The House Across the Lake

by Riley Sager

Katherine mentioned her husband several times, but—for now at least—she’s not wearing a wedding ring.

“I make jokes,” I say, “because it’s easier to pretend I’m not feeling what I’m feeling than to actually feel it.”

in this case, the truth is that Tom needs me too much to agree to a divorce. He’d kill me before letting me leave.”

I now know what I heard. It was a scream.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He moves his arms as far as they can go, the ropes binding them to the bedposts stretched taut. “And you’re clearly staying. Which leaves me curious about one thing.” “What’s that?” “What you plan on doing with Tom Royce.”

Because I want everything to go away. My concern about Katherine, my suspicion of both Tom and Boone, my loneliness and guilt and grief. I want all of it gone, never to return. And if that requires drinking myself into oblivion, so be it.