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Husbands weren’t always trustworthy.
Finley knew this from her own short-lived marriage.
This is not about you.
“He went so far as to attempt coming up with a way we could get together.” Lauder shook her head. “I couldn’t continue. I told him to back off or I would make him regret his actions.”
“Please tell me you have an airtight alibi for Sunday morning.”
Lauder appeared taken aback. “I was at home. Relaxing. I’ve already gone over my alibi with the detective.”
“But that was before,” Finley explained, “you came forward with the news about your interactions with Grady.”
She blinked. “I told Ellen, and I did what she told me to do.”
Finley’s door opened, and Nita poked her head into the office. She glanced at Lauder before saying to Finley, “Ms.Winthrop is here to see you.”
“Oh God. I should go.” Lauder shot to her feet.
“It’s a little late to get away unseen,” Finley reminded her. “She surely noticed your car in the parking lot.”
Lauder collapsed back into her chair. She closed her eyes and shook her head in defeat. “I shouldn’t have come.”
“Send her in,” Finley said to Nita.
There was something more than friendship and longtime work relationships going on between these women.
Was Jessica Lauder the weak link in the group? Whatever they were hiding, would she break and spill the beans?
Winthrop entered the room. Stalled as her gaze landed on her partner.
“I told her,” Lauder said, breaking the silence first.
Winthrop took the final few steps into the room and sat down in the remaining chair. “I see.” She turned to Finley. “I was on my way here to tell you myself.”
“Is there some reason the two of you have suddenly decided to share this information today?”
“The receptionist,” Winthrop explained, “called me. She was angry that you’d spoken about the case to her at the clinic. She accused me of attempting to set her up.”
The idea wasn’t completely outside the realm of possibility. Finley didn’t know Marsh. The persona she presented at the clinic wasn’t necessarily indicative of who she was outside that world.
“Why didn’t you tell us about his affair and other unacceptable behavior before?” Finley asked, ignoring the allegation about her interaction with the receptionist. “Jack explained to you that withholding was not something you should do with him or with me. It always comes back to haunt you.”
Winthrop lifted her chin in defiance of Finley’s words, but she said nothing. She was not accustomed to being told what to do, much less being dressed down for her actions.
“The idea there was a secret this big and that sheer coincidence prompted the two of you to come out with it,” Finley warned, “is unacceptable.” She set her attention solidly on Winthrop. “You need to fully grasp the concept of exactly how wrong this could go if Ventura found out before Jack and I were prepared to respond.”
“Very well,” Winthrop announced as she pushed to her feet. “Now you know, and you’ll be pleased to hear there is nothing more. We’ve told you everything there is to tell—at least as far as we know.” She stared down at her colleague. “We’ve done all we can, Jessica. We should go now.”
Lauder stood. “Thank you,” she said to Finley.
The two walked out in a sort of strange unity.
Finley was still staring after them when Jack appeared at her door.
“Was that Ellen Winthrop leaving as I was turning into the lot?”
“Yeah. That was her and Jessica Lauder.” She gestured to the empty chairs in front of her desk. “We should talk about that visit.”
