Page 135 of The New Couple in 5B

Who manipulated a dying man into willing him an apartment that should have gone to Dana.

The man who killed Dana to keep her from telling me the truth about him.

The man who bashed in Betty Cartwright’s skull to keep her quiet.

The man drinking my blood until I’m too weak, too blind, to see what’s in front of me.

A monster.

“Rosie,” he says, with a confused smile. “What is it?”

But then his eyes drift to the television screen and he sees what I see. His body freezes.

“Oh, God,” he says, coming to sit beside me. “I can’t believe it.”

He sinks his head into his hands. His shoulders shake but I know he’s not crying. I put a comforting hand on his back, my mind spinning.

I look up to see Willa standing in the corner of the room. Her eyes are wide. When she opens her mouth, I hear her terrible scream.

Run!

forty-five

“That’s horrible,” I hear myself say gently. “But I’m glad there won’t be another trial. One less thing to worry about.”

He doesn’t look up.

I rise and go into our bedroom, pull on my jeans slowly.

I dropped my bag by the door; I’ll grab it on the way out. I’ll say I’m heading out to get groceries for dinner. Time seems to slow and warp. Chad keeps his place on the couch, head still bowed.

As I’m pulling up my jeans the phone falls from my pocket. I pick it up and see a text from Detective Crowe.

I shouldn’t be doing this. But we’re coming for your husband. If you can get away from him, do it.

I shove it in my pocket, paste a smile on my face.

When I leave the bedroom, he’s not on the couch anymore.

He’s by the front door.

“Rosie,” he says, lifting a palm. “Don’t.”

“What?” I say, giving a light chuckle.

“I can explain.”

“Explain what?” It’s one of the things Chad taught me about acting. Believe it. “I want to make us a nice dinner. Steak. I’m just going to pop out to the store.”

He shakes his head. “Not right now.”

“O-kaaay,” I say, drawing out the syllables. “You’re being weird.”

A vein throbs in my throat.

I move back toward the living room, and he grabs for and catches my wrist. I turn back to him.

He’s not smiling. And when I look into his eyes, I see his darkness. It swirls and twists like a black hole, sucking in light and time.