Unmissing: A Thriller by Minka Kent

Author:Minka Kent [Kent, Minka]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2022-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

MERRITT

I’m parked next to Luca’s Maserati when I notice her. Dashing out the main entrance of Coletto’s by the Sea, a little hop in her step and a hint of a smile on her face, is none other than Lydia—in the white coat and black boots from yesterday, no less.

There’s no reason on God’s green earth that she would be here—if she can’t afford dollar-store tennis shoes, I can’t imagine any scenario where she’d be dropping thirty bucks on a salad. And after Luca went off on me yesterday about being too generous, I doubt he invited her here for a comped meal.

Then again, he hasn’t been himself lately.

I don’t know that I’m qualified to know what he would or wouldn’t do these days.

I bite my thumbnail, tasting salt, too preoccupied to be disgusted with myself.

Did Luca put that ridiculous smile on her face?

“Go see Daddy?” Elsie asks from her car seat, pointing to the white exterior of our beloved namesake restaurant. This is the one that started it all, that launched us to the moon and helped fund our other restaurant babies.

This place is special.

Sacred.

Raffi croons over the speakers. “Robin in the Rain.” It’s an unusually sunny February afternoon, and I thought we’d surprise Luca with a quick visit while we were out running errands. I figured seeing his wife and daughter might lift his spirits.

Guess I thought wrong . . .

“Not today, sweet pea.” My voice breaks as I push the gear shifter into drive. “Daddy’s busy. We’ll see him tonight.”

I exit the parking lot at the rear, managing to avoid Lydia as well as the window from Luca’s office.

Heading home, I hold the wheel at a perfect ten and two, knuckles glossy white as my daughter sings and bops in the back seat, blissfully unaware of the raging inferno about to threaten this perfect life of ours.

Two miles down the road, I get held up at a train crossing. The black-and-yellow engine, with its aggressive blaring horn, pulls a never-ending line of graffiti-covered cargo. With nothing but time on my hands, I grab my phone from the charger and text my husband a simple note to ask how his day’s going.

He reads it immediately.

He doesn’t respond.

If it were any other day and I hadn’t seen Lydia traipsing out of our restaurant, I’d assume he was held up at work. I wouldn’t give it a second thought. I wouldn’t torture myself with ominous worries about him trying to craft the perfect nonchalant response to cover whatever the hell he’s doing behind my back.

Bile burns the back of my throat at the thought of Luca and Lydia having conversations without me—conversations that will affect our future.

The train clears the tracks, and the crossing arms lift. While Elsie sings along to a song about a peanut butter sandwich, the words “imbecile,” “fool,” and “naive” dance around in my head.

I’m just as much a part of this as he is.

We’re a team.

What affects him affects me, too.

I pull into the

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