Page 105 of Healed Heart

He places his fingers over my lips.“I believe you, Angie.I understand mental illness.I just don’t believe talk therapy is the way.At least it wasn’t for me.And for the record, I agree with you.Ralph has a personality disorder.In fact, his entire personality itself—or at least his identity—is completely fabricated.He’s not who he says he is.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ralph isn’t Ralph.His real name is Ronny Burgundy.”He swallows.“And I think he killed my wife.”

ChapterForty

Jason

Angie gasps.“What?”

“It’s a long story.And I’ve told it twice already today.”

“To whom?”

“Once to Blake, and then again to a detective.”

“You’re going to have to tell it again, then, because I don’t want secrets between us.”

“I know.You’re right.”

For the third time, I pour out the story of where I went last night and why.What I found out as a result.And then the questioning with Blake and the detective.How my one shot at corroborating my story was found dead this morning.

Angie listens.I can tell she’s trying not to interrupt, which I appreciate.When I’m finally finished, she just stares at me.

“Jason,” she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper.“This is… This is beyond…”

“I know,” I say.“I know it’s a lot to take in.”

A tense silence falls over us, Angie’s eyes wide and filled with fear.I reach out, intending to comfort her, but she flinches away.

“I can’t believe this,” she murmurs to herself.“Ralph isn’t Ralph.He’s…”

“A murderer,” I finish for her, the words tasting sour in my mouth.

“And he wanted me to believe that about you,” she says.

Rage boils through me.“What?”

“I didn’t believe it.Not for a minute.But he said you had killed before.”

I think back to the first time I failed a patient on the operating table—a mistake that cost a young man his life.

“He’s not wrong,” I say.

Fear laces over her gorgeous face.

“It was five years ago, in the OR.Like I said in class, every surgeon will make a mistake at some point in their career that ends a life.I’ve carried that burden with me since.”

Not nearly as much as the burden of my daughter’s death, but I leave that part out.

“Oh, Jason…”

“But that’s probably not what he meant.”I rise, pace around the living room.“He’s going to try to pin Lindsay’s death on me, isn’t he?That motherfucker.”My mind races.“But he can’t.I have an alibi for that day.The police already know it.It’s too late.”

My words are true.Lindsay’s case is closed.

If I open it, will Ralph somehow try to point to me?