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They caught up with their lives on their daily walks to school, but Lisa had kept her relationship with Lily Porter secret. It was for Alison’s own good. The fewer people who knew about it, the better for their family.
Back home, Ryan was waiting to help Lisa get the stroller inside the narrow gate.
“It’s all over the news,” he said. “Your friend Lily Porter’s gone missing. She didn’t show up at the coffee shop this morning. Evidently, it’s the first time she’s missed work in years. I wonder if they’ll question Dan.”
“Why Dan?”
“Because he was the last guy she dated.”
“Yeah, but he broke it off five months ago. How do they know he’s the last guy?”
“I guess her parents told the police. I’m expecting Dan to call here any minute.”
Trying to change the subject, Lisa handed him baby Madelyn. “I need coffee. What’s on your agenda?”
“I’m going to paint today. I have winter landscapes in my head, and right now, that beach in solitude speaks winter to me.”
They stood at the window, looking out over the desolate beach and gray skies, the white frothy waves churning at the edge of the surf.
“It’s definitely winter,” Lisa said, sipping coffee. She looked over at the baby. “How’d you do it? She’s sleeping already. I’ll put her down.” Setting her cup on the table, she took the baby from Ryan.
“I’m cooking breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“Not really. You go right ahead, though,” she replied, walking to the back of the house.
She couldn’t imagine ever eating again. A pain in the pit of her stomach wouldn’t go away as long as the unknown lurked; would her life with Ryan and the children be over, or would she get away with murder?
When she returned, Ryan was standing in the kitchen, looking at his bottles of medication clustered on the counter, away from little hands. He’d pick up a bottle, hold it up to the light, squint at it, put it down, and hold up another bottle, repeating the sequence.
“Ryan, what are you doing?”
“My drugs are disappearing.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Look,” he said, distraught. “The Ambien is missing at least four pills, and the Ativan is half gone. I’ve been careful about taking them because the goddamned doctor wants me to come back in before he’ll renew the prescription.”
“You’ve never minded going out to see the doctor before. What’s going on?”
“I don’t like to leave the beach,” he said, his voice an octave higher.
“It’s okay, honey. He’ll renew it. I’ll get Laura to ask Will to write you a script if it’s necessary.”
“A pathologist doesn’t have the means to write a controlled substance prescription!”
“Will it make you feel better if I call the doctor tomorrow and get a renewal?”
“Would you, Lisa?”
“Ryan, of course.”
“What if he won’t do it?” he cried.
Lisa looked toward the back of the house, hoping his outburst hadn’t woken the baby. “I’ll burn his office down if he won’t.”
His anxiety deflating, Ryan slumped over, leaned on the counter, and laughed. “I’m sorry. I’m losing it.”
“You’re fine,” she said, kissing him. “Go paint.”
