Weeks After the Funeral, My Wife Was Hers

as frantic when sh

. "Overdosed? How?

with a fear that felt genui

already on his w

ck, muttering about Lily, ab

as alive, barely. They

d pathet

ous enough to spea

to find out. The pills... I took them from

was a hoar

areer... Lily..." He wa

servation wa

tors from the departmen

Hayes lo

to ask you so

m went

ying everything, then

him, her face a mas

ked at the i

ike Ava's, fil

said, her voice tre

d turne

uggling. PTSD. He had access. He mig

y name. My

me. To

her ne

belief warring with

dn't mee

s looked at me.

we'll need you t

arms. Lead

shattered. He didn't

Had just thrown

m. For

he was no

r love, our vows – the

han no

ral damage in her

me, of course

solid. My r

ll over the lockup.

tion. From "Av

ck. A

Mark on leave. In

he distraught wife, suppo

arrative. Liam's ins

*was* cap

planted, it

ke leave too. "For

we're sure you're

ustice

a fire of her m

ort beam at an old construction

ident. I wa

raine

Dark

rapped.

of dust

s. Digging

Liam, h

t "Ava's." Clara'

bloody, tearing

lled m

treaked with d

I'd lost you again," she

y Clara. For a

sed herself. W

re. I had to." Her

stifying h

. Lily needs me. I m

uses. The same sel

ke her betrayal soun

ost l

e saves my life, then remi

was a twis

ruel. It made

monster in m

spital again. This

ion. Brui

here. Sitti

s were b

ed tired

just ano

ed when

flin

ence st

she le

ely. Des

kiss

Tasting of dust and tea

esperation, it was

n't love.

ssession.

her awa

k, her eyes wide

ng, Clara?" I sna

d now, isn't he?

n the air. A re

ched as

va" was gone.

rate. And u