Maxine (Donatelli Series)

by SUE FINEMAN

  Nick and Tony checked out the engine while Cara and Angelo looked inside at the salon, galley, and V-berth. “This is big enough to live on, isn’t it, Angelo?”

  “Sure. Nick used to have one about this size. Lisa didn’t like boats, so he sold it, bought the property here on the beach. We built the house after his divorce.”

  “He seems bitter about his divorce.”

  “Of course he is,” said Angelo. “Nick wanted kids. Lisa got pregnant, but he didn’t know until he got the bill for her abortion. And then she took nearly everything in the divorce. He got screwed.”

  Cara was so shocked, she didn’t know what to say. No wonder he hated his wife, and no wonder he didn’t want a woman hanging around his house.

  Nick walked up behind Angelo. “You talk too much, Angelo.”

  Tony cleared his throat. “Nice boat.”

  The salesman said, “The former owner’s kids had the boat hauled out and surveyed two months ago, after their father died. I have that report right here. The sellers feel it’s priced competitively.”

  “But they’re anxious to get rid of it,” said Nick.

  The salesman shrugged and Cara watched with delight as Nick negotiated several thousand dollars off the asking price.

  The salesman’s eyes widened when he saw the name on her credit card. Nick’s eyes narrowed, and he gave the salesman a stern warning about keeping Cara’s whereabouts a secret.

  After the salesman left on another boat, Cara put the boat keys in Nick’s hand. “You’re in charge of the boat, Nick. I don’t know anything about boats.”

  He gazed into her eyes for so long, she wondered what he was thinking. Would he take the boat?

  “I’ll take good care of it. For Max and Company.”

  “I know you will, Nick.”

  Nick and his cousins seemed like little boys with a new toy, running their hands over the polished teak rails, playing with the radar, laughing and enjoying themselves. Nick made a list of the things they’d need to fit the boat out in style, and Tony was already negotiating to use it to impress women.

  Nick shook his head. “No way, Tony. It’s Cara’s boat.”

  “No, the boat belongs to the company,” she said. “Tony, you have as much right to use it as anyone else in the company.”

  Tony kissed Cara, a loud smack on the lips. Angelo kissed her, too. Smiling, her eyebrows raised expectantly, Cara teased, “Your turn, Nick.”

  He leaned in close to whisper, “Baby, if I start kissing you, I won’t stop this week.”

  Warmth bubbled up inside her and she longed for him to kiss her, but he didn’t.

  The men made arrangements to go grocery shopping and Tony left to get his car. He’d meet Nick and Angelo in town and drive them to the store.

  Cara thought about giving Nick money for groceries, but she didn’t want to step on his pride. He was touchy about money, especially after she bought the boat. She gave Angelo some money and a list with her sizes. “If there’s another shop nearby that sells clothes, would you mind getting a few things for me? I’m not picky, Angelo. I want something loose and soft and comfortable. Sweats are fine.”

  Nick hated to leave Cara alone, but Riley wouldn’t let anyone near the house and her deadbeat husband was on his way to Spokane, on the other side of the state. He knew one of his cousins would stay with her, but she didn’t seem afraid to stay alone this time. She’d be all right by herself for a couple hours.

  The boat handled like a dream, and it felt great to be out on the water again. It was only three years old, fully equipped, in excellent condition. Cara got a good deal on it, too, thanks to him. It must be nice to buy anything you wanted and not have to worry about how to pay for it.

  Minutes later, they were docked in Gig Harbor bay, a tiny finger of Puget Sound. A green horseshoe-shaped hill surrounded the bay, giving protection to the fishing and pleasure boats docked there. Businesses hugged the waterfront and homes covered the hillsides. Primarily a fishing village, Gig Harbor also catered to tourists who shopped in the quaint little stores ringing the harbor.

  While Angelo went down the street to shop for Cara’s clothes, Nick and Tony shopped for groceries. Nick scanned the list and smiled. Tampons. She actually put tampons on the grocery list.

  “What’s so funny?” asked Tony.

  “Nothing.” Nick scanned the shelves and moaned. “Sixteen million different kinds of the damned things.”

  Tony glanced around nervously, obviously embarrassed to be standing in the aisle with feminine hygiene products. “Jeez, Nicky. What if someone sees you?”

  “They’ll think I got lucky.” Nick picked a box and tossed it into the cart.

  Tony glanced at the cart, which was nearly overflowing. “Is that it?”

  “Almost.” Nick picked out two cartons of ice cream, rocky road and butter pecan. He usually bought the most inexpensive kind, but not today. This time he wanted the best, no matter what it cost. For Cara.

  <>

  The trip back with Tony was uneventful. Nick smiled when he saw Cara standing on the dock, wearing his baggy old sweats, curls blowing around her face, waving at the boat.

  “Will you look at her,” said Tony. “She’s looking better all the time.”

  “Yeah, she’s feeling better, too.” So much better, he was afraid she’d leave him soon. Funny how he couldn’t wait to hand her off to someone else in the beginning. Now she’d become an important part of his life.

  Tony sighed. “If I had a woman like that, I’d find a way to hold onto her.”

  If only he could. But Cara lived in a different world.

  Nick eased the boat up to the dock and Riley jumped on board, wagging his tail. After they tied up, Nick handed Cara the bags of clothes. “Angelo said your change is in the bag with the socks.”

  “How did the boat handle?”

  Nick grinned and set two bags of groceries on the dock. “Great. What are you going to name her?”

  “What do you suggest?”

  Only one name came to mind. He gazed into her eyes and told her. “Maxine.”

  She laughed that wonderful throaty, sexy laugh. Did she have any idea what that laugh did to him? Or that smile? Or those beautiful blue-gray eyes? No, probably not. Cara was the most unassuming woman he’d ever met. She wasn’t beautiful, yet beauty emanated from her. She seemed to think people liked her only for her money, but she was wrong. He liked her, he was crazy about her, but all that money built a wall between them. He learned a long time ago that there were two kinds of people in this world—the haves and the have-nots. And the two didn’t mix.

  He had to keep reminding himself of that.

  Especially when she laughed.

  <>

  Furious at not finding Cara in Spokane, Lance returned to Seattle to find another bill from the private investigator. The rent payment was late and the utility bills were all overdue. He threw the bills on the desk. “Damn you, Cara.” He needed money and he needed it now.

  Sally called that evening and told him that no one at the estate had heard from Cara, and Lance knew what to do. That house was filled with priceless paintings. The sale of one would keep him afloat until he found Cara, and he knew just the man for the job.

  Sally had had a run-in with Cassie, a cook at the estate, and Lance had promised to take care of the problem. He’d told Mr. Pettibone, Cara’s uptight butler, to fire Cassie two weeks ago, but she was still there. Time for a trip not only to fire Cassie, but to take control of the estate. He smiled to himself. Poor, confused Cara couldn’t do it herself.

  Minutes later, with Cara’s jet on the way to Seattle, Lance called an old friend, a professional art thief who knew how to choose the right piece and where to fence it to get the best price. Lance was determined to take what he wanted. After all, as Cara’s husband, half of everything belonged to him.

  When he finished with that bitch, it would all be his.

  <>

  As much as Nick hated to deal with his
former brother-in-law, he had to call him. Gerry Merlino was the best lawyer in town. He hadn’t spoken to Gerry in months and wouldn’t be calling him now if not for Cara.

  Instead of scheduling the appointment through Gerry’s secretary, Nick asked to speak with Gerry and got right to the point. “This is Nick. I might have a new client for you. She left her husband, wants to end the marriage. Look, Gerry, this may be more than you can handle. If it is, I want you to back off, refer her to another attorney, somebody you trust.”

  “What’s so special about this case?”

  “She’s well known, wealthy, and her husband is ruthless. She overheard him planning to have her committed to an institution so he could steal her money.”

  “How wealthy?”

  Nick’s anger bubbled to the surface. “You take advantage of her and I’ll make sure the whole world knows. Your practice will be toast.”

  “Aw, c’mon, Nick. You know me better than that.”

  “Yeah, sure.” They used to be good friends, but that was before the divorce. Gerry took good care of his sister, and Nick lost nearly everything.

  Gerry stayed silent for a few seconds. “Tell me about this client.”

  “It’ll be messy. She needs someone who knows how to fight, and you’ll probably need to hire a private investigator. Can you handle that?”

  “Of course. Bring her in tomorrow, around eleven.”

  “The road to my house is still out, so we’ll have to come in by boat. Can you meet us at the dock?”

  “Thought you sold your boat.”

  “I did. Eleven. Jerisch Park.”

  If Gerry took advantage of Cara, Nick wouldn’t just ruin his law practice. He’d break his face.

  Cara stared out the window, hugging her arms, and Nick knew she was afraid to go out in public. If she didn’t have to get her stitches out, he’d bring Gerry to the house. He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “Scared?”

  “Yes, but it doesn’t matter. It has to be done.”

  “I’ll be right there with you, Maxine.”

  A soft smile touched her lips and he couldn’t resist a gentle kiss. It just made him want more.

  <>

  Cara wore her new gray sweats with Nick’s dark blue jacket and a red baseball cap on the boat. She looked nothing like the famous heiress whose picture graced the covers of tabloids in every supermarket in the country. Nick wondered if anyone would recognize her dressed like that, with her hair an ugly, faded mess. The scabs on her face were gone, but the red marks remained. It looked like a bird with red feet had walked across her face.

  She stood beside him as he pulled away from the dock. “What are you smiling about, Nick?”

  “Bird feet.”

  She looked at him like he was crazy. He laughed, enjoying her company and the sunshine and cool breeze off the water. He’d been foolish to give up his boat for Lisa. She wasn’t worth the sacrifice.

  Gerry met them at the dock in downtown Gig Harbor. Nick checked the lines and helped Cara off the boat. “Gerry Merlino, Cara Andrews.”

  “Cara Andrews?” Gerry offered his hand to Cara and smiled like a cat who’d caught a fat robin. “Nick didn’t tell me it was you.”

  <>

  Nick sat in Gerry’s waiting room, flipping through boring magazines, while Cara talked with Gerry in his private office. Time passed slowly. Gerry’s secretary left for lunch. Nick waited another half-hour, but he was hungry, his stomach growling. Cara must be hungry, too. He tapped on Gerry’s office door and opened it. “I’m hungry.”

  “Have my secretary order lunch.”

  “She left.”

  “Then you order something.”

  “Fine.” Nick pulled the door closed.

  Minutes later, a large pizza was delivered to the office. Nick tapped on Gerry’s door and walked in with the pizza delivery man. “Lunch is here. Pay the man.”

  Gerry looked surprised. “Me?”

  “Yeah, you. I brought you a new client, and the least you can do is buy lunch.”

  Gerry sighed and opened his wallet. Nick winked and Cara’s eyes danced. She didn’t offer to pay, but Nick knew she’d end up paying for it anyway. Gerry would figure out a way to include it in her bill.

  Without waiting for an invitation, Nick put the pizza on the table in Gerry’s office and pulled up a chair. Cara looked tired, beaten down. She needed a break anyway.

  Gerry stuffed his wallet in his pocket, took a piece of pizza, and leaned back in his chair. “So, Nick, how you been?”

  “What do you care?”

  “Come on, Nick. We were friends before the divorce.”

  Sure they were. That was before Lisa asked Gerry to represent her in the divorce. Before they became enemies.

  “Mmm, good pizza, except for the olives.” Cara picked them off and put them on Nick’s piece. “I don’t like olives.”

  “I’ll remember that,” said Nick, and he was rewarded with a warm smile.

  <>

  After lunch, Gerry drove them to the bank, where Cara and Gerry and Nick met with the bank manager. Cara set up an account for herself and one for Max and Company. Nick was surprised that she opened her personal account under the name Maxine Donatelli, but he didn’t say a word.

  When they finished at the bank, Gerry drove them to Urgent Care. Again, Cara used the name Maxine Donatelli. She insisted that Nick stay with her and hold her hand while the nurse removed her stitches. She refused to watch.

  Nick gave her a look and shook his head.

  “Shut up,” she muttered.

  The nurse peered closely at Cara’s face. “You look a little familiar.”

  “Everyone tells me that.”

  “I know what it is. On the news last night, they showed a picture of that missing heiress, Cara Andrews. You look a little like her.”

  “Imagine me, looking like her.”

  Nick caught Cara’s eye and winked, bringing a little smile. Nobody in their right mind would believe a woman like Cara Andrews would be with a guy like him. A few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have believed it himself. Yet here she was, a rich celebrity, living in his little house and pretending to be his wife. In some ways, she was like a scared little girl, yet there was a strength about her that he admired. With quiet resolve, she’d do what had to be done. And so would he. If that bastard she married put one finger on her, he’d have a fight on his hands.

  On the way back down the hill to the harbor, they talked about Lance’s television appearances and the message he was sending to the public about her being depressed or mentally ill.

  “Cara, did you leave a note for your husband when you left Seattle?” asked Gerry.

  “No, all I could think about was getting away before he realized I’d heard him.” She sighed heavily. “I thought about calling and leaving a message that I was with a friend, but what good would that do? He’d still say I was crazy or distraught, or whatever you want to call it.” She stared out the side window. “By the time he finds me, he’ll have everyone convinced I need ‘help.’ That kind of help I can do without.”

  From the backseat, Nick reached up and put his hand on her arm. She put her hand over his and held it there.

  Gerry asked, “Cara, where do your bills go?”

  “Some go to the house in Seattle and others go to my accountant in California.” She slapped her forehead. “Oh, the accountant will know about the boat when he gets the credit card bill.”

  “I’ll call him if you like.”

  “I don’t think it’ll do any good, Gerry. He reports to the trustees of my grandfather’s estate, not to me. I don’t know if Lance is in contact with them or not.”

  Gerry pulled into the parking lot at the marina and turned off the engine. “The trustees still handle the estate?”

  “Until my twenty-seventh birthday. That’s next week, Thursday.” Cara opened her door and turned back to Gerry. “Are you licensed to practice in California?”

  Gerry whipped off his sunglasse
s. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I may need your help down there, too.”

  “Whatever you need, Cara. I’ll be glad to help.”

  Of course he would, thought Nick. Gerry smelled money. Big money. He’d better not take advantage of Cara. She had enough to deal with without a crooked lawyer trying to take her to the cleaners, too.

  Nick and Cara boarded the boat and started for home. As they passed through the mouth of the harbor, he was aware of her standing beside him. “Do you want to take control?”

  “Of the boat? No, thanks.”

  “How did your meeting with Gerry go?”

  “He said I may have to pay Lance off to get rid of him, unless we can prove he planned this from the start.”

  Nick threaded the boat between a fishing boat and a tug pushing a barge in the other direction. “Okay, so let’s prove it.”

  “You’d help me with this?”

  “Sure. Hey, I’m always up for a good fight.”

  She sighed. “I don’t know how to fight.”

  He put his arm around her waist. “Maybe Cara Andrews doesn’t, but I’ll bet Maxine Donatelli does.”

  “If there was such a person.”

  “There is,” he said softly. “She’s inside you, Cara.”

  She stood quietly for a few minutes, lost in thought. “I’ll have to go meet with the trustees next week, I suppose. Will you come with me, Nick? Please?”

  With his bank account nearly empty, Nick didn’t see how he could go anywhere but back to work. He dropped his arm and she backed up a step. “I have to work, Cara. I have bills to pay.”

  “Then work for me, Nick. Just until I get this thing with Lance settled.”

  He shook his head. He couldn’t take money for helping a friend.

  “I need your help, Nick. I need someone on my side, and there’s nobody else in this world I trust as much as you.”

  He glanced at the worried look on her face and knew he couldn’t let her go to California by herself. What if her husband showed up? What if he hurt her, or drugged her again, or kidnapped her and took her to that sanitarium? She’d die in a place like that.