Never Lie

by Freida McFadden

Liars fidget. The tone of their voice or speech patterns changes. Liars offer too much information, babbling on with excessive detail to convince themselves or others of what they are saying.

However, even the best lie detector has a twenty-five percent rate of error. I am far more accurate than that.

If you listen to the audiotapes of my patient encounters, you can’t always tell. On tape, you miss the important visual cues. Avoiding eye contact, for example, or covering their mouth or eyes. But if you are my patient, and you are sitting in my office talking to me, I can watch your face and your gestures and listen to the pitch of your voice. I will know the truth. I always know. Never lie to me.

wtf is that supposed to mean?!

(Into the skid, right?)

lol

My husband whips his head around and glares at me like I have lost my mind. “Tricia, we’ve been driving for almost two hours to get here. We’re about ten minutes away, and now you want to turn around and go home?”

Whoa

That night, I broke up with my boyfriend of over a year, explaining apologetically that I had met the man I was going to marry.

damn...also I bet he's the bad guy

It’s so amazing sharing my life with him. Except for the one big secret he doesn’t know about yet.

hmmm

Ethan looks down at his own footwear, then back up at me. After a moment of consideration, he tromps around the side of the car, then crouches down beside me. “Okay, hop on my

Forget everything I said. I love my husband. Truly.

“Adrienne Hale,” he reads off the back cover. “Isn’t she that shrink who got murdered?”

“I’m fine, Paige.”

So you are lying here?

“Do you have a security system?” she asks. I lift a shoulder. “I have locks on the doors.”

lol

I just hope he feels the same way about me after he finds out about my revelation. I feel ill every time I think about it. But I can’t keep it from him much longer.

Just spit it out already

Ethan’s face lights up.

oh...what if Ethan is EJ

I am absolutely terrified to tell Ethan. Waiting to have children was something he felt strongly about. He wanted us to have this time to ourselves. I have effectively ruined all of his plans. And I’m not sure how he’s going to take it. Not well, I assume.

Theze things happen and if he gets an attitude that's a him problem

His eyes darken the way they did when he first saw it.

This is making me think he knew her...the whole knowing he wasn't wrong about the directions would make sense as well

It has warmed up considerably in the last half hour. I let him undo the buttons on my coat, and after he does that, he kisses my neck. Usually, that’s my sweet spot—I go wild. But right now, I feel nothing. “We should christen our new house,” he murmurs into my neck.

Ew no and it ain't your house!

My friends were totally wrong about all the red flags.

Were they?!

Also, there was something creepy about his voice. I can’t put my finger on it. Something creepy and also familiar.

And there was a half-drunk glass of water on the kitchen counter.

no it was in the sink

But then my heart drops into my stomach. The painting of Dr. Adrienne Hale. The one that Ethan took down and placed facing away from us. It’s back on the wall. And Dr. Hale’s green eyes are boring into me.

Luke Strauss,

“I’m just saying…” He folds his muscular arms across his chest. “It was three in the morning. The house is really dark. You were kind of sleepy and out of it. Is it possible you could be mistaken?”

Why does it feel like he is gaslighting her

but I have no evidence that I terminated him as a patient.

You only need your word and that's all...tf?! Where is your paperwork?! Files?! Patient information?!

And why should the fact that he lost his parents and doesn’t have much family be a reason I should avoid him?

see too many parallels here

I shiver in Dr. Hale’s leather chair. The blouse I’m wearing is paper thin, and not nearly warm enough, even with the heat on. Maybe I can get Ethan to turn the heat up a bit. He never showed me exactly how he figured out how to turn it on in the first place. I don’t even know where the heating system is. It could be practically anywhere in this giant house. I’m impressed he figured it out, having never been here before.

Hmmm

I believe that any human being is capable of terrible things if you push them hard enough.

EJ does not intend to kill me. He’s angry because I got the better of him for a change. If he really wanted to kill me, he would keep his mouth shut. You don’t send somebody a text message expressing your intention to commit a crime if you’re genuinely planning to do it.

You sure tf are arrogant

“Oh, I’m not concerned about money anymore.” He waves a hand. “I’m not sure if you heard, but my parents were in a terrible car wreck last month. They didn’t survive.” He pulls an exaggerated sad face. “And I’m their only heir, so… you know.”

mhm

“Don’t listen to any more tapes,” he says in a voice that doesn’t sound like the man I married. “Promise me you won’t.”

hmmm

This is session #185 with PL, a 27-year-old female who suffers from PTSD after surviving an extremely traumatic incident. “Dr. Hale, I just wanted to let you know I’m going to be moving soon.” “Oh? Where are you moving to?” “I got a job in Manhattan.” “Oh wow. I didn’t even realize you were interviewing.” “Well, my mother always says, if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” “Your mother sure has some great sayings.” “Yes, she sure does! Anyway, I’m looking at some apartments there—hoping to find a decent one bedroom.” “That’s wonderful. Congratulations.” “Thank you so much. I just wanted to tell you because it will mean we won’t be able to have our sessions anymore.” “Of course. I understand. This is a big move for you.” “It is. And I couldn’t have done it without you. You’ve been amazing, Dr. Hale.” “I’m glad I’ve helped you.” “You really have. I could barely leave my house when I first met you, and now I’m moving to Manhattan. I feel like I can finally put the whole thing behind me.” “Yes. That’s very healthy.” “And maybe one day they’ll catch the bastard who murdered my fiancé and my friends.” “Hmm. I don’t think so.” “You may be right. I mean, after all this time, it would be too much to hope—” “No. That’s not why they won’t catch him.” “Oh. Well, then why not?” “The reason they won’t catch him is that he doesn’t exist.” “What?” “It’s hard to arrest a man who is entirely fictional, isn’t it?” “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” “I… what are you saying, Dr. Hale?” “I thin...

THIS IS CRAZY.

TRICIA

wtf

Poor Tricia has had such bad luck.

OH MY FUCKING GOD

And thank you to my father, who for the first time ever, read a book I wrote prior to publication, so that he could give me advice from the perspective of a practicing psychiatrist, including, “Manolos are not boots!” (Yes, they can be. Stick to psychiatry, Dad.)