Page 41 of Two Couples

“What if he does? If he’s not back by dinnertime, we’ll call.”

She grabbed my wrist and yanked me away from the edge where I was looking down a seventy-foot drop into the dark, rippling water. I resisted her force, not wanting to take my attention off that water. Could he be lying on the bottom? Floating somewhere just below the surface? Had someone tied his wrists and ankles and shoved him over the edge? As strong and resourceful as Patrick was, he wasn’t Houdini. Finally, because Emily wouldn’t stop tugging at me, I stumbled after her.

Emily continued to take physical control of me. She looped her arm through mine as we walked along the narrow trail, her feet scuffing up pine needles and stones from the side because there wasn’t enough space for us to walk comfortably beside each other. At the house, she gave me gentle pushes up the stairs and onto the deck. She pulled a chair into the shade, aware that my fair skin didn’t allow me to bake in the sun like she did.

She went into the house, returning a few minutes later with a glass of cold white wine, which she handed to me, standing close beside until I took a sip.

It was starting to feel as if she and Keith were actively working against me calling the sheriff. I had the eerie sensation they wanted to keep me occupied and under their control. Did they know where Patrick was? Had he said something to them that they were hiding from me? But that didn’t make sense. If they knew something, they’d be forced to tell me, to be sure I didn’t call. Unless they’d hurt him. I rejected that thought. No matter how much Keith and Patrick had sparred with each other, deep inside, they still liked each other. I was sure of that. They might be in sharp disagreement right now, but it wasn’t permanent. And in some ways, Patrick had respected their feelings, and mine, by not reporting the death.

I took a sip of wine.

After two sips, I couldn’t take it. I wasn’t going to sit here drinking wine while my husband’s life might be in danger. I put the glass on the table, stood, and walked down the steps toward the swimming pool.

“Where are you going?”

I glanced up. Emily stood at the railing.

“I’m going to check with Linda.”

“Oh.” She took a sip of wine. “That’s a good idea.” She didn’t join me.

I knocked on the door. Linda opened it immediately, blocking the space with her body. “Yes?”

“Have you seen Patrick today?”

“No.”

“He went hiking, just before sunrise, I think. I mean, I think he went hiking. But I haven’t heard from him all day and I wondered if you were outside when he left? Or maybe he didn’t go hiking after all and he mentioned something to you about what he was up to today?”

She stared at me blankly, making me aware of how disjointed my questions had been. Did I even make sense? I didn’t have to make sense. She just needed to tell me if she’d spoken to him.

“I haven’t seen him.”

“I’m worried.”

“He seems like a big, strong boy.”

“Is Jordan here?”

“No.”

“Where is she?”

“Is that any of your business? She’s not available.”

“Not available, or not here?”

She sighed. “I don’t know where Jordan is, okay?”

“How long has she been gone?”

Linda glared at me. “She’s not with your husband.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I do. She likes her solitude.”

“Okay,” I said.