“At least his wife had a lot of good running years afterward,” she murmured. “You hate to think of people dying without actually having a chance to live. Sounds like they all had a chance to really enjoy life.”
“There is that,” he agreed cheerfully. “At least I’m hanging on to that theory. Because anything else just sucks.” And, with that, he hung up.
She stared at her phone and shoved it in her pocket, thinking it really did suck. But it also brought back that whole premise that she had pondered earlier. About whether somebody who had really loved the game had hated these women enough to actually take them down. She quickly sent Charlie a text.Was there anybody to blame for Agnew’s accident?
He responded immediately.Yeah, his wife tripped him. Bitch that she was, she couldn’t stand to lose, so she tripped him, just so she’d win.
*
Simon worked throughthe day tirelessly. Outside of his rather unpleasant experience of waking up alone this morning—a constant reminder of the fact that he didn’t want to be sleeping alone these days—he managed to plow through a ton of work. When he stopped at a food cart, he picked up several fish tacos and yet another coffee. He settled at one of the many wooden picnic tables off to the side. Several other men in suits and women in high heels were all eating and talking throughout the small area. He loved the contrast. But the tacos were good, and he was famished. He had just finished the first one, when his phone rang. It was Kate. He smiled, as he picked it up. “Hey, beautiful.”
There was a moment of pause on the other side. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
“What? I can’t give you a compliment?”
“I guess,” she replied slowly.
He snorted. “You don’t have to sound quite so shocked about it.” That just reminded him that he obviously didn’t give her nearly enough compliments.
“Whatever,” she said dismissively. “Where are you?”
“I am at a fish taco stand downtown.”
“Oh.”
Such disinterest filled her voice that he knew she wasn’t even thinking about food. “Where are you?” he asked her.
“Just heading back to the office.”
“That must have been quite the call you went out on this morning.”
“Did I wake you?”
“No, I wish you had,” he noted. “It’s such a weird feeling going from never having anybody sneak out on me, to you, who can apparently sneak out all the time.”
“That’s because you know I’m no threat,” she explained immediately.
“Maybe,” he agreed. “It’s still a discomforting feeling.”
“Well, deal with it,” she stated, “or the alternative is not sleeping over.”
“I’ll deal with it,” he said instantly.
She snorted at that.
“Did you have a reason for calling? Are you okay?” he asked, staring down at the fish tacos still on his plate.
“No, I’m fine. Just checking to see that all is well.”
He frowned at that. “Is there a reason for it not to be?”
She hesitated. “No reason for it to be anything. I was just wondering.”
“Wondering if I had picked up anything else?” he guessed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You know that I’d tell you, right?”
“I know.… I’m just frustrated.”
“You also don’t sound like you believe me.”