The Road to Hell: Maverick Insurance Mysteries III by MJ May

Author:MJ May [May, MJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Nate

Nat and I’d been willing to go to Alice Newberry’s home to interview her, but she’d politely declined, telling us she didn’t want her children to find out what their fucking father had done. I didn’t think Alice was necessarily angry with Nat and me. Yet.

I’d learned over the years that discovering a loved one’s infidelity was akin to grief. Alice Newberry had flown past the state of denial and was firmly in the pissed-as-hell category.

Alice blew into the precinct in a shower of snow and brimstone. I was surprised the snow didn’t melt when it got within a foot of her body.

“Mrs. Newberry.” Nat held out her hand by way of introduction.

Alice stared at that hand with narrowed eyes before gripping it. “Just Alice will do.”

“Thank you for coming in today,” I offered while holding my hand out as well. “I’m Detective Harmon, and this is Detective Jones.”

“We spoke on the phone earlier,” Nat added.

“Yes. I’m aware.” Alice’s voice was cold and clipped but not malicious. Anger radiated off her in waves, but that anger was tempered with a shit ton of emotional pain. While I couldn’t personally relate, I’d been through enough interviews to see the signs.

“If you’d please follow us, we’ll go somewhere a little more private.”

With a firm nod, Alice followed. The clack of her heeled boots sounded against the linoleum floor. Her navy coat and cream-colored scarf clung tightly, attempting to hold in the heat and bat away the cold. The temperatures were a little better today, but only by about ten degrees. Sometimes, cold was just cold.

Alice sat but made no move to remove her coat or unwrap her scarf. She slid her gloves off and placed her purse on the table, but that was all the effort she put into getting comfortable. With narrowed, pinched eyes, she didn’t exactly glare, but the look wasn’t exactly friendly either.

Clearing her throat, Nat asked, “Can I get you a cup of coffee or maybe a soda? We have—”

“Thank you, Detective, but let’s not pretend this is a pleasant social call. I’m here because my husband couldn’t keep it in his pants, and the woman he was fucking got herself killed. At best, it’s a story plot. At worst, it’s little more than pathetic.” Alice’s tone was frostier than the air outside. “Getting to the point and allowing me to leave will be kinder than refreshments.”

“Understood.” Nat pulled out a pad of paper, placing it between the two of us. “Obviously, you’re aware of the situation,” Nat started.

Alice scoffed. “I am now. I can assure you that forty-eight hours ago, I was blissfully ignorant and, like most women who’ve been married more than ten years, thought my husband was simply a bore.” Alice’s smile was brittle. “Little did I know that he wasn’t just a bore but determined to make a mockery of me and our children.”

I wasn’t sure if Alice Newberry was typically this salty or not. If this was her normal personality, then I was starting to have a little more sympathy for Edmund.

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