Ladies’ night began promptly at seven o’clock. First pour was wine, even though Alex knew the rhyme about that before liquor. She’d arranged for at least a little privacy. Nick was out for the night, and Lettie was upstairs in her bedroom, headphones on, not coming out unless dragged. Neither of them wanted to be there for the festivities, anyway.
It was rare for Alex to have a moment’s peace, let alone a whole night of it. Good thing tomorrow was a Sunday so she could recover.
Zoe greeted each guest with her trademark bark and eager tail wag, eventually settling down with a plush toy on the living room rug. For a time, the women chatted pleasantly while picking at the cheese plate Alex had prepared. Everyone contributed, bringing something to share. Willow made hors d’oeuvres with bacon and blue cheese that were swoon-worthy. Emily, true to form, went overboard (as she always did at parties) preparing the bruschetta, and a caprese salad that went quickly as well. It wasn’t Brooke’s style to make a fuss in the kitchen, but she didn’t mind splurging for top-notch catering—in this case, shrimp cocktails served in fancy-looking crystal glasses. And naturally, they decided to forgo the desserts to leave more calories for alcohol.
“I need to keep eating to absorb all the booze. I’m so out of practice,” Emily said as she prepared a pitcher of margaritas without referencing a recipe.
Alex had made certain to have Lettie show her how to play Spotify through the Bluetooth speakers. The night started off with chill jazz, which Alex paired with her favorite Cabernet. But as the drinks flowed, the conversation veered away from summer vacation plans to stupid things men do (a subject that got the most laughs).
It was Brooke who suggested the music should be amped up a bit. In response, Alex played some Eagles, leading to a rousing sing-along of “Take It to the Limit,” perhaps sung in four different keys, but the drinks made it sound perfectly in tune to Alex’s untrained ears.
Eventually Willow brought up the subject of Mandy. “I thought this night was for her,” she said, looking around as if Mandy might emerge from another room any moment now. “Is she coming?”
Alex and Brooke exchanged wary glances.
“We had a weird encounter with Mandy and Samir,” Alex eventually said.
“Weird how?” Emily asked as she poured margaritas into salt-rimmed glasses.
“She was fine, but the husband was something else,” Brooke replied, a note of disdain in her voice.
Alex picked up on the irony of Brooke initiating the rumors about their new neighbors, considering how the neighborhood typically gossiped about her. Everyone on Alton Road, it seemed, had some opinion of Brooke Bailey—the women either harbored a fear that their husbands were enamored with her or suspected that Jerry Bailey hadn’t suffered a drunken fatal fall without a shove.
“Samir Kumar’s behavior was very odd,” Alex said. “Kind of controlling, I’d say.”
“Kind of?” Brooke exclaimed. “I’d say very controlling. Mandy wanted to come tonight and he wouldn’t allow it. Simple as that.”
Willow recoiled slightly. “Are you sure?”
Alex said, “We saw what we saw. She actually looked … frightened.”
“He was gripping Mandy’s arm,” Brooke added, “like he was sending her a message. And Mandy told us they work for the same hospital—and he started there after she did.” Brooke’s pregnant pause implied that only controlling people would do that. “Seems like they’re together all of the time—and he still won’t give her a night to herself to get to know her new neighbors.” Her eyebrows rose.
“What do you make of that?” Emily asked.
Brooke and Alex shared another silent exchange.
Eventually Brooke spoke up. “I’m worried that Mandy could be in an unhealthy situation—controlling behavior is often a sign of abuse. I’m familiar with the warning signals. The way he spoke over her, gripped her arm, made excuses to keep her from making new friends … there’s something not right there. I’m certain of it.”
“I suppose all relationships have a dark side,” Willow said, as if she was ruminating on her own marriage.
“That may be,” said Emily, “but we still shouldn’t rush to judgment, not without having all the facts. It’s easy to misinterpret events that way.”
“Emily’s right,” said Willow. “Before we go judging Samir and Mandy, maybe we should judge ourselves against our own dark secrets. I mean, we all have them, right?” Willow’s gaze traveled the room. “I know I do.”
“Do tell,” said Emily. A devilish glint caught in her eyes.
“Hold on a second,” said Brooke, standing to draw attention to herself. “This is ladies’ night, right? We’re here to have fun, not just dump our dirty laundry all over the place.”
“What do you suggest we talk about, then?” Emily sounded more than a little disappointed.
“Oh, I think we spill the beans,” said Brooke cheerily. “But let’s have fun doing it.”
No one seemed to disagree.
“And what would make it more fun?” asked Alex, feeling emboldened thanks to the tequila in her veins.
“We’ve got the truth serum,” said Brooke, tipping her glass to her mouth. “I say we play a game and use it to get us to share things we might not otherwise.”
“I’m in,” said Willow without hesitation. “What’s the game?”
“It’s called Two Truths and a Lie,” said Brooke. “We each make three claims, and everyone has to guess which is the lie. I’ll start.”
Brooke bowed her head as if in deep thought. A moment later she raised her chin, revealing an inscrutable expression.
“I worked as an exotic dancer,” she began in a monotone voice. “I have a stalker. And I killed my husband.”