He doesn’t leave straight away. I can’t see him from here, but I know that he’s waiting for me to go first. I turn my engine on and head out of the parking lot, not sure about what I’m going to do. If I let Grafton help—allowhim to help—it’s another form of me taking control back from Christopher.
I’ve been a bystander for so long, and I need to feel like I’m in charge of my own life again. This isn’t how I saw my future panning out, and the idea of taking everything on—the divorce, the children, my own emotional well-being—as well as figuring out our next moves… It is exhausting, just thinking about it.
I should drive back to my mother’s. I’ve been gone longer than planned, but the missed calls are buzzing around my head, like a stubborn insect that won’t be swatted away.
I point the car toward the house—our house. Something sour curdles in my gut as I pull up outside, Grafton’s words lingering. He’s right. There’s no reason that the kids and I need to stay here, and once the deed’s in my name, I can sell the place and use the proceeds to buy us something smaller, more homey.
More suited to us.
I’m not surprised to see Christopher’s car in the driveway, especially after the fact that he lost his job today. But what is surprising is the vehicle parked right next to his, where my car usually is.
Caroline’s.
Chapter 15
Lynley
My stomach aches. It’s an acidic pain that slowly leaks into my chest, making every breath hurt. I ease the car into the driveway, my bumper almost touching Caroline’s, ensuring she won’t be able to make a quick getaway.
There is no good reason for her to be here.
She and Christopher have always been friendly as in-laws, but they aren’tfriends. They don’t go out of their way to spend time together or even interact, and yet that suspicion from earlier niggles around like a parasite in my bloodstream. Every instinct I have screams a warning, telling me that nothing good is going to come from walking into that house. Knowing my husband is cheating on me, indiscriminately and often, is one thing, but knowingmy sistermight have betrayed me like that?
Urgency pushes at me, but I can’t rush this. I need to think every step through. Before I even realize what I’m doing, my phone is in my hand and ringing. Grafton picks up almost immediately, his deep tone filling my ear with warmth and concern. “Lynne? What’s wrong?”
My teeth clamp down on my bottom lip. “I… You know what? It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have called. Don’t worry about it.”
He lets out a low hum of disbelief. “What’s wrong?” he repeats, so firmly that I shudder. My stomach clenches uncomfortably, lost between the reassurance of hearing his voice and the dread filling me at the thought of what I might find inside my house.
“Lynley?” It’s a rough demand for attention, and my fingers tighten around the phone.
“Oh, u-um…I went home. To my home, not my mother’s.” I’m stammering like a fool, and I rub a hand over my face, embarrassment heating my cheeks.
There’s a low pause. “Why?”
“I don’t know…” My voice sounds small, and I hate it. “I’m not sure what I wanted by coming here, but now…” I trail off, lowering my hand and blinking up at the house. We’ve lived here less than a year, but it’s the house where our children lay their heads. The walls that hold their laughter and their happiness. It’s the place that should have been safe—for themandfor me.
“Lynne…” There’s a wealth of warning in the one word that lifts every tiny little hair on my body up.
“My sister is here,” I blurt.
He doesn’t say anything for so long that I check to make sure we’re still connected. “Your sister?”
“And so ishe.” There’s a sneer of contempt on my face. I don’t bother trying to wipe it away. He’s not my husband anymore, and he no longer matters to me, especially if he’s doing what I suspect. “I’m going to go in.”
“That’s not a good idea,” Grafton immediately argues.
I’m already shaking my head, even though he can’t see it. “I need to know for sure.”
He curses. “You shouldn’t be doing this alone, Lynne.”
I’m not sure why, but my back straightens, because while it is nice to lean on him, Icando this alone, even if I shouldn’t.
He seems to sense my resolve through the line, because he lets out a heavy sigh. “You’re going to walk in recording, okay? No matter what you see. And if you need to, you call me back.” His voice goes quiet, like he’s talking more to himself. “I’m only twenty minutes away.”
He’s thinking of coming back, and I say sharply, “No! I can do this.” I don’t want him to see the wreckage of my life. Talking about it with him is one thing, but seeing it like this is another. I don’t want him to know that my own sister…
If she is.
