“Paula, I’m serious.”
“Calm down, girl. She came by because I had her looking into some stuff for me.”
I’d been a fool to think that night would recede into the past. “Looking into what, and why?”
She folded her arms to show me just how serious she was. “I told you. I’m not comfortable with this theory that Steven just died in his sleep. Even if it was his heart, why did it suddenly give out?”
“You said yourself, his job was stressful.” I quietly drew in a big, long breath to keep from getting worked up. If I protested too much, I might make her suspicious. “All I’m saying is I don’t see how Sabrina can help you.”
“She can help me get some answers.”
“Help you how?”
“I don’t know. She works at the Four Seasons. It’s obvious those people don’t want to talk to me. Maybe she can get them to talk to her. Maybe she can find something out that I can’t. Like who was with him the night he died.”
I froze. “Wh-why do you think somebody was with him the night he died?”
“I just do.” She had a determined look on her face, which wasn’t a good sign.
“I told you that you’re letting your imagination get the best of you.”
“And I told you that I’m not crazy.” She stomped over to the corner, and picked up a box, then brought it over and dropped it on the table in front of us. She pulled out a pair of men’s underwear and held it up.
“What is that?” I said, though I believed I knew all too well.
“Steven’s underwear.”
My heart plummeted to the pit of my stomach. I had a vivid flash of taking them off him. “Wh-why do you have those?”
She pointed at the box. “This is the box of stuff that police brought from the hotel room.”
My heart started beating faster. I tried to recall if I had retrieved everything that belonged to me. I instantly dismissed that thought, though. I was confident that I hadn’t left anything behind.
“So his underwear proves that he was there with someone else?” I asked, trying to make sure I kept the shakiness out of my voice.
“Believe it or not, it does.” She tossed them back in the box.
“Okay, Paula, you’re seriously reaching.”
“No, hear me out.” She turned to face me like she wanted to convince me of her theory. “Steven never went to sleep in the nude.”
“What?”
“He never slept in the nude,” she repeated. “So for them to say he was found naked in bed raises a red flag. This box is all the stuff they removed from the room after the coroner removed the body. The naked body. The only time Steven went to bed with no clothes on was after sex.”
I had to grab the back of the recliner to keep from falling over. How was I supposed to know that? Did I ever know that? “Paula . . .”
“No. I was married to the man for fourteen years. I know him. He never went to bed in the nude unless he just finished having sex. It’s the one habit he was anal about.”
“Paula, I really think this is just your imagination going into overdrive.” I actually felt sick, like I was going to throw up. “I know you’re searching for some answers, but this is a stretch.” The fact that I had to try to convince my best friend to stop searching for the “other woman” was making me feel worse than I already did.
My mind raced as I searched for explanations as to why he’d be naked.
“Paula, you said yourself that the people at the hospital told you that he was drunk. He probably went to the room, took off everything, and passed out in the bed.”
She paused like she hadn’t thought about that, so I seized the opportunity.
“You know he didn’t drink that much. And if you two were arguing, he got toasted.”
“He wasn’t a big drinker,” she said and I prayed that my words were getting through to her.
I continued, “So, if he drank as much as they say, he probably barely made it up to that room, stripped himself of all his clothes, and fell out in the bed.”
“But I also saw a receipt for two apple martinis and two vodka and cranberries.”
Hearing the exact drinks I’d had nearly knocked me off my feet. “And? So he got a martini.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “Or he bought someone a martini at the bar. You know Steven was always the life of the party.” I could see her mind churning, so I knew that I couldn’t let up. “Him buying the drinks is nothing new. Remember you got mad when he went to that Jack and Jill event last month and paid the whole tab at happy hour? I’m sure that’s all this was.”