The air inside the bunk tickled her throat and she stepped back outside, shutting the door behind her just as she saw Bruce coming toward her across the lawn.
She considered running, but there was no point. Instead, she forced herself to smile at him and wave. Pretend that you were never in Eric’s bunk, she told herself. Pretend you didn’t hear his words.
Fucking whore.
Spoiled bitch.
“I knew you’d be here,” he said, when he was close enough to speak. He stopped and put his hands on his hips, as though the hike had exhausted him.
“I went exploring,” Abigail said. “I was curious about this place.”
“You don’t have to pretend with me anymore,” Bruce said. “I know you were in that man’s bunk. Scott or Eric or whatever his real name is. It doesn’t matter. We can talk about that later. I know all about him.”
“What do you know?”
“Come back with me and I’ll tell you,” he said.
“You can tell me now.”
“Okay. Whatever you want. I looked him up when it became clear that the two of you have some sort of relationship. I did some research.”
“How did you look him up from here?” Abigail said.
“Chip did it, actually. Did you know your friend gave a false name when he registered for his stay, not something that’s easy to do? His real name is Eric Newman. He’s a murderer, or do you know that already?”
“What do you mean?”
“He wasn’t convicted because they couldn’t prove it, but it was pretty clear that the investigating officers believed he was guilty.”
“I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“He killed his wife on their honeymoon. They were at a resort and guests there reported that they’d been fighting. Apparently, he thought his wife was flirting with a male waiter. She drowned when they were snorkeling in shallow water. There were no witnesses, so there was no way to get a conviction. All the autopsy could prove was that she died from drowning.”
“So maybe she did,” Abigail said, not knowing how else to respond.
“I thought you’d probably defend him.”
“I don’t know why you’re so convinced that he and I—”
“Because I know you secretly met the morning you went swimming, and because I know that you were in his bunk today.”
Abigail was tired all of a sudden, sick of Bruce’s accusations.
She said, “So, if he’s a murderer, then what you’re saying, Bruce, is that you set me up with a murderer. You hired a murderer to try to fuck me in California.”
Bruce looked genuinely surprised, his brow lowering, his mouth opening then closing. After a moment he said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You hired that man to try to seduce me at that vineyard you sent me to. You set me up. Look, it’s over. Our marriage is over.
Whatever’s happening here is … I don’t know what this is, but maybe we can be honest with each other. I’m fucking scared, Bruce. Whatever you wanted, I don’t think it was this. At least I hope not.”
“He was with you at the vineyard?” Bruce said.
“Yes,” she shouted, and Bruce flinched. “You sent him there.”
Bruce was shaking his head. “No, no, no, no,” he said, almost to himself. Then he looked up and said, “You actually slept with him? With that guy? In California?”
“None of that matters now. Our marriage is over.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Thanks to you.”
He came for her, moving with sudden speed, his fist cocked back, his jaw clenched. Abigail was frozen, her body tightening in readiness for the blow. But it didn’t come. Bruce had stopped himself a foot away from her. “Don’t you dare blame me for you being a whore.”
“Jesus.”
“Tell me you didn’t sleep with him.”
“I’ll tell you everything if you tell me the truth. Did you send him there— did you pay him—to seduce me? To get me drunk and fuck me?”
Bruce was shaking his head again.
“Why are you shaking your head? You either did or you didn’t.”
“My mother ruined my father’s life,” Bruce said quietly. “Do you understand that?”
Abigail decided it was time to leave, and walked purposefully past Bruce, expecting him to grab her. Even so, it shocked her when he did, his hand suddenly around her upper arm, his fingers digging in. “You knew how important fidelity is to me,” he said. “I know you knew that.”