Kathleen didn’t know why, but she felt there was something that she had to ask somebody. It wouldn’t make a difference what her opinion was, but she was very curious about something.
“Selma,” Kathleen said. “Who do you think the culprit is?”
Selma’s eyes were red and was sitting stone silent on the couch with the box of tissues in her lap.
“Kathleen,” Elliott said. “I think it would be best if you didn’t…”
“Selma,” Kathleen said again, ignoring Elliott. “I understand that you’re very upset. Somebody has done a horrible thing tonight. But that person is going to be given justice. They’re going to be given what they deserved. I would just like to know who you think was the person that…did the terrible thing. I would just like to know.”
“How is anyone going to receive justice if Carter won’t anyone leave the basement?” Nadia asked, bitterly. “He’s not going to solve anything. He’s going to keep them in there until they dehydrate or starve. It just makes no…”
“Be quiet, Nadia,” Kathleen said. “Selma, could you please just tell me what you think. Please?”
“Kathleen…” Elliott said.
“I really hate to have to accuse anybody,” Selma said, sniffling. “But if you just really would like to know, I’ll tell you. I think it was either Stewart or Anderson.”
“What?! Another one?!” Nadia shouted.
“She said Stewart or Anderson, Nadia,” Kathleen. “She’s not just accusing your husband.”
“But she still is! It doesn’t make any goddamn sense! I already said that my husband is not a killer! Can’t anyone get that through their heads?!”
Kathleen stood up. Everybody in the room (except the sleeping Jenkins twins) was staring at her. She walked over to Nadia.
“You know, Nadia,” Kathleen said. “You may continue to defend you’re husband, but I know very well that you’re not doing it out of love.”
“What the hell are you talking about?!” Nadia growled. She stood up as well.
Kathleen was about four inches taller than Nadia, but even if she wasn’t, she wouldn’t have been even a little afraid of her.
“You never married Anderson because you loved him,” Kathleen said. “You only married him because of his money. Admit it.”
Elliott had already given up on trying to stop Kathleen from causing commotion in the house. He very weakly said: “Kathleen…”
Nadia was now so angry that her face now looked like a rotten tomato: red and ready to burst.
“I love my husband very much,” Nadia said, trying not to scream.
“You married him four years after he became the richest man in Dallas,” Kathleen said. “Before then, I doubt you even knew he existed. I’ve only lived in this city my entire life, Nadia. I know very well that after hearing that a millionaire now lived in the city, every woman wanted to be with him. I’m a woman. I’ve talked to women. Some of those women I hope to never meet again.”
“That is not true,” Nadia said.
“When have you ever shown affection towards your husband? I sure haven’t seen it. Nobody I know has seen it. Nobody has even seen the two of you kiss before. Hell, nobody has even heard you two acknowledge that you love each other.”
“You don’t know anybody.”
“Like I just said, I have talked to people before. Maybe I don’t exactly know them, but I have talked to them. And I believe people talk about you and you’re husband very often.”
Nadia didn’t say anything. She just continued to glare at Kathleen.
“Very often,” Kathleen repeated.605Please respect copyright.PENANAmgd6GKDqxS
Nadia took a deep breath, trying to hold back her rage, and then sat back down.
“That’s all I have to say,” Kathleen said. Then she returned back to the couch that she was sitting on.
Everybody continued to stare at Kathleen. Or, everybody except Mary. Mary was staring blankly and her eyes were wet.
“What’s the matter, Mary?”
“I don’t think it was Anderson,” Mary said, sniffling.
“Who do you think it was?”
Mary looked at Kathleen, tears started to slowly run down her face.
Kathleen suddenly started to figure out what was troubling her.
“Mary!” Kathleen gasped. “You don’t actually believe…”
Mary wiped her nose and said: “He…He really wanted that promotion.”
Mary thought her own husband was a killer. This made Kathleen gasp.
“Please don’t tell Victor I said that,” Mary said.
“I won’t,” Kathleen said.
Kathleen knew she was going to keep that promise, because she vowed not to talk for the rest of the night (or, however long that her husband was going to stay in the basement). She decided to focus her attention on the music, which continued to loudly play on the television.605Please respect copyright.PENANAymR6h4qo16