The Next Wife by Kaira Rouda (speld decodable readers txt) 📕

park on the street. I’ll be there ready to run inside if anything happens,” I say. “What if she isn’t home?”

“She’s home,” Ashlyn says holding up John’s phone.

“Right, I forgot,” I say. My daughter is brilliant.

“I’ve actually been having some fun with all the apps on Dad’s phone. Did you know I can control the lights, the heat and cooling, the music—all from here, at all times of the day and night. It must be driving her crazy, the loss of control,” Ashlyn says.

“I can’t even imagine how frustrating that would be. She said she’d been having trouble sleeping. Great job,” I say, pride swelling in my heart. Like mother, like daughter. “Seriously, though, you need to be so very careful over there.”

“I’ll be fine. Seth will be there. She thinks she’s won. She thinks she scared me away.”

“But then you show up on her doorstep, and she’ll know the scare tactics didn’t work. She might have murdered your father. I can’t have anything happen to you. You’re my favorite daughter.”

“I’m your only daughter. And if you’re right about Tish, if she killed Dad, she needs to pay. I need to go before she finds out I filed a lawsuit.” Ashlyn takes a breath and walks to the front door, cradling her left arm as Seth pulls up. We watch as he sprints up the front walk.

“What’s going on? Did she do something? What’s wrong with your arm?” Seth says, looking between Ashlyn and me.

“I’ll fill you in on the drive,” she says.

“Take care of her, Seth,” I say.

“I will, Mrs. Nelson.”

Ashlyn and Seth are out the door. I hurry to my car and follow my daughter.

Bob calls as I’m driving.

“I want you and Ashlyn to keep away from Tish. She’s a dangerous young woman.” Bob doesn’t need to know we’re headed to her house.

“We’re fine. We know who she is now.” I keep my eyes on Seth’s truck, careful to not let anyone come between my daughter and me. No one will, not ever again.

“I wouldn’t put anything past her,” Bob says. “I filed the lawsuit. Her attorney will receive electronic notification of that soon. I just wish we had enough to talk to Briggs.”

“We’re working on that,” I say. “Thanks for getting the filing in.”

“No problem. We will get this sorted out,” Bob says, and hangs up.

So far, this feud between Tish and me over the will has been private, a she said, she said. If I get the police involved, people will start talking. I could lose the company. So no, I will keep this quiet and handle her myself, with Ashlyn’s help.

I take a deep breath as I turn onto her street. I pull to a stop two houses down, across the street, and watch Seth turn into the driveway. I hope this is the right move. He stays in his pickup as my brave daughter walks up to her front door.

Ashlyn steps inside Tish’s home, and my palms sweat as I grip the steering wheel. The door closes behind her.

Now, all I can do is watch and be ready to run inside if Ashlyn needs me.

CHAPTER 46

TISH

I’m glad I didn’t go back to the office this afternoon. It gave me a chance to spend some time at home, take stock of everything I have. I have my own house. It’s mine. All mine. That brings a smile to my face. It’s remarkable. Beautiful. Quiet. Cool. Large. Filled with expensive things.

I concentrate on my love language—money. My love language was in short supply until I met John. Now I’m flush with love. How grand. I pour myself a glass of wine and watch the bright-orange-and-red sunset. Fabulous. I wonder briefly how long Ashlyn will stay at her boyfriend’s house? Long enough, I hope.

Ooh, I have a phone call to make. I’m so proud of myself for coming up with another way to be in charge. Surprise, Kate! I know it’s risky, and it could be self-defeating if it hurts the stock value, but I need to keep her off balance. I need to focus her attention elsewhere, away from little ole me.

“Investor Times tip line. What do you have for us?” a male reporter asks. Young. Eager.

I swallow. I wish I had fake accent options I could use. Instead, I default to sweet southern, my go-to. “Hey, hi there. I have a tip about a company I know of. They just had an IPO. It’s called EventCo? I’m an employee.”

“Go on. We cover that company. The IPO is doing well.”

“It’s not about the IPO, not really. You see it’s about control of the company. There is a first wife and a second wife of the CEO, and they both work here. He just died suddenly.”

I hear a computer keyboard clicking. “Right. John Nelson had a heart attack, the day after the IPO. So, there’s trouble between the two wives?”

You could say that, sonny. “Why don’t you get a copy of the will? The second wife is co-president, but the first wife doesn’t like it. Quite a story.”

“It’s only a story for us if it affects the business.”

“There’s a lot of infighting. Employees are taking sides. It’s hard to get work done. I’m traumatized. If the investors find out, they could lose confidence.”

“Want to go on the record?” he asks. I’m sure he knows the answer already. I called an anonymous tip line.

“Oh, it’s a great story, and I’ll just leave it to you to tell it,” I say, and hang up. As far as the press goes, who do you think is more photogenic? Sympathetic? Me, that’s who. I’m the grieving widow, the young, gorgeous wife. Kate has pushed me too far, and now, she’ll have a little scare when the reporters start to call, circling their prey. It’ll be hard for her to bury this story, that’s for sure.

Now what? Out the front window I see Ashlyn trotting up my front walk. Someone is sitting in a pickup truck in my driveway.