Page 96 of The Right to Remain

The call ended. Helena took several deep breaths to regain her composure and then opened the door. Isabel looked like the saddest ballerina she’d ever seen.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Pollard. I let you down.”

“You did the best you could,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “That’s all any of us can ever do.”

Jack poured two glasses of sauvignon blanc and brought one to Andie. She was in the shower, getting ready for their first “date night” since her return from Seattle. The chilled wineglass fogged with condensation as he entered the steamy master bathroom.

“Thanks, sweetie,” she said over the sound of running water. “Leave it on vanity next to my curling iron.”

The vanity top was white marble, and Jack noticed a strand of Andie’s long dark hair that obviously predated her trip to Seattle, as it was at least three times her current length. He chided himself for wondering, just for an instant, how long it would take her hair to grow back.

“Jerk,” he said to that guy in the mirror.

The shower went silent. Andie’s body was a suggestive blur on the steamy side of the wet glass. She slipped on her robe, wrapped a towel around her wet hair, and stepped out. Jack handed her a glass of wine.

“Cheers,” she said, and their glasses clicked. She went to the bedroom, and Jack followed. Two dresses lay flat on the bed. She held up the red one first. “This one?” Then the black. “Or this one?”

Jack knew there was no right answer. “The red one?” he said, but it sounded like a guess, not an answer.

She crinkled her nose and put the red one aside. “Black, definitely.”

“Excellent choice,” said Jack.

She sipped more wine. “So, how was your trip to the Pollards’ house this morning?”

It was the kind of question she would never have asked earlier in their marriage, while “the Rule” was in place. Their marriage counselor had convinced them that it was healthier for two married people to talk about their jobs, even if they were on opposite sides of the law, so to speak. Jack agreed with the concept, but he just didn’t feel like talking about the Pollards.

“Tons of fun,” he said. “Can’t think of a better way to spend my Saturday morning.”

“Did you take Theo with you?”

“Yeah.”

She set her wineglass on the nightstand and took another look at the red dress. “Do you really think that’s a good idea? Taking Theo, I mean.”

“Well, yeah,” said Jack. “He’s my investigator.”

“I know he is.” She went to the closet, found another black dress, and laid it on the bed beside the others for comparison. Then she picked up her thought. “Sometimes I just wonder: Have you ever considered hiring arealinvestigator?”

The conversation was taking a strange turn. “Theoisreal,” said Jack. “Why would you even ask that question?”

“I’m just trying to be helpful. I know tons of former FBI agents now working as private investigators. They’d love to work with you.”

Jack clearly hadn’t given enough thought to the full ramifications of dropping the Rule and talking to each other about their work like a normal married couple. “Andie, I think we’re both happy to be rid of the Rule, but do you think maybe the pendulum is swinging too far in the other direction?”

“What do you mean?”

“First, you called while you were undercover to tell me about my client’s juvenile conviction. Now you’re home for twenty-four hours, and you want me to fire Theo.”

“I didn’t say you should fire Theo. Just mix it up. Maybe take a ‘Theo break.’”

“What do you have against Theo?”

“Nothing. Why are you so defensive?”

“Andie, what is going on between you and Theo?”

“Nothing is going on.”