"How well do you know him?"
"Well enough to know he isn't a serial killer, like the one described in Tuesday's newspaper."
"So it wasn't the P-I story that prompted you to call me."
"No." Her eyes met Andie's. "It was the allegation that Gus abused his wife."
"What about it?"
"I saw the television newscast implying there might be a connection between the abuse and Beth's disappearance." "Do you think there's a connection?"
"All I know is that Gus was acting strange the day Beth disappeared."
"How so?"
"He and I were in the office together. He had to cancel dinner with me because Beth didn't pick up their daughter from some place. He got really mad. He said something like, 'She deserves a good smack across the back of the legs."'
"Kind of an odd expression."
"Yes. That's why I distinctly remember him saying it." "Are you suggesting he's still abusing her?"
"I just want to be upfront and cooperative. If the police suspect that the abuse might somehow have led to Beth's disappearance, I want my name totally in the clear."
"I don't understand. Why wouldn't it be in the clear?"
She sighed nervously. "Gus and I have a . . . how should I put it? A history."
"Oh?"
"To be perfectly frank, he pursued me for years. I kept our relationship professional, but he always wanted more. He was so obvious at times that rumors started. They were just rumors. Nothing physical was going on between us. I liked Gus, but I always made it clear that so long as he was married, nothing could happen. Now that his wife has suspiciously disappeared, I don't want the fact that he was so hopelessly in love with me to implicate me in any way."
"Hopelessly in love?" Andie sounded more doubtful than intended.
"Yes," she said defensively. "Gus Wheatley was in love with me."
"I see. And why would that implicate you in his wife's disappearance?"
"I didn't say it would. I was just afraid it might give someone the wrong idea."
"Who?"
"I'm not stupid. I know how these homicide investigations work. The police make their list of suspects and go through them one by one, process of elimination. As a woman who was rumored to be Gus's mistress, I was bound to end up on somebody's list. So I figured I might as well come forward. Even though I knew it would be a double-edged sword."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, I would be clearing myself. But I might be implicating Gus. That's not easy for me to do. Gus is someone I'm very fond of."
"Implicate him how?"
She sighed yet again, ever the reluctant witness. "For a long time Gus felt trapped in his marriage. A few years ago he tried to leave Beth. For me. That's when she accused him of abuse. He had no choice but to go back to her. She wasn't going to let him go. Not without ruining his good name and reputation."
"How do you know that?"
"I know."
"Did he tell you?"
"It was obvious."
"So, you're saying what? Beth refused to let him go, so he finally got rid of her?"
"That's for you to decide. I would never say that."
Andie gave her a hard look. Martha didn't flinch, her expression deadly serious. The mist was turning to rain, falling harder. Andie popped her umbrella. "Do you want to go inside, talk more?"
Martha checked her watch. "I have to get back to work. I've told you pretty much everything I can think of."
"Yeah, I've probably heard enough anyway. Let me give you my card, though. If something else comes to mind, call me anytime."
She took it and tucked it in her coat pocket. "You're going to look into this, then?"
She sounded more eager than curious. Andie offered a pat answer. "We take all credible leads seriously."
They shook hands. Martha took one step away, then stopped. "You understand why I came here, I hope. I just want to air out the facts. I'm not trying to hurt Gus."
"I understand."
"Gus is a friend of mine."
Andie looked her in the eye but said nothing.
"A good friend." She smiled awkwardly, waiting for a reply. Andie was silent. Martha turned and walked away, her heels clicking on the wet sidewalk.
Some friend, thought Andie as she watched her fade into the fog.
Chapter Eighteen.