Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
MINA
Nothing made sense. Why would Corrine Egan have a pair of my underwear?
I remembered placing that underwear in the hamper, blushing as I noticed the tear.
I knew they’d gone missing. It had only been an absent thought as I tucked the matching bra into my drawer.
They were caught in the dryer. Or mixed in with another load I had yet to fold.
But there they were, in a labeled evidence bag brought in by Corrine Egan. A woman who once wore the exact same red ribbon as I did. If she and Lock had been together—if everything I suspected was true—they’d met years ago. Way before Lock knew me.
I couldn’t trust Lock. I didn’t even feel safe in my own home now. So this morning, I packed a bag and made reservations to stay at the Bayview resort in town.
I had hearings all afternoon and barely a moment to breathe. It was well past six before I could leave for the day. There was nobody left in the office.
Lock and Roy had made me promise not to walk to my car alone. I did anyway. The parking garage was empty now. I had a rental car while Lock had my car repainted. I kept my head on a swivel as my heels clacked on the concrete. I saw the black Mercedes parked next to me and slowed my steps.
Eli came toward me. He looked upset. “Mina,” he said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I didn’t want to bother you while you were still at work. But we need to talk.”
“It’s been a very long day,” I said. “Couldn’t you have just called me?”
Eli’s face fell. Something was clearly wrong.
“Please just give me a few minutes. I need to know what’s going on.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do,” he said. “Can we just…” He gestured toward my car. I unlocked the doors and got behind the wheel. Eli slid into the passenger seat.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“That’s what I need to know from you. Something’s up with Lock.
He’s not acting like himself. He missed a meeting I set up for him with a major donor this morning.
I can’t get a hold of him. I’m worried. Are you guys okay?
I wouldn’t stick my nose in it. But Piper’s all upset.
She’s threatening to leave me. Then, with Lock’s behavior, I needed to talk to you. ”
“You think Piper’s threatening to leave you because of Lock? Eli, I really don’t want to be in the middle of your marriage either. But I can think of one or two things that might make Piper upset with you that have nothing to do with Lock.”
“So you didn’t tell her?” Eli said softly. “About me and Anne?”
“I didn’t tell Piper anything. But don’t ask me to keep track of your secrets.
I’m having enough trouble keep—” I stopped myself then took a breath.
“As far as Lock, yes. I told him what I saw. I won’t keep something like that from my husband.
” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew what a hypocrite I was.
“She won’t tell me what Lock said to her. Piper can be difficult. But I can’t lose her. She’s jealous. Things aren’t great with us. Despite what you saw, it’s not all my fault. She sees you and Lock and wishes we could be like you.”
“Look,” I said. “At the fundraiser, Piper said something very unkind to me. Lock was angry when I told him. Maybe I shouldn’t have. He said he was going to talk to her. I asked him not to. Apparently, he did anyway. That’s probably what upset her.”
Eli’s eyes got huge. “You asked him not to? You thought he’d listen to you? Lock isn’t rational when it comes to you. He becomes ferocious in his need to protect you. There is no moderate response when it comes to Lock. I wish you would have come to me if you were upset with Piper.”
I stopped myself from apologizing. I hadn’t done anything wrong. “Eli, I don’t have the bandwidth for this right now. Lock will be home in a few days. If you have an issue with him, you can take it up with him then.”
“He’s not taking my calls,” Eli said. “But I’m still here doing what he asked me to.”
“Which is what?”
“Checking up on you. He said whatever you’re working on has you upset. He said he’s never seen you like this. He’s worried.”
I sighed. “Then you can cross me off your chore list. I’m fine.”
“Sure,” he said. “About as fine as Piper is. I’m sorry she upset you.
She’s mad at me and she took it out on you.
Mina, Lock really is worried about you. And it’s messing with his head.
Maybe he downplayed it, but not showing up for that meeting is bad for business.
When Lock can’t focus, he makes dumb mistakes.
Ones that have nearly ruined him. Ones that I end up having to clean up. ”
“What mistakes?”
He wouldn’t answer. “I think he’s right that you’re not okay. Whatever this case you’re working on, is it really worth what it’s doing to the two of you?”
“Eli, I’m going now. It’s been a long day. I appreciate you looking out for me.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Are you sure there isn’t something I can do?”
“No. Just go after your wife. If you love her and need her like you say you do, work on that. Lock and I will be fine.”
Would we? For now, I only knew my head pounded.
I wanted to just go home. But I couldn’t even do that right now.
Mercifully, Eli got out of my car and back into his own.
I honestly didn’t know if I should be grateful or angry with him.
I felt wrung out like a wet dishrag. I waved at Eli as I backed out and drove away.
“Of course, Mrs. Manning. Welcome to the Bayview. Your suite is ready. Do you need help with any bags?”
His gold nametag read Garvin. He wore a crisp navy-blue suit coat.
“No,” I said. “I can manage it.”
Garvin looked slightly hurt. He slid two key cards across the counter. The desk clerk next to him, a young woman who looked barely old enough to drive, perked up when Garvin referred to me by my married name.
“Mina Manning?” she asked. Her nametag read Laney.
“Yes,” I said.
“We have a package that was dropped off for you about an hour ago. I’ll get it.”
A package? I hadn’t told anyone my plans to check in. Was someone following me? Was it Lock? Eli said he was missing meetings and failing to return calls. Paranoia took its grip on me. I looked over my shoulder, but there were no other guests in the lobby but me.
A moment later, Laney returned with a thick, manila envelope with just my first name written on it.
“Where did this come from?” I asked, handling it. It contained something thick, hard, and rectangular.
“I didn’t see who delivered it,” Laney said. “It came before I started my shift. I can check into it if you’d like.”
“Thank you.”
The events of the day started to hit me. I felt boneless as I took the elevator to the top floor and stepped off. Checking my phone again, I pulled a charger out of my bag and plugged it into the wall by the bed.
Lock had stopped texting and calling me. Strange, but also a relief. I went out into the sitting room and plopped down on a chaise lounge. I had a nice view of Lake Michigan from the glass walls on two sides of the room. This was a corner suite.
Mina
My name was written with a black marker, underlined, and in flourishing cursive. I slid a nail under the flap and tore it open. A stack of photographs spilled out.
The top picture made me freeze. It was Lock. A full-frontal shot. He was nude.
I grabbed the rest of the photos and flipped through them, letting each one fall to my lap.
Lock’s bare backside, his tattoo clearly visible. Lock in profile, giving a devilish smirk to the camera. He sat on the edge of a bed in a room I didn’t recognize. He was nude in every photo.
A shot of him standing in front of a naked woman. Her back was to the camera. He had his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. Another photo… this one even more lurid. Lock’s bare backside. He was positioned between the naked woman’s legs. She had them wrapped around his waist.
Each photo was more pornographic than the next.
They were all over each other. Lock. My Lock.
I couldn’t see her face. She was blonde.
It was the same room. Yellow walls. Hardwood floor.
A purple overstuffed chair in the corner.
Sometimes, he sat in that chair as she knelt before him. Kissing. Screwing. Doing things to him.
I slowly flipped through every single photo, unable to look away.
Unable to stop. Until I reached the last one.
Different from the rest, it was a photograph of an index card lying on wooden floorboards.
Written with the same black marker, in similar handwriting as the outside of the envelope, it read:
Do you get it now? Lock is lying to you.