Endangered: A Delecoeur Mystery #1

by Harte, Jenna

  “No. I want you to stay here. I’ll make some coffee and breakfast when I’m done and bring it to you.”

  “You’re confining me to this room?”

  “Yes … the rest of the house is open and anyone spying would see you,” he added when she started to argue. “I’ll close everything up when I go down.”

  “Couldn’t you make coffee first?”

  “I could, but how much do you want to bet Julia is going to show up any time soon?”

  Madeleine pouted. “You want breakfast ala Julia?”

  “No,” he said pulling her against him. “I don’t want to be in my robe, with nothing underneath, when she gets here.”

  “Good point.”

  “I thought you’d think so.” He kissed her and then headed to shower.

  ~~~

  Madeleine was glad that if she had to be stuck in one room, it was her bedroom. It was large, but warm and cozy even with the curtains closed. She had a library and office space in the corner when she felt inspired, and a daybed by the bay window when she needed to be inspired. And she had a lot of floor space. She decided to take advantage of that by doing some exercise. She slipped on a pair of shorts and a tank top, then pulled a rubber mat out from a drawer under the bed and rolled it out on the floor. She loved yoga and Pilates. This morning she opted for Pilates. She was in the middle of doing a double-leg stretch when she thought she heard the front door shut. She sat up, cocking her head to listen.

  “Max?” she heard a woman call.

  Julia? Madeleine wondered. Still surprised that someone had gotten into the house, Madeleine sat until she heard the woman call again. Only this time she sounded closer.

  “Oh, no.” She didn’t dare call out Max’s name in case the visitor heard her. She bundled the mat and shoved it in a drawer. She started to head for the master bath and then noticed the bucket with a champagne bottle and two empty flutes. Quickly and as quietly as she could, she gathered the items and ran to her side of the dressing room. She rounded the corner where the dressing rooms were connected by the bathroom and headed up Max’s side.

  “Hey gorgeous.” Max was in his slacks, but didn’t have a shirt on as he prepared to shave. “There is more downstairs if you need it," he said referring to the champagne bucket clutched to her chest.

  “Someone’s in the house. I think it's Julia.” Madeleine said ignoring his remark.

  “What?”

  “I think Julia is in the house.”

  At that point they heard a knock on the bedroom door. “Max?”

  He wiped his face quickly with a towel and grabbed his golf shirt. “Hide.” He pulled on his shirt and headed out to the bedroom as Madeleine headed toward the back of the U-shaped bathroom again.

  The door to the bedroom opened. “Max? Are you okay?”

  “Julia? How’d you get in?”

  “Oh, there you are. God Max, I was frantic. The door was open. I’m not surprised you forgot to turn on the alarm. You were pretty out of it last night.”

  Remembering the manuscript, Max’s face darkened. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m just checking on you. I was worried. Are you hungry? I could make you breakfast.”

  He really wanted coffee and began to feel a guilty that he wouldn’t be getting Madeleine her promised coffee anytime soon. But, breakfast would be a good way to get Julia out of the bedroom.

  “Oh, I see you had a tough night,” she said without waiting for his response.

  He turned to where she looked over the rumpled bed. His face heated as he wondered if she knew what he had done in that bed and with whom. Then he noticed Madeleine’s nightgown. He panicked when Julia notice too.

  She smiled. “I remember when William died,” she said as she touched the soft fabric of Madeleine’s nightgown. “I put one of his suits in the bed with me.” She looked up at Max. “We didn’t have a good marriage at the end, but somehow when he died, I missed him.”

  Max just nodded, relieved that she didn’t suspect the truth.

  “You know, if you need help packing up her things, I’ll be happy to do it for you.” She moved back towards him and laid a hand on his cheek.

  “Huh?”

  “At some point, you’ll need to decide what to do with her things. I can help with that. I had to do it with William. You’ll see Max. Someday the pain will stop and you’ll be able to go on. Maybe even allow love in your life again.”

  His confusion and embarrassment quickly turned dark as anger rode its way up to his face. “Is that how your book ends, Julia? You get rid of Madeleine’s things and try to take her place.”

  She jerked back. “What?” her body stiffened and to Max, she seemed genuinely surprised. “No, Max, I don’t want to take her place. I’m just trying to help.”

  “More like help yourself.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I read your manuscript.”

  “So?”

  “There are many details that are not fiction.”

  “The characters are based on us that’s true, but that is as far as it goes. The rest is made up.”

  “The lake?”

  She sighed. “Okay, so I used a few real life …”

  “The baby?”

  Visibly shaken, Julia sat on the edge of the bed. Her reaction affirmed what he feared.

  “When you came to see me in college, you were pregnant with Chas weren’t you?”

  “Yes,” she said on an exhale.

  “You were never going to tell me.”

  She looked him in the eye. “What for? You didn’t want me. You blame my greed on choosing William, but you were never going to marry me.”

  That part was true; he never intended to marry her. But, she wouldn’t have married him either. Although he developed wealth, it hadn't been his goal. Out of high school, his plan was to get a degree in engineering and find a job somewhere. The decision to start his own business came long after he left Julia.

  “Don’t skew the story now Julia. We both know that you married William because he was rich. And I never begrudged you that. He seemed like a nice guy and I was glad you had someone to take care of you. But, to keep a baby from me.”

  “Look Max, I don’t know who Chas’ father is, okay? I took a chance that it was William’s and it worked until Chas got sick when he was eleven and a blood test revealed that William wasn’t the father.”

  Max’s eyes narrowed. “If William isn’t the father…”

  She took another deep breath resigned to tell all. “There were others. You remember me Max.”

  He did remember her. He remembered a happy, friendly kid who even as a child was prone to over dramatize. When he’d first heard the term ‘drama queen’ he’d immediately thought of Julia. But despite her outward selfishness, she had been a good friend to him. He had been there for her too. When her father split and left her and her mother with nothing, he’d seen how they struggled. That was when Julia made her Scarlet O’Hara vow to never go without again. He had admired her determination even if he knew he’d never be the one to help her reach her goal. But of everything he’d remembered about Julia, promiscuity wasn’t one of them.

  “I know you don’t believe this,” she continued. “But I did love you and wanted to be with you always. I just didn’t want to have to keep going through life without things. You had other goals and weren’t worried about how you would survive.”

  She began to pace around the room. “I understand now that what we had was just a lovely little romance. But when you left, I felt like I lost everything. You were the only one who understood me…or put up with me.”

  She stopped in front of him to look him in the eyes. “I was lost and kept looking for a replacement… in several different men. When I found out I was pregnant, I went to you first hoping you’d change your mind, come back to school here. But, you were so committed to your goals. Not telling you about the baby was the only selfless act I ever did.”

  “Selfless?
” he said in disbelief.

  “Yes, selfless,” she cried. “I didn’t tell you because I finally realized that you cared for me, but didn’t love me. You had moved on and I wanted you to have your dream. If I told you about the baby, you’d have done the right thing without questioning if you were the father or not.”

  Max found himself touched by her actions. He’d rather have known about the baby, but he had to agree, it was unusual for Julia not to use any and every weapon she had to get what she wanted.

  “What about Chas, what does he know?”

  “He knows that William isn’t his father because William disowned us both when he found out. We stayed married, but it was an empty marriage. And he stopped being a father to Chas.” She shook her head and Max realized how much it had hurt her to see Chas rejected by the only father he knew.

  “What does he know about me?”

  “He believes you are his father. I never told him that,” she added quickly. “I just never corrected what I think he believes.”

  “Why didn’t he say anything?” Max thought Chas was as conceited and selfish as his mother. It didn’t make sense that he wouldn’t say anything.

  “I begged him not to. I told him that you didn’t know and that you had a life that didn’t need that kind of interruption. He threatened to tell you, so I agreed that I would do it.”

  “The lunch the other day…”

  “Yes, with Madeleine out of town, it seemed like a good time to get you alone. But, I couldn’t do it. It was so great to see you and to spend time with you again. I couldn’t ruin it.”

  “What about Chas? Wasn’t he upset when you didn’t tell me?”

  “Livid is more like it. I told him I would take care of it when Madeleine was feeling better. He agreed although I thought for sure he’d tell you when you had that meeting.”

  Max shook his head. “He said nothing.”

  “He’s not stupid. He knows that the information would best serve its purpose if it came from me. But with everything going on with Madeleine…I didn’t want to burden you…”

  “Another selfless act?”

  Julia didn’t miss the sarcasm. “No, just cowardly.”

  “So you both want what? Inheritance? The family you never had? What?”

  “What are you talking about Max?”

  “Killing Madeleine? Why did you have to do that?”

  For a second time, Julia was visibly shaken by Max’s comment. “NO! I would never…Max how could you think that…?”

  He moved so fast she barely had time to flinch before he grabbed her arms and gave her a quick shake. “Because since the moment you showed up, Madeleine’s life was in danger. And now this information about Chas, it’s all coming together.”

  “No you’re wrong.” She pulled away and he could see her mind reeling.

  “You were chummy with me at lunch and you're eager to fill Madeleine’s place now that she’s gone.”

  “Not like that. Yes, I came on a bit at lunch. You were my first love. You never forget that Max. You must feel it too.”

  He did know what it was like to carry feelings for a first love, but Madeleine had been his first and only love. He’d been with many women before meeting Madeleine. He cared for all of them. Many, including Julia he thought he loved at the time. But when he met Madeleine, he came to understand what real love was. Its depth. The intensity. How it permeated the soul until it was a necessary part of living, like breathing.

  “But I wouldn’t kill Madeleine or anyone. I’ll admit I wanted to see if I could seduce you, capture old times. But I know it would never happen. Will never happen. And you know that I’d never want to be second place, even to a dead woman.”

  “What about Chas?”

  “Chas? He wouldn’t hurt Madeleine. He wants to be acknowledged as your son, yes. But he has no reason to hurt her.”

  “Inheritance?”

  “That would only be the case if he could prove you were his father.”

  “But you said he doesn’t know about the other men. So in his eyes, the proof is that William isn’t his father.”

  That made Julia stop. That one hesitancy told volumes.

  “Is he capable of murder?”

  “God, no. He’s arrogant and selfish like me, but he’d never do that.”

  In Max’s mind she didn’t sound so sure.

  She looked to him. “Are you going to demand a paternity test?”

  Of course she’d be thinking of that. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. The truth was he wanted the test only if he knew it would prove he wasn’t Chas’ father. Not that he didn’t want a son, but he didn’t want Chas for a son. “I can’t think about that now Julia. Tell me what you know about Chas’ work at Digiteknic.”

  “Digiteknic? Why?”

  “Because the truck used to drive Madeleine off the road was stolen from Digiteknic. Only someone who worked there or used to work there would know how to get it.”

  “He just used to work for them. When he put together the idea of my having once dated you and William not being his father, he quit his job, moved to LA and started his own firm.”

  “With you acting as his introduction to me hoping I’d fund his venture?”

  “I believe he hoped you’d introduce him around. But that is business Max. You know that. In any case, he was in Los Angeles with me when Madeleine’s car accident happened.”

  “He read Madeleine’s articles because he knew Digiteknic lost its contract with my company because of her influence.” Max continued as the plausible scenario played out in his mind.

  “I don’t know about that. He keeps up on business trends, so maybe.”

  “What’s his relationship with the owners of Digiteknic?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Think harder. Is he friends with Gavin Shaffer?”

  “I don’t know, why?”

  “Because Gavin confronted Madeleine at her talk only hours before her accident. Because Gavin is the heir apparent to Digiteknic where Chas used to work,” Max explained.

  “I don’t see what you are getting at.”

  “I think Chas and Gavin conspired to kill Madeleine. Maybe Chas promised Gavin a contract once I accepted Chas as my son.”

  Julia shook her head. “Chas has no reason to want Madeleine dead.”

  “He’d be the heir to the Delecoeur fortune with Madeleine gone. He’d be the son of Max Delecoeur and have all power and prestige that comes with that. But Gavin failed. So Chas had to do it himself.”

  “No!” But her eyes betrayed that statement. She was worried.

  “He was in the building the morning of the shooting to see me. He knew I was expecting Madeleine for lunch. Tell me Julia," Max grabbed Julia's arms again. "How late was he in meeting you that afternoon?”

  Her eyes widened. “No, I don’t believe it.”

  “How late was he?” he demanded.

  “He called and said he was held up and would be 45 minutes late.”

  Max released her. She fell back a step rubbing her arms where he'd grabbed her.

  “My, my isn’t this cozy?”

  They both turned to see Chas in the doorway. “The reunion you've waited all these years for, mother. Is it all that you hoped?”

  It was then Max noticed the gun in Chas’ hand.

  Chapter Nine

  “I see she’s told you about my relation to you.” Chas turned the gun on Max.

  Max's eyes narrowed. “Yes. I have to say I’m disappointed.”

  Chas nodded. “No doubt I’m not the son you would have wanted. But that’s not my fault. If my mother had been honest and I had the upbringing I deserved, I wouldn’t be like this.”

  “You won’t get away with this,” Max warned.

  “Maybe not. But it never hurts to try. I have a pretty good plan.”

  “I doubt it,” Max said.

  “Sure it is. Even you suspected my mother of killing Madeleine. I’ll just confirm that to the police. Yo
u killed my mother in revenge and then killed yourself because you couldn’t bear the thought of living without Madeleine. Oh, and I’ll show them proof that I’m your son and inherit it all.”

  “You need to review your business law, Chas. You won’t inherit the company. It’s publicly owned,” Max said, keeping his eyes on Chas’ gun and hoping against hope that Madeleine stayed hidden.

  “I’ll settle for your personal assets including your stock. Yes, that will be even better. You see, I don’t care about the power. With the stock, I can let your board do all the work and I’ll collect the dividends. I can live quite nicely on that.”

  “How do you intend to prove I’m your father?”

  “Chas, no,” Julia said finally finding her voice. “It's too much to risk. Max is not your father.”

  Both men looked at her. “That is, I don’t know if he is. He could be…”

  “My god mother, how many men did you screw around with?”

  “That’s not the point. The point is, you could be wrong and you will have done all this for nothing.”

  “Not really. To answer your question Max, you will write a statement acknowledging I’m your son.”

  “I’m sure it will be contested. It would be suspicious for a document like that to show up right after my death. Right after Madeleine's death. My attorneys would never allow it.”

  “I’ll take my chances.”

  ~~~

  Madeleine had been listening from the back of the bathroom. Her heart had gone out to Max knowing it must be torture to think he could be a father to a child he never knew about. But when Chas walked in, she heard his menacing tone. Peeking around the corner she saw Chas had a gun and heard his plan to kill both Julia and Max. Madeleine snuck back around to her side of the dressing room to see what she might have to help the situation. As she looked around the corner she saw Julia standing on her side of the bedroom. Julia would surely see her if she tried to get to the utility closet. On the other hand, Julia’s life was apparently in danger as well. Would she give Madeleine away? She’d have to risk it.

  She moved slowly towards the closet. Carefully she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob. There was a tiny squeak, but Julia didn’t move. Madeleine let out a breath and pushed the door open. Inside she found a tidy closet, but nothing she could use as a weapon. She made her way out again and quietly shut the door. She glanced at Julia. Their eyes caught. Julia’s held surprise and then turned away. Madeleine held her breath. When Julia didn’t say anything, Madeleine hoped she might be spared.