Page 46 of Poison Apple Crisp
Thirteen takes off, and Ginger yips with glee as they leave the room as quick as a comet.
“Lottie?” Rachelle leans in and blocks my line of vision. “Are you okay? You zoned out there for a minute.”
“Oh, right.” I blink back to life. “Sorry, I was just thinking about poor Brenda. I wonder why her fiancé didn’t show up tonight?”
Rachelle glances to the ceiling. “Martin isn’t exactly in mourning. I spoke to him yesterday when he came by the school to pick up some of Brenda’s things. Just a couple cardigans she kept in the room where we met to conduct official business. Brenda was always taking off her sweater and leaving it behind.”
“That’s too bad, about Martin, I mean. Weren’t they about to get married?”
She rolls her eyes once again. “Yup. But believe me, not all engagements are equal. And neither are all marriages.” She shrugs. “I didn’t exactly judge Brenda for swooping in and stealing Martin from Cokie.”
“That’s funny, because Cokie made it sound as if their relationship was casual.”
Rachelle laughs out loud at that one. “She wishes. But I’ve heard her downplay their relationship myself. I guess the reality hurts to verbalize. Anyway, Brenda sort of insisted on being my friend, and I tried my best to like her. I even overlooked the fact she snatched Martin right out of Cokie’s hands. Believe me when I say, I’ve made some major relationship mistakes myself. I’ve spent more days steeped in regret over it than I did in the relationship.” She gets lost while looking out into the crowd.
“Hey”—I gently nudge her arm with mine—“don’t beat yourself up over a bad relationship. I’ve had more than my fair share. I was engaged once eons ago, back in college, and he cheated on me—just the same way my high school boyfriend did. And you know what? For years, deep down, I thought it was my fault. I’m sure whatever happened between you and your ex is something you’re going to laugh about years from now with a friend over drinks.”
Her eyes widen a moment. “Yes, well, I guess the jury is still out on that one.” She takes a careful sip from her coffee.
“So do you think Martin was about to break it off with Brenda?”
“Oh no.” She shakes her head. “Brenda wouldn’t have tolerated that. Once Brenda set her mind to something, it was full steam ahead no matter who got run over in the process. And I think Martin knew he was about to get run over.”
“Rachelle, you don’t think Martin would poison his own fiancée, do you?”
She presses her lips tightly as she studies my features. “Lottie, Martin wanted out of that relationship. Brenda knew it, too.”
“So why did he stay?” I take in a quick breath. “She had dirt on him, didn’t she?”
Rachelle gives a quick nod. “Apparently, it had something to do with money. I’m not entirely sure how that worked.” Her lips twitch. “Did you ever talk to Alyssa?”
I take in a deep breath as the memory of my time at the Brew Ha Ha flits through my mind.
“I sure did.”
A devious smile plays on her lips. “Did you get Alyssa’s big secret out of her?”
“About her ex-husband?” I grimace as I nod. I don’t dare say another word, seeing that Alyssa all but threatened me to keep my mouth shut.
Rachelle gives a long blink. “I’m guessing she told you he went missing and she was accused of killing him.”
“You say it as if it wasn’t true.”
Her shoulder hikes up a notch. “It’s her B story, the one she tells people to get them off her back, and then she threatens them to keep quiet by telling them they’re the only person she’s told.”
My mouth falls open because that’s exactly what happened to me.
“So what’s the real story?”
Rachelle swills the coffee in her hand. “Her husband had an affair with his secretary. Alyssa was furious, so she took her son and moved back to Vermont to live with her mother. Not nearly as glamorous as her version.”
A dry huff expels from me. “If you can call that glamorous. I feel like a fool for believing her.”
“Don’t. She loves to tell that version. It makes her feel powerful and in control. Her therapist told her to flip the script, and she’s not only flipped it, she believes it.”
“I’m shocked to hear she came up with something so colorful.”
Rachelle ticks her head to the side. “She got it from Brenda.”