1:50 p.m.

Sarah stared at the rear entrance of the floral shop only a few steps away. But she couldn’t get out of the car until he said what he had to say. She was trapped like a child awaiting punishment. She didn’t deserve any better after what she’d done.

She’d made a mistake and he was disappointed. She’d let that Chief Harris in their house.

Coming to buy flowers was the only way they could escape the preparations for the service to talk. Jack had driven around behind the shop and parked between the delivery vans so they could have some privacy.

“You fucked up, Sarah.”

She thought about lying but he always found out everything. “I didn’t have a choice.”

He laughed long and loud. She hated that sound. It grated on her nerves so badly. He never laughed and meant it. Whenever he made that obnoxious sound it was either to intimidate or to humiliate. That’s what he was best at.

“We wouldn’t be in this situation if you hadn’t fucked up in the first place.”

He wasn’t screaming like he usually did. But there was no mistaking how enraged he was. She’d failed him. Failed their union. Failed their children.

“I tried to fix it.” The urge to cry welled in her throat but that would only make him more angry. He hated weakness. “I swear I did.”

“You wore gloves? Shoe covers?”

She nodded. “I was very careful.” Except for the bottle. Damn it. She had touched the bottle after taking off the gloves. She hadn’t meant to but little Gary had started crying again and she’d known he needed more milk if there was any hope of him settling down for the night.

But he’d already had a bottle full.

That was when she knew someone was in the house. So she’d pretended to leave and waited.

It was the kid from next door! The worry and fear twisted in her belly. He’d been hiding in the baby’s closet, which meant he’d probably seen her.

“Why was the boy hanging around the house?”

“I guess he heard the baby crying and came to see if he was okay.”

“It’s that retarded kid, isn’t it?”

“He’s not retarded. He’s autistic.” Please let him focus on the kid and not on her. Please, please.

“Can he tell that cop bitch he saw you?”

She thought about that for a second. She’d seen him staring out his bedroom windows before. Gabrielle always said he never talked the once or twice he came over. He just showed up in her backyard and watched her and the baby for a while without ever saying a word.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t repeat exactly what he saw and heard if he chose.

“That’s possible, I guess. But it was dark.” Her heart started that painful thumping.

“Then he might not be able to ID you.”

She licked her trembling lips. “I hope not.”

He grabbed her by the hair and jerked her face toward his. “If he does, you’re fucked. You know that, right? I won’t save you.”

“I know,” she whimpered.

“We have to make sure this kid goes away. Permanently.”

Maybe there was still a chance she could make this right. She swallowed back the lump of fear in her throat. “I understand. I’ve taken the first steps toward protecting our family.”

“Is that right?”

She nodded, hope that he would see how smart she was blooming in her chest.

“If you fuck up again, they’ll nail you for this. Do you have any idea what they’ll do to you in prison? You’ll never see the babies again. And I’ll find me another woman. One who’s smart and sexy and who doesn’t fuck shit up!”

“I won’t mess up,” she promised, her heart pounding. What if she already had?

“Do it after the service,” he ordered. “That bitch Harris is getting too close.” He grabbed Sarah by the hair and pulled her face to his. “Remember, even if the police don’t discover your fuckups, I know all your secrets. You mess this up and we’re done.”

That was the part that scared her the most.