Deep Hurt - Eva Hudson Page 0,49
butt away. “Maybe he went on one mission too many. Maybe something cracked inside him that couldn’t be fixed.”
“But you can’t blame him for that.”
“If you’ve got a nervous disposition, you shouldn’t join the military. My Billy went on three tours in Afghanistan. He’s just fine. You can’t blame the job for something that happens in your own head.”
Ingrid thought Rachelle’s little speech sounded less than convincing. As if she were reciting a script rather than telling her what she really thought. Maybe she was just repeating what her husband had told her. “But up until what happened on Monday, Kyle seemed like one of the good guys?” Ingrid asked.
“A regular superhero. For a while there, Carrie and Kyle seemed like the perfect couple. If you want the truth… I was a little jealous of their relationship. I thank God now mine is nothing like theirs.”
“Perfect in what way?”
“Every way. Kyle doted on Carrie and Tommy.”
“And Molly?”
Rachelle considered her answer. “Sure—I guess. But now that Kyle hurt her so bad… Jeez, I don’t know. Who am I to make a judgment?”
“You think maybe Kyle was closer to Tommy than Molly?”
“I’ve been going over things in my mind since it happened—driving myself half crazy trying to work out why he did what he did. Looking for clues in his behavior, you know?”
“And have you come to any conclusions?”
Rachelle shook her head. “Not really. Except maybe… It’s not my place to comment.”
“Whatever you tell me is in the strictest confidence.”
“I don’t know. Feels like I’m betraying Carrie’s trust.”
“What if you don’t tell me something that could have helped find Tommy? Whatever you tell me can only help Carrie right now.”
Rachelle took a deep breath. “You swear this is between you and me?”
“You have my word.”
The woman raised her eyebrows as if Ingrid’s word meant nothing to her.
“After Molly was born I noticed a change in the way Carrie and Kyle were with one another. It was a gradual thing, like they just grew apart. New babies can do that to people sometimes. If I’m completely honest? I guess Carrie started to withdraw from Kyle. I figured they’d work through it. I think Carrie did too. Turns out we were both wrong.” She played with the pack of cigarettes, turning it over and over in her hands. “You will give Carrie that message, won’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
“Maybe I should send something to the hospital. A card or something, can I do that?”
“I think she’d like that. If you want to really help, maybe you could arrange for all the fresh produce in Carrie’s refrigerator to be disposed of?”
“The fridge is full of food?”
Ingrid nodded.
“Why would she go grocery shopping if she was going away?”
“I asked myself the same question. Maybe Carrie knew nothing about the trip. Maybe Kyle surprised her.”
“I guess.” Rachelle shoved the cigarettes into a pocket. “I should be getting back to the kids. Before the third world war breaks out.”
Ingrid handed her a business card. “Any time you want to speak to me, if you think of anything that might help us locate Kyle and Tommy, just call.”
Rachelle stared down at the card. “You know, Kyle really was a good husband. And a good dad. I can’t believe what he did.” She glanced over Ingrid’s shoulder and tensed for a moment.
Ingrid turned around and saw Gurley approaching. “MPs really are as unpopular as their reputation, huh?”
“I just don’t trust the guy.”
“Gurley? Why?”
She shrugged and slipped Ingrid’s card into her pocket. “Forget I mentioned it. I spoke out of turn. OK?” She hurried away.
25
“What were you talking about?” Gurley eyed Ingrid suspiciously as he approached.
“Do you have a problem with Rachelle?”
“No, why would I?”
“Earlier, upstairs… the atmosphere seemed a little tense.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stared at Rachelle as she scurried away. “What did she tell you?”
“She just wanted to know how Carrie and Molly were doing. She’s concerned.”
“And what did you tell her?”
“That Carrie was doing OK, in the circumstances.”
“You think so?” He started chewing the inside of his lip.
“I had to be a little upbeat.”
“Did you find out anything from her that might help locate Foster?”
“Not really. But she did tell me Carrie and Kyle were the perfect couple before Molly was born.”
“She did?”
“Maybe Carrie spent a little too much time with the new baby and Kyle felt excluded. Maybe that was when Kyle’s problems started.”
Gurley shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Where have you been?” she asked him.
“Speaking to the medical officer.”
“The one treating Foster’s PTSD?”
He nodded.
“What did she