The moment those words left my mouth, Kate's voice changed. The smug satisfaction drained out of it, replaced by something cold and sharp.
"Maisie Acevedo, have you lost your mind?"
"Dick is your husband. How dare you curse him like that? How could he possibly get electrocuted? He already knows—"
My eyebrow twitched. I listened carefully.
I wanted her to finish that sentence. To say it out loud: that Dick knew the toy was rigged, that he was complicit, that he'd never touch it himself because he'd helped her plan the whole thing.
But no.
Kate caught herself just in time.
She swerved hard.
"Dick is a grown man. Why on earth would he be playing with a child's toy? If you're going to lie, at least come up with something believable!"
"And it's not like I'm refusing to open the door. Clean up the floor first, then I'll unlock it. The ambulance will be here by then anyway. Everybody wins."
"I'm doing this for your own good. I won't have people saying the Butlers live like slobs. I won't be made a laughingstock!"
Her voice climbed higher with every word, fury and humiliation tangling together.
She didn't even give me time to mention calling the police. The signal jammer clicked on.