Page 31 of The Liar's Wife

“It’s just on this street up ahead,” I told her, pointing to the street sign and making a mental note of the name.Blakemore.

She turned on her blinker and pulled onto the street, slowing down as she waited for me to tell her which one we were looking for.

I couldn’t.

I couldn’t say anything, do anything, but stare at the house with my heartbeat thudding in my ears, my face growing hot. She glanced over at me, noticing my expression. “Is it that one?”

I nodded, barely, unable to breathe.No. No. This isn’t happening. It isn’t possible.

The lone cottage was empty, cleaned out. The windows were bare, revealing the empty rooms inside. The lawn held a red and blue FOR SALE sign.

How had the house been emptied so quickly? And why? Why was she selling it? Where had she gone? Where had her husband gone? What was happening?

She slowed to a stop in front of the house. “She was here yesterday?” Her tone said she didn’t believe me, but I hoped that wasn’t true. I needed her to believe me. I needed someone to.

“Yes, she was. With Ben and Gray both. The house was still full then. There were blinds and curtains. In the back, there’s a tree house, and I climbed into it to watch them.”

She sucked in a breath, studying the house. “Okay. Well, what did you see? Just them hanging out? Was anyone else there?”

“No, it was just the three of them. Ben and Gray left after about an hour.”

“And now she’s gone…” she mused. “Hm.”

“Why did she leave, Dannika? What do you think it means?”

“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head while keeping her eyes locked on the house. “But I’ll tell you one thing, I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that she and Ben disappeared on the same day.”

“I agree. It’s too much of a coincidence, but what does it mean? Where could they have gone? Do you think they’re together somehow? Or maybe she’s hurt them?” My skin grew cold. “She wouldn’t have hurt them, would she?”

She was silent, seemingly lost in thought. “I don’t know, but I think you should tell the police about this.”

“They already know where she lives. They may know she’s gone, too.”

“Either way, you should tell them. They should be looking into this…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but she didn’t need to. I could hear the end of the statement in her silence.Before it’s too late.I wouldn’t admit it to Dannika, but I’d spent much of my night researching missing persons statistics. We had seventy-two hours before our chances of ever finding them went drastically low. Less than that now. We were in the countdown and, with no evidence to help us, my husband and child had disappeared into the wind, and there was a very good chance I’d never see them again.

I sniffled, refusing to let any new tears fall as I pulled out my phone and dialed the non-emergency line again. I asked to speak to Officer Kessler once I’d been patched through, and I was placed on hold.

“Kessler.”

“Hi, this is Palmer Lewis. Ben Lewis’ wife.”

“Yes, yes, Palmer. Hi. I was just getting ready to call you, funnily enough. Is everything all right?”

“I wanted to tell you I came back to Kat’s house in Crestview, and she’s moved out. It…it looks like she’s selling it. It’s completely empty. I know you said I shouldn’t come, but I did, and I wanted you to know.”

She was silent. “I see. Palmer, listen, I can send someone out to the house to check it out, maybe look up the deed to see the name of the owner. Do you have the address now?”

I recited it to her now that I knew it. “Great, thank you. Hey, while I have you… Do you know anything about several one-thousand-dollar transfers from your accounts to a separate account?”

My blood ran cold. “What?”

“It looks like there’s been a transfer for one thousand dollars a month for the last six months from your account to one at a different bank.”

“Six months?”

“That’s what it looks like. Since you married Ben. Do you know what they were for?”

“I…I have no idea. I haven’t looked at the account in a while.”Ben does that.I didn’t want to say it. When Ben took over the bills, it seemed like the most natural thing. I was pregnant. I was dealing with a lot. I was going to be the one working, so why shouldn’t he be the one doing the finances? Had I really been so naïve? Had I really made this mistake again?