“Yeah, I decided to take an early day.” I smiled. “What are you making?”
“Robert asked me to make dinner for you two tonight. I thought I’d make chicken stir-fry.”
“Thanks, Ellie,” I said, meaning it. I loved having Ellie around the house even if I didn’t get to see her as often as before. As far as I was concerned, she was family.
“You’re very welcome. So, tell me how your new job is going,” she said as she continued to work.
I pulled a stool out across from her and sat down. “It’s good. I’m just glad to be doing something again.”
“I know what you mean. I don’t think I could handle just sitting around at home either. I remember Marie was the same way when she was alive. I think that was why she joined so many committees. She couldn’t take the quiet of this house.”
My eyes widened in surprise at the mention of Marie. No one around here willingly talked about her. Even Cooper didn’t speak about her, only of her death.
“What was she like?” I asked, hoping that Ellie wouldn’t shut down on me.
She seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Are you sure you want to talk about her, Claire? I don’t want to make things difficult for you.”
“I’m sure. I’m curious about her. I know almost nothing about her.”
Ellie nodded. “All right then. I’ve been with the Evans for almost as long as Robert and Marie were married. I not only watched Cooper grow from an infant to a man, but I also watched both Robert and Marie change and evolve from a young couple to the man and wife that they were until Marie died.
“Marie was a bit shy when I started working for them. It took her much longer than it did you to start talking to me, but once she did, she never shut up.” She laughed quietly.
“Marie absolutely loved life. She was always pushing herself to learn new things. I watched her grow into a confident wife and then mother. She always remained reserved, but she forced herself to go out and interact with others.
“Once Cooper was born, it was like she finally found herself. It was the sweetest thing to watch her interact with him. A mother’s love is the most beautiful thing in the world, and Marie’s shined through like no other. Anyone who saw her with Cooper immediately knew how amazing that love could be.”
“She sounds wonderful,” I said kindly.
“She was, Claire. She was. Marie was also extremely smart, which is why I never understood why she didn’t have a job of her own. After all, she met Robert at the university, so I’m sure she had a degree. Instead of working, she stayed home with Cooper. When he was older, she started volunteering in different programs throughout Morgantown. She seemed to throw herself into them, especially right before she died. I worried about her because it seemed like she was almost never home.”
I tightly clasped my hands together as I thought about what Ellie was saying. Marie hadn’t worked even though she had a degree. It made me wonder if Robert had done the same thing to her that he did to me—keeping me in the house and away from any outside influences. Even now, while working at the firm, I was still under his control. I spent my days with his employees in his firm.
Then, Ellie had said Marie had been gone all the time before she died. I assumed that was to avoid being around Robert. I couldn’t blame her for that.
“What about Robert?” I asked suddenly.
“What about him?”
“You said you watched them evolve over the years. What about Robert? How did he change?”
Ellie stiffened for a moment before looking me right in the eyes. “There are some things that never leave this house, Claire. Do you understand me?”
I nodded, too afraid to speak.
“I have seen a lot of things in this house. Like I said before, I’ve watched this family change and evolve every single day for over two decades. When I met Robert, he was a young man who had just finished school, and he was starting at the bottom of the ladder with his law career. I watched him build his reputation from the ground up. He’s worked hard for what he has today—make no mistake of that.
“As he struggled to prove himself, he changed. He stopped being the kind young man I’d met, and he morphed into a strong and sometimes unethical man who did whatever it took to reach the top. I think he lost himself over the years. Family was no longer his top priority, and his marriage suffered along with his relationship with Cooper. Robert built up an impenetrable wall between himself and the rest of the world.
“Marie tried to tear it down, but she never could. With each passing year, he grew more and more distant until there was nothing left between them. Marie thought he was cheating—she told me so herself—but still, she stuck with him, hoping that he would come around again.”
“And did he?” I asked.
She gave me a sad smile. “You’re not the first woman I’ve seen walk into this room with far too much makeup on, Claire.”
My stomach sank. “He hit her, too?”
She nodded. “Yes, he did.”
“He’s a monster,” I whispered before I could stop myself.
“He’s not who he used to be—of that, I’m sure. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, Claire. I saw him with you, and I thought that maybe things would be different this time. He spent so much time with you, and he showered you with affection.”
“It was a trap, Ellie,” I said. “And we both fell for it.”
She looked back down at the chopping board. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you still here, knowing what kind of man he is?”
Without looking at me, she spoke, “Because of Cooper. I can’t bear to leave him alone in this house with his father. Cooper has changed since his mother died, but it’s not the same way that Robert has changed. I’m afraid that if I leave Cooper alone in this house, the ghosts living here will utterly destroy what is left of him.”
I sighed. “Who knew that prickly Cooper would be the reason we’re both still trapped here?”
She looked up at me sharply. “I know you care about Cooper but never let Robert see it. It will drive him mad. He’s never seen Cooper as a son. He thinks of Cooper as more of an obstacle than anything.”
“I won’t, Ellie. I promise.”
“Good.” She hesitated for a moment. “And remember that you have to take care of yourself as well. Being here for Cooper shouldn’t cause you more pain, whether it be mental or physical.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.
She had no idea how true her words were.
Only a few minutes before Robert made it home that night, Ellie had hugged me goodbye. After our earlier conversation, I needed one. Her words had crushed me. I’d known what kind of man Robert was, but to hear someone like Ellie say those words tore me apart. Our entire household knew just what was happening in this house, but none of us would dare say anything against him.
I had almost asked her what she thought of Marie’s death, but I’d decided not to. I could tell that Ellie had already been upset, and I hadn’t wanted to make it worse, especially if the thought of Robert having Marie killed had never occurred to Ellie. I hoped it hadn’t. I didn’t want Ellie walking around with that knowledge. It would do nothing but put her in danger. Robert still employed her, so I hoped that meant he didn’t see her as a threat.
When Robert came home, I was in the kitchen. I had dished out our food already, and it was sitting at the table, waiting for him to come home. I was filling glasses with ice water when he walked in.
Still nervous from my earlier conversations with both Ellie and Cooper, plus my snooping expedition in Robert’s office, I only smiled in greeting, not trusting myself to speak just yet. I took a few calming breaths as I walked over to the kitchen table and set the glasses down next to our plates. I hoped that he wouldn’t see how my hands were shaking.
I couldn’t look at him. My entire day had been focused on betraying him. First, I’d searched his office, hoping to find anything I could to help incriminate him. Then, I’d kiss
ed Cooper. That was worse than the first. Robert thought I was a loving wife while I had been throwing my heart to Cooper. Add in my conversation with Ellie, and I was as manipulative as Robert—maybe worse.
“I heard you left work early,” Robert said finally.
I looked up to see him watching me. I nodded as I sat down. “I wasn’t feeling well. I came home and napped for a while. I feel better now.”
“Good. I was worried.”
He gave me a tender look, and a part of me melted at the sight. Robert was still the beautiful man I’d fallen for, no matter what he’d done. His looks were as potent now as before. I had to remind myself that everything had changed, whether he realized it or not. I couldn’t let his charm overtake me again.
“I’m fine. I’ve been tired a lot lately. I think I just needed to rest for a bit.”
“Have you been to the doctor? Maybe something is wrong.”
I picked up my fork and started playing with my food to distract myself from looking at him. “It’s where I’m healing, I’m sure. My body just needs time to recuperate.”
He didn’t respond to that. Instead, I heard him pick up his fork and begin to eat. I was too lost in my thoughts to even attempt starting a new conversation with him. We ate in silence with only the sound of our forks hitting against our plates to fill the void. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, wishing that dinner would end.
“I’m going out of town for a few days,” Robert spoke at last.
I looked up. “Why?”
“I’ve taken on a new case, and I need to meet with a few people before I do anything else. I met with my client for the first time today. That’s why we couldn’t have lunch together.”
I hated how relieved I felt over his upcoming absence. Without him around, my stress level would all but disappear.
“When are you leaving?” I asked.
“Tomorrow morning, I fly to New York. Hopefully, I’ll be back in a couple of days.”
“That’s good,” I said without thinking.
Robert raised an eyebrow.
“I meant, it’s good that you have a new case, not that you’re leaving.”
My response seemed to satisfy him.
“Yes, after our publicized loss last week, I wasn’t sure if we’d have trouble landing larger cases. Luckily, I was able to procure this one. I will personally handle every aspect of this case to ensure a win.”
“The firm will definitely appreciate a win,” I said. I hoped I sounded like I knew what I was talking about even though I didn’t.
The inner workings of the firm didn’t pique my interest at all, not like it had when I’d first come to live with Robert. It had bothered me that he didn’t share his work with me then, but now, I didn’t care at all. I had pulled away from Robert, and I wanted nothing to do with what was happening in his life.
“Indeed.” A moment later, he set his fork down. “I need to start packing for tomorrow.”
“Okay,” I said.
He stood and walked around the table. He gently kissed my forehead. Then, he turned and walked away.
I slumped in my seat once he was gone. It felt like every interaction with Robert drained me even if we barely spoke. I couldn’t continue to stay civil with the man who had beaten me without an ounce of regret.
Hopefully, I would find something at his storage unit that would prove just what kind of a monster Robert was. Since Robert was leaving tomorrow morning, I planned to head to the unit as soon as he left. I would have to call off from work again, but I didn’t care. My sole focus had to be on finding something, anything, that would help Cooper.
The next morning, I searched online for the storage unit’s address. I was surprised when I saw that it was on the other side of town. I knew for a fact that there were units much closer to the house, but maybe that was why Robert had chosen that location. He hadn’t wanted someplace close.
I typed the address into my GPS and headed across town to where the units were located. Traffic was crazy this early in the morning, and it took me twice as long as normal to get to the other side of town. My nerves were frayed by the time I saw the sign for the units up ahead. I impatiently tapped my foot as I waited for traffic to pass so that I could cross the intersection and turn into the lot.
Once I was through the entrance, I parked and climbed out of the car. There was row upon row of storage units. I started walking down the first row, looking for number twenty-three. The units stopped at eighteen, so I continued on to the next row. A few units down, I saw the number twenty-three painted on one of the units. My hands started to sweat as I pulled the key out of my pocket and walked over to it.
I’d decided not to tell Cooper of my plans this morning. Instead, before I’d left the house, I’d simply slipped a note under his door, letting him know that Robert was gone. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t wanted Cooper to know I would be here. Maybe it was because I was afraid he’d want to come with me. I knew I had to search the unit on my own. If Cooper had come with me and realized there was nothing inside that could help us, he would have been devastated. Plus, I needed a clear head if I planned to thoroughly search the place. I never had a clear head when Cooper was around. He’d muddle my thoughts, and it seemed that all I could focus on was him.
I stopped in front of the side door and grabbed the lock. Before I could change my mind, I shoved the key in and turned. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest when I removed the lock and opened the door.
The unit was pitch-black inside. I ran my fingers along the walls, hoping to find a light switch. I didn’t want to use my cellphone for light. Luck was with me when I felt a switch. I flipped it, and an overhead florescent light came on. I sighed in relief. Most storage units didn’t have lighting, but this one did. I hoped that finding a light switch wasn’t the only luck I would have today.
I stared around the unit, and my mouth opened in a silent groan. The unit was much larger than I’d expected. While it wasn’t overflowing like those units I’d seen on Storage Wars, there was a lot of stuff to sift through.
Covered in a sheet, a table and chairs were closest to me. Next to the table was a large stack of boxes that were a few inches taller than me. I dreaded the thought of going through all of them, but I knew I would have to.
I skipped over them and continued to check out the unit. Against the far wall were five four-drawer filing cabinets. I was relieved to see that none of the drawers had locks on them, like in Robert’s office. Next to them was a set of luggage covered in dust. It was obvious that they’d been in here for a very long time.
The only other thing in the unit was a black garbage bag that looked like it was full of clothes. I would have to search through it, too, but I doubted if it would have anything inside.
Resigned to a day of digging, I started with what was closest—the table and chairs. I pulled the cloth away and dropped it onto the floor. There was nothing on the table at all. I dropped to my knees and checked underneath. Besides a few cobwebs, it held no secrets either. I threw the cloth back over it before moving on to the boxes. I counted two rows of six boxes. Careful not to knock any of them over, I grabbed the first box and set it down on the floor. After opening the flaps, I peered inside. I was surprised to see it filled with photo albums. I pulled the first one out and flipped it open. My eyes widened as I looked at the first page.
I knew the photo was several years old, based off of the clothing style both subjects wore. I knew it had to be a younger version of Robert with Marie. Otherwise, I would have thought I was staring at Cooper. It was disturbing just how alike they looked. I guessed Robert was in his early twenties in the photo. His dark hair was the exact shade of Cooper’s without any sign of gray at all. His face was smooth and carefree. The same smirk I’d seen a thousand times from Cooper rested on Robert’s lips.
I shook my head. If Cooper knew just how alike they looked, he’d grow angry. I knew he hated having any similarities with Robert.
I tu
rned my attention to Marie. It was the first time I’d ever seen a photo of her. She was beautiful. In the photo, she was smiling, her eyes glued on Robert. The love she felt for him was clearly visible.
That’s how I should look at Robert, I thought to myself. That’s what real love looks like.
I wasn’t sure that I’d ever looked at him that way, even before everything had gone to hell between us. I didn’t think I had, and that thought made me truly sad.
Her hair was a pale-blonde color, almost white next to Robert’s dark locks. Her face was heart-shaped. She seemed so innocent. I studied her closely, looking for any signs of Cooper.
Her lips.
They were the same as Cooper’s. That was the only thing they seemed to share.
I flipped to the next photo, then the next, and the next. Every page was filled with Marie and Robert. In all of them, they looked so happy together, so in love. I flipped through the rest of the pages before setting the album aside and grabbing the next. When I opened it, I noticed that Robert and Marie were a few years older in these photos. Marie was still smiling brightly in every photo, but Robert no longer smiled or even smirked. His face had hardened, as had his eyes. He was no longer Cooper’s twin in these.
The next album I grabbed had me smiling. It was filled with photos of baby Cooper. I laughed at some of the photos. Cooper’s early childhood was perfectly laid out before me. As I flipped through the album, I watched him grow from an infant to a five-year-old. He smiled in every photo. Clearly, he had been loved as a child—at least, Marie had loved him. I saw several photos of him with her and Ellie, but there were only three or four with Robert. Every photo of Robert was the same as the previous album. His facial expression gave nothing away. He didn’t smile.
I continued searching through the albums, watching Cooper grow up in most of them. With each album, I noticed how Marie’s smile slowly diminished. By the last album, she was no longer smiling unless Cooper had his arm around her. I swallowed roughly when I realized I’d just witnessed two decades of destruction of Robert, Marie, and Cooper. What had once been a happy family had dissolved right before my eyes, and it was all because of Robert.
Retribution Page 9
