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“That’s unfair.”
“It is,” Mark agreed, “but she’s still a child. She has no money to hire a lawyer. What could she do?”
“What did you do?”
“I helped Harmony find an apartment. It’s in my name, and that’s where I’ve been going on Tuesdays,” Mark said. “We spend a little time together. I bring her groceries now and again. She likes to cook. We play cards. She tells me about school—she’s enrolled in college for next year and wants to declare a criminal justice major.”
Anne hesitated. “She sounds like a nice girl.”
“She is. You’d like her.” Mark gave a long pause before leaning forward. He grasped Anne’s hands in his and stared imploringly into her eyes. “I should have told you everything. I just never knew how.”
“It was right of you to help her,” Anne found herself saying graciously. “But I don’t know what else to say.”
“I don’t expect you to say anything.”
“Maybe you should have expected more from me. I was your wife.”
They both paused at her use of the past tense.
“You still are,” Mark finally said, his voice a whisper. “Would you consider remaining my wife?”
“Are there any other secrets you’re keeping from me?” Anne asked. “Anything at all?”
“No.”
“Nothing.” Anne’s heart deflated. “Not a thing?”
Mark stared into her eyes. “About another woman? I promise you, Anne—”
“I’m talking about us, Mark. Me and you. Things that could jeopardize our family. Our lives.”
Mark sat back in his seat, his eyes flashing with a hint of calculation. They were soft as they studied her, a siege of resignation taking place in his expression. “You know about the money.”
Anne felt her heart cracking into shards. “You wouldn’t have told me if I didn’t find out for myself.”
“There was no need for you to know. There still isn’t. It was a one-time thing, and I was trying to keep you safe.”
“Roman knew,” she said softly. “He was going to turn you in.”
Mark blinked. “Roman Tate?”
“And now he’s dead,” Anne said. “It’s eerily convenient, don’t you think?”
“I didn’t—” Mark stopped talking, then looked at Anne. After all they’d discussed, this was the first time fear had entered his gaze. “Anne, you didn’t…”
“Me? You think I killed him?” Anne’s mouth dropped open in shock. “You’re the one who didn’t come home that night! How do I know you didn’t find out about the blackmail?”
“This is the first I’m hearing about it! The night Roman died, I fell asleep on Harmony’s couch while she cooked dinner,” Mark said. “We were going to watch a show with our food, but the second I sat on the couch, I knocked out. I’d worked overnight the day before and was exhausted.”
“Very convenient.”
“When I woke up, hours later, I panicked. I went to work the next day and mumbled something to you about working overtime. Your mother was with the kids, so I didn’t worry about them. I hoped you were too tired after your night out with the girls to notice…”
“I guess I’ll just have to trust you,” Anne said. “And you’ll have to trust me. I didn’t kill him, Mark. In case you were actually wondering.”
“Anne…”
“I could have. He blackmailed me over what you’d done. He took everything from my 401k.”
