Page 50 of The Liar's Wife
I stared down at Palmer, who looked pale and sickly. Did she hate me? Should she?
I felt too faint to know the answer. I looked back at Kat’s body. A body, a woman, I’d loved with all my heart.
What did you do?
What did he do to you?
As long as I lived, I’d never forgive the driver who ran the red light and brought us to that moment.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Palmer
Istared up at Ben as he pressed his hands into my shoulder. Gray screamed from his crib behind me, and my eyes watered with pain, joy, and confusion.
“Don’t move.” He pulled his shirt off, wrapping it around my shoulder to staunch the bleeding.
“I…I don’t understand.” I panted. “I thought you…why did you…”
“Shhh,” he whispered, wiping the hair that stuck to my forehead out of my eyes. “It’s okay. I’ll explain everything to you soon. I’ll tell you everything.”
I looked to where Kat was slumped on the floor. “Is she…”
He gave a stiff nod. “I couldn’t chance it again. I’m sorry, Palmer. I’m so sorry.”
“Check Gray. Is he okay?” I asked, wincing.
He didn’t have to be told twice, standing up slowly and lifting our son from the crib. He bent down next to me again with Gray in his arms. “Do you have your phone? I need to call an ambulance.”
I nodded. “My back pocket.”
As he reached for it, we heard the downstairs door open and a parade of footsteps headed our way. Kessler was one of the first in the door, her gun drawn. She took in the scene, pointing the gun at Ben.
“Palmer, you okay?” she asked.
“It’s okay,” I assured her. “Ben saved me. He saved Gray.”
She looked uneasy and kicked the knife even further away from him, shouting down the hall. “We need a medic up here. Now.” She bent down next to me, examining my shoulder, but keeping a close eye on Ben. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay… She stabbed my shoulder. Check Gray. Take care of Gray.” She held out her arms for my son, and as the EMTs arrived, she handed him off. They reappeared a few seconds later for me, putting me on a stretcher and carrying me down the hall.
“How did you get here?” I called out to Kessler before I was too far down the hall. “How did you know where we were?”
“Your friend Ty called me. He was worried about you and said you’d gone missing,” she said. “We tracked your phone, saw your car, and followed the trail of blood.” She pointed to the ground where there was indeed a thick trail of blood left behind by Ben.
I winced, a searing pain shooting through my shoulder. “Is Gray okay?” I asked the EMT, a young, blonde woman with incredibly white teeth. “My baby? Is he okay?”
“He looks a little hot. A little hungry. But they’re giving him a thorough exam now.”
Ben began to follow us, but Kessler stopped him, her face stern. I wasn’t sure what to think. He’d lied to me about so much, things I didn’t even know about, things I may never.But he also saved me. He saved Gray. I couldn’t discount that.
I laid my head back on the stretcher, feeling dizzy as we headed out the door. I’d never been so thankful for fresh air in my life.
As we reached the stretcher and they removed the makeshift bandage Ben had made with his shirt, my head fell back, too heavy to lift it any longer. Then, whether from blood loss or exhaustion, sleep found me, and I welcomed it like an old friend.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Palmer