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staring intently at her, but his voice softened as he said, “I’m afraid I have some bad news, about your husband.”
    Icy fingers wrapped around her heart. She stood up, then grabbed for the edge of the table as her knees threatened to give out on her. “What? What about my husband?”
    Rob also jumped up, alarm on his face.
    Phillips looked uncomfortable. “Maybe we should go somewhere private, Mrs. Huntington.”
    “Tell me, damn you!” Blood pounded in her ears. “Tell me what’s happened to my husband!”
    “Um, I’m afraid….” Phillips cleared his throat. “I’m afraid, Mrs. Huntington, that your husband’s been killed.”
    The room spun. She felt Rob’s hands on her arms, holding her up. Then the world went black.
     
    Kate woke up on a small couch in the restaurant’s office. In a fog, she focused on the strange image of Mac wringing his hands in the doorway. Rob and another man were arguing. Rob was yelling, “How dare you tell her like that, in the middle of a crowded restaurant.”
    Tell me what?
    Curiosity shifted to resistance. She didn’t want to remember. She wanted to make the man tell her it wasn’t true.
    The arguing stopped when she sat up. Her head felt strange. Rob sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.
    “How are you doing, Kate?” He sounded choked up.
    Did something else happen to Liz? she wondered numbly.
    “How touching,” the other guy said.
    Rob ignored him but Mac stepped forward. “Get the hell outta my office,” he growled at the man. The guy didn’t leave but he did step back to the doorway.
    Thinking about what might have happened to Liz was opening cracks in the numbness. Kate sensed some horrible truth was lurking, about to overwhelm her.
    “I can’t think about Liz.”
    “What did you say, dear?” Rob asked.
    She hadn’t realized she’d said the words out loud. Again she whispered, “I can’t think about Liz.”
    Then she lifted her tear-stained face to him. “Rob, I can’t! I just can’t think about Liz.”
    The dam inside her chest broke. She started sobbing as she rocked back and forth on the couch.
    Rob wrapped his arms tightly around her and rocked with her. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You don’t have to think about anything right now.”
    ~~~~~~~
    They’d forgotten that Detective Phillips existed.
    He was taking it all in, especially the endearments– dear and sweetheart. This wasn’t a man comforting a grieving friend. He was looking at two lovers, who’d plotted to kill their spouses.
    I can’t think about Liz.
    Sure sounded like guilt to him. Then again, her grief seemed genuine. She couldn’t be that good an actress. But she wouldn’t be the first woman who murdered her husband, then realized with horror that she still cared for him.
    Phillips slipped out of the room. Better not let them see the grin spreading across his face. Now that he knew what had happened, all he had to do was prove it.
    He leaned against the wall in the back hallway of the restaurant and waited.
    A few minutes later, Franklin led Mrs. Huntington down the hall. Phillips straightened and opened his mouth.
    Franklin cut him off. “I’m taking Mrs. Huntington home–”
    “Her husband’s been murdered. I have to question her.”
    “I’m taking her home now.” Franklin’s tone was curt. “You may question her later, at her house. Call first.” He half led, half carried the stumbling woman out the back door of the restaurant.
    The scruffy little guy, the restaurant owner, held the door for them. He patted Mrs. Huntington on the shoulder as they went past.
    ~~~~~~~~
    Rob helped Kate into the passenger seat of his car. He was still trying to figure out what the hell Liz had to do with any of this. But now was not the time for questions.
    He went around to the driver’s side and got in. He was buckling the seatbelt around her when Kate turned to him, wide-eyed. “Murdered?”
    Rob’s chest tightened. His eyes stung. For a moment he