Page 110 of Happy Wife

I shake my head and say, “I don’t know. But, more important, why did Will hire a PI from his hometown? Someone who would be loyal to him? Someone with no ties to Winter Park?” She’s turning this over when I add, “Fritz is friendly with every cop, every judge, every anyone that matters. If Will was looking into him with someone local, Fritz would have found out.”

“But they all liked Will better. The ones with taste anyway.”

“This must have been too serious to take the chance.”

“You think Will had something on Fritz and Fritz found out?”

“It would have to be big. No chance Fritz could run that firm without Will. And he knows it. He always left his biggest messes for Will to clean up.”

I flip another piece of paper over and see a note around some circled numbers:Autumn.I don’t make a thing of it, don’t show it to Este. I can’t listen to her long list of grievances against Autumn.

“What’s this?” Este pulls at a little piece of something that is stuck to the inside of one of the folder pockets and holds up a grainy photograph of a very cozy-looking Fritz and Autumn. I snatch it from her.

Autumn and Fritz?

I drop the photo back on the table like it might be hot to the touch. “Holy. Shit.”

Este huffs out a short guffaw.

They’re having an affair? For how long? And why the fuck would Autumn do that to herself? And if Will knew, how does this factor into all of the fights Will and Fritz had been having?

“Wish that was surprising, but I told you I didn’t like her,” Este says, looking satisfied that we’ve finally found the perfect evidence to justify her Autumn hating. She flips through some of the other papers on the table.

“Hey, listen, I need to run an errand. I’ll be back in a little bit. Okay?” I scoop up the files and start shoving them back into the folder and then into my bag.

“An errand? Really?”

I pause, then say, “I just need to go see about something. I’ve got a hunch.”

“Now you have hunches? We’re doing hunches? Should I buy you a trench coat?”

I don’t respond. I’m already halfway to the door when she calls, “Just be careful, okay?”

Chapter43

The buzzer on the door saysA. Kensington. I press it twice to be sure she answers. Autumn lives in a modest three-story apartment building that probably had its heyday in the late 1980s. Mirrors and black lacquer finishes adorn the lobby.

I buzz one more time and finally I get an answer back.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Nora, Autumn. Can I come up?”

There’s a pause just awkward enough that I might need to ask about it later, but for now, the door buzzes.

“Grab the elevator to the third floor. I’m down the hall to the left. Three thirteen.”

When the elevator doors open on the third floor, I catch a hint of mildew in the stale air. I’m surprised that this is where Autumn lives. With the way she carries herself, I always pictured her in some pristine, new building.

I find Apartment 313, and the door opens before I knock.

“Nora! Hi!” She pulls me into a friendly hug, which I only sort of return. I’m a woman on a mission now and I don’t have time to slow down. “Please, come in.”

The inside of Autumn’s apartment is exactly what I expected. It’s exquisite, even if the backdrop of the building is outdated. You can see every single curated choice, down to the potted lemon tree on her balcony.

“Can I get you some iced tea or water?”

“No, I’m fine, thank you.”