Chapter 40
FORTY
Elena was right. Though I didn’t fall asleep until almost two in the morning, when I woke up just after noon, I felt like a new woman. One that had a decision to make.
Was there anything still salvageable about my marriage? Had Lock really been seeing Corrine Egan behind my back all this time? Had she finally decided she wanted me out of the picture? If all those things were true, she’d gone about it in the most circuitous, insane way possible.
Which meant maybe Lock wasn’t really with her at all. But then why would he contact Mark like that and basically tell him I was crazy?
Was Lock really somehow involved in the case outside of Corinne? But why would she want to be with him if her story was true? If she believed he was dangerous?
I pulled my phone out. No missed calls. No missed texts. I pulled up his message and reread it. One passage stuck out at me as if it were written on a neon sign.
I want to see you. I’ll be back tomorrow evening.
If you still care about me, you’ll give me the space I need.
But you can come and collect some of your things.
Please meet me at the house at six o’clock.
I’m not a monster, Mina. In spite of everything they’re telling me, I want to believe you aren’t either.
I knew he couldn’t legally make me move out. It didn’t matter that the house was in his family name. It had been my home for two years. He couldn’t kick me out without a court order.
Unless I left voluntarily.
A new cold dread spread through me. Maybe that had been part of Corrine’s game all along. Make me feel unsafe enough in my own home that I’d leave it. Then Lock swooped in and finished the job.
And then there was Mark. There was no rule against my going to see Corrine.
Her allegations of assault were completely made up and would never hold up to judicial scrutiny.
Mark had no real grounds to suspend me. But Lock believed I was violent?
That I could ever do to him what his parents had done?
Again, my brain spun with the irony. I sat here in disbelief that Lock could think those things of me so quickly.
But hadn’t I done exactly the same to him?
No. It wasn’t the same. I had proof. The photos of him with Corrine.
The paint cans. The note. And then there were the coincidences that kept piling up.
The rare Duvayre replica at Palicki’s house.
The ribbons left with the victims. The underwear stolen from my own bedroom.
I hadn’t made these things up. I wasn’t crazy.
I couldn’t prove it. But Lock had to be connected somehow.
With a full night’s sleep, and two cups of coffee in me, I felt better prepared to go into battle. I put on my armor. I had one suit left in my bag. The black one. Lock called it my power suit.
I wore my hair sleek and straight, pulled back into a ponytail that hung to the middle of my back. I didn’t know what I wanted from Lock. But I knew I wasn’t going to let anyone dictate my future anymore.
First, I went to the office. As I stormed past Ashley’s desk, her face went pale.
“Mina,” she said. “You won’t—”
I went to my office. When I tried to open the door, the knob wouldn’t turn. I pulled out my key card. Three red dots flashed across the lock pad. They never turned green. I didn’t hear the telltale click of the lock disengaging.
I swiped it again. Same problem.
“Mina,” Ashley said. “I’m sorry.”
“He locked me out?” I said.
I went across the hall to the conference room and tried to swipe that lock.
Same result. I knew I’d find the same problem anywhere I went in the building.
The only reason I got into the office at all was that the lobby doors weren’t locked until after five.
Had I tried to come outside regular business hours, I would have been locked out completely.
“I’m sorry,” Ashley said again. “I wanted to call you, but Mark said I couldn’t.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s in his office. Do you want me to tell him you’re here?”
“Don’t bother,” I said. I marched down the hall. Luckily, he hadn’t fully shut his own door, so I was able to barge right in.
He looked up, startled. “Mina. What are you doing here?”
“It’s Friday. I work here.”
“Shut the door, Ashley,” Mark barked.
I held a hand up. “Don’t. Mark, you can’t do this. You can’t suspend me without due process. I’m not an employee at will. I’ll get the union involved.”
“I’ve already been in touch with them,” he said. “You should expect a call from your steward today sometime.”
“Validate my key card,” I said, slapping it on his desk.
“I can’t do that.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“Mina, stop this. I am fully within my rights to put you on suspension if I feel you’re dangerous.”
“What?”
“You assaulted a witness in a criminal case you’ve been asked to consult on.
You really think the union is going to protect you under those circumstances?
Plus, the minute you ring that bell, it’s going to become public.
We’ll have the local news all over this.
The Supreme Court will have to be notified along with the State Bar.
I wanted to avoid all of that for your sake. ”
“This is ridiculous. Mark. You know me.”
He scowled. “I thought I did. Now, I’m not so sure. Do yourself a favor. Go home.”
“I don’t have a home,” I shouted. “You’re helping make sure of that.”
“I am not going to get in the middle of your marriage.”
“You already have. The second you took Lock’s word over mine.”
“He’s worried about you, Mina. So am I. I know you don’t see it this way, but I’m trying to protect you from yourself. So is Lock.”
“Has he contacted you again?”
He didn’t answer, but his face spoke volumes.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me. When? What did he say?”
“He just wanted to see if I’ve spoken to you. He wanted to know if you’re okay. I don’t think you are.”
“Then why doesn’t he just call me himself? If he’ll take your calls, call him now. Put him on speaker.”
He shook his head. “I’m not going to do that.”
I wanted to pound my fist against the wall. I turned. The entire staff had come out of their offices and were peering down the hallway. I saw judgment or pity on each one of their faces. Including Ashley’s.
“You need to take some time,” Mark said. “I don’t want to have you escorted out of the building.”
I whipped around. “I think that’s exactly what you want. I think you’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”
“Mina, please. Listen to yourself.”
I turned back. A few of my colleagues tried to dart into their offices. Cowards. Not one person seemed willing to stick up for me. Of course they wouldn’t. If they believed Lock had turned against me, they’d hedge their bets. I was the outsider after all. Lock was the fortunate son.
My heart racing, I strode out of the office. When I drove out of the parking garage, I realized I had no idea where to go. I drove around for a while, trying to clear my head.
I ended up parked at the pier again. I pulled out my phone and punched in Lock’s number. It went straight to voicemail.
“Lock,” I said. “You’re playing games. We need to talk. Just you and me. You’ve chosen to believe other people over me. I know I’ve done that to you too. So let’s stop. Both of us. You’re trying to destroy my career. This isn’t you. This isn’t us.”
I’d never known him to behave this way. He didn’t cut people out of his life easily. Especially ones he was supposed to love. He kept the most toxic ones around.
I drove around for hours trying to figure out my next move. With each minute Lock refused to answer me, my anger grew. Growing desperate, I pulled up my contacts and punched in Eli’s number. He answered immediately.
“Hello, Mina,” he said, his tone urgent.
“Have you spoken to Lock?”
“I was just about to ask you the same thing.”
“He’s not picking up for you either?” I asked.
“You know I’ve been really worried about him.”
I debated what to tell him. I could not risk another person gaslighting me. Eli was my friend, but I would never forget his core loyalty was to Lock.
“Yes,” I said. “Can I just… Eli, if he calls you, will you let me know? I don’t want you to feel like I’m putting you in the middle of anything.
You were right the other day. Things at work for me have been very difficult.
I can’t go into the details on it. And I don’t want you to betray any confidences you share with Lock.
But if he’s told you something about me, just know there are two sides to everything, okay? ”
Eli stayed silent for a moment. “Okay,” he finally said.
“Can I trust you to tell me the truth?” I asked. “Because I have to ask you something. Do you know whether Lock is having an affair?”
More dead silence from Eli. It felt like an answer. Had Eli known all along? Is that why Lock hadn’t been upset about Eli screwing the event planner in the office? Were they covering for each other this whole time?
“Have you seen him with someone?” Eli asked. Not a denial.
“I can’t… I’m sorry. I can’t give you details. And I know that sounds like a cop-out, given what I just asked you.”
“I don’t know, Mina. That’s all I can say. But I have to ask you the same thing. If you hear from Lock, will you please let me know?”
Should I tell him Lock asked to see me tonight? I just could not trust that Eli wasn’t covering for Lock. It had been a mistake to call him. I don’t know what I hoped to accomplish.
“What has he told you?” I asked.
“I’m sorry. I think I need to stay out of your marriage. I asked you to stay out of mine. Just… I’m his friend. No matter what. Tell him that.”
“And I’m his wife, Eli.”
We said goodbye. I don’t know what I expected. Eli wouldn’t be on my side. Lock was going to get what he wanted. When we spoke again, it would be on his terms.
I drove back to the house. I’d been a fool not to stand my ground. Fury fueled me as I pulled up to the front door. My tires screeched as I came to a violent stop. I clicked the garage door opener.
Nothing happened.