31
NOW
Danger.
The word hangs in the air between them. Aimee looks at the woman in front of her. She thought she knew Gwen. How as a girl she had wanted to be a writer, but realized she didn’t have the temperament and settled for public relations. That her favorite flowers are orchids. That she likes pale-pink nail polish from Olive and June, and Bellinis with fresh peach slices, and rewatchesSex and the Citywhenever she’s sick. That her first concert was Hootie & the Blowfish in 1995, but she told Anton it was Mazzy Star to seem cooler. That she grew up lonely and counted her horse, Shadow, as her best friend. That she won’t let any non-organic food in the house yet keeps a stash of Cokes hidden in the pantry.
But what did it all add up to? If Gwen could keep a secret like this, Aimee realizes that she doesn’t know this woman at all.
“He said that Noa might be in danger? Why?”
Gwen shrugs sheepishly. “He didn’t say, exactly.”
“Cathy’s a retired teacher, she’s in her sixties, in what way is she dangerous?”
“I don’t know, I swear! It had something to do with Scott’s past.”
Aimee blanches. “His past? What about his past?”
“Aimee, if I knew I would tell you. Anton was upset. Drunk. He said she was dangerous. That Scott needed to know. That Noa might be in danger.”
“And you said nothing to me?” Heat erupts across Aimee’sskin, like an instant sunburn. A mother’s rage at the thought of her vulnerable child in harm’s way.
“Friday night was the first I knew about any of it,” Gwen says, tears wetting her eyes. “You have to believe me.”
Gwen’s theatrics leave Aimee cold. If anything, her display of emotion makes Aimee angrier. How dare Gwen break down, feel sorry for herself. She endangered achild. “But on Saturday, and on Monday, Noa went back there,” Aimee says.
“I didn’t know that! Anton was murdered on Friday night! I’ve been out of my mind. You have to believe me.”
Aimee takes a step back from Gwen, astonished at her attempts to make herself the victim. “This is not about you right now. This is about my daughter. You want me to believe that at no point in the past few days, with the police questioning you about that night, at no point did it occur to you to tell me that Anton warned you about Cathy?”
“You’re being unfair. You know how distraught I’ve been. You don’t know what I’m going through. I can barely remember the most basic things, like brushing my teeth. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Noa, about that woman, but I have been struggling just to function.” Gwen’s voice has taken on a wheedling tone. “Not to mention that I learned Anton was sleeping with Lisa.”
“Lisa? I don’t want to talk about Lisa. I want to know how Cathy is connected to Scott. What did he mean, she was someone from his past?”
Gwen shrugs. “He didn’t say.”
Hot, sweaty, dizzy with anger, Aimee pivots and walks back into the living room.
“Where are you going?” Gwen calls after her.
“To Cathy’s. I’m going to confront her. If you won’t tell me then I’ll find out for myself what’s going on.” Aimee yanks the door open.
“Is that a good idea?” Gwen asks. “She could be dangerous.”
Aimee chokes down a laugh. An image of the older womanpushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose springs to mind. “I think I can handle Cathy.”
Aimee storms outside, adrenaline pushing her forward. She gets in her truck and slams the door. Gwen runs out after her, Sababa right behind her with his leash in his mouth. Aimee starts the engine at the same time Gwen yanks open the passenger-side door and climbs inside as the dog jumps in, as well.
“What the hell are you doing?” Aimee asks.
“I’m coming with you.”
She takes a good look at Gwen. Her two-hundred-dollar jeans have a coffee stain on the knee, and there’s a small hole in the sleeve of the short-sleeve cream sweater she is wearing. Her face is blotchy from crying, a bit of eye makeup smudged. She’s crumbling; her veneer as fake as her friendship. “No. You’re not coming with me.”
Gwen clicks her seatbelt. “I know you hate me right now, and I don’t blame you, but I can’t let you do this alone. So, if you want to go to Cathy’s house, you’re going to have to take me with you.”
“I don’t need your help, Gwen. No offense, but you’ve done enough damage. I’m perfectly capable of talking to Cathy by myself.”