No Good Deed
Page 42
Max didn’t know why she was still so irritated at Nick. She’d planned on flying in a few days before her scheduled meeting with the detective in charge of the Ivy Lake homicide—thus avoiding flying on a holiday. But Nick called her Thursday night and cancelled. He said he had to swap shifts at the last minute. Something about his excuse didn’t ring true, so she pressed him for the reason. Maybe what bothered Max the most was that she had to push him before he told her the truth. His ex-wife was fighting for sole custody of their son and he had a critical meeting with his lawyer. Max hadn’t met Nancy Santini, but she doubted she’d like the woman who was attempting to prevent a good father like Nick from spending time with his own child. She was manipulative and vindictive, and why Nick couldn’t see it, Max didn’t know.
She dropped her smartphone into her purse without actually responding to Nick’s message. What could she say? That she understood? She didn’t, and she wasn’t going to lie to Nick about how she felt. He didn’t want her opinion on the matter, and she certainly wasn’t going to tell him she would be waiting with intense anticipation for his unconfirmed arrival. If he drove the hour to Sausalito to see her, great. If not … well, she really didn’t have much say in what he did or didn’t do. He’d made that perfectly clear when she started asking questions about his custody battle.
David approached her, rental keys in hand. “Whose head did you bite off?”
She looked at David and raised an eyebrow. When she wore heels, she and David were eye-to-eye. “Excuse me?”
“When you’re mad at someone, your eyes narrow and the lines in your forehead crease.”
“You’re telling me I have wrinkles. Terrific.”
“It’s Nick.”
“If you know, why did you ask?”
David led the way to the rental car without responding. It was a rhetorical question, but Max wished David wouldn’t act as if she were on the verge of dumping Nick. She was the first to admit she didn’t do long-term—or long-distance—relationships well.
Nick was different. She wasn’t being a romantic to think so; she wasn’t a romantic at heart. Yet when he’d cancelled their weekend plans, her gut had twisted uncomfortably. She didn’t want it to be over so soon.
David popped the trunk of the luxury sedan and maneuvered his lone suitcase into the trunk alongside Max’s two large bags. Her laptop and overnight bag went into the backseat. She sat in the passenger seat and slid the seat back for comfort. After five and a half hours on a plane, she wanted to stretch her long legs.
She could travel light if she had to, but she didn’t know how long she’d be investigating this case. She’d told Ben she wanted ten days for the Ivy Lake investigation. He scowled at her—it was the only word that fit his irritated-with-Maxine expression. Then she told Laura, his admin, not to schedule anything for two weeks. She’d almost skipped town before Ben found out she’d blocked off so much time, but he’d called her on the way to the airport and whined at her. She’d already recorded the October show—early, she reminded him—it wasn’t like she had to rush back. If she needed to do any re-takes, they had a sister studio in San Francisco.
“You took a week off in Lake Tahoe, and now an investigation that shouldn’t take more than a few days you’re taking two weeks?”
“Good-bye, Ben.” She’d hung up on him. She wasn’t going to explain herself. She knew what needed to be done to keep her show running smoothly, and she’d do it.
David pulled out of the parking space and merged into the dense traffic that would take them through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge. Max stared out the window. She liked San Francisco, but didn’t have the love affair with it like she did New York City. She’d never once considered living here, though she grew up only forty minutes south of the city. She couldn’t put her finger on why—maybe it was simply that San Francisco was too close to her family.
“Why does he let her get away with it?” Max asked after several minutes of silence.
“What are you talking about?”
“Nick’s ex. The games she’s playing.”
“He’s not letting her get away with anything,” David said. “There’s a process.”
“She’s trying to deny Nick the right to see his own son.”
“No,” David corrected, “she’s seeking full custody so she can leave the state without violating the joint custody agreement.”
“Why do you know more about this than I do?” She had mixed feelings about David’s relationship with Nick. While it made her life easier that her closest friend actually liked the man she was sleeping with, she didn’t particularly appreciate that Nick and David had conversations that she wasn’t privy to. Lately, Nick had been talking to David more than her.
“This is an area I have more experience in than you,” David said.
“Maybe I should have been a judge,” she said.
David’s spontaneous laughter didn’t improve her mood.
“I would make a good judge,” she added defensively. “I’m exceptionally good at weeding through fact and fiction.”
“Perhaps in criminal court,” he said and cleared his throat. “Not so in family court.”
“I’d certainly put a stop to her blatant manipulation tactics. She’s changed her mind three times about where she and her boyfriend are moving. And who is this boyfriend, anyway? First they’re getting married, then they aren’t, but are planning on moving in together? With Tyler in the house? How can Nick put up with it? Doesn’t he have a say in who his minor son shares a house with? This whole situation stinks, and it’s not going to end well for anyone.”
“You need to stay out of this, Max. Nick knows what he’s doing, but it’s sensitive.”
“I don’t understand.”
“That’s a first.”
Max didn’t respond. It was David’s tone—what wasn’t he telling her? Was there something else going on with Nick and his ex that David knew about but she didn’t? Why would Nick hold back from her? They’d had a wonderful vacation together in Lake Tahoe six weeks ago—until it was cut short by Nick’s ex-wife. Still, she’d been understanding. Mostly. Sort of.
Okay, she’d been a bitch after the fourth call from Nancy Santini demanding that Nick bring Tyler back to town. Nick never told Max what their argument was about, but something Nancy said had Nick leaving the same day. Max detested these sorts of games, especially when children were involved.
Max had no children of her own and doubted she ever would. But she’d interviewed enough kids over the years and learned one important fact: kids picked up on lies faster than most adults. They knew what was going on in their family even if their parents tried to shelter them. How did that help them deal with the world? How did that help them grow into honest citizens? Never had Max found a lie better than the truth. Lies were expedient. They solved an immediate problem but created more problems in the future. And the only way to fix the situation was to keep telling lies until they exploded and everyone was stained from the deception.
Nick refused to say a negative word about Nancy in front of his son, and while Max could respect his position on the one hand, telling the truth was not being negative. The truth was neither good nor bad, it simply was, and Tyler was smart enough to come to his own conclusions. What would he think about his father who remained silent in the face of Nancy’s manipulations? How could he respect him? How would he handle his own relationships when he grew up if all he saw was Nancy’s bad behavior, for which Nick remained silent—at least around his son?
“You’re thinking quite loudly,” David said.
“I haven’t said a word.”
“Sometimes you don’t need to.”
“Speaking of kids, will you be allowed to see Emma?” She winced at her tone. David didn’t deserve her anger, though he seemed to be trying to irritate her. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Yes you did,” David said. “I’m going to Brittany’s tonight. She said we’d play it by ear.”
“Ano
ther manipulative bitch,” Max said under her breath.
“She is,” David concurred, “but I want to see my daughter, so I deal with it. I have fewer rights than Nick because Brittany and I never married. I will not risk my time with Emma.” He paused, then added, “Stay away from Brittany, Max.”
David’s tone had gone from normal to threatening in one sentence. A few months ago, Max would have pushed the conversation, but she’d realized over this last summer how deeply she valued David’s friendship. She wasn’t going to risk her relationship with her best friend and business partner by arguing with him about the mother of his daughter. So, as difficult as it was for her to remain silent, she kept her mouth shut.
Brittany treated David like garbage. She insulted him in front of Emma and refused to let David have more time with his daughter than the court mandated. The only consolation was that Emma was a smart kid. She’d be thirteen next week and adored her father. She was surprisingly well-adjusted considering her parents didn’t get along. Brittany might be a bitch, but David got along with Brittany’s parents and apparently they had a lot of clout over Brittany. If it weren’t for them, David said, he’d never have been part of Emma’s life.
Max put David and Nick and their respective children out of her mind and spent the remainder of the drive responding to messages from her producer, Ben Lawson, and staff. Ben had wanted to send a small crew with Max because he sensed this case was going to be good—for Ben, “good” meant good for Maximum Exposure ratings. Max axed the idea of traveling with anyone but David. She needed time in the field without a cameraman or support staff. The interpersonal connections she made were important, but the nuances in tone, expression, and body language were lost when a camera was involved. Max had been a freelance reporter for years before agreeing to host Maximum Exposure for the cable network NET, and she still preferred to work a case alone, asking questions, pushing people to be truthful, proving or disproving evidence.
Though she’d be the first to admit she was happy to let the competent NET research team take over much of the grunt work. They’d compiled all the public information on the Ivy Lake investigation, including news clippings, profiles of Ivy’s friends and family, and television coverage.
After going back and forth with Ben on the news crew until her irritation overflowed, she sent back a message:
I’ll call in the crew when I see fit, but if I see a camera in Corte Madera before I’m ready I’ll quit.
Ben just didn’t know when to drop a subject, or how to give up control.
She could relate.
While Ivy’s stepbrother’s letter had affected her and prompted her to act, she’d grown even more curious after speaking to Tommy Wallace on the phone. He barely spoke. She tried to get him to talk about Ivy, about why he wrote the letter, and his responses were simple and brief. Any other case and she would have been suspicious and likely dropped the matter altogether, but after reading the files her staff put together, she realized from the media reports that Tommy might be mentally handicapped.
Which made her wonder if he wrote the letter himself or if someone helped him. And if so, why?
Max had spoken to Grace Martin, the detective in charge of the Ivy Lake death investigation, when she received the letter from Tommy Wallace two weeks ago. First to feel out whether law enforcement was inclined to help or hinder her investigation, and then specifically to ask about Tommy.
“I spoke to Tommy Wallace several times,” Grace had said. “He’s slow, not stupid.”
Grace seemed amenable to Max’s involvement when they spoke on the phone—the case was fourteen months cold with no leads. She agreed to meet with Max in person, which was a big win for Max—too often she had to fight with the local police for access.
Max had read Tommy’s letter multiple times. Her stomach twisted each time. There was an honesty of expression that surprised her, but what really hit her was the lack of anger or grief. Maybe Tommy’s “slowness” made him less emotional. When people wrote to her, there was always pain and anger. Rage on the page, Ben had once said. Parents wanted answers about the murder of their child. A spouse fighting with the police for more time and resources because their betrothed had been murdered or disappeared and there were no answers. But Tommy’s letter was unlike any she’d read before. And while he might have had help writing the letter, there was no doubt the sentiments were true.
While Tommy’s letter had her looking at Ivy Lake’s death, it was the circumstances themselves that propelled Max to action. Ivy Lake had been seventeen when she’d been killed—pushed off a cliff, according to the forensics report. According to the police department, they had interviewed dozens of individuals, mostly minors, many who had reason to hate Ivy.
If the pen is mightier than the sword, the keyboard is mightier than the pen. And Ivy used her keyboard to expose the secrets of her schoolmates through social media—including one girl who’d committed suicide after bearing the brunt of Ivy’s attacks. Ivy’s murder had spun a web of stories in the local media about cyber-bullying, but in the end, the stories stopped, the investigation hit a dead end, and life went on. Without a killer in custody. Without answers for the family. Without justice for Ivy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author ALLISON BRENNAN is the author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Lucy Kincaid and Max Revere series, and many short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband Dan and their five children. Visit: www.allisonbrennan.com. Or sign up for email updates here.
Also by Allison Brennan
Best Laid Plans
Compulsion
Notorious
Dead Heat
Cold Snap
Stolen
Stalked
Silenced
If I Should Die
Kiss Me, Kill Me
Love Me to Death
Carnal Sin
Original Sin
Cutting Edge
Fatal Secrets
Sudden Death
Playing Dead
Tempting Evil
Killing Fear
Fear No Evil
See No Evil
Speak No Evil
The Kill
The Hunt
The Prey
Praise for New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan
Best Laid Plans
“Amazing … The interconnectivity of Brennan’s books allows her ensemble of characters to evolve, adding a rich flavor to the intense suspense. Hang on tight, for this incredible tale will keep readers guessing while providing some heart-stopping thrills!”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick!)
Notorious
“Packs in the thrills as investigative reporter Max confronts new murders and old family secrets in a suspense novel guaranteed to keep you up late at night!”
—Lisa Gardner
“Brennan introduces readers to a new and fascinating heroine worth rooting for. She’s an investigative reporter who’s not afraid to kick butt, climb a tree, or go to jail in pursuit of her story. She’s savvy and smart and takes no prisoners. Buckle up and brace yourself for Maxine Revere.”
—Sandra Brown
“Explosive suspense ratchets up with every turn of the page … will leave people clamoring for more stories of Max Revere. I know I will be!”
—James Rollins
Dead Heat
“Gut-wrenching and chilling, this is a story you won’t soon forget!”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
Stolen
“The evolution of Lucy and Sean’s relationship has been a critical piece of what makes these novels so compelling. Brennan is a true master at providing byzantine plotlines that keep readers guessing as the danger amplifies.”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick)
“All the excitement and suspense I have come to expect from Allison Brennan.”
—Fresh Fiction
Stalked
“Once again Brennan weaves a complex tale of murder, vengeance, and treachery filled with knife-edged tension and clever twists. The Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan novels just keep getting better!”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick)
“The novels featuring Lucy Kincaid and her cohorts are marked with deep characterizations and details of the workings of investigations by private eyes, the police, and the FBI … Catch the latest in this series as Lucy continues to evolve in strength and wisdom.”
—Romance Reviews Today
Silenced
“Brennan throws a lot of story lines into the air and juggles them like a master. The mystery proves to be both compelling and complex … [A] chilling and twisty romantic suspense gem.”
—Associated Press
“The evolution of Lucy Kincaid from former victim to instinctive and talented agent continues in Brennan’s new heart-stopping thriller … From first to last, this story grabs hold and never lets go.”
—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)
“An excellent addition to the Lucy Kincaid series. Lucy and Sean continue to develop as complex, imperfect characters with a passion for justice … The suspense was can’t-put-it-down exciting.”
—Fresh Fiction
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CONTENTS
Title page
Copyright Notice
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10