Someone Else's Husband(6)

“I understand, Mrs. Falk.”

Gretchen stayed quiet for a long moment, evaluating her options. “Would you please tell Richard that I’d like to go home now?”

The detective eyed her intently as if trying to figure out how na?ve she really was. “My partner is still speaking with him. I think they’re almost done.”

“Is he under arrest, Detective?”

Reyes made a face like this was absurd. “No, he is not.”

“Wonderful—then he’s free to leave.” Gretchen might never have made it to law school, but she was not a moron. “I just want to remind him of that.”

“Your husband is a managing director at Goldman Sachs. He’s very intelligent and capable. And he’s well aware of his rights. I’m sure he’ll leave when he’s ready.”

Gretchen stood, smoothed her Canada Goose fleece, and straightened her pajama pants with as much dignity as she could muster. “Fine. Then I’d like to see him to say goodbye.” Her voice was trembling slightly, and Gretchen hated herself for it. She could only imagine what this detective saw when he looked at her. I can take care of myself! she wanted to scream. I’m not a victim! You have no idea what I’m capable of!

But when Detective Reyes looked up at Gretchen, his expression was neutral. “I understand.”

“You understand what, exactly?” Her fists were clenched and so was her jaw.

“That this must all be very upsetting…this other woman, your husband.” Reyes’s eyes had flashed for a split second as he moved in for the kill. But his approach had been clumsy. Far too direct an angle. It snapped her right back into focus.

“The only thing upsetting me, Detective, is being stuck here for hours in the freezing cold.” Her smile was easy, her voice polished granite. Gretchen made a show of checking the gaudy, diamond-encrusted Cartier watch on her left wrist. She hadn’t realized she’d slept with it on until she got down to the police station. It was a ludicrously flashy piece, but with this detective it could help prove her point: There could be costly consequences if they persisted with this mistake.

Richard had bought the watch weeks ago in Paris on the way to Africa, before the tragedy. As a thank-you for Gretchen letting him go. Considering everything that had happened on the trip, Richard hadn’t felt right about giving it to her earlier; he’d waited until last night, when they were waiting for the bill at Daniel. Gretchen appreciated the gesture even if she could have done without the ridiculous item itself—not only diamond-encrusted but in the shape of a panther! Richard wasn’t usually one for obviously expensive things, and Gretchen didn’t much care for the design, but she was grateful that he’d acknowledged that she had, in the end, given him her blessing. Of course, it turned out she’d been right. He never should have gone on that trip.

At least Richard could admit when he was wrong. Most men were far too fragile to ever cede even an inch of their power.

“Well, I am sorry about the cold,” Reyes said. “The AC in here is ridiculous. We don’t have access in the station to adjust it.”

“And our granddaughter has a school performance in the—well, this morning. Both of us need to be there…It’s past six. We came here voluntarily, Detective. And now, it seems, we’re being punished for trying to be helpful.”

Detective Reyes shrugged, as though the situation had nothing to do with him. “Why don’t I mention the performance to Richard when I go back in? And he can text you. He still has his phone.”

Still. As though he might not have it for much longer.

“Gretchen!”

When she turned, Bruce Barone was hurtling toward her, briefcase in hand, a blue-striped button-down half tucked in, tufts of gray hair sticking up all over. He looked addled and old and like he had indeed bolted out of bed and run right over without even looking in a mirror. Well, at least he’d done as she’d asked. As soon as he saw the detective, he slowed to a walk, smoothed a hand over his messy hair, and lifted his chin.

Gretchen smiled slightly, smugly. “Richard’s attorney,” she said to Reyes. “He can help us sort through this.”

They waited in silence until Bruce was a few strides away.

“They won’t let me see Richard, and he’s been in there for three hours, Bruce,” Gretchen said.

“Mr. Falk knows he’s free to go,” Reyes interjected evenly. “He’s been told several times.” He reached out to shake Bruce’s hand. “Detective Raul Reyes.”

It felt like a betrayal when Bruce shook it back.

“But you know how Richard is, Bruce…” Gretchen began. In point of fact, Bruce probably did not think of Richard as charming at all. “He gets to chatting with people he’s just met and—he’s probably forgotten all about a performance we need to be at for Oppy.” Gretchen was aware this all sounded ridiculous under the circumstances, but much better to talk about their granddaughter’s opening assembly than to mention that she was afraid Richard had forgotten he was in a police station.

Bruce put a hand on Gretchen’s arm in a way that felt both patronizing and comforting. Quiet, dear. Let the men sort this out.

“I need to see my client. Right now,” Bruce said. “You and I both know that we left ‘voluntary’ behind a long time ago, Detective. That’s a custodial interrogation, plain and simple. Anything you’ve gotten out of him is going to get tossed out anyway.”