Page 26 of The Liar's Wife

I tried to fight back the worry and the fear that ricocheted through every inch of my body, wrapping its spider-like fingers around my organs, telling me to do something—anything—to make this better. I had no idea what to do. No idea how to make this any better. How could I be this helpless?

Ben had no relationship with his family, so I didn’t have much more than their names. No phone numbers, no addresses even, other than the knowledge that they lived out of state, and just getting that much was like prying teeth from my husband.

You try looking up Mark and Kathy Lewis and let me know how far you get.

I opened the freezer and gasped. All of Gray’s milk was gone. Every single bag. More than a week’s worth. Had he brought all of that to Kat’s? I hadn’t seen how much he had packed.

I didn’t want to drive back to Crestview, especially for no reason, but I was out of options. My keys were still in my hand, purse around my shoulder, as if somehow, I’d just known that this would happen. I’d known I’d have to leave. Have to go after them.

I pulled open the door and stopped. My head was so fuzzy with fear I couldn’t really concentrate. He hadn’t mentioned going anywhere, had he? I didn’t think so.

I sucked in a breath, locking the door behind me andrushing down the stairs, switching my phone’s ringer to loud. The rain pelted me—why wouldn’t it decide to start now, of all times?—the wind blowing my hair and my clothes wildly as I made my way to the car.

Please call me back.

Chapter Sixteen

Idrove with ferocity through the raging storm that had blown in suddenly, heading for Kat’s house with no regard for speed limits or traffic laws. I could think of nothing more than the image of my son’s head settling onto her chest. Why had Ben left? Why wasn’t he home? Where was my child?

I pulled up in front of the small, white cottage, surprised to see an unfamiliar vehicle in the drive. A man wearing a sweat-soaked red T-shirt stepped through the front door of the house, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. He was holding a phone to his ear with the opposite hand.

I hesitated, checking the street again. I was at the right house, so who was this?

I caught the glint of a wedding band around his finger.This is her husband.

She’d mentioned he worked out of town, but he must’ve returned home. How was I going to explain who I was? Why I was there? Kat’s car wasn’t in the driveway.

He stared at me with a furrowed brow, not speaking as Istepped from the car getting pelted by the rain, and I stared back, keeping the door open. Did he know who I was? What I knew? “Hey, let me call you back. I love you, too.” He lowered the phone from his ear. “Can I help you?”

“Is…is Kat here?” I asked, my voice quivering with nerves and adrenaline.

“No,” he said, his tone clipped. “Who’re you?”

“I’m…”A friend? An enemy? Her boyfriend’s wife?“I’m looking for Ben Lewis. Do you know him or…?”

He shook his head, no recognition, worry, or anger in his expression. I’d one-upped him. I’d caught them when he still knew nothing of what was going on. No idea that his wife was betraying him. I stared at the ring on his finger again. He had no idea it was coming. I didn’t feel triumphant—I felt sick. I should have told him, but I didn’t have the energy.

He opened the door again, standing halfway over the threshold to let me know he was done with the conversation and preparing to go back inside.

“Do you—sorry, do you know when Kat’ll be back? Or where I could find her?”

He shook his head again, watching me closely. “Are you a friend of hers or something?”

“Not exactly…” I wasn’t sure what to say, how to explain it.

“Wanna leave your name? I can make sure she knows you stopped by.”

“No, that’s…that’s okay. I’ll come back.”

He pressed his lips together without another word.

“Okay, well, thank you.” I sank back down into the car, already soaked to the bone from the storm. He didn’t acknowledge me as he walked back into his house, and I started the car again.

Where are you, Ben?

I knew he had to be with Kat. There was no question. But her husband coming home threw a wrench in my theories. Had he come home early? Had she known he’d be returning? What if he’d found out and done something to Ben? But Ben was gone when I left, so that made no sense.

I drove back home, wishing the rain would let up just a bit. My windshield wipers zipped across the glass feverishly, working to clear up the blurry windshield. I drove slowly, unable to see the lines in the road. The storm was bad, but it was no match for the storm raging inside me.