Chapter 16 - Tom's Silence
I felt betrayed all over again.
Not the same way.
But enough.
“You knew?”
Tom nodded.
“I saw messages on Rachel's tablet.”
“And you didn't tell me?”
“I confronted Michael.”
“That wasn't my question.”
He looked down.
“No. I didn't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because he swore it hadn't gone beyond flirting.”
“And you believed him?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Tom's eyes filled.
“Because I was ashamed.”
“Of what?”
“That my wife wanted your husband.”
I stared at him.
He continued.
“I thought if I could stop it quietly, nobody would get hurt.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Men really love fixing things in secret.”
He flinched.
“You're right.”
I crossed my arms.
“Did you know about the hotel?”
“No.”
“The condo?”
“No.”
“The money?”
“No.”
I believed him.
But believing him did not make his silence harmless.
“I needed someone to tell me.”
“I know.”
“You let me spend months trusting a man you suspected.”
“I know.”
For the first time, Tom did not defend himself.
That mattered.
Not enough.
But something.
The police called the next morning.
They found Michael.
He had checked into a motel near the interstate.
He was not alone.
Rachel was with me when I got the call.
“Who was with him?” she asked.
The detective hesitated.
“Vanessa Cole.”
Rachel's face collapsed.
I felt nothing.
That surprised me.
Then the detective added:
“Mrs. Andrews, there's more. Michael wasn't trying to run away with her.”
“What was he doing?”
“He was trying to convince her to change her statement.”
“About what?”
“The forged loan.”
I gripped the phone.
May you like
The detective continued.
“Vanessa says she watched him sign your name.”
