He came inside, and I closed and locked the door behind him.
“What’s with all the door-locking?” Before I could answer, he put his arms around me and kissed me, a deep, almost-forever kiss. Finally, he moved away from me. “Is the door locked because you found out what’s up with Tanya?”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s get in bed, and I’ll tell you.”
Once we were snuggled beside each other, he began talking in a low, calming voice. “When she and I were playing video games that day, she said something really strange. Later, when this Dave guy showed up, it made me think he wasn’t who she was pretending he was.”
“What did she say?”
“We were playing the game, and she’d had quite a few beers, so I think she didn’t even realize she was talking out loud. The game we were playing had people in hand-to-hand combat.”
“Okay.”
He squeezed my leg. “In this really quiet voice, she said—Killing someone is not as easy as everyone makes it look.”
I lurched away from him. “What?”
“Yeah. It gave me the chills. And then when that guy started watching the house, I didn’t believe what she said about him. It seemed like a weird thing for a guy to be doing, for a guy who wants to get a girl. I mean, he wouldn’t just stand out there watching all the time. And because he was following you—the two of you look a lot alike…to someone who doesn’t know you—I just couldn’t believe he was who she said. And then she didn’t want to call the cops? What’s that about?”
I nodded. “I don’t get it at all.”
“So I hopped on a plane to California.”
“You’re kidding. You didn’t meet up with your friend?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t want to tell you because I thought it was better if you didn’t slip and say something to Tanya. Not that I think you’re an idiot, I just thought it would be easier. Sorry if that was a bad call.”
“No, it’s fine. So what did you do?”
“I looked up her ex.”
“Did you tell him who you were?”
“Yup. And he said there is no buddy who just returned from Afghanistan. He said he just got sick of hearing her complain about how you screwed her over with your father. That’s why they split up.”
“What?”
Jerry pulled me close again, resting his head against mine. “Sorry. I know you thought you were reconnecting. But that’s not it at all.”
“So what does she want?”
“After I texted you tonight, I stopped and talked to Dave.”
“He didn’t disappear when he saw you?”
“I walked along the water and came up at him from behind. Besides, I had a gun.” He laughed nervously. “And when I told him I had it, and I wouldn’t miss, I don’t think he thought trying to outsmart me would work. Bullets are faster than a guy trying to slip away in the night, no matter how good he is—ex-special forces or whatever.”
“Where did you get a gun?”
“I’ve always had it.”
“Oh.”
“He is ex-military, by the way, which is why he’s so stealthy. He’s out there because he’s trying to make your sister sweat.”
“Why?”
“He says she killed his mother-in-law. Smothered her. Tanya was her caretaker, and she killed her.”
“No. I can’t believe...I know she’s kind of messed up, but that? No way.”
“He seemed pretty sure.”
“Then why wasn’t she arrested?”
“No proof. This woman was smothered, they know that. And Tanya was her caretaker, but it was her night off. He said he knows in his gut Tanya killed her. A few things were taken from her house, but not enough for them to believe it was a robbery. The power was cut, and a window was broken, but he’s convinced the window was for show. Tanya got a small bit of money to thank her for being a caregiver, but the way Tanya acted when she was told about it, confirmed his suspicion. She was furious about the puny remembrance, and she didn’t hide it very well. He’s pretty sure his mother-in-law told Tanya she would remember her, and Tanya assumed it would be a whole lot more because the woman was fairly well-off.”
I moved away from Jerry, putting my hands over my face, trying to think. “I can’t believe Tanya would…”
“You need to get her out of your house.”
“How am I going to do that? And even if I believe you, and this guy, and even if she did something so awful, you just said there was no proof. So they aren’t going to arrest her…” My voice faded. I wanted to cry, but I was too numb, too confused, my brain lurching in three opposing directions at once.
“What did he think he was going to accomplish,” I said, “just staring at the house all the time?”
“He thought the pressure of her knowing he knew, the anxiety over his constant presence, would build. He thought that eventually, she’d be so freaked out and anxious, maybe with some guilt eating at her, she would do something to give herself away.”
“That seems like a long shot.”
“It’s all he has.” Jerry got out of bed and tugged on his jeans. “I can’t sleep with her in the house.” He started toward the door.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about him being so territorial over my house and my sister, but at the same time, something deep inside believed every single thing I’d heard. I could see Tanya doing that. I could see her being angry at a gift and thinking it wasn’t what she deserved. That was exactly how she’d behaved when our father died.
It explained everything—why she’d suddenly wanted to get closer, why her five-year engagement had abruptly ended, and why she refused to call the police and tried so hard to persuade us that Dave would elude
