Her eyes lifted to his.“Do you think I did?”
“It doesn’t look good,” Connor said.“But I pray there’s a reason for all of this that doesn’t end with you in a prison for the rest of your life.”
Morimer’s smile deepened, as if he enjoyed that answer more than he should.
Connor pulled the other chair back and sat, putting himself across from Marlene.“But you have to give me something.Selena has evidence you lied.You ran.You attacked her.You were in town when you said you were three hours away.Right now, that looks bad enough that I can’t protect you from it.”
“I didn’t ask you to protect me.”
“No, but Victor would have.He would have wanted me to.”
Marlene closed her eyes.A tear slid down her cheek.
Connor let the name do its work.
When she opened her eyes again, the first panic had softened into something hollow.
“I didn’t kill him.I loved him!”
“Then tell me what happened.”
“I took the kids to my mother’s like I said.That part was true.I got them settled.We had dinner.Mom asked why I kept checking my phone, and I told her Victor had some work thing.”
“What time did you leave to come back to Elmsview?”
“Just after eight.”
“Your mother knew?”
“No.She fell asleep with the kids watching a movie.”
Connor took that in.“Three-hour drive back.”
“Less if you drive angry.”
“Were you angry?”
Marlene gave a broken laugh.“Yes.”
“Because of the affair?”
Her hand tightened around the fork.
Morimer’s eyes sharpened, but he said nothing.
Connor leaned closer.“Marlene.”
“Yes,” she whispered.“Because of the affair.”
“Who was Victor having an affair with?”
She pressed her lips together.
“Marlene, if you keep protecting whoever it was, you may go to prison for murder.”
“I’m not protecting anyone.”
“Then who?”