A noiseless gasp rips up my throat. “What? No, I—” My pulse quickens as I try to recall the previous day’s events. I’d helped Taylor pack some of her mother’s sentimental things before she left on a late morning flight. Beyond that, everything comes to me in a jumbled haze.

  I’d taken some of the pills Gabby had given me in an attempt to catch up on sleep and calm my paranoia. I’m confident I didn’t hear anything about another dead body. “Who was it?”

  “Linda Boese, a bartender from the Legion in Currie.” The detective retrieves her cell phone from her pants pocket and unlocks the screen.

  I come face-to-face with a striking blonde in a cropped T-shirt and short jean shorts at the city’s recent street dance on the 3rd of July.

  Her smile is both vibrant and all too familiar.

  Blood rushes from my head. The house slants.

  It’s the woman from the topless selfie.

  Feeling faint, I reach for the door and squeeze the handle.

  A hand grips my elbow. “Are you alright, Mrs. Huisman?” Detective Kelly asks. “Let’s get you over to the couch. I’ll grab you a glass of water.”

  As the detective leads me to the sofa, and my thighs sink into the soft leather cushion, my mind races with gruesome thoughts.

  Is that why Noah deleted the woman’s picture?

  Is he capable of murder?

  “Here you go,” the detective says, inserting a tepid glass into my hands. “Take slow sips…nice and easy.”

  When I do as she instructs, it’s like I’m watching myself go through the motions from far away. As the room-temperature water trickles down my throat, I try to imagine Noah wielding a knife, thrusting it repeatedly into the woman’s naked body.

  If he did, in fact, kill her, does it mean he killed Britta too?

  No, I insist, firmly shaking my head. He wouldn’t. He knows I loved her.

  “What is it?” Detective Kelly places a hand on my arm. “Did you know the victim?”

  “She looks familiar,” I manage to choke out, glancing at her fingers on my forearm. I hadn’t realized she was sitting beside me until I felt her touch.

  She withdraws her hand and offers a kind smile. “I think you went into shock for a minute. From experience, I’d say that reaction indicates you had some kind of relationship with the victim.”

  “I didn’t know her,” I insist in a firm tone, meeting her questioning gaze with resolve. “I’ve maybe seen her a time or two around town.”

  “Mrs. Huisman, has your husband ever been unfaithful?”

  There’s no way to mask my surprise. My lips fall open before I have a second to reflect on what she’s asking. I recover with a scowl. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business, but no. He’s loyal. He would never hurt me that way.”

  My insides knot with the truth. That picture…

  She quirks one eyebrow. “Are you certain?”

  “What does the sanctity of my marriage have to do with anything?”

  “We have reason to believe Miss Boese was having an affair with a married man.”

  Bile sears my throat. “So the solution is to knock on the door of every married woman in the area and ask if their husband has ever cheated?”

  “It’s also believed this man was wealthy. Those two factors, in addition to your husband and Britta Baxter having an intimate history⁠—”

  “Excuse me?” I slam the glass down onto the coffee table. “I don’t know what you think you’re⁠—”

  “You mean you didn’t know?” Amusement lights the detective’s eyes. She’s enjoying herself. “Mrs. Baxter and your husband had an affair while he was married to his first wife.”

  She crosses her arms and leans back against the couch cushions, studying me with a thoughtful expression. “Both your cousin and this woman were stabbed in the back, Mrs. Huisman. That indicates it was a crime of passion. It may also indicate the killer had an intimate relationship with these women and couldn’t stand to look them in the eye while hurting them. If you know anything about your husband and Miss Boese, now’s the time to share those details.”

  The bile in my throat rises a little higher, leaving an acidic taste.

  Noah was right.

  Britta was stabbed.

  And both Britta and Noah had lied when they first insisted there had never been anything intimate between them.

  “Who told you about Noah and Britta?” I demand, my nostrils hardening.

  “I spoke with an old classmate of Britta’s at the memorial service. She told me Britta was sleeping with Mr. Huisman the summer before her sophomore year of college.”

  Anger buckles through my core, casting a dark shadow.

  Do not sit here and listen to a stranger explain the details of your husband’s past like you’re some kind of idiot.

  “Gossip in these small communities spreads like wildfire, Detective,” I snap. “Do you have any way of proving those rumors are true?”

  The amusement lighting her gaze doesn’t diminish with my curtness. “I plan on speaking to your husband to confirm whether it’s true, but I’ve been unable to reach him. When do you expect him back?”

  Standing on trembling legs, I fold my arms over my middle. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”

  Detective Kelly rises to her feet and hooks her thumbs inside her belt loops, head tilted to one side. “If you’re in any kind of danger…if your husband has been threatening you in any way⁠—”

  “Next time you want to speak to either Noah or me, you can arrange an interview through our attorney, Billie Klein, out of St. Paul,” I tell her. “I trust you can find her contact information on your own.”

  Lips tight, she gives a firm nod. “Understood. But you can only ignore the truth for so long.”

  15

  10 MONTHS EARLIER

  Maxine

  The morning of our first anniversary, Noah announces we’re heading to the airport in four hours and will be spending fifteen days in the Virgin Islands. In a haze of shock and nervous energy, I beg Britta and Gabby to come over and help me pack.

  We sip on $100-a-bottle champagne leftover from the wedding while Gabby becomes a cyclone of activity in the walk-in closet. Britta remains quiet at my side in the master bedroom. She places items selected by Gabby inside the Louis Vuitton suitcase Noah gifted to me before my bachelorette party in Napa Valley.

  “I’ve never been to the Virgin Islands,” I say, hoping to pull Britta out of her unusually sullen mood. “Will I need a jacket?”

  “A light jacket is never a bad idea when you’re going on a tropical vacation,” she answers with a shrug. She stops folding long enough to peer up at me. “I’ve never known Noah to be this spontaneous. You didn’t have any idea this trip was coming?”

  “You clearly don’t know my husband as well as I do,” I practically sing, pleased to rub the fact in her face. “He’s always planning little day trips and surprising me with things he decides to buy last-minute, like my Mercedes and the new wedding set.”

  I hold up my left hand, wiggling my ring finger weighed down with several more carats. “He said he couldn’t resist buying it when he spotted it in Tiffany’s window on his last trip to New York.”

  Britta’s eyes snap back to the contents of my suitcase. “Seems like the kind of thing a man guilty of something would do—buy expensive jewelry and plan last-minute trips.”

  “You’re probably right. He’s been feeling incredibly guilty that he’s always gone on business trips.” With a wistful smile, I run my fingers over the silk detail of the sexy designer negligee Gabby gifted me as a shower gift.

  “For months now he’s been promising to take me somewhere where he can have me all to himself. The man is insatiable.” My cheeks warm as the words fall from my lips. The champagne has made me light-headed.

  Huffing, Britta unceremoniously tosses a sundress into the suitcase and balls her fists against her hips. “That’s not the type of guilt I was insinuating, Max. I think maybe he’s cheating on you.”

  “What?” Something about her victorious tone sets me off. “Why would you say that?”

  “Come on, Max. In all the times he’s been away on business, you don’t think he’s had countless temptations?”

  “That doesn’t mean he’s cheating on me.” Lips tight, I shake my head. “You’re just jealous that I’m in a healthy marriage.”

  She lets out a cackle. “That’s not what this is. At all.”

  “You’re clearly jealous, Britta, and that’s not a good look on you. Are you ready to admit you and Noah had something before I started dating him? Is that what this is about? Are you upset that he asked me to marry him instead of you?”

  Her eyes narrow. “You’re delusional.”

  “Then why would you say such a thing?” I throw my hands up at my sides. “Why are you accusing my husband of something that serious unless you have proof of this so-called infidelity?”

  Sucking her lips into her mouth, she glances at the open doorway leading into the living room before her shoulders lower with a great sigh. “Do you know someone named Beth?” She tilts her head and studies me carefully, waiting for my reaction.

  Panic swirls through my chest. “Where’d you hear that name?” I demand.

  Gabby enters the room with one armful of colorful fabrics and the other glittering with my most valuable jewelry. “Even though you’re staying in your own private villa and don’t have to impress the staff, it’s important you have several different outfits throughout the day to provide your hubby with as much eye candy as possible. I think you’re gonna need another suitcase.”

  She releases an aggressive sigh when she realizes she walked into a tense situation. “What’d I miss? Did someone die?”

  “Britta just remembered she has content to create by this afternoon,” I say, somehow resisting the urge to give into the sneer tugging at my upper lip. I gesture to Gabby with a friendly smile. “Guess it’ll just be me and you packing for this trip.”

  “Max,” Britta pleads, “I’m not saying this to be cruel. I truly believe something is going on with him.”

  “Who, Noah?” Gabby’s eyes widen as she spins around to face Britta. “As in, you think he’s sick? Oh, god…do you think it’s terminal?”

  “Noah’s fine,” I assure her.

  “Stay out of this, Gabby,” Britta warns, not taking her eyes off me. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with my cousin.”

  “I’m done talking to you,” I tell her, giving a dismissive wave. “Whatever you’re trying to prove⁠—”

  Noah’s chuckle fills the room as he breezes in through the doorway. “Didn’t realize I’d be crashing a going away party.” He gathers me inside his arms and gives me a sultry kiss. “You almost ready, sweetheart?”

  “We’re helping your bride decide what to bring,” Gabby explains, her tone light and playful. “She’s a bit overwhelmed by your generous gift, Romeo. A girl needs more time to prepare for two weeks in paradise.”

  She carefully sets the selection of jewelry on the bed next to the dresses before her collagen-filled lips form a complete circle. “Oooo, I have one of those chain-link, gold chokers that would look amazing with that green dress. Hold on, I’ll be back in a jiffy.” She pats my arm and gives Noah’s cheek a playful pinch before whisking away.

  “Enough with the packing,” Noah tells me, his whiskey-colored eyes alight with mischief. “I can buy you anything you need once we’re there.” With his arms still wrapped around me, he sways like we’re dancing. “Then again, I’d prefer to spend the next fifteen days with my gorgeous wife completely naked.”

  “I have to go,” Britta announces, spinning toward the door. She pauses to grip the threshold, giving us only somewhat of a sincere smile. “Have a wonderful trip, you two.” Her gaze lingers on mine, silently asking me to consider her accusation. “If you grow tired of him ravaging you twenty-four/seven and need some girl time, I’m only a phone call away.”

  “I can’t imagine I’d ever tire of this beautiful man ravaging me,” I reply, my voice sharper than intended. Looking into Noah’s gaze, I grin. “In fact, I don’t think I can wait until we arrive in St. Thomas. Good thing you booked a private jet. I’ve always wanted to join the Mile High Club.”

  Noah’s clearly stunned when I grab either side of his collar and drag him close for another passionate kiss. He doesn’t respond at first and almost acts as if he can’t catch his breath. I’m usually not this forward, but something is driving me to put on a show in front of my cousin.

  By the time I pull away, Britta’s gone.

  After we’ve settled into the 5-bedroom villa in St. Thomas with sweeping views of Charlotte Amalie and its pristine turquoise water dotted with sailboats beneath sprawling cliffs, Noah instructs the 3-person staff to head into town with a long list of supplies.

  We proceed to christen every luxurious bed before ending up in the master suite with French doors leading onto a generous deck that provides breathtaking views. We even make love on the wicker patio furniture on the deck before our hour-long tryst finally ends.

  We crawl into the 4-poster bed afterward, sharing the chilled bottle of champagne left by the staff. Noah dribbles the last of his champagne on my naked body, lapping it up with his tongue before grinning up at me. “What do you think, Mrs. Huisman? Did I do okay by choosing this place?”

  “It’s the very definition of paradise,” I say with a contented sigh. Smiling, I run my fingers through his waves of lush hair. “Thank you, Mr. Huisman. You have no idea how badly I needed time away.”

  Frowning, he sets his champagne flute on the nightstand before settling in next to me and playing with a lock of my curls between his fingers. “What’s going on, sweetheart? What was with the weirdness this morning when I walked in on you ladies packing?”

  “I blame it on the champagne,” I say, bashfully lowering my chin. "Britta has been a bit…I guess you could say bitchy with me. I think she’s jealous of what you and I have.”

  “You’re probably right, although I don’t understand why she doesn’t divorce Oliver once and for all and find someone to grow old with.” With a long huff, he shakes his head. “That man was never right for her to begin with.”

  Irritation pricks my skin. “Exactly how long have you and Britta been such good friends?”

  “I moved back to the lake for a brief time after separating from Kathy, my first wife. That’s the summer Britta stayed with your grandma before she passed away. I ran into her a few times while she was around.”

  I’d always wondered if Britta had seen him while she was staying with our grandma. I was jealous she was there but not jealous enough to face Noah again. “What happened between you and Kathy?”

  He forces out a breath. “Are we seriously going to do this right after we’ve made love, while we’re both naked?”

  I roll my eyes and twist my hand, gesturing for him to continue.

  Growling under his breath, he threads his hands through his hair and leans back onto a pillow, explaining his story to the ceiling. “I was young and immature when I married her, alright? I met her during my junior year at the School of Mines. She was waitressing at a bar in Golden and still lived at home. When we discussed my plans post-college, she realized she was without a plan and would be stuck with her parents without any kind of future.

  “Next thing I knew, she was pregnant even though she was on the pill. By the time she faked a miscarriage—something her doctor confirmed when we went in for an ultrasound—I was relieved as hell. That’s when I realized I never wanted kids. Despite her deceitful actions, I made the unwise decision to forgive her.

  “It was evident that we were never compatible with each other. Not even remotely. She was reclusive and so odd that friends and family found it difficult to engage in conversation with her. Hell, she wasn’t even attractive. The encounter that should’ve been a one-time thing ended up extending for an unexpectedly long period of time.”

  Sprawling myself over his chest, I shrug. “I’ve seen pictures of her online. I didn’t think she was ugly. A little artificial, maybe, but I wouldn’t say unattractive.”

  “She underwent numerous procedures after I was ordered to pay several hundred thousand in alimony. Trust me, you’d question my sanity if you saw pictures from our wedding.”

  Leaning in closer, he kisses the tip of my nose. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, sweetheart. I’d never been as happy as I was the day our divorce was official. And she has nothing on you. You’re part of the reason I regretted marrying her to begin with.”

  I scrunch my nose. “How so?”

  His eyes volley back and forth between mine. “Because I realized I was still in love with you.” His lips curl with a kind of sad smile. “I always have been, Max. That’s why I couldn’t make either of my other marriages work. I was trying to satisfy a void only you could fill.”

  Despite being jealous that he was married to two other women and hung out with Britta, I openly swoon. If he’s being truthful, he might possibly be the sweetest man alive. With tears in my eyes, I lean for another kiss.

  We fool around for a while longer before making love again. Soon after, he falls asleep.

  Having never enjoyed naps, I decide to stay awake until late evening. I unpack our suitcases into the 16-foot closet attached to the master bathroom. It’s only slightly larger than the closet in our lake home, but the drawers are lined with luxurious velvet, the same deep shade of blue as the cloth hangers.

  With everything put away, I take the time to explore the master bathroom. Encased in white marble, it mirrors the spa-like aesthetics of the supersized kitchen and includes a 2-person spa tub that overlooks the bay.

  The staff stocked the villa with fresh flowers before our arrival, including 3-dozen red roses in the bathroom that I assume are to add to a romantic soak. A large glass container with a pump contains enough bubble soap to have several daily baths during our extended visit.