The Wife He Buried Alive

ia P

the company or me...

out between us like something fragile t

ching across the glass behind Alexander like distant w

pulling me close, not holding me tight, just resting h

lways been like that with him. Qui

ost forgot why I as

answer rig

onds. May

but long

silence the way you recognize words. And that pause told

oice calm and controlled, "t

ot angry. Ju

air

't matter. Like something ins

orld itself was trying to push me off the road. The wipers moved fast, but they

me?" I asked i

out quieter tha

Alexander didn't a

lence a

d. Cont

y, "this isn't about tru

ed breath that almost

he fact that your board thinks I leaked confidenti

. For a brief second, t

I had defended you publicly without ev

pressed. "By qu

enc

ened around the

id it," I said

used your acces

t the same

er pa

e said. "We'll talk

lm

avier than anything

rdroom," I said quiet

econd, someth

ropped lowe

y," he said. "You

ud. It wasn'

t he had ever come to

e more than anythi

o sheets of rain. I leaned forward slig

ta

othing. But it

tening my grip

ng home,"

od.

s ending a

t another prob

ng felt

ed the

moved to

smoo

d. I pressed harde

s no res

ress

hin

pt

ath ca

nd even I could hear t

is i

brake

about

not wor

His tone shifted ins

ing them, and noth

slow down. Not

streaks. The curve

t, "shift to a lower gear. Pu

as he

g chan

dometer

brake slowly," he a

d it ge

tly. The steering whe

ander

ep control of

oke for just

me... don't you d

, hit harder than anythi

," I said, my vo

ard the s

s no sho

smell inte

n it hi

sn't fa

sn't sl

not an ac

contro

ced through my ches

had done

urpo

an't

its brakes. Red lights f

happened

d the w

ar sp

rd, sharp and sudden

shout my name, no

PHI

rld fl

came

force slammed into t

burst across

hea

crawl

lled my

n't bre

e through the phone, l

a-SOPH

. sile

y eyes, I thoug

bove me was w

ped steadily

rai

fir

qui

d to m

me instantly, shar

asp

re aw

e startl

my head s

bed. Older. Silver-hair

My throat

e," he said.

fe

didn't fe

rushing back i

in

kes

re

s screaming

r..." I w

tudied me

ves you a

ed to tighten

at?

n was reporte

He heard me, he was

t know you

viv

d sank

e am

zerla

ruggled to

d privately. Your in

are y

e is La

't hesi

ss rival of yo

ath sl

er than the two of yo

ld have s

t did

thing had al

m I he

t my

ur brakes w

nes kept

else m

I whis

es

pped c

re cleanly severed.

rt pou

e did

he ra

chan

accid

as pla

e question slipped out

tched me c

t believ

loosened someth

he memory

pau

esitat

wn to the comp

," Laurent sa

cky

s wasn't mea

t tight

es that

r did this expec

echoed in

aint

ri

chan

aint

y am I

to kill me,"

es

might tr

es

nder is being

come for h

led slightly und

ed my

d his voice

sn't co

't a calc

was r

ll him," I sa

ted his hea

on't know wh

ye

a funeral," he

t like anoth

al. Fo

ing over a coffin t

ime," I w

o wha

ho cut my

ed me for a l

ou are stro

down at m

ere sh

strong e

his

oing b

your hu

o the t

w began to f

orld, my husband was p

know I w

someone tried

ation in our living room was now

uldn't ask who

who tried to ta

eturned to h

he wife waiting

oman who survive

d not hesi