Chapter 6 - THE OTHER MAN
The pictures were convincing.
Too convincing.
Gwen sitting beside a man at a restaurant.
Gwen entering a motel hallway.
Gwen with the same man outside a medical clinic.
One photograph showed his arm around her shoulders.
If I had seen those pictures overseas with no explanation, I don’t know what I would have believed.
“Who is he?”
“Dr. Evan Cole.”
“Your doctor?”
“My oncologist’s brother.”
I frowned.
“He runs a patient transportation program. He drove me to appointments when Margaret stopped taking me.”
“Why the motel?”
“It wasn’t a motel. It was a charity housing center near the hospital.”
I zoomed in.
The sign had been cropped out.
“They edited these.”
“Yes.”
“And threatened to send them to me.”
Gwen nodded.
“Margaret said if you thought I cheated, you’d divorce me. Paige said she’d make sure you came home hating me.”
I felt sick.
“All this over money?”
“At first.”
“At first?”
Gwen stared down.
“Your mother took control of the account when I started treatment. She said she was helping with bills. I was weak. Half the time I couldn’t get out of bed.”
She rubbed her wrist.
“When I got stronger, I checked the balance.”
“And?”
“I confronted her.”
“What did she do?”
“She told me I was confused from medication.”
I almost laughed from rage.
“Then Paige took my laptop. They changed passwords. They took my debit card. When I threatened to call the bank…”
Gwen went quiet.
“What?”
“She shoved me.”
My hands curled into fists.
“She said nobody would believe a sick woman on pain medication.”
I stood.
“Pack a bag.”
“David—”
“Now.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Nothing stupid.”
“That doesn’t sound convincing.”
I looked at her.
“I’m taking you somewhere safe.”
For the first time since I had returned, Gwen looked relieved.
She packed one small bag.
That told me everything.
A woman who had lived in that house for years had only enough possessions left to fill one backpack.
We made it to the garage.
I opened the truck door.
Then the overhead light came on.
Paige stood behind us.
“You going somewhere?”
Gwen froze.
Paige looked at the backpack.
Then at me.
Her face changed.
“You’ve been talking.”
I stepped between them.
“She’s my wife.”
Paige laughed.
“Your wife? That’s rich. You don’t even know her.”
“Move.”
“No.”
“Paige.”
She pulled out her phone.
“I already sent the pictures.”
My heartbeat jumped.
“To who?”
She smiled.
“Your commanding officer.”
I stared at her.
Then my phone rang.
The caller ID showed a number I recognized.
My former unit.
Paige’s smile widened.
“Go ahead, soldier.”
She nodded at the phone.
May you like
“Answer it.”
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