Selena let the silence sharpen.
Amanda’s smile faded a little.“Poor choice of words.”
“Yes.”
“Sorry.”
“I don’t want to take up too much of your time,” Selena said.“I need any insight you have into Victor and Marlene Schmidt.”
Amanda settled back.“Two lovely people.Me and Marlene go way back.”
“How far back?”
“To school.We always hung out.Had sleepovers.That sort of thing.”
“And Victor?”
“Close enough.Victor moved here about ten years ago.Not best friends or anything, but this county isn’t Chicago.You can’t avoid people even when you try.”
“Did they seem happy?”
Amanda’s expression changed.
Not much.Just enough for Selena to notice.
Amanda glanced at the door, then lowered her voice.“That’s the thing.It wasn’t all rosy.Not the way they made it out to be.”
Selena wrote one line.Marriage problems.
“How so?”
Amanda looked uncomfortable for the first time since she had entered.The performance slipped, leaving someone more cautious underneath.
“Victor was having an affair.”
Selena kept still, but that revelation got her blood pumping.“Really?”
“You betcha.”
“Was that well known?”
“No.Not all over town.Marlene told me she was sure, though.”
“Sure based on what?”
“Coming home late.Being weird with his truck, always claiming he had errands after meetings.You know the signs.”
“Did she have proof?”
“Depends what you call proof.She was embarrassed, so she didn’t tell me everything.But she didn’t know the woman’s identity.That was what drove her crazy.”
“Did she ask Victor?”
Amanda gave a small, sad laugh.“Of course.He denied it.”
“How did she take that response?”
“Bad.Then better.Then bad again.That’s how those things go.They eat away at you.”
