“But not about these other two … I just thought we should talk about it.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. True left me. Those other two women, no one knows what happened to them.”
“But—”
“You’re going to believe gossip over what your husband tells you is true?”
“That’s the problem. You haven’t told me anything.”
“What else do you need to know?”
“Everything! How can I defend you if I don’t know—”
“Why would you have to defend me?”
“Against people who have an ax to grind.” She slipped out of bed and into her robe. “Or these small-minded gossips.”
“It shouldn’t matter to you.”
His voice vibrated with hurt. She steeled herself against the way it made her feel.
“It doesn’t.” She sat on the edge of the bed. “What matters is you being completely open and honest with me. Hiding things from me—”
“Now I’m hiding things from you?”
“I didn’t say that. I simply—”
“You, too, Bailey?” He threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. He grabbed his jeans and yanked them on. “One trip into town and suddenly I’m a monster?”
“I didn’t say that, either!” She jumped to her feet. “Logan, I’d never say that.”
She watched helplessly as he put on his shirt and socks, then stalked to the closet for his boots.
“Where are you going?”
“Out.”
“Just tell me what happened!”
He spun to face her. “I did! I came home and she was gone. What else do you need to know?”
“Why do people say that about you? Why would they?”
“Because they found her vehicle at the side of the road!” The words exploded from him. “Unlocked, her keys in it! And I lied about the last time I saw her! Satisfied?”
She brought a hand to her mouth, took a step backward. “Oh, my God, like the others.”
“I’m out of here.”
“Wait! Talk to me!” He didn’t and she ran after him. “Why’d you lie to the police, Logan?”
He stopped, face white with fury. “My pride,” he ground out. “Ironic, isn’t it? I didn’t want our relationship to be on everyone’s lips, and it’s still all they’re talking about. Even you.”
Bailey flinched at the disdain in his voice. She followed him downstairs and out to the courtyard. “Stay, Logan! Please, let’s talk this out.”
“We shouldn’t have to.”
“Logan!”
Helplessly, she watched as he crossed to the truck, climbed in and left her behind.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Bailey awakened with a start. She had fallen asleep on the keeping room couch, waiting for Logan to return. Her eyes were scratchy and swollen from crying. Her head hurt.
What time was it? She reached for her phone. The display glowed 12:46.
Where was Logan?
Bailey brought the heels of her hands to her eyes. Dammit. How could she have bungled that so badly? He was her husband; they should be able to share everything. She should trust that if she asked, he would answer. Instead, she had danced around her own questions and he had gotten defensive.
“Do you think I’m a monster, too?”
“I’m your husband, you shouldn’t need to defend me.”
He was right. She should believe in him. Without question.
Bailey sat up. Did he really believe that? That she—or anyone else—thought he was a monster?
Billy Ray Williams did. Death follows him, he had said. It follows his family. What did that mean? His mother had died in an accident, who else? His father?
Where were all their family photographs?
“Why did you lie to the police, Logan?”
“I didn’t want our relationship to be on everyone’s lips, and it’s still all they’re talking about. Even you.”
She dragged her hands through her hair. Wasn’t she the one who had agreed they had their whole life to get to know each other? Bailey’s Big Adventure.
He had been defensive.
And she hadn’t been fair.
A sound came from the other room. A thud. Like something heavy hitting the floor.
Bailey straightened. “Logan?”
Silence answered. Frowning, she stood, called out again.
Again, nothing. She moved through the kitchen into the front hallway. Light peeked out from the partially open study door.
She reached it. Pushed it the rest of the way open. Several books, on the floor by the desk. The laptop open, a soft glow emanating from it. And Logan, his back to her as he stood in front of his mother’s portrait.
She made a sound of relief. “Logan?”
He turned. He held a glass of amber-colored liquid. She caught her breath at his haunted expression.
“You’re still here.” His words slurred slightly and she realized he must have had quite a lot of whatever was in that glass.
“Where else would I be?”
“Thought you hated me, too.”
“God, no. I love you.” She crossed to him and took the glass from his hand and set it on the desk. “I was upset. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, drawing her against him and burying his face in her hair. “I shouldn’t have…” He straightened, looked her in the eyes. “I wanted to protect you.”
“From what, Logan?”
“All the sadness.”
She cupped his face in her hands. “You can’t. Sadness, loss, they’re a part of life.”
“Not this much.”
She knew he meant his life, his family. And she understood. “Come to bed.”
He didn’t move, just stood gazing at her, as if memorizing her image. “How do I keep you safe?”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“That’s all I want.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t protect any of the others. None of them, not even True.”
“But she left you.”
“What if … told myself no … but now—”
“Sweetheart, you’re not making any sense.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “They were fighting.”
“Who?”
“Mom ’n’ Dad. That night. I should have done something.”
Her pulse quickened. “What night?”
“But I didn’t,” he went on. “I was—”
“When, Logan? When should you have done something?”
“My responsibility … to stop—”
He assumed she knew what night he was referring to, or maybe he was simply too drunk for awareness of any of that.