Chapter 37
THIRTY-SEVEN
My words hit Tom like a sucker punch and, as if too shocked to master the impact of what I just told him, his eyes go blank as he stares into space.
His mouth opens slightly—but nothing comes out.
I can almost see the gears in his mind spinning, fighting for an explanation to give me.
All at once his expression hardens. I stare at him, waiting for the denial, the excuse for sleeping with his boss and once best friend’s wife.
“What exactly did she write?” A pulse pounds in his neck as he takes a step closer to me.
I take a step back as he invades my personal space. I choose not to elaborate. “Everything.”
“Do you honestly believe that Laura’s fantasies mean anything?” Tom shifts from one foot to the other. “She had a very vivid imagination.”
I shake my head and meet his gaze. “She writes as if she’s leaving the truth for someone to find. I believe she figured something would happen to her.”
“You have no idea what she was like toward the end.” Tom’s lips press into a thin line. “She said so many things that didn’t make sense. She saw ghosts and heard voices. I was just trying to help her is all.” He barks a humorless laugh. “So much for being Mr. Nice Guy.”
I rest one hand on the door handle. I’m not happy with the strange look in his eyes but I raise my chin.
What could possibly happen to me in this busy office building?
“I know she believed the staff were against her. She mentioned them moving things and spying on her. Do you figure any of them were involved? I understand she might have been a little unstable but I’m certainly not, and some strange things have happened to me since I’ve been in the house too. ”
“It’s an old house.” Tom lifts one shoulder in a half shrug. “It creaks and groans. I believed I’d heard voices at one time but it turned out to be coming through the ventilation grates.”
I nod. “Yeah, I’ve heard them myself but I investigated where the noise was coming from, rather than making myself believe the house was haunted.
The diary is mind-blowing. When I arrived here, I was led to believe that Laura was a loving wife and mother and her diary tells me a completely different story. ”
“So, you figure the diary is going to give you answers, because all it will do is ruin lives? You know that, right?” He raises one eyebrow.
“Jack won’t be happy if he discovers you’ve been digging into his past. You’re just about accusing him and me of murder.
How long do you believe your marriage will last if he figures you don’t trust him? ”
I can see his point but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to know what happened the night Laura died. “I need to know the truth. Someone on that yacht murdered Laura.”
“Do you want to know what I believe happened that night? I figure she jumped. It would be the ultimate insult to Jack.” He shrugs. “You should destroy the diary before Jack finds out and it comes back to kick you in the butt.”