Vivian turned and mounted the steps to her house without a word.

Still cringing, Jules got back into the car, but Ben didn’t drive away until they’d both seen Vivian get safely through the door.

“What’s going on?” he asked as he pulled away.

“She had a long day.”

“She’s had lots of them lately,” Ben said. “I’ve practically taken to sleeping in my uniform just so I can be ready to go whenever you call me.”

“At least you get to sleep,” Jules said snidely

Ben only chuckled. “True enough. Try and get some sleep tonight, okay? You look like you’re dead on your feet lately too.”

“What else is new?”

He chuckled again.

Jules had a hard time following Ben’s instructions. She should have been exhausted, but instead she shivered with nervous energy. She paced her apartment, looked restlessly out the window, and opened her laptop to see that The Cut was still open in her browser.

Maybe the third time would be the charm. There was a column called “I Think About This a Lot” that wasn’t for news or think pieces but open submissions from readers. The subjects ranged from movie scenes that had deeply affected them to confessions about their marriages.

“I think about my pregnant boss’s disaster of a life a lot,” Jules said to herself, trying out the title. Then she laughed, the sound a bit sharp and hysterical. That was catchy. She’d probably get published. Then murdered. Put six feet under by Vivian Carlisle.

The thought wasn’t helping her get to sleep, but it made her laugh again. She’d take what she could get.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

She stumbled into the office the next morning at seven forty-five. Hopefully, Vivian wouldn’t show up today. If there was ever a time to take a break and regroup…

But she called Jules at eight thirty and said, “I’ll be there in an hour. Have you scheduled those appointments?”

“I got your doctor to fit you in at four this afternoon, and your attorney will see you tomorrow at ten.”

“Fine.” Vivian ended the call.

Jules exhaled a heavy breath. It was going to be a long day.

At nine, she hurried to the Koening cafeteria in search of Vivian’s breakfast. Normally Vivian got her breakfast from fancy local cafes with overpriced scrambled egg whites and turkey bacon, but she’d been calling for that less and less. Now Jules would lay odds it was morning sickness. Other options had to be sought.

She looked over the breakfast options. Vivian was anti-simple-carbs, so no toast. Fruit ought to go down pretty easily, so Jules bought a banana, a couple of nice-looking plums, and a pear.