A Love 32 Years Apart

Dead Ex

I married a guy thirty-two years older than I am. Reason? Money. We got divorced, I got all his money and became the city's richest person.

Just when my luck was starting to turn, I was hit with devastating news. My ex died. Drowned, they said.

The cops think I'm the killer.

———

"Ms. Tillman? This is Greg Weeks from the police station. Is Clarence Antonio your husband?"

I massaged my throbbing head. The hangover was hitting me hard. "Was. We're divorced."

"At ten past one in the morning of the twelfth of June, the year 2024, your ex-husband was found dead on the east coast. His body was washed ashore. The report was made by a fisherman. Through his data, we found you. We'll need you to come to police station for investigation."

I thought this was a scam call, but when I got to ATPD and saw… the giant of a corpse, my mind buzzed. 'That's Clarence?' I thought.

Greg informed me, "Witnesses claim that Clarence had no safety gear on before he went into the deep zone. No signs of murder, so this might be a suicide. You're the last one he contacted before he died, Ms. Tillman. Did he behave any differently when you talked?"

A younger officer, Caleb Zimmers, gave me a glass of water. I drained it all, but my throat still felt parched. I shook my head, dazed. "No."

Clarence saw the… sensual scene during our video call the night before. Yet, he looked at me gently. It was as if nothing in this world could anger him.

Greg said, "The victim's friend claimed that his divorce was made official three days ago, and he went missing right after that call with you. The last time someone saw him was before his venture into the deep zone."

I clenched the paper cup, and it scrunched up. "You think I killed him?"

"Security footage and statements from our witness preclude murder. However, it does not exclude abetting. What did you and Clarence talk about during the call?"

"Abetting? You think a fifty-two-year-old businessman, and a successful one at that, would take his own life just because a college girl told him to?"

Greg looked at me sternly. "Everyone Clarence talked to before his death will be interrogated. This is how it is. Please work with us here."

"We didn't even talk that much."

Caleb played security footage showing a bunch of fashionable men coming into my manor, and a man in black was leading them.

"Ms. Tillman, the security camera around your street shows twenty-five men going to your house that night. Barring the staff, of course."

I forced a smile. "They're my friends. We were having a party."

Caleb frowned. "A party with twenty-five well-built men? Anyone would think you'd be scared, Ms. Tillman."

I huffed impatiently and said, "Clarence and I are divorced. I can sleep with twenty-five men at once, and it's still nobody's business, let alone a party."

Caleb shut up, choking on his own words.

Greg continued, "The victim's friend claims that you and Clarence got divorced three days ago. Clarence did not take a single cent with him. He gave you all his estates, shares, and savings, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Clarence was a famous businessman in Ashington. You played no part in Antonio Corporation's operations. This is very different from usual divorce settlements."