“My pleasure. Let me know what else I can do. Anything.” He’s flirting. I’m sure of it now. That is wonderful. He’s crazy about me. I guess I always knew it, sensed it, but I had David. And truth be told, Hoff is not my type, not for the long run.

But right now, sure. “Well, I do have one more little favor. I need to talk to Josh, alone, without his mother hovering. I think he wants to tell me something. Any ideas?” I need to find out what Josh saw the day Mary died.

“I have a tennis lesson with him tonight. A private. Why don’t you come down as it’s ending. We could pretend you’re having a private lesson, too. And you can talk to him. Maybe have a lesson after? It would be great for you and me to get some exercise.”

I smile. Bingo. “You’re so smart. I love this idea. And yes. I’ll bring my racket. We can volley a little after I speak with Josh.”

“His lesson is six to seven. See you then.”

“I’m looking forward to it, Hoff,” I murmur before hanging up. I have managed to wrap him around my finger like I used to have David. I’d focused on befriending Hoff the moment we moved to The Cove. And it’s paid off nicely. Some women are girls girls. Some are guys girls. I suppose you’ve figured out where I fall. I’ve always enjoyed the company of men over women. I’m sorry to say. They’re just, well, easier.

I imagine Hoff’s smile and enjoy my hold over him. Power is such a trip. But I have more to do before my “tennis lesson.” First things first. And that means my husband.

Besides the evening when Mary disappeared—as you’ll recall, he’d come waltzing home late, supposedly “after work” but smelling of her perfume—there had been other clues that David was having an affair. For months, ever since Mary left for college, these clues, these little nuggets of information, had come to light. They seemed so innocuous at first. It was easy to overlook them.

Sure, I had that sinking feeling that I was missing something and that wasn’t like me. I don’t miss things. I’m always watching.

Maybe it was simply denial. I still don’t understand why I wasn’t good enough for him anymore. I figured perhaps it was just a temporary reaction to Mary heading off to college. They had been close, and I know he missed her. Maybe he envied her escape. But he’s mine, and an adult. He should have gotten over it.