A knock on the window makes me jump.
I turn to look out the passenger’s-side window.
It’s Matt.
Listen for the Lie Podcast with Ben Owens EPISODE THREE—“MATT WAS TOO GOOD FOR HER”
Stephanie:?????I’m sorry, but Matt was too good for her.
Ben:???????????????Why did you think that?
Stephanie:?????It wasn’t just me who thought that. It was a pretty common sentiment.
I spoke to a lot of people about Matt, including Stephanie Gantz, who was friends with Matt and Lucy, and lived in the same neighborhood. She squeezes in an interview with me between shuttling her teenagers to soccer practice.
Stephanie:?????Matt was just so friendly. So easy to be around. He came over and had a beer with my husband the first day he moved in. I didn’t meet Lucy until a few days later—I’m from here, but I’m a good ten years older than Lucy, so I didn’t know her when she was younger—and it was just like … okay. Not the warmest lady you’ll ever meet. It’s weird that she and Savvy became such good friends, actually.
Ben:???????????????Why is that?
Stephanie:?????Because Savvy was a sweetheart. Bubbly, and charming, just the whole package. She would have been a better match for Matt, if you want to know the truth.
Ben:???????????????But you and Lucy became friends eventually?
Stephanie:?????Acquaintances, I guess. I lived down the road, and we’re a tight-knit bunch here. Lucy never quite fit in, though. She was so young. Me and the other ladies … I probably shouldn’t say this, but, oh well. We all used to joke about Lucy being Matt’s first wife. We always knew a second would be coming.
Ben:???????????????Because they were young, or something else?
Stephanie:?????Because they were young, for sure. At that age, it seems fun to have someone who is your opposite. Later, you realize that it’s exhausting. You want someone who brings peace to your life, not someone you’re always at odds with. Matt and Lucy were at odds.
Ben:???????????????Do you mean that they fought a lot?
Stephanie:?????Oh, they definitely fought a lot. You could tell when you saw them together; they’d be doing that thing where you’re trying to subtly fight but hope no one notices. But you could hear the yelling coming out of their house. It was that loud.
Ben:???????????????Who was yelling? Matt or Lucy? Or both?
Stephanie:?????Both.
Ben:???????????????Was that ever cause for concern? Did anyone ever call the police?
Stephanie:?????Oh goodness no. Of course, knowing what I know now, I might have feared for Matt’s safety a bit more back then. And, of course, I feel so bad for Matt now, with everything.
Ben:???????????????You mean with Savannah’s murder?
Stephanie:?????Well, no, I mean Kyle. Kyle Porter. You know about him, of course.
Ben:???????????????I’ve heard some things.
Stephanie:?????You should talk to Kyle.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
LUCY
I roll down the window, like an idiot.
Matt leans into the car, casually resting both forearms against the bottom of the window, his hands hanging over the passenger’s seat.
He has great hands. Long fingers, and nails that he keeps perfectly trimmed. I have a thing about hands. I once ghosted a guy after one date because his nails were long. That was it. He was really nice, and cute, and we had a great time. But I wanted to hurl every time I thought about those fingernails.
He’s wearing his dark hair much shorter these days. I wonder whether he’s starting to lose it. The petty part of me hopes so.
His eyes were the first thing I noticed about him—blue and bright—and they’re hard to look away from, even now.
“Hi, Luce,” he says.
This is a real shit stain of a situation I’ve gotten myself into here, so I say nothing.
I imagine closing the window, trapping his neck, hitting the gas, and dragging him down the street.
“Let’s kill—”
“Were you going to knock, or just sit out here all night?” he asks.
I sigh. “I was just driving by.”
“You’re parked.”
“I was curious to see how the house looked.”
He glances back at it, and then at me. “Since you’re here, do you want to come in?”
I give him a truly baffled look. “I don’t think your wife would appreciate that.”
“We’re getting divorced. She moved back to Houston.”
I try not to smile. I swear to god, I try not to be the asshole that I am, but I utterly fail.
If he sees the twitch of my lips, he pretends not to.