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“We just have some questions,” I tell her. “Please? I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t completely desperate.”
I stand there, emotionally exposed to a woman I’ve never met before, hoping she can tell me something that will put an end to all of this. She must be able to see the terrified girl that lies beneath the surface of my strength, because she sighs and opens the door further.
“Are you okay?”
There’s not really a good way I can answer that, but if being somewhat honest will get us some answers, I’m willing to give her what I can. “For now, yes, but that could change if we don’t find what we’re looking for. You see, Mali and I were friends with Montgomery Rollins, and because we left him at the boat docks the night he died, someone is threatening us. They blame us for his death.”
Sympathy fills her eyes. “That’s terrible. Montgomery drowned. That wasn’t your fault.”
I swallow harshly. “We’d just like to ask you a few questions. See if we can figure out who would be doing this, or at least rule some people out.”
“All right,” she agrees. “Come in.”
As we step inside, I hear Hayes’s voice in the back of my mind, lecturing me about the choice of going into a stranger’s house, but that’s exactly why I don’t see him anywhere. If I’m going to get the answers I’m looking for, I need to make this woman feel as comfortable as possible, and what better place to do that than in her own home?
The interior looks exactly like I thought it would, with wallpaper instead of paint, and paneling going up the staircase. It reminds me of my grandmother’s place when I was little. There are even some of the same knick-knacks on the china cabinet in the corner.
“Your house is adorable,” I tell her as she leads us deeper into the living room.
“Oh, thank you,” she replies. “It was my mother’s. I stayed with her as she was ill, and when she passed, I just couldn’t bring myself to leave.”
“Well, I love it. It’s very cozy.”
The three of us sit down in the living room, and she realizes her cup is empty. “Oh, I’m sorry. How rude of me. Would the two of you like anything to drink?”
Mali and I shake our heads in unison as we murmur our appreciation for her offer. It’s bad enough that I’m in her house. If Hayes finds out I ingested something she gave me, he’s going to have me committed on grounds of insanity.
Theresa goes into the kitchen to get herself another drink, and when she comes back, she sits down and gives us a warm smile.
“I’m sorry for being so stand-offish,” she says. “The media hasn’t been so kind to me in the past.”
She isn’t lying there.“I noticed that. What was so surprising to me, though, was how it changed almost instantly once you no longer worked for Mr. Rollins.”
She nods sadly. “Yeah. I don’t think people understand how brutal their words can be. Especially in such a public way, where millions are going to be reading it and believing those things about you. And the worst part is, none of it’s true.”
“So, is that why you were going to sell a story to the press during his campaign for senator?”
“Part of the reason. Yes.” She pauses to take a sip of her tea. “I wanted to tell the truth of what happened between us and restore my reputation.”
“And is it true that you were paid for your silence?”
“I’d say that’s a bit of a stretch. I received money, yes, but I wasn’t bribed. I hold nothing against Jer. It’s his wife that did the most damage.”
My brows raise in surprise. “Really? She’s always seemed so sweet.”
“Yes, well,” she sighs. “I can’t blame her for not liking me. I wouldn’t like the woman who was sleeping with my husband either.”
Oh, wow.
“You two were having an affair?” Mali asks.
Theresa nods, and I can tell by her face that she’s ashamed of it, but there’s also some residual feelings there. “When you work so closely with someone, it’s easy to let lines get crossed. Jer was the sweetest man I’d ever met. Still is, if I’m honest. When he caught wind that I was considering selling the story of our affair, it was him that showed up. He found out that his wife had me blacklisted all over the place, and I wasn’t able to get another job. He was so disappointed in her. He assured me that he had no idea, and I believe he didn’t. She does a good job at portraying herself as the perfect supportive wife. He gave me enough money to cover my bills and told me that if I still wanted to sell the story, that was my right. But I couldn’t live with myself if I ruined his shot at senator.”
“It sounds like you still have some strong feelings for him,” I acknowledge.
She looks down at her lap and smiles, like she’s remembering a happy memory. “He was the love of my life.”
I’ve been in her position, having to live without the man you’d give anything to spend forever with. And let me tell you, it’s not something I would wish on my worst enemy.
