Err on the Side of Violence: Terribly Acronymed Detective Club Series (Book 3)

Chapter Fifty: Joe, Sunday

"It's my fault, isn't it," Joanie said after watching Lauren leave the restaurant.

"It's not your fault," Joe said. "She invited you to join us. She sat you next to me. I know she did it to piss me off, and when I didn't play along with her little game, she took the huff and left."

"I know, but it started before this. The hot tub."

"How were we supposed to know you did morning laps? And how were you to know we were coming down? It was a spur of the moment thing."

"I should have just left, though, as soon as I saw you."

"That wouldn't have been fair to you, either."

She sighed mournfully and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Joe, I can see why she's angry. You're giving me too much consideration, and she's your wife."

"I'm just trying to be fair."

"You can't be, though. I know you're a good person, but that is your wife. She has first claim on your heart, regardless of what she engineered between us, which, if you ask me, is the action of a woman who thinks her marriage can weather anything. You need to reassure her that it can, because right now I think she's shaken in that belief."

"You're forgetting why she engineered our relationship, because of that woman over there." He nodded at Rachel, who looked at him from across the table with raised eyebrows. 

"Yes, but."

"But?"

"She did it to prevent you from being a cheater like she was. She knew how good a person you were, and she respected you so much that, when she saw you were circling the drain on cheating with me, which is partly my fault, I know, she decided to take the reins, save everyone from heartbreak and make it a fully sanctioned arrangement with rules, which we broke. Twice."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Joanie, you're very good at making me feel like a complete bastard."

She chuckled and said, "Just stating the facts from my point of view."

He nodded. "You're right, you're right. I need to talk to her today, really talk to her without anyone else around."

"Yes. Don't worry about the kids. I'll arrange with Rachel and the others."

"Okay. Thanks, Joanie. You're a good person, too, you should know that."

She nodded but said nothing.

Later, when they were finished breakfast, Joe stood and beckoned Rachel over. She saw his look and said, "She went up to your room, she said."

"Thank you."

"You two need time alone. She's not in a good place, my friend."

"I know. Will you all be okay looking after the kids? Joanie offered to help too."

"Yeah, yeah. Go."

"I think everyone's going to get changed and go to the pool."

"Send the kids over to our room when they do."

When Joe and the kids returned to their conjoined rooms, however, he discovered Lauren wasn't there. Confused, he looked for a note, then checked his phone, but didn't see any texts from her about where she was. Why did she tell Rachel she was going back to the room when she didn't go back to the room?

"Where's Mom?"

He looked over and saw Naomi and Tosh had come through the joining doorway. Naomi looked concerned. 

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe she needed time alone. I'll text her."

As he did so, Naomi said, "Dad? Why does Mom need time alone?"