Page 57 of Promise Me Never

I: Everything ok? Want to meet again?

Savannah’s hand hovered over the screen. Then she typed:

S: Not yet. I’ll be in touch.

Isabel replied with a thumbs-up.

It was still early. She’d wait another hour, until nine, and call him. She fed Finn then made another cup of coffee.

The clock chimed nine and, taking a deep breath, she picked up her phone and input Henri’s number. It rang four times and went to voicemail. He probably figured it was a spam call.

“Hi, Henri. This is Savannah, Bennett Bryson’s wife. We met briefly at the Mast. I was hoping we could talk. Please call me.” Hopefully he’d get back to her. She had to know what he had wanted to warn her about. Her phone rang and she saw that it was a FaceTime call from Bennett. She answered.

“Morning,” she said, forcing a smile onto her face as his filled the screen.

“Good morning. How are you?”

“Fine, getting my day started. How’re things there?”

He made a face. “Exhausting. But only a few more stops and I’ll be back home. How’s the book coming?”

Since meeting Isabel, she hadn’t touched it. “Slow going. You know how it is.”

“And Finn? How’s my boy?”

Hearing his name, Finn walked over from the corner and nudged Savannah with his nose. She laughed. “He’s right here. He’s become my shadow. Not that I’m complaining. He’s good company.” She pointed the phone at the dog.

“Hey, buddy. I’ll be home soon.”

Finn’s tail wagged at the sound of Bennett’s voice.

“How’s it going there?” she asked. “Are you able to get any writing done in between your appearances?”

He nodded. “Yes. It’s been all work and no play for me.”

“Well, then I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t tag along,” she said.

“I just want to get it behind me and get back to you. I miss you.”

After they ended the call, Savannah felt herself missing him too, despite her suspicions. A feeling of dread wound its way through her body. Was she actually considering even for a moment that Bennett had hurt these women? What kind of wife was she if she was? The kind that marries a man she’s only known for a month, a little voice answered. She had to be smart. Think like her main character. Facts: Two women engaged to Bennett had broken up with him abruptly by text. Why? He was rich, smart, and handsome. Why would both women suddenly up and leave him? And one left her medicine. Her very-important-to-her-health medicine. Both hadn’t been seen since. Then there was Poppy. Married less than a year and suddenly dead after telling her best friend she had discovered something nefarious about him. Either Bennett had very bad luck or he was the bad luck. There really wasn’t any in-between. And one thing was for damn sure. She wasn’t going to end up dead or missing. But on the other hand, she wasn’t going to throw away her new life on the basis of rumors and supposition.

She grabbed her purse and the paper with Devon’s father’s address and left. She would take a chance and show up at his door. Pretend to be an old friend of Devon’s. She’d spent enough time studying her Facebook that she could pull it off. She had to find out the truth before Bennett came home.

| Fifty-Three |

Bennett

Why the hell was Savannah calling Henri? Bennett hadn’t realized she’d even met him, but then again, Felicia mentioned to him that she’d recommended the Mast Café to Savannah as a place to write. Why was she still going there after he’d provided her with her own office space? That was the reason he’d spent a fortune getting it done earlier for her. Something strange was going on. Savannah had been sitting at the kitchen table intently searching for things on her laptop, making notes. He’d been keeping an eye on her via video since he left. He had installed cameras outside as well as in the kitchen, living room, hallways, and, of course, his office. They recorded everything, video and sound. Unfortunately, the cameras didn’t have a zoom feature, so he couldn’t see what Savannah was looking at on the computer. She had seemed odd on the FaceTime call too, skittish. Any time someone’s wife died accidentally, there was speculation. Someone must have said something to Savannah, otherwise why would she want to talk to Henri? And Bennett knew that Henri would have nothing good to say about him.

He took a deep breath. No need to panic. Henri didn’t know anything that could hurt him. Poppy hadn’t had time to tell Henri what she’d discovered. But Henri could sow seeds of discord between Savannah and Bennett, and he couldn’t allow that to happen. He could imagine how delighted Henri would be to befriend Bennett’s new wife and poison her against him. He needed to get home soon. Unfortunately he still had two more stops on his tour.

He opened his phone and reviewed the video footage from last night. There she was again, hunched over her computer, making more notes. Her facial expressions ran the gauntlet from surprised to horrified. What the hell was she looking up? Was she doing research for her book, or was she doing research on him?

| Fifty-Four |

Savannah

She pulled up to the house on 45th Street at one o’clock, parked the car, and squared her shoulders. There was no activity on the street, and she hoped that her instincts about Devon’s father being retired were correct. She’d hate to have driven all the way here for nothing, but she wanted the element of surprise. She got out of the car and walked toward the house, noticing that the property was well kept. The beige brick exterior looked like it had been power washed recently. There was a Buick Enclave parked under the carport, and she noticed tools and lawn equipment organized neatly in one of the bays.