Page 41 of The Liar I Married

THIRTY-SEVEN

After breakfast, Alex shows me around the house.

It’s neat and tidy, and the house is beautifully furnished, with comfy modern furniture.

His taste runs to clean lines, glass-topped wooden tables, swirls of color spread across the rugs, but all the walls are white.

The background is perfect for his pictures.

The landscapes are like windows to another space.

I look at him. “For a writer, your house is spotless. Many don’t have the time to fight deadlines and clean house or the spare cash to pay for a cleaning service.

I was lucky, I had a housekeeper to help me clean up after the girls. She did most of the cooking as well.”

“I have a service, they do the house and the yard, although I created the backyard myself over a year or so.” Alex indicates to my walker. “I assume your clothes are in here. Do you need help to hang them in the closet?”

“Yes, thanks.” I open the seat of my walker and scoop up my underwear. “Are the drawers empty?”

“Yeah.” He pulls one open for me. “There you go.” His gaze locks with mine. “Will you be okay watching TV for a time? I have a deadline for some edits I need to finish.”

I inhale the smell of cedar from the drawer; it’s lined with clean paper with pine cones on it. I add my meager amount of underwear and then return his gaze. “I’d love to watch TV. I’ve been isolated for so long, breathing fresh air is a treat.”

An hour or so later, I’m sitting on the sofa in the family room, watching TV, when the room fills with red and blue flashing lights.

Someone is hammering on the front door and Alex comes out from his office where he’s been working on his book to answer it.

People are rushing in the room and a burly cop forces Alex onto his knees and cuffs him.

John comes in behind them and stares at me.

I’m trembling so much my teeth are chattering. “What’s going on?”

“Did this man kidnap you?” A man wearing a suit with a badge on his belt, stands in front of me.

I shake my head. “No, he did not. I called him and asked him to come and get me because the nurse that was looking after me was drugging me. I have reason to believe my brother has been trying to kill me.” I wave a hand toward Alex. “Leave him alone, he’s only trying to help me.”

The cops allow Alex to stand and he rubs his wrists.

I look at him. “I’m so sorry, Alex, I never meant for this to happen.”

“It’s okay.” Alex’s mouth twitches into a wry smile. “Someone needed to help you.”

“What’s all this about your brother trying to kill you?” The man in the suit is staring down at me again. “And while I’m here, I’d like to ask you some questions about your accident.”

I lift my chin. “And you are?”

“Detective Jack Marshall. Your husband called us after your nurse found a telephone number and we traced it to Alex Harris. He mentioned he’s an acquaintance of yours but has no idea why you’d call him.

I was informed you had memory loss. Obviously that problem has been resolved.

I figure you need to tell me what’s been going on. ”

I take my time and start from the beginning, leaving out the personal bits about John, me, and Ms. Lawson.

“My husband had it in his head that I was involved with Alex and had me followed. Michael told me I had an overactive imagination but kept feeding me lies to keep me off balance. He intimated that John was having an affair with his company’s lawyer.

I believed it and when John asked her to move into our guesthouse, I decided to leave.

Michael jumped into the car and we argued, he hit me in the temple and grabbed the steering wheel.

He put me into that tree. I didn’t try to kill myself or leave a suicide note.

I was heading for my grandmother’s home. ”

“One moment.” The detective held up the hand with a pen in it to stop the conversation. “We know the SUV was new. Was Michael inside the vehicle before the night of the accident?”

I shake my head. “No, and he wasn’t wearing gloves.”

“Okay, it’s in the police yard as the accident is still under investigation.” The detective makes more notes. “I’ll have it dusted for prints. Go on.”

At last, proof that I’m telling the truth.

I suck in a breath. “Weird things started happening in the house.” I tell him everything in as much detail as I can recall.

“The last straw was when Michael told me I’d been pregnant before the wreck and killed my twins.

I was screaming at him when Dolly the nurse stuck me with a needle.

I woke up unable to move and strapped to the bed. ”

“I visited her.” John sits beside me on the sofa. “I was with her until three in the morning. I didn’t discover she was missing until lunchtime. I was in a meeting.”

“You left her there after all that’s happened?” The detective raises both eyebrows.

“I didn’t believe she was in any danger at the house.

” John meets his gaze. “I gave the nurse instructions not to give her any medication and asked the housekeeper to keep an eye on her.” He turns to look at me.

“Why didn’t you tell me everything? You didn’t mention anything about him accusing you of killing our unborn children.

You never mentioned you were pregnant before the car wreck. ”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I look at him.

It’s now or never. Am I crazy or am I sane?

“I wasn’t. Michael tried to convince me that I’d imagined the girls, that I’d conjured them up during my coma.

I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure if I was losing my mind.

” I turn to Detective Marshall. “I asked after them a thousand times but no one would tell me anything. I still don’t know if they’re dead or alive.

” I spin around and glare at John. “Now can you tell me the truth about my girls?”

“I told you not to worry about anything when you asked me. Dolly told me the doctor insisted I keep things general and not speak about family. We didn’t know if you’d planned to kill yourself and the twins.

It made you an unfit mother. You’re not allowed to see them until we get this sorted.

If I break the ruling, they’ll be placed in foster care.

” John grips my hands and stares into my eyes; he looks stricken.

“I believed I was doing the right thing, Jessie. It was tearing me up inside, seeing you so upset. You don’t need to worry a moment longer.

The girls are fine. They’re with your mother.

They were in Florida, as I couldn’t look after them alone.

Our housekeeper left the week after you wrecked the car.

” He sighs. “They’ve been here since you woke from the coma.

Your mother took them straight to your grandmother’s house and they gathered some flowers for you.

Dolly sent them away. She knew you weren’t allowed to see them.

I can see now that Dolly and Michael are working together and I played right into their hands.

Everything they’ve said is a lie. I’d like to know the reason they wanted to harm you. Do you know what’s going on, Jessie?”

Relief rushes over me and I nod. “He wants my money but I’m not sure why as he inherited a ton from Grandma’s will.”

“I believe I do.” Alex sat in a chair opposite and everyone turns to stare at him.

“When Jessie believed someone was following her and Michael made a big deal out of it rather than doing something, I had my suspicions something was wrong. I’m not sure why but he was just acting strange.

I had my portfolio with him and asked it to be moved to another person in the office.

If he doesn’t have a gambling problem, I would seriously suggest looking into his clients’ accounts. ”

“Embezzlement?” John’s eyebrows rise as he reaches for his phone. “I’ll order an audit immediately.” He walks into the kitchen.

“He wouldn’t inherit your grandmother’s estate if you died, would he?” Detective Marshall was making copious notes in a little book.

I explain. Telling him that Grandma didn’t trust John as Michael had told her he was having an affair with Rebecca Lawson and I should rewrite my will and give the estate to Michael and not John if I died.

I rest my gaze on him. “What doesn’t make sense is how he discovered that I’d changed my will to leave everything to him.

My lawyer would never disclose anything to him.

He’s been our lawyer for as long as I can remember.

He even kept the conditions of my inheritance secret from the rest of the family.

I was the only one in the room, when the documents were signed. ”

“I believe I’m going to need a little talk with your brother.” Detective Marshall stands. He moves his attention from Alex to John. “I’m not going to need to come back here again, am I? Are you two cool?”

They both nod and the detective turns to me. “What about you? Are you returning home with your husband?”

I shrug. Too much has happened for me to just return home. I need a long talk with John. “I haven’t decided yet. I don’t even know if he wants me to go home with him.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you to sort that out.” Detective Marshall holds his pen above the notepad. “I need your brother’s details. I’m gonna go and pay him a little visit. Is he at the office at this time of the day?”

“Yes, he is. You’ll find him on the third floor.” John gives him all the details he needs.

As the cops file out, Alex looks from one of us to the other.

“I’ll get back to work and leave you two to talk.

I figure you need to sort this out between you.

However if you have a problem, Jessie, you’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like.

I have plenty of spare rooms.” He looked at John.

“There’s nothing going on with us. Jessie is like my little sister. I don’t intend to come between you.”

I smile at him. “Thanks, Alex, you’re a good friend to me.” I turn to John. “Okay, I want to know everything.”