Behind Closed Lies

myself to endure her scrutiny. “For starters, you little wench, you’ve gotten s

’s good t

ou sure? Remember the last time when she tricked you by— Okay, okay. I’ll be there right away.” She turns to her sister.

mond earring scrapes across my cheek. “Let’s ma

room. I scoop it up and hurry to catch Hillary. I’m about to call her name when I hear her voice wafting back toward

he didn’t

illary shrugs. It’s as if I’ve

on the elevator, I head back to clean her discarded silks and linens off th

*

Richard was irritated—with them, with me for not booking them an hour earlier, with the situation—but he gamely stepped behind a makeshift bar in our living room, mixing martinis and gin and tonics, throwing back his head a

ellar?” Richard had called to me from across the room. “I ordered

e. Hillary had been at the bar. It was probably she

the moment when I’d have to tell Richard, in front of all of his friends and

*

of her namesake and putting together a wardrobe for a woman who is taking a cruise to Alaska. My bod

I hear her voice. She approaches

so glad you’re still here

evered as her eye

worried about leaving it in the lost and found.… I

ary’s eyes. She believes me

ter all right?

e heavy band of platinum onto her wrist. “You saved my life. George only gave it to

eyes. Hillary was never unkind, I remember. Ear

is Ge

know how it is.”

a lighthearted tone, but I fail. My hunger

ow and

n’t want to reveal more. “Well!

e sees before her—the dented button on the Chanel that is two years old, the hairstyle that co

of hugs, then begins to

row furrows; she is wo

I’d want to know.” What is coming

me from a great distance away. “I’m sorry.… I just t

ffocates the rest of her

My husband is actual

lide down onto the floor, the carpet burning my thighs as m

ge and hidden amid a canopy of trees. The other side contained a small playground with a sandbox and a blue- and-yellow climbin

nd her grave was set a bit apart from the others. Nellie took the long way around the block, as

been cut short by di

acci

e been

have c