad. I'm not interested in her.”

I looked away, then back into his eyes.

”But,” he said, ”I am interested in her business, and I have to pretend a little.”

”Why?”

”Because women like Sylvia want to feel attractive and powerful. She likes to think she's irresistible, that if she truly wanted me, she could have me. But she knows I'm married.”

”So why would that make any difference to her?”

”It might not.... I think you are jealous.”

”Not at all.”

”Liar.”

I tried to get up, but his weight pinned me down.

”I have to take the potatoes out,” I said, ”or they'll burn.”

”You don't have to worry about Sylvia. I told you. I'm not interested.”

And the question just sort of dangled there at the tip of my tongue, ready to slip out. But what if you were interested? What would you do then?

I let the subject drop and served Trevor dinner in the dining room, poured his wine, and spoiled him with attention for the rest of the meal.

Later that night, I watched as he relaxed in his favorite chair and checked stock quotes in The Wall Street Journal, while I pretended to read a book. I thought again of the lie he'd told police about the night Kelly died, how he'd misrepresented the time he'd returned home by a full two hours, and never given me a good reason for it. I a.s.sumed he'd worried it would make him look bad, that he might come under suspicion if no one could corroborate his whereabouts. I'd understood, I thought, and said nothing. But was he alone, as he claimed, catching up on some work?

Back then, he was employed by Sun Realty. It wasn't until later, when we married, that Trevor was able to open his own office. I'd provided the up-front money. I'd wanted to do it. He was so enthusiastic, so eager, and so obviously ready for the move. He had a lot of contacts, and was sick and tired of working his b.u.t.t off and making money that didn't end up in his pocket, but that of Sun Realty. And he had been right to do it. He'd made the business a success.

He looked up from his paper and noticed me staring at him. ”Thinking about me?”

”Of course.”

”I didn't wear you out?”

”You wore me out.”

”Good-though if you're interested, I'm up for another round.”

”As nice as that sounds, I'll pa.s.s. I'm tired.”

”Me too.” He folded his newspaper and set it aside.

I had to ask him, before he got up to leave. ”Do you think they'll ever catch him?”

He frowned, then looked at the floor. ”Sure, they'll catch him.”

”Are you certain?”

”Yes. Eventually they will. You'll feel better when that happens, won't you?”

”Yes.”

He rose from his chair and walked over. ”You coming up?”

”In a little while.”

”Don't stay up too late,” he said, caressing my shoulder.

”I'm just going to read a little more.”

”Fine.”

I remembered one time coming into the kitchen. It was during the housewarming party I'd given a month after moving in, and seeing Trevor and Kelly alone talking quietly at the counter. I'd felt an odd kind of jolt, seeing them together, Kelly looking so absolutely gorgeous, showing just a little too much cleavage, her eyes overly made-up, heavy on the mascara, lids drooping alluringly, then lifting, gazing up at Trevor so intently. She was leaning in a bit too close, the way she did when she was attracted to a man, and it was apparent she was already on her way to being drunk, or maybe it was more than just the alcohol. Trevor had spotted me first, and stepped back.

It was only the one time, and I hadn't thought about it since. After all, Kelly was a born flirt, but I'd always believed she meant nothing by it. It was just her way. She'd never step over the line. She had flirted with Wolfgang too, and Josh, yes, lots of times, and he had good naturedly put up with it, but never gave me any reason to doubt his loyalty. Besides, Kelly had Craig, a guy she seemed pretty taken with. Why would she go after anyone else's boyfriend?

I had met Craig only a few times, usually when I stopped over to the house to visit Kelly. The two weren't living together. Craig had his own place. Kelly hadn't known him long, maybe four or five months, but he was often there when I came by. He seemed okay, friendly enough, but I hadn't tried to get to know him. Kelly might have a new guy by the next week, though she did seem to have a thing for Craig. With his long blond ponytail, rock-star good looks, and ”whatever-baby” att.i.tude, he seemed to have a lock on what Kelly was all about.

I'd been certain he'd murdered my sister, and so it appeared had the police. He didn't have an alibi, and a young woman at a party store thought she'd spotted him earlier in the evening with Kelly, though the girl wouldn't swear to it. The police had questioned Craig later. Shortly after that, he'd left town in a big hurry, leaving most of his possessions behind. No one had seen him since. Possibly no one ever would.