Chương 4
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“I should have told you more clearly.”
“I should have listened more clearly.”
Neither of them seemed satisfied by the exchange.
That was probably appropriate.
At eleven thirty, Ethan went downstairs.
The security men remained near the foyer.
One was Owen Hale, who had worked for Ethan for six years and had perfected the skill of looking present without looking curious.
“Anything leave the property?” Ethan asked.
“No.”
“Any cars called?”
“Mrs. Blackwood asked for one twenty minutes ago.”
“Where?”
“Hotel in Stamford.”
Ethan looked toward the staircase.
“Did you stop her?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Owen waited.
Ethan rubbed the edge of his watchband with his thumb.
“Did she come down?”
“Not yet.”
“Let her leave if she wants.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do not let Noah leave with anyone.”
Owen’s face altered almost invisibly.
“Understood.”
“And Owen.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t make this bigger than it is.”
“I don’t know how big it is.”
“Neither do I.”
Owen nodded once.
“That’s why I’m standing here.”
Ethan almost smiled.
He did not.
He went to the kitchen instead.
The kitchen was too clean.
Someone had put away dinner. A covered plate sat in the refrigerator with his name on a piece of tape.
He removed it, stared at the cold salmon and potatoes, then put it back.
On the counter was a bowl of lemons Vanessa insisted be replaced before they softened. Three were beginning to go bad.
He picked one up.
Put it down.
For no reason he could explain, he opened the junk drawer.
Batteries. Scissors. Tape. A takeout menu from a Thai restaurant Claire used to like.
The menu should have been thrown away years ago.
He stood there holding it.
“Ethan.”
Vanessa was behind him.
He closed the drawer.
She had changed out of the ivory gown into black trousers and a cashmere sweater. Her hair was still pinned neatly at the nape of her neck. A small overnight bag sat by the doorway.
She looked less like the woman from the foyer.
That made it harder.
“I’m going to the Delamar.”
“Okay.”
“I called Caroline.”
Her attorney.
Ethan nodded.
“Okay.”
“She told me not to discuss this with you tonight.”
“That’s probably good advice.”
Vanessa looked offended.
“I expected you to tell me she was being dramatic.”
“No.”
She folded her arms.
“So this is where we are.”
“For tonight.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because I don’t know what tomorrow is yet.”
Vanessa looked at the drawer he had closed.
Then at him.
“I never hurt Noah.”
Ethan did not answer.
“I never hit him.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“Maria implied it.”
“No. She specifically said she didn’t see you hit him.”
Something flickered across Vanessa’s face.
“You already interviewed her.”
“I asked what happened.”
“Without me.”
“She’s not on trial.”
“Neither am I.”
“No.”
“It feels like I am.”
Ethan leaned against the counter.
He was suddenly very tired.
“Why did you take the locket?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“For the reason I told you.”
“Choking hazard.”
“Yes.”
“After eighteen months of him wearing it.”
“I started thinking about it recently.”
“Why tonight?”
“He was pulling it.”
“He pulls everything.”
“You don’t know what he does.”
The sentence landed.
Vanessa seemed to regret it.
Ethan looked at her.
“No,” he said. “Apparently I don’t.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“It’s accurate.”
“Ethan.”
“Did you put Claire’s photograph in the drawer?”
A pause.
Vanessa looked toward the dark windows.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he was becoming fixated.”
“He’s two.”
“You keep saying that as if two-year-olds don’t form patterns.”
“Who told you he was fixated?”
“I could see it.”
“Maria disagrees.”
“Of course she does.”
“Did his pediatrician say it?”
“No.”
“A therapist?”
“No.”
“Anyone?”
Vanessa’s breathing became shallow.
“I live here. I don’t need a committee to decide whether a photograph is upsetting my stepson.”
“Did it upset him?”
“It kept him attached to someone who isn’t coming back.”
The kitchen went silent.
Ethan stared at her.
Vanessa’s eyes filled again.
“You think that sounds cruel.”
“It does.”
“You know what’s cruel? Watching him reach for a dead woman every time I try to comfort him.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
Vanessa shook her head.
“No. Don’t do that. Don’t turn into stone and make me the only person saying something ugly.”
“You punished him for saying Claire’s name?”
“I corrected him.”
“How?”
“I told him Vanessa is here. Claire isn’t.”
“Did you make him sit alone?”
“It was a calm-down chair.”
“Did you make him sit alone?”
“For two minutes.”
“How many times?”
“I don’t know.”
“Guess.”
“Ethan, stop talking to me like one of your employees.”
“How many times?”
Her jaw tightened.
“Maybe four.”
“Maria said it happened more than that.”
“Maria wasn’t there.”
The answer came too quickly.
Ethan straightened.
Vanessa realized it.
He saw realization happen in her face.
“You sent Maria away.”
“I wanted private time with Noah.”
“And then you put him in a chair when he said Claire’s name.”
“That is not how it happened.”
“Tell me how it happened.”
Vanessa looked away.
For several seconds only the refrigerator compressor could be heard.
“He would point at the hallway.”
“What hallway?”
“Upstairs.”
“The photo wall.”
“Yes.”
“What would he say?”
“Mama.”
“And?”
“Sometimes Claire.”
“What did you say?”
“I told him not to.”
Ethan waited.
Vanessa’s voice dropped.
“I told him to say Mom when he wanted me.”
“Did he want you?”
“That is a disgusting question.”
“It isn’t.”
“You’re making me sound like I forced affection out of him.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Then answer.”
“I was trying to create a family.”
“We had one.”
The words escaped before Ethan could stop them.
Vanessa recoiled.
He regretted the cruelty immediately.
Not because the sentence was entirely false.
Because it was designed to wound.
He rubbed his forehead.
“That was cheap.”
Vanessa laughed without humor.
“At least you know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“I am.”
“You just finally said what everyone in this house thinks.”
May you like
“Who is everyone?”
“Your mother. Maria. Half your friends.”
