The doorbell chimed again, and he stood, moving out of their suite and to the hall, jogging down the circular staircase, his steps slowing as he saw the flicker of emergency lights through the stained-glass panels on the door.
Someone on the other side pounded on the double doors, and Jake hesitated, then flipped the dead bolt and slowly opened the right side.
There was an officer there, his expression stern, voice deep. “Jake Redden?”
“Yes?”
“We’re going to need you to come with us.”
“Right now?” The alcohol was slowing his reaction, dulling his vision, but he could almost swear that behind the man, on the edge of their driveway, next to his Range Rover, was an ambulance, and sitting on the back of it was his wife. He squinted, trying to get a better look, but the man moved into his field of vision.
“Yes. Right now.”
“Why?”
“We’d like to question you about the suspected attempted murder of Rachel Redden.”
“I was actually just about to go ...” He stepped forward, out onto the porch, and gestured toward the back of the house. “Uh ... I just changed because I found out that ...”
It was definitely Rachel. The woman in uniform beside her moved, and now he could see her face. Her hair was wet, her cheeks pink, her breath fogging in the air. She had a blanket around her shoulders, and a stretcher was being assembled beside her.
She looked exhausted and yet energized, staring at him with a look that could only be described as fury.
She’d never looked so beautiful or so terrifying. He stared back and tried to remember why he had ever wanted to kill her.
Chapter 16
Rachel
Iopened the front door with a smile and waved Jules in. “Good morning,” I chirped. “Thank you for coming by; I’m so torn on what to do with this bathroom.”
Jules, who was wearing a baggy Mickey Mouse shirt and a pair of boyfriend jeans, closed the door behind her and looked around. “Wow. Did you pack all of this up yourself?”
“No, I hired a company.” I walked around the mountain of cardboard boxes that held Jake’s sports memorabilia and collectibles. “It’s all getting picked up tomorrow. I’m putting his personal items in storage; the rest will go to an auction company.”
“So he’s definitely not coming back?” She followed me up the staircase, and if she noticed the bare walls where our wedding pictures used to be, she didn’t mention it.
“No, he’s negotiating the plea deal. Likely going to get four years at Lancaster. They’re transferring him next week.” I entered our bedroom and passed through the closets—now both for me—and into the large bathroom. “Okay, so here’s what I need your help with.”
On the large counter was a collection of marble and cabinet samples. I pointed to the first set. “This is what I’m thinking of, but I’m not sure if it’s too dark for the space.”
“Oh.” She stared down at the pieces, then glanced at the mirror. “You fixed the crack?”
“Yeah. That’s another reason I’m doing the remodel. To get rid of this slick tile.”
“I can’t believe you slipped like that. You could have really hurt yourself.”
“Yeah, nothing like catching myself with my head.” I laughed.
I had originally planned a big explanation about slipping out of the shower and running face-first into the mirror, cutting my hand on the shards, but the only person who had even asked me about the blood and the mirror was Jules. The cops had been more concerned with Jake intentionally leaving me in the well and my insistence that he was plotting to have me killed. It was an accusation I couldn’t back up with proof, and so far, Jake had insisted I was lying about the conversation I overheard with him and Jules on my hidden cam.
She tapped a cream granite sample that was inlaid with dark green streaks. “Wow, this is so different.”
“Yeah, well. I wanted a change.” I walked over to the towel shelf and picked up one of the small cameras that had been hidden in the room. “You know, Jules, I put cameras in this bathroom, just before my accident.”
She didn’t look up from the selection, but I could see the stiffening of her spine, the way her attention piqued at the words. “Cameras?”
“Yeah. I had them throughout the house, including in here. I thought ...” I let out a strangled laugh. “I thought Jake might be cheating on me.”
