Not What She Seems

by Victorine E. Lieske

  “What did she want?” Emily crossed her arms over her chest and every muscle in her body tensed.

  “Nothing. She’s a quack.” William took a six pack from the fridge.

  “Tell me what’s going on with Samantha. I have a right to know. I’m your wife.” She felt her knees start to shake. She hoped he didn’t notice.

  “Leave it alone, Emily. It doesn’t concern you.” He left her standing in the kitchen. She started taking pots and pans out of the cupboard and slamming them on the counter, in a pathetic effort to feel better. She emptied everything, wiped it all down, and put everything back in different cabinets. The television blared from the family room.

  She plugged in the vacuum and pushed it around the living room, yanking it back and forth like it weighed nothing. Sun streamed in from the window, and Emily glanced outside. The bushes were overgrown making it hard to see past them.

  “Do you have to run that thing right now? The game is on!”

  Emily turned to see William standing in the doorway, his veins sticking out of his thick neck. She put her hand up to her ear like she couldn’t hear him. He stomped over to the plug and yanked it out of the wall. His words slurred together, and he shouted, “Can you hear me now?”

  “Lower your voice.”

  “I’ll do what I want. It’s my house.” His words hit her like a smack in the face, and she took a step back.

  She whispered, “It won’t be after the divorce.”

  His ears turned red, and his biceps bulged. “What did you say to me?”

  Emily squared her shoulders. “I said I want a divorce.” William swung his fist at her, and she heard a sickening noise as her head snapped backwards. She felt her eye start to swell shut. His second blow connected with her jaw, and she tasted blood. Anger pulsed through her, and she came at him with all of her fury, pushing him in the chest with her shoulder.

  He staggered backwards, and tripped over the vacuum cord. A crack sounded as he hit his head on the marble hearth. He didn’t move, and Emily put her hand over her mouth. All she could think of was how angry he would be when he came to. She grabbed her jacket and her purse and hurried out the door.

  ******

  Steven poured himself a glass of cranberry juice and sat down on the leather stool. Even though he had a large formal dining room, he preferred to eat at the breakfast bar in his kitchen. He grabbed the remote and turned on the small flat panel television that folded down from his cabinets.

  The juice was cold and tart, a physical representation of how he felt. He swirled the burgundy liquid around in the glass.

  He no longer wanted to find Emily. The pain was too great, the bitterness too deep. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Gerald’s number, to tell him he’s off the case. After the second ring he hung up. He couldn’t do it. Something inside of him needed to confront her, to tell her he knew about her past. He wanted her to admit she was a con artist, and that she had known who he was from the start. To look into her eyes and force her to tell him the truth. Then he could turn her over to the authorities.

  He closed his eyes and listened to the droning of the television. “…will keep your colors bright and your fabric soft. Washing your laundry has never been easier.”

  The image of Emily in the Laundromat pushed its way into his head. He could see her glancing outside and chewing on her bottom lip. It dawned on him that she had been looking at Richard through the window. She was nervous that day. He hadn’t noticed, because he was trying to get up the nerve to ask her out, but he was sure of it now. Her eyes were filled with worry.

  No.

  They were filled with fear.

  He took a drink of his juice and let it slide down his throat. There was a possibility that Emily was afraid of Richard. He let this thought filter through his mind while he stood up and rinsed his glass out in the sink.

  He turned on the heated floor in his bathroom and stepped into the shower. Steam filled the room. Everything he knew about Emily was a lie. He scrubbed his scalp, white foaming lather slid down his shoulders and back. Thoughts of how she would tenderly smooth Connor’s hair and kiss him on the head were brought to his mind. That was real. She does love her son. She hadn’t lied about Stapleton, even though she probably didn’t mean to tell him. He remembered her trembling hands.

  The cascading water massaged out some of the tension in his shoulders. She had kissed him on the cheek and whispered “goodbye”. She knew she wasn’t going to see him again. He saw tears in her eyes; he was sure of it now. He could feel the warmth of her kiss on his cheek, and hear the sadness in her last words to him. That was real, he thought. That was real.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Steven closed the door to his office, a signal to his secretary that he didn’t want to be bothered. It couldn’t be put off any longer. He had to call Rose. She picked up after the second ring.

  “Hello Rose. How is Frank doing?”

  “He’s fine, Ethan. Did you find Emily?”

  “No.” He took a deep breath and then continued. “No I didn’t. I hired a private investigator. I have found out a lot about Emily that we didn’t know. She is,” he searched for the right words, “not what she seems.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “She’s wanted for questioning in a murder case. She may also be mixed up in some other things.” He couldn’t bear to tell her about Richard, or that Emily took five thousand dollars from him.

  “Dear heavens above. Who was murdered?”

  “Emily’s husband.”

  Steven heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone. “When did this happen?”

  “Five years ago.”

  “I can’t believe that she would be capable of murder.”

  “I don’t know what to believe.” He tugged at his tie. “Listen, I’d better get back to work.”

  Rose made him promise to keep her posted before they disconnected. Steven sat back in his large office chair. He spent the rest of the day trying to get Emily off his mind. He didn’t have much luck.

  ******

  A few days passed before Steven got the phone call he was waiting for.

  “Steven, I found her. She’s living in Ohio. I’m emailing you some photographs, so you can positively identify her.”

  “Thank you, Gerald.” The words were hard to choke out. His pulse raced, and he logged onto his email account. His throat tightened as he looked at a photograph of Emily, a brown knitted cap on her head, her curly hair spilling down her shoulders. She held her son, smiling at him. Connor appeared to be laughing, his arms wrapped tight around his mother’s neck, little red mittens on his hands.

  “Yes, that’s her. Is Richard with her?”

  “No, I’ve seen no sign of him. She’s alone with her son.”

  “Email me her address.”

  “Are you sure you want to go see her? She might want to take a hammer to the back of your skull if you show up to confront her.”

  “Thanks for your concern, but I need to talk to her.”

  “Just watch your back.”

  Steven scrolled through the photographs of Emily, while his conscience tugged at him. She looked happy, and he was about to destroy her. She would have to answer to the police for what she did to William. If she was found guilty of murder and theft, she would go to prison.

  He pressed his lips together and clenched his jaw. He had to go speak with her, to get the truth. And she needed to face her past.

  ******

  Richard tugged his baseball cap down and walked through the slush and snow into the library. This was nothing new. He had frequented libraries since Steven Ashton left town. He was careful not to go to the same one twice. With two large Nebraska cities close to Huntington, he didn’t have to worry about it. He blended in and no one noticed him.

  He sat down at the computer and logged onto Steven’s email account. A smile cracked through his face. Emily and the kid were in Cleveland. The email had come two hours ago. It w
as late afternoon. If he got on the road now he had a chance to get there before Steven did, assuming he would wait until tomorrow to take a flight there. Richard wrote down her address and did a quick search for the fastest way to get there. Fifteen minutes later he was on the interstate, careful not to exceed the speed limit by too much. The last thing he needed was a cop pulling him over.

  ******

  The afternoon sun was low in the sky when Steven glanced up to see Alex coming into his office.

  “You know, we do have these great inventions on our desks, where you can pick it up, push a button, and you can talk to me without having to come down the hallway.”

  Alex rolled his eyes but didn’t comment. “Douglas from Accelerated Communications is holding on line two. He gave me a figure and asked if we’re interested.”

  “How much?”

  “Twelve million.” Alex grinned.

  “Not bad, but he’ll go lower. Have him fax an asset list, and a detailed financial report.”

  “I gave you those figures days ago.”

  Steven sighed. “It will tell him we’re interested, but cautious. The financial report will not look good. He’ll get nervous. In a few days you can offer him five.”

  “You’re the boss.” Alex turned to leave.

  “Wait, while you’re here, I’m going to Cleveland tomorrow morning.”

  “Tomorrow’s Saturday. You can go wherever you want.”

  “I just wanted to tell you where I was going, just in case.”

  “In case of what?”

  “In case something happens to me.”

  Alex gave him a very strange look before saying, “Do you plan on something happening to you?”

  “No.”

  “Ooookay then.” Alex walked out of the office, stopping to look once more at Steven before turning the corner.

  ******

  Ice lined the streets and Steven drove slowly to the address Gerald gave him. The clock read ten in the morning when he turned onto Juniper Street. He swerved to avoid running over a broken beer bottle. Two blocks later he slowed to a crawl searching for house numbers. He stopped in front of 1821 and turned off the car.

  The house sat in the middle of the block, small compared to its neighbors. The white paint peeled in several places, and the blue trim had faded in the sun over the years. A detached garage stood to the left of the house, sagging. Emily’s car sat in the driveway. He didn’t blame her. The garage looked like it could cave in at any moment. The house had a fairly large yard, and he imagined Connor playing outside in the snow. If he turned Emily in, Connor would have to go to a foster home. He swallowed his guilt and stepped out of the vehicle.

  The sidewalk needed shoveling. Steven felt snow fall into his shoes while he walked up the path. He climbed up the crooked wooden steps to the porch. The railing hung in desperate need of repair.

  The thought crossed his mind that she might not be home; however, he soon heard noises coming from the house. She was inside. He hesitated for a minute, standing in the cold on her porch. He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. The muffled sound of footsteps approached as someone came to answer the bell.

  Chapter Fifteen

  When the bell rang, Emily went to the door expecting the neighbor boys. They liked to shovel the walk for a couple of dollars, and it had snowed pretty hard last night. Instead of two little boys on the porch, she came face to face with Steven.

  Her heart lodged itself into her throat, and she couldn’t breathe. How could he be here? She stepped back, not knowing what to do.

  “Let me introduce myself. My name is Steven Ashton… but something tells me you already know that.” Blue eyes pierced through her. All the guilt she’d suppressed came back ten fold. He’d come to confront her about the money. What was she going to do? She couldn’t repay him. She had nothing.

  “I–” Emily’s vision blurred and she blinked back the tears. She tried to speak, but all that would come out was a whisper. “Please, don’t.” The door pulled the chain taut. “Go away.” She turned to look at Connor on the floor behind her. He hadn’t spied Steven yet.

  “Emily, I need to talk with you.” He leaned closer to her, the look on his face more serious than she had ever seen.

  Then she thought of something else. If Steven was able to find her, that meant Richard could find her as well. She hadn’t been careful enough. Panic rose in her chest. She didn’t know what Richard would do if he caught up with her.

  “I can’t.”

  Steven’s eyes softened, and he lowered his voice. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk.” Even under these circumstances she felt her knees go weak. He was so good looking.

  “No, please, you don’t understand.” She wrung her hands, anxious to grab Connor and get out of there. “I need to leave. If you found me here, he will too.”

  “Do you mean Richard?”

  The mention of his name caught her by surprise, and she froze. Something flitted across Steven’s face. Emily couldn’t quite tell if it was anger or pain. Perhaps it was a little of both. “How much do you know?”

  “Not enough, Emily. Please, let me in.”

  She considered her options. If she told Steven everything, he might take pity on her and help. She hadn’t spoken to anyone about that day, not after telling Richard, and the thought of admitting to Steven what she had done was appalling. On the other hand, he may already know everything. She sucked in a breath of air and shut the door to unlock the chain, then opened it, unable to bring herself to look him in the face.

  Steven folded his arms and leaned on the doorframe, seemingly waiting for her to step out of the way to let him in. After a lifetime, she raised her eyes and met his gaze. His usual smile was gone, and he stared at her, his face a mask of stone. She backed away, and he came inside, allowing her to shut the door and bolt it.

  “Ethan!” Connor stopped what he was doing and jumped up.

  “Hey, buddy. How are you doing?” Steven grinned and rumpled Connor’s hair.

  “I’m fine. Come see my new house!”

  Emily bent down and took Connor’s hands in hers. “Hey, big guy, why don’t we do that in a few minutes? Mommy and Ethan need to talk right now. Let’s go watch Saturday morning cartoons.”

  “Okay!” Connor followed her into the other room where she situated him in front of the television. After fiddling with the reception for a minute, she was satisfied that he would be occupied for a little while. She paused for a moment before throwing her pride in the circular file and walked back into the living room.

  ******

  Richard shut off the car and pocketed the keys. His eyes narrowed. He knew the rental car in front of Emily’s house meant Steven had arrived before him. Pain throbbed in his hand as he clenched it tight.

  He sat for a few moments, before getting out of his sedan. He started walking in the opposite direction. When he came to the end of the block, he turned and lit a cigarette, surveying the neighborhood. The street looked deserted. He continued to walk until he got to the alley. Laughter came from somewhere up the street, probably stupid kids throwing snowballs. Richard slid into the alley and crept past the houses until he came to Emily’s small backyard.

  A thick blanket of white covered everything, making it impossible to walk up to the house without leaving deep impressions in the snow. He cursed and threw his cigarette on the ground. His hands were freezing; he pushed them deep into his jacket pockets. With no other way in sight, he plunged into the snow and approached the back of the house.

  ******

  Steven sat on the saggy orange couch, and took in his surroundings. The living room appeared to be furnished with things from a garage sale, or perhaps Emily found them on the curb waiting for the garbage truck to take them away.

  Emily came back into the living room, and sat down on the very edge of the couch, as far away from Steven as she could. She wrung her hands and didn’t look at him. He felt horrible for her, but his words came out cold wh
en he spoke. “Did you and Richard follow me to Huntington?”

  She was barely audible when she spoke. “Yes.”

  Steven cringed. He knew what the answer was going to be, but it still hurt to hear it. “Because you knew who I was, and wanted me to give you money.”

  Even though it was more of a statement than a question, Emily whispered, “Yes.”

  “Why only five thousand? Wasn’t that a lot of work for only five grand?”

  Emily fiddled with her hands. “Richard wanted me to ask for more. It was his idea to follow you—for me to go out with you.”

  Hearing her admit she hadn’t wanted to go out with him was harder than he thought it would be. He decided to change the subject. “Did you kill your husband?”

  Emily covered her face with her hands. She was silent for a few moments before placing her hands in her lap and whispering, “Yes. But I didn’t mean to. He was so angry, yelling and…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but instead said, “It was an accident.”

  A glimmer of hope flickered in him. “You were defending yourself, then. He hit you, didn’t he?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Why did you run if it was self defense?”

  “I didn’t think he was seriously hurt. I thought he was just knocked unconscious. I was afraid of what he would do to me when he came to.”

  “You really thought a hammer to his head would only knock him unconscious?”

  Emily shook her head. “No, that’s not how it happened. We were fighting, I pushed him, and he hit his head on the marble fireplace.”

  Steven shifted. Something wasn’t right here. “Wait, I don’t understand. Tell me what happened that day.”

  Emily fidgeted in her seat for a while before speaking. “William was drunk. He was in one of his moods. I was so angry and tired of his lies. I knew I was pushing his buttons but I didn’t care. He came at me and I shoved him… hard. He fell backwards, and hit his head on the fireplace. I’ll never forget the sound of his head hitting the marble. I was frightened. I thought he would kill me if he woke up and I was there, so I left. I went to Richard’s house. My face was all messed up, and Richard got pretty upset. I pleaded with him to go talk to William, to calm him down, and tell him I didn’t mean what I said. He didn’t want to go. It took me several hours to convince him. Then he left, and when he came back he said that the police were there, that William was dead. He wouldn’t let me leave, said I would go to prison. I was going to turn myself in anyway, but then I found out I was pregnant. Richard said they would take away my baby.” Tears flowed down her face.