A Southern Noir: Deception by Any Other Name

Chapter 8

Emilie woke early in the morning, showered then started to make the morning coffee. I tried to sleep, but she made so much noise that it woke Rusty, who usually settles under the covers at the foot of the bed. He torpedoed out of the covers and barked so loud that I couldn't sleep. Putting him on the floor, he rushed toward the kitchen. Emilie had finished making the coffee by the time he greeted her.

I stumbled out of bed and headed to the shower, wishing I had even a fraction of Rusty's energy. The hot water of the shower felt good as it washed over me. By the time I turned off the water, I felt more awake. When I got downstairs, Emilie was putting away her breakfast plates and about to return to the bedroom to finish getting ready for work.

"Good morning, Emilie. Did you sleep good?"

"Not bad," she replied.

"I guess you're going to start packing tonight," I said more as a statement than a question.

"Yes, why? Did you change your mind about wanting me to go?"

"What? No, no, I thought that we could go out tonight since we won't get the chance later."

"Sure, fine. That'll be nice."

"Is something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

"No, Hunter. I have a lot to do at the office before I leave. I want to get there early so I can send out the last documents on the Fort Morgan sale and leave plenty of assignments for the office staff to complete before I return."

"Okay, should I have something ready for you here instead?"

"I don't know, Hunter. I may be back early enough to go out, or I may not. I don't know."

She had that look in her eye like something bothered her. It's a look I'd seen in some of the people I investigated but not in her. It was defensive like she didn't want to answer questions, almost as if she wanted to avoid me. "Did I do something wrong?"

"There you go. Why does it always have to come down to you? No, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm stressed out. I don't want to leave the kids for two weeks. What do you expect?"

"Okay, sorry."

"For what? Why are you apologizing? Why are you always apologizing?" She put her hands on her temples and exhaled loudly. "It's not about you, Hunter. A lot is riding on the next couple of weeks. This trip down south could mean a big promotion for me. It could be a boost to my career. I need this."

"I understand what this means, Emilie."

"Do you?"

"Yes. I don't work with real estate, but I know what it's like to close a big case that can make or break your career."

"Again, it's about you. Why can't you support me and be happy for me?"

"I am happy for you, and if I didn't trust and support you I wouldn't let you go."

"Let me go? You wouldn't let me go?"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Then what did you mean? Do you think you don't have a reason to trust me? I'm your wife, Hunter, you're supposed to trust me like I trust you."

"I do trust you, Emilie. It's Clayton I don't trust."

"He's not going to be there, Hunter. Clayton is staying in Birmingham until next Tuesday. Then he's got business in Huntsville, which is about as far away from the beach as you can get in Alabama."

"That's not what I meant either. I have no reason to doubt you, but I don't like Clayton."

"Why not?"

"Because he's an arrogant jerk, that's why. It's like he's looking down at me whenever I'm around him. He gives me a bad vibe."

"Is that all?"

"I'm a detective, Emilie. Vibes and appearances are things I've learned to pick up on. He rubs me the wrong way, and I don't like him."

"He's my boss, Hunter."

"I know that Emilie, but I don't like it."

"Then what do you want me to do? Tell him I can't go because my husband has a bad vibe?"

"Yes, no. I don't know. Maybe, I don't want to be without you for that long. I love you Emilie, and I can't help it that I don't like you leaving. I know I'm hard to get along with sometimes, but I have the best of intentions. I'd feel better if I could go with you."

"Hunter," she said as she embraced me. "I promise you have nothing to worry about. Two weeks isn't so bad." She kissed my cheek and then smiled at me. Her smile was one of the things that attracted me to her when we first met. It was disarming and reassuring all at once.

"I'm going to miss you. That's all. Not having you here is harder than I thought it would be."

"It's going to be okay, Hunter. Finish up this case you're working on and then join me. How's that?"

"Alright. I'll do my best."

"Look, I've got to go, but I'll try to get home early. Why don't you plan to pick up take-out and bring it home tonight?"

"It's a date."

Half an hour later, she was out the door. I let the kids sleep longer before getting ready to go to their grandmother's house. Emilie usually takes them in the morning since it's on her way to work, but it was up to me today because she left so early.

We arrived at her mother's, and the kids burst out of the car when they saw their grandmother. "Hello, Hunter," she said unenthusiastically.

"Good morning, Mrs. Deason. Emilie said she'd pick them up as soon as she could this evening."

"That's fine. Anything else?"

"No, that's all she said."

"Good. Well, I know you're busy, so talk to you later." She shut the door and disappeared inside with the kids. Believe it or not, it wasn't my worst interaction with her. Sometimes all I get out of her is a good morning. I got back into the car and drove to the office.