The Clinic
I moved slowly toward the kitchen counter and placed my hands against the cool marble surface.
“Richard’s clinic must be doing very well,” I said.
Alexis made a dismissive sound.
“Between us,” she replied conspiratorially, “it’s struggling.”
She gave a casual shrug.
“But that’s because Richard is too nice. He needs someone who pushes him to be ruthless. His wife probably encourages weakness.”
Her voice lowered slightly.
“I bet she’s using her little paycheck to cover the bills while he tries to save his career.”
I slipped my phone from my pocket and quietly unlocked it.
Then I sent Richard a message.
I told him there was an emergency at the house.
The ceiling in his clinic office had supposedly collapsed.
He responded almost immediately.
He would be home in fifteen minutes.
I set the phone on the counter and walked back into the living room.
“Richard is on his way,” I told Alexis.
Her face lit up instantly.
“Finally,” she said with a pleased smile.
“I’ve been waiting to surprise him.”
She leaned forward eagerly.
“We’re going to Cabo next week. I already booked the villa and everything.”
“Cabo is beautiful,” I said politely. “Very expensive.”
She laughed.
“Richard is paying for it, obviously. A real man always pays.”
“How long have you two been seeing each other?”
She proudly held up six fingers.
“Six months,” Alexis replied. “The best six months of my life. He buys me everything I want.”
Her smile grew wider.
“Did you know he spent eight thousand dollars on my birthday necklace?”
Yes.
I knew that.
Because I had noticed the charge on our shared credit card account.
The same account that received deposits from my supposedly meaningless job.
