Her executive protector, p.14
Her Executive Protector, page 14
Sam realized his mouth was hanging open. He snapped it closed as Caroline swiped a damp rag angrily across the counter. Then he sucked in a long breath and blew it out slowly.
“Well, for your information, Maddie walked out on me long before Teresa ever did.” He frowned. “Wow. You’ve been waiting to say that for a long time, huh?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just pointing out that you and I go back a long way.” Caroline turned her back to Sam, then opened the refrigerated case behind the counter and rearranged the desserts.
“Yeah?” Sam laughed. “Sure you were.”
The older woman closed the door with a bang and turned back to Sam.
“Teresa was a long, tall glass of ice water, Sam—good for quenching your thirst, but tasteless. Common and available anywhere. In comparison? Maddie is…well, she’s one of my chocolate shakes.” She nodded her head emphatically, sending her earrings into a frenzied dance.
“Addictive, unforgettable, and worth the trip?” Sam cocked a brow.
“Yep,” Caroline confirmed with another nod. “Hey, I like that. Maybe I should have it printed on the placemats or something. By the way, you might want to pull in a couple favors and see what you can find out about your father and an accident involving Frank Moran and a DUI shortly before Maddie left town. That and her coincidentally being awarded an art scholarship she doesn’t remember applying for, about the same time.”
“What are you saying, Caroline?” The world suddenly stood still and then tilted on its axis.
“I’m not saying anything at all, Sam Barstow.” Caroline hefted her shoulders. “Just throwing a suggestion out there like a cookie. You have to decide if you’re hungry enough to take a bite.”
Sam slid from the stool and leaned over the counter to plant a kiss on Caroline’s powdery cheek. It felt like crumpled tissue against his lips, and it surprised him to realize Caroline was no longer young. He’d never really noticed before. Caroline was…well, she just was.
“Thanks, Caroline. You’re one of a kind, yourself. Anything else?”
“You’re a big boy, Sam. You’ll figure it out. Oh, and lock the door behind you. I’m closed for the day.” Caroline snagged the dish bin and disappeared into the kitchen.
Sam pulled the door closed and jiggled the handle to make sure the lock engaged. He climbed into his truck and sat there staring into space. It shouldn’t surprise him to discover his father’s involvement in Maddie’s disappearance ten years ago. In fact, if he was honest with himself, it wasn’t the first time it occurred to him. Oh, not right away. Though he’d always known his father was a hard-ass, as a kid, he’d failed to grasp how ruthless the old man could be. Later, he’d wondered. But by then, it was too late. Years had passed. He’d moved on. He figured she had, too. On some level, it hurt less to blame a woman who professed to love him and walked away, than accept the reality his parent’s pitiless determination for dominance took precedence over his son’s happiness. But avoiding painful truth didn’t change it. Though he tried to ignore it, the conviction he’d been wrong about Maddie insinuated itself into his heart almost from the moment she whacked some sense into his head with that lamp. Well, maybe Madigan wasn’t willing to provide any answers about why she left, but he wasn’t a heartsick kid anymore. He was a man who understood his father’s true capabilities. He yanked his phone from his pocket.
Typically, the old man didn’t waste time with pleasantries.
“It’s about time. I called you two days ago,” his father answered with a bark on the second ring.
“I’m well aware of that, but it isn’t why I’m calling.” Sam already clenched his jaw so tightly it ached. The man, even his voice alone, always had that effect. “I want you to tell me why Madigan Moran left town ten years ago.”
“Who?” His father’s response was immediate and no less arrogant, but Sam easily recognized the hint of caution that crept in.
“What did you do to her, Dad? What threats did you pull out of your little black bag to make her leave?”
“Threats? Don’t be ridiculous, Samuel. You don’t have to threaten people like her. You simply buy them.”
“So you’re telling me you paid Madigan to leave town?”
“I simply made her understand if she truly cared for you, she would set you free. Obviously, a girl like her couldn’t offer you anything in the long run. She’d only ruin any plans you had for your life.”
“What you really mean is she’d ruin any plans you had for my life, isn’t that right? Because you know what, Dad? Maddie was my plan. And you know something else? Your attitude is an antiquated cliché. There’s no right side or wrong side of the tracks around here. Pine Grove doesn’t even have a railroad. The only divisions that exist in this town are in your closed little mind.”
“Well,” Edward Barstow sputtered for the first time Sam could remember. “She left, didn’t she? And she wasn’t even smart enough to take the money. Told me to shove it, in fact. Only thing she cared about was keeping her drunk old man out of jail. And I didn’t have to arrange that scholarship. Hell, even I wouldn’t send the girl out into the world with nothing. I’m not a complete bastard.”
“Actually, you are,” Sam ground out. She didn’t take the money. She’d been eighteen years old, and Edward Barstow, the intimidating sonofabitch, made grown men quake in their boots. Yet she’d told him to shove his money. Her home life might have been a nightmare at times, but it was the only home she had. But, she walked away, alone and without a word to anyone. And he’d been so busy nursing his wounded pride he hadn’t tried to find her and ask her why. And now he knew. She left because she’d believed sacrificing her own happiness protected the two people she loved most. Her father…and him.
“I did you a favor, son.”
“You know what’s sad? You actually believe that,” Sam responded at last. “It doesn’t matter who you hurt or how many lives you destroy, as long everything goes your way in the end.”
“If she meant so damn much to you, why didn’t you go after her? Admit it. It was nothing more than a youthful infatuation.”
“I was a nineteen-year-old kid, and blind, naïve ass that I was, I blamed her. Of course, that was your plan all along, wasn’t it? Well, guess what? I might still be an ass, but blind and naïve? Not so much. My idealism died a long time ago. You made damned sure of it. These days, my eyes are wide open where you’re concerned.”
“I saved you from yourself, Samuel. You should be thanking me.”
“Thanking you? No, I don’t think so. Actually, I should be incredibly angry with you. In fact, I want to be incredibly angry with you. But honestly, at this point, I just can’t get past the pity. I feel sorry for you, Dad. I really do.”
Sam ended the connection before his father had a chance to formulate a response. His gut tightened into the same hard knot it always did after speaking to his father, but not for the usual reason. This time it had nothing to do with the disappointment of the all-powerful Edward Barstow in his eldest son. What sickened him now was the realization his father could be callous enough in his quest for power over his own flesh and blood to bully and blackmail a desperate and insecure eighteen-year-old girl to get it. Though Sam wouldn’t have believed it possible, his opinion of his father sank even lower.
He needed to talk to Maddie. He couldn’t undo the damage the Barstows had inflicted on her life, but he could apologize for his part in it. It probably wouldn’t change anything, but he owed her that much. He steered the nose of his truck in the direction of the Moran place. And if she wouldn’t open the door? Well, maybe he should swing by and make sure Charley had delivered the car. Yeah, right.
His pulse quickened, and his chest tightened as he turned the corner and saw the collection of black and whites parked in and around Maddie’s driveway. He pulled into the curb with a screech, leapt from the truck, and hit the front steps almost before the engine stopped cranking.
Ignoring the yellow tape stretched across them, he took the stairs in one leap and pushed open the front door without bothering to knock. He nearly tripped over a large wooden crate in the middle of the floor right inside the entrance. His loud curse brought Jim Delaney, closely followed by his K-9 partner, Elsa, flying out of the kitchen.
“Hey, Sam,” Jim walked quickly toward him. “This is a crime scene. You can’t be in here.”
“What in the hell are you talking about, Jim? Where’s Maddie? Is she okay?” Sam continued his forward motion as though Jim hadn’t spoken. If anything had happened to her…
“She isn’t hurt if that’s what you mean. She’s downtown being questioned.” Jim flattened a hand against Sam’s chest to stop him coming any further into the house.
“About what?” Sam demanded. He came to a halt but made no move to leave.
“Elsa got a hit on this crate of paintings. Looks like she’s been dealing,” Jim offered in an official sounding tone.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Sam growled. “And what in the hell were you and Elsa doing here in the first place?”
“She called. Miss Moran did, I mean. She thought someone had been in the house again. She let us in to check things out, and Elsa got a hit on this crate. Found the goods hidden in a false back on one of the paintings. Look, Sam, you have to leave. I shouldn’t even be telling you this.” Jim swiveled his head around quickly to see if anyone had overheard, but everyone seemed to be busy elsewhere.
“Let me have a look,” Sam muttered, stepping back to where the crate sat.
“Sam…” Jim moved to block his way.
“Look, Jim, I realize this bust is a big deal to you, but it’s a big deal to me, too. Maddie isn’t responsible for this. Think about it. Why in the hell would she call the police and let a drug sniffing dog in her house if she had something to hide?” Sam crouched down next to the crate and committed the information on the shipping label to memory as his training kicked in and everything began to click into place.
“That’s exactly what she said,” Jim began uncertainly. “But what better cover, right?”
“Oh, for the love of…stop being such a Barney Fife,” Sam muttered rising to his feet. “Has she been charged yet?”
“I don’t know.” Jim tugged at the brim of his cap. “C’mon, Sam, you have to leave, and if you tell anyone I told you anything, I’ll deny it.”
“Naturally,” Sam replied, striding down the steps and away from the house. He failed to put two and two together ten years ago, and it cost him Maddie. He ignored his instincts six years ago, and it cost a kid his life and Sam his marriage and career. Hell, who was he kidding? Caroline hit the nail on the head about Teresa, and his fault lay in closing his eyes to the truth before he put the ring on her finger. The fact she and Edward were so attuned to one another should have been his first clue. But his instincts seemed to be working just fine at the moment, and he needed to swallow his doubts and pay attention. He’d need to call in a few favors, and right now, in his book, his father owed him big time. But first, before he did anything else, he had to make sure Maddie was okay.
He yanked his phone from his jeans as he jammed the truck into gear, and called Bill Jessup at home.
“Sam, you have no idea what this girl’s life’s been like for the last decade or so. Did it ever occur to you that maybe she’s guilty?” Bill asked quietly.
“Nope,” Sam replied confidently. He’d been burned. He’d spent years afraid to rely on his instincts and his gut. Well, they were both screaming at him at the moment, and he’d be an even bigger fool to ignore them. He’d told Maddie last night no one could change the past and the only thing you could do was move forward and try to do better. And hadn’t he done a bang-up job following his own advice so far? He might not know how to atone for his father’s actions, might not know how to fix things between him and Maddie, but this he could do for her. This he could fix. And then she’d be free to get back to her life and forget the Barstows even existed.
“Yeah.” Bill laughed. “Me neither.”
Chapter Twelve
Maddie slumped miserably on the hard, lumpy slab that passed for a bed in the holding cell of the Pine Grove Police Department. Her other amenities consisted of a scratchy wool blanket, a small aluminum sink with cold running water, and a stainless steel toilet. Maddie planned to wait until her back teeth were floating before she suffered the indignity of using the thing right out there in the open. At least, given the low crime rate in Pine Grove, she had the small consolation of a private cell. Pale, green paint peeled from the concrete block walls, and the strong disinfectant smell tickled her nose and burned her eyes, but at least the place was clean.
She’d been allowed the obligatory phone call, which turned out to be a total bust. She needed a lawyer, she needed to alert Caroline she wouldn’t be in, and she needed to make arrangements for Mr. Jinx to be cared for. She only knew one person in town she could count on to take care of all those things via a single phone call. She’d swallowed her pride and dialed Sam’s number. He didn’t even bother to answer. Maddie left a message anyway hoping even if he had no longer had any interest in her, he wouldn’t want to see Caroline left in the lurch, or poor Mr. Jinx starve to death. As for a lawyer, Maddie supposed she was entitled to some kind of court appointed public defender. Great. A total stranger who wouldn’t give a flying fig what happened to her, just like the rest of the world.
In the middle of her solitary pity party, a door opened and closed, and Maddie detected the sound of footsteps echoing in the corridor and heading in her direction. Sliding from the bunk, she moved toward the iron bars as Bill Jessup stepped into view on the other side. He placed his big, warm hand over Maddie’s small, cold one where she white knuckled the bar.
“How’re you doing?” Bill asked gently.
“I’ve been better.” Maddie sighed. “Bill, I swear I have no idea where those drugs came from.”
“I believe you, Maddie. Unfortunately, until we can get to the bottom of it, you’re the scapegoat. They’ve set a bail hearing for later today, but the prosecutor will likely argue you’re a flight risk since you don’t actually live here.” He didn’t look her in the eye when he made that announcement.
“Swell. So, I guess this is home sweet home for the foreseeable future?”
“Well, yeah. Unless you’re transferred to the women’s correctional facility pending your trial.”
Maddie felt the remaining color drain from her face. Prison. They would send her to prison. No one would believe in the innocence of a virtual stranger with no connections, little money, and a crate filled with drug packed paintings. She didn’t have a leg to stand on. Maddie had felt alone in her life, but never more than now. She buried her face in her free hand as she started to tremble, a full body tremble that threatened to shake her apart. She would just disappear into the system, a sad footnote noticed by no one.
“Hey, hey, calm down. It won’t come to that, I promise,” he added hurriedly, reaching through the bars to pat her on the shoulder, and squeezed his hand over hers. “Listen, Maddie. We’ll figure this out. I promise. It’ll be okay, hang in there.”
“What other choice do I have?” Maddie whispered. Falling apart wouldn’t help anything. She was innocent, and there had to be an explanation. She knuckled the moisture from her eyes. Between tears and lack of sleep, they felt as though they’d been worked over by a cheese grater.
“Listen, Bill,” she began in a firmer voice. “I left a message for Sam, but I don’t know if he got it. Could you tell Caroline what happened so she can cover my shifts, and let Hannah’s daughter, Diane, know too? I was sort of cat sitting while Hannah is in the hospital. I’d really appreciate it.”
Bill grinned. “You’re locked up, and you’re worried about Caroline’s diner and Hannah’s cat? You’re too much, Maddie. Anyway, they already know. Sam took care of it.”
“Oh, okay then.” Her heart sank. Sam had gotten her message, but he hadn’t come. Well, she hadn’t expected him to, had she? “Tell him thanks.”
“I will when I talk to him. He had to go out of town kind of suddenly,” Bill continued with a smirk. “He figured you were safe in here until he got back.”
“What?” Maddie simply stared.
“Well, yeah.” Bill squirmed uncomfortably under her intense scrutiny. “Sam figured out the drugs are what your intruder broke in for. He figured you’re safer in here if anyone decided to come back poking around.”
“Oh he did, did he?” She hissed between clenched teeth. “And would he by any chance be the one who suggested to the prosecutor I might be a flight risk?”
“He expected you’d be pissed,” Bill laughed. “He knows what he’s doing, Maddie. Let him take care of it.”
“At the risk of being redundant, I guess I don’t have much choice, do I?”
“Well, not at the moment,” Bill agreed unhelpfully. He turned his head to look back in the direction from which he’d come as Maddie heard a commotion down the corridor.
“I don’t care what your silly rules say, James Martin Delaney. I’ve known you since you were spitting up on your mother’s best dress, and I’m telling you I am going in there!”
“Sounds like breakfast has arrived,” Bill grinned.
“Caroline?” Maddie whispered in surprise. Sure enough, Caroline came stomping down the hall carrying a large brown shopping bag. She’d traded in her mop of outrageous yellow hair for a shade that fell somewhere between neon orange and fuchsia, and almost perfectly matched the cowboy boots she’d donned over her green, leopard print leggings. Her eyes were heavily shadowed in two shades of purple, but the bright red lipstick extending at least a quarter inch beyond her lip line was still her usual shade and drawn artfully in place. She chomped on her ever-present wad of gum and kept right on chomping, even when her feet stopped moving as she waited for Jim Delaney to catch up.
