“He loved you,” Nasser said softly. “You made him happy.”
The image swam before my eyes. “I did, didn’t I? But there are so many unanswered questions. Like Cozy Glenn and Lizzie. And why was there Xanax in his system?”
He blew out a breath. “I wish I knew.”
“What about this Fake Jake business? Do you think it’s connected to the break-in?”
“It’s possible. The police will find out.”
Detective Fox returned a short time later. “We’ve arranged to obtain Mr. Abadi’s laptop. We’re going to examine the device to see what Bill Warren might be searching for.”
My gaze darted between them. “You think he wanted to go through Ali’s computer before mailing it back?”
“We’ll look into it,” Detective Fox said. “Now, in regards to your husband’s work things, Bill Warren apparently told the firm that you asked him to bring the contents of Mr. Abadi’s desk to your house.”
“I did no such thing. I’ve never heard the man’s name before today. He called me, as Fake Jake, and said he was going to deliver a box packed up from my husband’s desk.” A shiver ran down my spine. It had never occurred to me to question Fake Jake’s identity. “I thought he was the real Jake. And the real Jake was someone I sort of felt like I knew because Ali talked about him a lot.”
Nasser leaned forward. “When will you speak with Mr. Warren about this new information?”
“He is out of the country at the moment. We’ll interview him as soon as he’s back in the US.”
“Do you believe my client is at any risk from him?”
“I have no reason to believe Mrs. Abadi is in danger. Mr. Warren’s interest seems to lie in Mr. Abadi’s computer and whatever informationhe believes is on the device,” Detective Fox said. “If he wanted to harm Mrs. Abadi, he’s had ample time and opportunity to do so before now.”
“That’s good to hear,” I said, some of my anxiety easing.
Nasser came to his feet. “If that’s all—”
“Actually,” Detective Fox said. “I have some more questions for Mrs. Abadi.”
Nasser settled back in his seat.
“Yes?” I said.
“In interviewing some of Mr. Abadi’s friends and acquaintances, it has come to our attention that you threatened to kill your husband if he ever cheated on you.”
An incredulous laugh erupted from my throat. “That’s ridiculous.”
She watched me carefully. “Do you deny threatening to kill your husband?”
“Of course I deny it! I never threatened Ali.”
“This would have been a few years ago when you were leaving a friend’s wedding.”
“We’re Arabs. We go to a lot of weddings,” I retorted. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
“This was a wedding at the Parkview Hotel. You were waiting for the valet to bring your car around, and a wedding guest overheard you threatening your husband with death if he was unfaithful to you.”
I tried to remember back and realized she was talking about the time we went to Rula’s sister’s wedding. When Ali said that he thought her husband, Marwan, slept around.
It would be hard to let another woman sink her claws into you,I remembered telling him. It might be easier to shoot you.
He’d laughed.So you’d murder me. Got it.
A chill went through me. Were the police seriously asking me if I’d wanted to kill my husband? “We were joking around,” I told the detective. “I said I’d shoot Ali if he cheated, and he threatened to kill any man I cheated with. Neither of us was serious. It was just ... couple bantering.”
Her steady gaze remained fixed on my face. “And you’re sure that’s all it was?”
