Murphy’s Inn reeked of liquor that immediately I stepped in, I wanted to step out. But before I could rethink it, Alec was already calling my name from a corner booth. He waved to me. “Hey, Elodie! Over here!”

     No turning back now. Swallowing hard, I walked over to their booth, passing by a number of people drinking and laughing. A lone man in a cheap shirt and jeans sat at the bar, nursing a bottle of beer.

     The tall man crouched over the pool table suddenly looked up at me and our eyes met. He smirked and I frowned. An old R&B song played in the background, hitting my ears so hard that I couldn’t take it. I hated the place already. Everyone except me seemed comfortable here.

     I claimed a seat across from the Bergers, sliding my purse toward the glass panel. Outside looked darker than I had seen when I drove here. I saw my Lexus through the glass window, parallel parked across the street. My eyes scanned the surroundings. There was no sight of the Bergers’ car. They probably came here on foot. Commuters walked down the pavement, tucking briefcases or handbags close to their body. The shopkeeper from across the street turned the OPEN sign to CLOSED. Two men spilled out from a restaurant, chatting.

     Shifting my eyes from outside, I glanced at the Bergers. Both held a bottle of beer in their hand and continuously sipped. A plastic pail of beer stared at my face. I was tempted to pick one, but I refrained.

     “How long have you guys been here?” I asked, looking around the bustling place.

     Amy took a long sip and then set the bottle aside. “Ten minutes... twelve.” She sighed. “You’re not late. At worst, I thought you wouldn’t come.”

     I arched a brow. “Why would you think that?”

     “Obvious. You don’t look like a bar girl and when Alec mentioned it at the supermarket, you didn’t look very interested.”

     I almost trembled. She had been studying me. Then my mind drifted to when I invited her over to the house. I had a sick feeling she was scrutinizing me. Was she? Unlikely. Besides, what would she gain from it? I was sure my expression had been obvious at the supermarket as she said.

     “If you don’t like the place, I don’t blame you,” Alec said, glancing around. “It’s not the best, but it’s the nearest.” He fingered the bucket in front of me. “Beer?”

     “I’m good. I’ve had enough to drink at the house.”

     “Just a bottle,” Amy chipped in. “What’s the point in coming to a bar without having a drink? And this isn’t a place to contemplate.”

     “I bet you. The noise is too much,” Alec said.

     “All right. I’ll just have a bottle.”

     I picked up the beer because of the influence. I didn’t come here to have fun or socialize with the Bergers. I wanted to have a word with Amy alone, but making it clear would make them suspicious. And I didn’t want them to see me as the lunatic sitting in a booth and just staring at them. One beer wouldn’t hurt. At least I’d have something to do while I waited for Alec to visit the restroom, which didn’t seem like happening anytime soon.

     I took a sip. I hated the taste, but I didn’t frown.

     They just looked at my face, then Alec said, “You good?”

     I bobbed my head. “Yes,” I lied. I hadn’t drunk beer in a while. Right now, my stomach churned so much that I wanted to puke.

     “Well,” Amy sighed, “you don’t look well. Maybe we should have chosen a restaurant instead?” She faced Alec.

     “Yeah. Next time,” he said.

     The next couple of minutes were ensued by silence. The only sound came from the song and the noise from the people around. What was keeping him so long? Why was he not leaving already? If he didn’t leave, then I came all the way here for nothing. Waste of time!

     “When are you guys leaving?” I said, realizing how awkward it sounded, but that was the only question that came into mind, and the silence was deafening. Giggling, I added, “Surely you don’t intend to stay here forever.”

     “In a couple of days,” Amy said. “Alec is already getting phone calls and receiving tons of emails.”

     The phone on the table vibrated.

     “Ah, just what I said,” Amy let out and stared at Alec as he went for the phone. “Another urgent call?”

     He offered a wistful smile. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to pick this. I know I made a promise to—”

     “It’s all right, Alec. You don’t need to explain.”

     I sensed Amy’s frustration. It was the first time I had heard her call him Alec with irritation in her voice, and it spoke volumes of words. It was easy for him to ask her to give up her job while they couldn’t enjoy a simple vacation without interruption from his work. I remembered what he had said at the restaurant. Work stuff. Can’t even have a decent vacation nowadays. Amy would get angry if she saw...

     He knew about his workaholicism and didn’t enjoy it any more than Amy did, but men like him were married to their work as well. They couldn’t survive without it. Juggling marriage and work wasn’t easy. I had had my share of it and thought along the line it was the cause of my marriage breakdown, but it wasn’t. I knew many couples who had busy jobs more than me and still managed to make their marriages work.

     Alec leaned forward, planting a kiss on her lips. She didn’t reciprocate. She was upset. This wasn’t the first time they had had to deal with a problem like this. There was tension in their marriage. I made a mistake assuming they were perfect until I got closer to them.

     I spotted a potential cause for a marriage breakdown. His addiction to his work. Addiction was like a thief. It stole a lot from you and by the time you were aware, you had lost so much. If they didn’t tend to it, it might be the cause of their marriage downfall.

     “I promise I’ll make it quick,” he said as he slipped away.

     Amy just nodded and took a big gulp.

     He seemed to be making a lot of promises. I wondered how many he’d broken already. Although Amy wasn’t happy about Alec leaving abruptly, I was excited, but I couldn’t show it. Finally, he’d left. I hope he takes forever.

     Leaning forward, I set the bottle aside and rested my arms on the table. “He’s always like that?” I said. I wouldn’t broach last night yet. I’d let her open up to me first. I could tell she wanted to talk about it. It was bothering her. If I listened, she might confide in me and reveal more.

     “Yeah. I thought I knew what I was getting into marrying a lawyer, but I didn’t.” She took another gulp. Longer than before. “I gave up my job because it was a problem, but his...” She trailed away.

     “I’m sorry. It must be depressing.”

     “It is. Alec is married to his job, and it hurts that sometimes he chooses it over me.”

     I thought I saw tears well up in her eyes. Was she feeling hurt because Alec was a workaholic that she’d cry? Possibly. When I married Tom, he was like that too. At some point, I felt lonely, but I had something to keep me occupied. Then it struck me. I didn’t feel the pain because I had something to resort to. My boutique. But Amy didn’t. When she felt lonely, there was nothing to get busy with. I couldn’t stop thinking Alec was selfish.

     I wanted to sympathize with her, but I couldn’t because I had no idea what she was feeling. I said again, “I’m sorry.”

     “I know,” she murmured.

     Now was the time. “Hey,” I called out. “Can I ask you something about last night?”

     Her brows arched as she clasped her fingers around the bottle. “What about last night?”

     Her facial expression told me she had no idea about last night, and I had imagined everything. If I asked her this, I’d be making a very big mistake. She’d think I was losing it. But there was no harm in trying. I sighed. Here goes nothing!

     “Did you write Help Me on the windowpane yesterday from your room?”

     Her eyes widened and she just stared at me, as though I was a new person to her. Then her eyes narrowed and she sipped from her bottle. “Are you all right, Elodie?”

     My heart sank. This was terrible. I couldn’t have imagined it, could I? Or maybe Amy was lying to me? But why would she lie about needing help? It didn’t make sense. My only option was to ask Alec and confirm it again, but there was no way I could do that without him finding out about my hunch that he was abusing his wife.

     When I didn’t speak, she said, narrowing her eyes down to my beer, “Maybe you’ve had too much to drink.” She shrugged. “Why would I write Help Me on a windowpane?” She cocked her head and just looked at my blanched face.

    She was thinking I was a lunatic, and perhaps I was. I had ruined Amy’s thoughts about me. Somehow, I wished she could tell me what she thought of me now. I tucked strands of my hair behind my ear. Goosebumps popped up my arms. Stretching a hand, I went for the beer and gulped a large amount. I need something boozy. I just realized I was a lunatic. Great!

     I put the beer across from me. “Forget I asked. I thought you—”

     “No, Elodie. I didn’t write anything on a windowpane.”

     I didn’t need her to remind me again. This was becoming serious, and I had to tend to it before it escalated. We sat for four or six minutes in complete silence.

     Amy peered outside through the glass panel window, then glanced at her wristwatch. “I wonder what’s keeping him so long.”

     “He’ll be back in no time. Don’t worry,” I said. I had to figure out a way to ask Alec about last night. I still wasn’t convinced I imagined it.

     More silence. I suddenly regretted agreeing to meet them. I pushed backward and rested my head on the arm of the sofa.

     Another minute elapsed. Amy shuffled her feet and from where I sat, I noticed her fingers were trembling. Placing the beer aside, she said, her voice fraught, “I think I should go check on him.”

     At this point, I couldn’t agree more and I wanted so badly for her to leave. “Yeah. Sure.”

     “I’ll be right back.” She slid out of the booth and skittered to the entrance, pushing past a couple of drunk men at the entrance.

     I moved my eyes away from her sight and glanced at their empty seat. Sighing, I reached for the beer and sipped. When the thought of having an unreliable memory hit me, I shivered. I couldn’t have imagined it. I took a sip. Then another.

     “You look like you could use some company,” a heavy voice said.

     I glanced up and saw the man from the pool table, now sauntering toward me with a bottle of beer.

     He fingered the empty seat. “May I?”

     “No,” I said sharply. The last thing I wanted was to start another conversation with a stranger from a local bar.

     “Can I buy you a drink then?”

     “No,” I snapped.

     He lifted the bottle. “All right... all right. I’m over there,” he said, pointing to the bar, “in case you decide to change your mind.” He turned around and walked away.

     I rolled my eyes and took a sip. Creep.

     Two minutes or more later, I was about to finish the bottle and Amy hadn’t shown up. Then suddenly a phone vibrated. I glanced down at the table, then stretched a hand and grabbed it.

     Darling calling, Siri announced.

     I answered the call to hear Amy’s frantic voice. “Help me, Elodie. Someone tried to attack Alec.”

     I gasped. My mouth wide open, I asked, “Where did it happen?”

     “Outside the bar. Please hurry.”

     “I’m coming,” I said, hung up, and rose swiftly, weaving through a crowd to the entryway. I veered onto the pavement and increased my steps. Was Alec badly hurt? Was he all right?

     I jogged to the rear of the bar, stopped momentarily, and hurried over to the section they were in. Alec was slumped on the floor, Amy bent over him and almost in tears.

     When I neared them, the first thing I noticed was blood trickling down his temple. “What happened?

     Alec sat up. “Some lunatic tried to rob me. He hit my head with a pistol and got away with my wallet.”

     A robbery? At this time of night with a lot of witnesses? That was brazen. I crouched down. “Are you okay?”

     “Yeah.” He lifted a finger and touched the congealing blood. “He tried to stab me too. I fought back. He almost got me, but my belt saved me.”

     My eyes swung to the leather belt around his waist. I saw that the strap was cut slightly. Thank God he wasn’t hurt.

     “Should we call the cops?” Amy said, her voice breaking.

     “No,” Alec murmured, “we shouldn’t get the cops involved. I’m fine. He only got away with my money.”

     Her voice husky, she said, “Someone tried to kill you, darling, and you don’t think we should report it?”

     I agreed with Alec. The cops would drag out the case and ask a lot of questions. Plus, I wasn’t ready to visit a police station at this time of the night. “He’s right. Besides, the perpetrator is long gone by now.” I cast Alec a look. “Did you see his face?”

     “He wore a ski mask.”

     Amy stroked his hair, dabbing at the blood with a tissue she got from her purse. “Why’d anyone want to hurt you?” Amy asked.

     Alec shrugged. “I’ve got no idea, and I don’t think it was an attack. Probably a shithead in dire need of money.”

     I didn’t believe that. The shopkeeper hadn’t closed up yet. I saw her in front of the counter through the glass windows. Several commuters were still plying the sidewalk, and when I turned my attention to the road, I glimpsed a device in the glint of the streetlight. A lot of witnesses and the robber left something he should have taken. What was more important to a robber than his stolen items?

    I neared it and picked it up, then examined it. A picture of Amy in her wedding gown stared at me. Alec’s phone. This robber hadn’t gotten away with it. He took a wallet that was probably hidden in his pocket. He didn’t take the phone which cost hundreds of dollars, but a wallet. This wasn’t a random robbery.

     Amy’s voice echoed. Why’d someone want to hurt you? Good question. They came from New Hampshire, which meant they didn’t know anybody here. A disgruntled client of Alec? Of course not. Unless this client stalked them to this place. Who had a motive to hurt Alec? Nobody I knew of. Or did Alec stage this attack?

     No easy answer. This robbery or attack surely took us by surprise. I walked over to them and stretched the phone toward him. “Here. It was lying by the sidewalk.”

     Alec collected it and flipped it over. “Thanks.”

     “The screen is broken. Other than that, it wasn’t damaged,” I said.

     “Thanks, Elodie,” Amy murmured and faced Alec. “Can you walk?”

     “Maybe. My back is hurt. It hit the wall.”

     “Let me give you a hand,” I said, pushing my hand forward.

     He took it and Amy put her arm around his waist. He was massive, but we managed to get him on his feet.

     “What now?” Alec said. “We didn’t bring a car.”

     “I brought my car. I’ll give us a ride. First...” I groped my pocket for the keys. Empty. “Let me get my purse. It’s in the bar.”

     “Okay. Sure.”

     “I’ll be right back.”

     I hurried into the bar. Who would want to hurt Alec? If this was what I was thinking, then Alec just escaped a possible death. This wasn’t a robbery gone bad. Someone tried to kill Alec but failed. The question was; who’d want him dead?