“Then the question is, would James do anything to protect Parker?” Natalie asked. “Even if that meant going to prison for the rest of his life?”

Despite the wilting heat of the late-morning sunshine, I shivered.

Chapter Fourteen

James and I got home just before noon. He took a long shower and went straight to bed, where he stayed for the rest of the day. I could tell from his ashen expression and the even more-pronounced shadows under his eyes that he hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before. I wouldn’t have either, if I were locked up in a jail cell, surrounded by criminals.

I didn’t know if James had called his office to let them know he wouldn’t be in, or if his absence was just assumed. This was the least of our worries. As expected, his arrest had made the front page of the local newspaper, and more than a few of my so-called friends had already posted the story to their social media pages, exclaiming, “I know him!” or “This is the doctor who did my mom’s shoulder surgery!” It was so disheartening, I promised myself I’d stay off social media until this nightmare was over.

If it was ever going to be over.

I did hear from a few real friends. Angie Brent, our next-door neighbor, called and asked simply if there was anything she could do to help. Chantal Tracey, whom I’d volunteered with at Meals on Wheels, left me a message saying she was thinking about James and me.

But then I made the mistake of answering my phone when Stacey Hawkins called—her daughter had been on a travel lacrosse team with Paige when the girls were in high school.

“Hi, Stacey,” I said, when I answered my phone.

“Oh, my God, Maggie. Are you okay? I couldn’t believe it when I saw the paper this morning. All I could think was that you must be in hell.”

That was an understatement. And yet, there was something in Stacey’s tone, an underlying note of excitement, that made me reluctant to open up to her.

“Oh, I’m fine.”

“You’re fine?” Stacey repeated. “How can you be fine? I’d be completely freaking out if I were you! Did you have any idea that James had this history, or were you just completely blindsided by it? It’s like a movie of the week, or something!”

“I’m sorry, I have another call coming in. I have to go,” I said, and hung up.