Page 89 of Little Dark Deeds

“He saidImurdered Tiffany.”

“What evidence did he have?”

“None whatsoever.He said it was a gut feeling.Can you believe it?I was in shock.After all these years together, I can’t believe he’d accuse me of such a thing.”

“What did you say?”

“I told him the same thing I told him the last time he asked.I had nothing to do with her death.I may not have liked the fact that he was having an affair, and I know it sounds strange, but I liked her.”

If what she was telling me was true, I wondered what had provoked Tyler to confront her today.

Was he so lost in his grief, he needed someone to blame?

“What happened after he made the accusation?”I asked.

“I wanted to calm him down, so I suggested we have a seat and talk it through, like rational adults.Whenever he would get aggravated in the past, it almost always worked.Today, it just made him even madder.More yelling.More accusations.I didn’t know what to do, so I asked him to leave.”

“Considering he’s dead, I’m guessing he didn’t.”

She shook her head.“What happened next ...well, I still can’t believe it.He pulled a gun from beneath his shirt and started waving it around.”

“What did he say?”

“More of the same.ThatIkilled Tiffany.Itook the one person who meant the most to him in life.Iripped her from him, and for that,Ihad to pay.

“What did you do?”

“The only thing I could think of doing.I took a step back, figuring if I could just get out of the room, I could get away.And then the gun went off.It took me a minute to realize I’d been hit in the leg.He shot me.”

“But he’s the one who’s dead, so you must have found a way to defend yourself.”

“After he shot me, I lunged at him, and he dropped the gun.We both dove for it, but I was closer.I grabbed it and aimed at him.‘Leave, and I won’t shoot,’ I said.”

“What was his response?”

“He said he’d leave when I was dead.He came at me again, and I didn’t want to do it, but I knew if he got the gun back, I wouldn’t make it out alive.I closed my eyes, and I squeezed the trigger.I thought I’d just nick him, you know?Shoot him in a place that would slow him down, so I could get away.Then I ...I realized I shot him in the head.”

Tears flooded down her face, and I reached out, placing my hand on her arm.The numbers on the bedside monitor began to rise, and then it started beeping.As I tried to calm her down, a nurse rushed in.

She glared at me and said, “She was fine a few minutes ago.What did you do?”

“I didn’tdoanything.We were just talking.”

“Yeah, right.This visit’s over.Get your things and get out.”