Chapter 3

The first week in the villa was calm.

Burton left early and came home late, worn to the bone.

The moment he walked in, the first thing he did was rush to the tank and talk to Maura for the rest of the day.

And I played the part of a dutiful lady of the house.

Every day I prepared Maura's food myself.

The finest ingredients, the most careful cooking.

Steamed, poached, no seasoning at all.

At first Maura enjoyed it. Then she started to complain.

"I'm not eating this, it's too bland!"

She flung a plate of steamed shrimp up out of the water, and it landed by Burton's feet.

Burton hurried to pick it up, coaxing her gently.

"Maura, be good, Chris made this just for you. It's very nutritious."

"I don't want nutritious, I want barbecue, I want a big hot dinner!"

She threw a fit in the water, slapping the surface with her tail, water flying everywhere.

Burton looked at me, at a loss.

"Chris, maybe we could—"

"She's a fish."

I cut him off coldly.

"If she eats that, she'll die."

The color drained from Burton's face.

Maura went quiet too, as if the word "die" had frightened her.

I looked at her and added, unhurried,

"Of course, if you really want to try, I won't stop you."

"After all, she's only a pet. If she dies, we just get another one."

Maura's eyes went red in an instant, tears spilling down like a snapped string of pearls.

"Burt, she's bullying me! She's cursing me to die!"

Burton immediately pulled me aside and dropped his voice.

"Chris, how could you say that? Maura is very sensitive."

"Sensitive?"

I felt like I'd heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Burton, get this straight. Right now I'm the one putting up with the two of you."

"You bring home some unidentified creature, move it into my house, spend my money, and now you turn around and blame me?"

My voice wasn't loud, but every word was an ice pick driven into Burton's heart.

He opened his mouth and couldn't get out a single word.

That was right. When we bought this villa, I paid half of it too.

The tank and every piece of equipment in it came out of my savings.

What Maura ate, where she lived, everything she used every day, which of it wasn't handled by me?

And Burton, what had he contributed besides a cheating heart?

"I'm tired."

I left the words there and turned to go upstairs.

Behind me came Burton's clumsy apologies and Maura crying harder than ever.

I didn't look back.

This war needed an ally.

The next day, I arranged to meet someone.

Christopher Vance, the nation's top marine biologist, and a friend of a college senior of mine.

I sent him Maura's photos and some basic data.

He called back quickly, excitement and confusion he couldn't hide in his voice.

"Miss Pruitt, where did you get this species?"

"A friend gave it to me."

I answered lightly.

"Dr. Vance, I'd like you to come by and give my 'pet' a full physical."

Christopher agreed at once.

"No problem, I'll set it up right away."

I hung up and looked at Maura, sulking in the tank because she hadn't gotten what she wanted last night, and a cold smile curved at the corner of my mouth.

Maura, your good days are over.