The absence of evidence is evidence. On August 3rd, a Friday, Watts finally communicates some of what’s bothering him. The truth comes out, or part of it. Watts tells Shan’ann directly how he feels about what’s happened between her and his folks.
It’s the right decision, right, to communicate honestly with his wife about how he feels about something? It’s in the same ballpark as “why didn’t he just ask for a divorce?” But there’s a difference between the right thing and what people tend to do.
Probably the deal with his parents is bothering him some, but it’s not the real kernel of the problem, is it? Still, it’s a useful way to test the waters with her.
But you wouldn’t think any of this by looking at the single, apparently harmless entry on August 3rd.
Late at night what’s the Silver Fox up to? Secreting another image of Kessinger into his Secret Calculator app. This must mean he has some space in the evening to look at the image and move it. [Perhaps to receive it too and comment on it]. This also reinforces the notion that Watts and his wife didn’t sleep in the same bed that night, or any night during the course of his stay in North Carolina. This also suggests that each night once the children were in bed there must have been drama and tears.
August 3rd is different to August 1st and 2nd for the simple reason that Watts finally plays [and thus reveals] a card. It’s a big moment for him, and an unusual one. He tells Shan’ann how he feels about something. To repeat, this is also a test of sorts. How will she react to the card he plays [revealing how he really feels about something, and thus how he feels about her].
Watts probably doesn’t confront Shan’ann as much as she pushes, she prods and she pokes him to get him to talk to her about what’s bugging him. Watts eventually takes the bait and tells Shan’ann that something that’s bothering him has to do with her. It should be emphasized that of the five issues facing Watts then and there, Nut Gate is the lowest priority.
In order of priority, what’s bugging Watts is:
#1 The reality that he is having an affair and he’s still stuck in a marriage.
#2 The pregnancy, making the feeling of “stuckness” worse, and complicating things in terms of his mistress.
#3 Specifically the big house they can no longer afford.
#4 Generally the state of the finances, and what to do about them.
#5 Nut Gate.
When Watts is pushed to the brink by Shan’ann interrogating him [just as Coder and Lee did], he stalls, he diverts, he denies, he tries not to give anything away [because that will get him into trouble]. Finally, when he’s cornered, he admits to the least important thing.
He doesn’t like the fact that he’s in North Carolina and there’s this ill will going on with his parents, especially his father. Perhaps on a Friday the thought has come up to go see his parents over the weekend [he’s already seen hers, and in fact Shan’ann’s father Frank has been with them the whole time]. But Shan’ann has no intention of seeing her in laws, and what’s more, her children are not to be allowed to see his parents either.
The critical aspect here isn’t what they’re arguing about, but how they’re arguing. He’s trying to avoid a confrontation, and we’re about to see why.
How does she react to him bringing up his parents?
How does Shan’ann react to criticism?
And how does her reaction inform what happens next?
True Crime Rocket Science II 
In regard to her parents she tells him he can see them, he just can’t take the kids. On page 505 of the documents she tells Addy she wants him to have a relationship with his parents but they need to love and respect and care for HIM and the kids better. So she’s setting the terms for the relationship he is to have with his parents. It’s the takeaway game. You can do that, but I’m taking away this. He can’t do what he wants with his own children. For how long? Maybe forever. So why keep them around.
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Could the ultimatum she issued to Chris have been in response to his telling her he didn’t want the baby. You don’t want our baby (or me by default) so I’ll take away your parents. It’s evil stuff.
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No, he hasn’t mentioned anything yet about the baby. It’s important to stick to the timeline as it happens, not to jump ahead. And from here on out there is a lot of drama and revelation, so one needs to concentrate and focus on what’s being revealed, how, why, when, where and in which context.
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Has the possibility been brought up that NK threatened to blackmail CW with the lovey dovey pics they took at the sand dunes? Like threatened to send them to Shan’ann. She could have even threatened this in one of her “talked down off a ledge” rages… .
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I think on an earlier day it was pointed out how important the 4/5 weeks he spent alone were. I’m starting to see it now. Time spent without responsibilities completely free to see his new girlfriend and develop that relationship, almost as if he was single, bar the phone calls and texts. Most extra marital affairs wouldn’t have that luxury. No restrictions on how often he could see his new love. And then he’s back with his family, and you can see how disengaged he is. I think he’s starting to think what it will be like when they’re all home – restrictions on how often he might get to see his new love, all the covering up and planning that will be needed for any contact and he’s basically got used to life without the woman he may not even like let alone love and he’s got used to not having the demands and needs of small children. I think he’s clocking that his choices are to either give up his new life, and he can’t bear that. Or come clean about everything and move on – which would have brought the opprobrium of everyone down on him: wife, family,extended family,friends, wife’s friends and colleagues and also his employer and colleagues, given they worked together. Leaving your pregnant wife and kids for a bit on the side is never a good look and would likely be seen as a minor scandal in the community he lived in. And we know about Chris that he likes to be seen as a good guy – that’s how the police were able to get him talking and he’s still doing it a bit from prison. I do think the disengagement was from both wife and kids, and think therefore that when his thoughts turned to murder, it was all of them . I had wondered if it was to get rid of witnesses but now think all 3 were in remit for the plan, once formed.
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What is the card he reveals to Shan’ann? That it isn’t working any more – that he doesn’t love her anymore?
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No, that he wants to go see his folks over the weekend, and he’s not happy about the Nut Gate situation. It’s #5 on the list in the post. He doesn’t just tell her, nor does he accuse her or blame her of anything. It’s a situation where he wants to go see his folks and then finds out Shan’ann doesn’t want to go, and doesn’t want the kids to go. If anything the way it comes out Watts sounds apologetic and even caught off guard, while Shan’ann comes out all guns blazing.
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I guess the level of drama caused by the least contentious issue would have driven home to him the scale of what would come if he released the big stuff.
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Okay – kind of a little introverted baby step for him. Then he gets slammed.
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