“No,” she said. “I didn’t know. I find it hard to believe I wouldn’t have heard.”
“Well, you said you hadn’t talked to Ms. Eastman much lately. Mr. Rothenberg didn’t tell you?” Chief Rizzo asked, watching Aubrey closely.
“Mr. Rothenberg? No, why would he tell me? Kate would’ve been the one to tell me, and she didn’t mention it,” Aubrey said.
“Did you know Kate—Ms. Eastman—had just come into a substantial sum of money? Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, according to bank records that we’ve subpoenaed.”
“I’m not sure Kate would consider that a substantial sum of money. But no, I didn’t know that.”
“It seems like a relevant fact, don’t you think? That leads me to another question. You came to the station Sunday night to pick up Mr. Rothenberg.”
“Yes.”
“So you know Mr. Rothenberg?”
“Sure. I’ve known him since college. Kate was my roommate. Since they were married, I ended up keeping in touch with Griff as well.”
“Do you know, was Mr. Rothenberg … seeing anyone?”
“You mean, was Griff involved with another woman?”
“Yes.”
Aubrey laughed in shock. Griff, the devoted husband? “No, absolutely not,” she said.
“You sound very certain of that. How can you be so sure?”
Aubrey had no idea where the police chief was going with these questions. Was Griff having an affair, and Aubrey didn’t know? Impossible, she didn’t believe it for a second. She spent way too much time watching Griff, thinking about him, to miss something that major.
“I’m sure because I know how much Griff loved his wife,” she said. “Chief Rizzo, I have to say, I feel like you’re fishing for gossip. Is this really how the police investigate a case?”
“Look, I’ll be honest. Our dispatch secretary mentioned you and Mr. Rothenberg seemed unusually cozy when you came to pick him up from the station the other night. Please understand, I have no desire to offend you, but I’m obligated to ask. Mrs. Saxman, are you romantically involved with Mr. Rothenberg?”
In the mirror over the sofa, Aubrey saw her reflection, all bright eyes and sharp spots of color in pale cheeks, looking as rattled as she felt. The idea that the police might zero in on Aubrey, or on Griff, not because of Ethan and Kate’s affair, but because of some imagined entanglement between the two of them? That had never occurred to her in a million years. Yet, if they did, it would have the same result as if they knew the truth about Kate and Ethan. They’d still be messing around in Aubrey’s private business, with all the risks that presented. At this point, she realized she’d said enough, and anything more would be counterproductive. She wasn’t in control of this interview, and she ought to shut it down.
“You think Griff and I were having an affair, simply because I picked him up from the police station after the man found out his wife died?” Aubrey asked, allowing a note of anger to creep into her voice.
“I’m not saying I think that. I’m just asking,” Rizzo said.
“Well, the answer is no. I was trying to be a good friend, that’s all.”
“All right,” Rizzo said.
“I have to say, I’m finding your questions somewhat offensive, Chief Rizzo. I feel like you’re looking for a scandal where there’s only a tragedy. Kate was simply a woman with a history of depression who in all likelihood took her own life. She is—was—a dear friend of mine, and I have to ask you not to disrespect her memory with your wild allegations.”
Rizzo flushed, looking stung. “That’s not my intention at all. I’m trying to find out the truth about how she died,” he said.
“You won’t get the truth by asking such absurd questions.”
“They’re not absurd,” he said, in an angry tone, then took a deep breath. “Mrs. Saxman, look, we’re on the same side. I’ll explain my thinking, if you give me your word you’ll keep it in confidence.”
“All right. Fine, go ahead,” Aubrey said.
“First of all, the forensic evidence in this case is consistent with homicide. Not with an accident. Not with the victim taking her own life. I know you say Kate had a history of suicidal behavior, but it sounds like that was many years ago. And there’s something else, a very important reason that she wouldn’t kill herself. You might not have known this, but Kate was pregnant at the time of her death,” Rizzo said.
As the sick expression spread across Aubrey’s face, Rizzo nodded.
“So now you understand,” he said. “I wouldn’t normally disclose such sensitive information, but given that you were close to both parties, I feel that you could shed some light and be a very useful witness, if only you’d help. I need you to see that your friend was probably murdered, possibly by her own husband. Things were very wrong between the two of them. We know that, because she filed for divorce. So I have to ask you to think hard about their relationship. Was there anything you saw or heard, in the weeks leading up to her death, that I should be aware of, that might shed light on the situation? If so, I urge you to tell me. Don’t protect him.”
Aubrey stared at her hands, folded in her lap, unable to give Rizzo any answer. Kate pregnant with Ethan’s baby. She couldn’t believe it. Something else she hadn’t known, something huge they’d kept from her.
“You look upset,” Rizzo said. “I understand, you’re in mourning for your friend, and this news may have added to the shock. I just felt it was important for you to have the complete picture. We’ll get out of your way now, so you can have time to think things over. Here’s my card,” Rizzo said, standing up, and nodding to his partner, who rose also. “You think about it, and if you remember anything, you give me a call. All right?”
Aubrey nodded helplessly, and Rizzo left the card on her desk. When they’d gone, Aubrey locked herself in the bathroom and threw up.