My minded started connecting dots. I glared at him, thinking he’d better answer no to my next question or I’m not finding anyone for him.
“Did you hit her, Marcus? Is that why she ran from you?”
His jaw clenched. “Richards, I don't tolerate abuse in any way. That's the only time you get to ask me that question. Understand?”
I nodded. I had him wrong. He didn’t touch her that way.
“Understood. Marcus, you do understand it may take some time to locate her, don't you?”
“I don't care. I want her found. If she's happier without me, then so be it but she shouldn't feel like she should run from her mother just to get away from me.” He blew out a deep breath. “I just need to know why she left.”
I nodded again as his eyes glistened.
“I expect reports daily, if there is nothing to report, text that to me. Here's my card.”
I studied his card. “That's fine, Marcus. I'll get started on this now.”
“Good. I trust my retainer and bonus offer is sufficient enough to make Mariah your top priority.”
“Absolutely.”
“Good day, Richards.”
I whistled again when he jogged away. Man on a mission... I liked that. I dialed my office.
“Miss Flowers, please check airline tickets from October twenty-fourth for a Mariah Hollander. From then to now, and every day until further notice. And book me a flight to my mother's by Thanksgiving Eve, please.”
“Yes, sir.”
Well, well, I thought, staring at her picture. Where are you, Miss Hollander?
I snapped out of my memory. I’d better call Marcus now. I looked at the clock as I retrieved his number and dialed. Shit, it's already two.
“Dr. Alexander.”
I frowned. “I'm looking for Dr. Marcus Cannon.”
“Richards? I'm Alexander at work. Avoids confusion with my father. How can I help you?”
“One of my colleagues has obtained extremely pertinent information. I'd like to share it with you tonight. Are you available?”
Silence.
“Hello?”
“Did you find her,” he whispered.
“I really can't say. I'd rather gather more details and meet with you tonight. It's suspicion at this point.”
“I'll be at Mariah's parents’ home at six. You can meet me there, as they need to hear something, even if it's suspicion.”
“Text me the address, and I'll be there after six, not sure exactly how long after... I don't know how long it'll take to gather the rest of the info.”
“Fine. I'll see you there.”
Almost immediately, the address was texted to me.
* * *
7:41. Shit... I tried to arrive earlier, but there’d been a new development. Parker pieced the last of the puzzle together. He deserved his bonus. He kept that up and I’ll think about taking him on as a partner.
I looked around the property as I pulled up to the large gate. Nice digs. Looked like the Harveys are more than well off. I frowned, thinking, ‘Was that a Rolls?’ There were two! I whistled. Not bad.
Where's the damn buzzer?
“May I help you, sir,” a male voice asked.
“Chris Richards. Dr. Marcus Cannon is expecting me.”
“One moment, sir.”
A minute later, there’s a buzz and the gate opened. Lot of cars were parked in the drive. The whole family must be in attendance, I thought as I approached the door. Marcus was already standing there, waiting. Looked like he'd been to the barber. His beard was freshly trimmed.
“Richards,” he said as he extended his hand.
“Marcus. Sorry about the hour, last of the info came in only half an hour ago.”
“It's fine. Everyone's here. Come this way.”
We walked into what appeared to be a large sitting room.
“May I offer you drink,” a maid asked.
“Just water is fine, thanks.”
“Very good.”
Marcus pointed around the room. “Richards, this is Mariah's mother, Rachel Harvey. Her husband, Dr. Thomas Harvey II, her sister Lisa and her fiancée, Nathan, brother Tom and his wife, Monica, brother Ethan and his girlfriend, Alissa. My mother Katherine, my father Stephen, my brother Joshua and his wife Mandy. My sister Evelyn and her husband, Russell. And of course you know Matthew.”
“Prick.” Matthew nodded. “Took you long enough.”
“Pansy,” I murmured back. “You want speed or accuracy? Thought so. Don't worry, we still don't have hourly rates. Good evening, everyone else. Please sit and let's get started, all right? I have a call concerning Ms. Hollander in about, well fifteen minutes.”
The maid gave me a bottled water but I refused the glass she offered with it. I took a long gulp.
“A call,” Rachel asked after everyone found seats.
“Yes, I'm hoping my guy can get close so that you can at least hear her voice tonight, Mrs. Harvey.”
A collective gasp sounded around the room.
“Oh, you found her,” Mrs. Harvey cried. “How's my baby?”
“Well, as far as my detective can tell, pretty well… considering.”
“Considering,” Marcus asked.
“Let me start at the beginning.” I opened the file. “Miss Hollander stayed at a hotel called Shangri-La for a week. She's clever; she used a fake name: Nicole Joseph. I'm told she asked for the house physician on the second day, complaining of a headache, but the physician wouldn't confirm or deny.
“Miss Hollander caught a flight to Chicago on the thirty-first of October, under the same alias. She arrived and basically fell off the radar, since she uses nothing but cash. However, on the twelfth of December, she was admitted to Northwestern Hospital, but under her real name. She had a migraine, but couldn't receive a normal course of treatment so they kept her under observation for about a week.
“Because of that record, my detective traced her to the condo of a woman named Maggie Sullivan. Dr. Sullivan helped her get work in a coffee shop, maybe two or three blocks from the apartment they are sharing with Dr. Sullivan's husband. Dr. Sullivan is a therapist who married last June. She was formerly Dr. Wilson.” I looked around the room. “Does that name ring any bells with anyone?”
Marcus nodded but Nathan, I noticed, had gone white.
“I don't know a Dr. Wilson,” Rachel murmured, frowning. “The only therapist Mariah saw was Dr. Shareef.”
Nathan cleared his throat. “Uh, Rachel... last February, when you thought Mariah was hurt during a sledding accident with me, sh-she was actually recovering f-from...” Nathan pinched his eyes and struggled to continue. He took several moments before murmuring, “a beating she got from Vince.”
“What-the-hell?” Lisa jumped up. “Nathan! How could you keep that from me?”
“It was not my place to tell, sweetie. Mariah had to disclose, when she was ready.”
“Wait! Wait! What,” from Tom.
“What the fuck,” from Joshua.
“Some fucker beat Cookie,” Ethan yelled.
“Vince beat my baby,” Rachel yelled at Nathan, who was visibly struggling. “And I'm just now hearing about this?”
“Yes.” Nathan blew out a hard breath and counted. “I left my iPad at your apartment and when I arrived back to get it, they were in the back of the building and he was on top of her, fucking pummeling her and her screams, the pleading for help... I just snapped. He was so angry and I thought he was trying to kill her. I don't remember calling the police, but apparently I did then got him off of her. Richard showed up with half the squad and arrested him. She saw Dr. Wilson, at the behest of Dr. Shareef.”
“Guess that's what she meant about 'February',” an extremely pale Monica said, crying.
“I've contacted Lieutenant Richard Green, and he stated everything Dr. James said. I have the police report here if anyone wants to see it.”
“Where's this fucker now,” Ethan asked. He and his girlfriend looked over the repor
t.
“Illinois River Correctional Center for the next nine and a half years, on an assault conviction.”
“For what he did to Mariah,” Mandy asked, also crying.
“Yes, Mrs. Cannon.”
“Good for him. He should've gotten more,” she uttered, wiping her nose.
“Why didn't she tell me,” Rachel moaned.
“She didn't want you to worry,” her husband speaks up.
“Thomas! You knew? Damn it, who else did?”
“Me,” Marcus confirmed quietly. “She told me on the fourth of July, when we left here. After I told her I loved her, she became... frightened. Vince would tell her he loved her after, sometimes before, beating her for some idiotic reason or another for seven months and her mind began associating love with physical abuse. Dr. Wilson was the therapist Dr. Shareef referred her to; she's an abuse specialist.”
Nathan spoke again. “That's true, Rachel. Dr. Wilson saw Mariah at school, every day, whenever Mariah needed her, until she moved here. Dr. Wilson was the one who convinced Mariah it was okay to be open for love again; to find what it really was.”
They’d gone quiet again.
Rachel looked at Marcus and nodded. “Now I know how my baby felt that day.” She stood and walked to the window. “What else, Mr. Richards,” she asked quietly.
I looked at the report again. “Well, like I said, she's been staying with Dr. Sullivan and her husband in a condo on the North side of Chicago; the Gold Coast is what the area is called. After she was released from Northwestern, she went back to her job as a waitress in a coffee shop, but lately, she's been given a position as a counter person, so she can take it easy, but still work. She usually does a four to ten pm shift, central time, four days a week.”
“Take it easy,” Joshua asked.
“Why,” Russell asked, frowning. “What for? What happened to her, now?”
“Nothing. As far as we can tell, it’s just because of the advanced pregnancy.”
I looked around the room. Everyone was staring at me like my head started sprouting pigeons.
“Is something wrong?”
“P-pregnancy? Did he say 'pregnancy',” Katherine Cannon asked. She pointed at me. “You said 'pregnancy'.”
“Yes, I did.” I looked around again. Every face was holding a 'you gotta be bullshitting me' expression.
“Damn it, Prick,” Matthew yelled. “You've got the wrong girl!”
I shook my head. “I do not, Pansy. This is Mariah Hollander. Parker found her. You know how thorough he is.”
He thought a moment then nodded. “Fuck, Richards is right. Parker’s practically OCD with his investigations, Marcus. This has to be her.”
“None of you knew she's pregnant?” They all turned and looked at one another. Nope, no one knew that information. Except maybe...
“I'm sorry, folks. As far along as she appears, I assumed it was common knowledge.”
“Far along? She's... is she more than five months,” Marcus stammered. He is almost as white as milk.
I pulled out the pictures Parker sent and said, “She appears to be approaching, if she's not already, full term. She's fuckin' huge! Uh, I mean... here’s the pictures that were taken this morning. Sorry.”
Almost immediately, everyone rushed toward me.
“Oh, my God,” Rachel groaned then glared at Marcus. “Look at my baby. She was pregnant when she left!”
Marcus walked away clenching his fists; he was about to lose it. I noted he's holding the picture of Mariah and the guy. Russell gripped his shoulder, murmuring to him.
“No, Marcus. He's her boss' son, and he's gay,” I quietly informed him.
“Are you sure,” Marcus asked through clenched teeth, gripping the wall.
“Yeah, he lives with his boyfriend; they are not in the closet. She's become somewhat clumsy in this stage of her pregnancy and he walks her to and from work, when the doctor's husband doesn't take her, that is.”
Everyone, except Marcus, was joyous.
“Marcus!” Ethan excitedly grinned. “Congratulations, man. This is good news!”
“How? Don't you see? This is why she ran,” Marcus shouted pointing at the picture. “That baby is not mine!”
Matthew smacked the back of his head. I believe it echoed.
“What the fuck was that for, Toad,” Marcus shouted.
“You fucking know, asshole,” Matthew shouted back.
“Damn it, Marcus! Don't... to even suggest Mariah would fuck around on you or anyone she was involved with, especially knowing what all she's been through, makes me want to break your fucking neck,” Nathan said with barely controlled venom.
“Try it,” Marcus snarled, glaring at Nathan.
Tom and Matthew put themselves between them.
“Damn it, you two! We are not having this,” Tom shouted. “Walk away, now!”
“Go sit down, Marcus! We should let him beat your ass for that comment,” Matthew thundered. “Think about what you're suggesting!”
“Why else would she bolt,” Marcus shouted. Joshua pushed him toward a couch.
“Could it be your stellar resistance to having children, Marcus,” Stephen asked.
“What?” Rachel gasped as she came out of her ‘coma’. “You told her you don't want children, Marcus?”
“Yes! Everyone knew that!” Marcus suddenly froze. A memory hit him. Hard. “FUCK!” He plopped on the couch and placed his hands over his face. His head dropped back on the couch. “She knew... she knew...” Marcus muttered.
“What did she know, son?” Stephen prodded.
Marcus slammed his hands on the coffee table in front of him. “She knew the day she went for her shot. That night... she asked me again about kids. I said no and she... she... looked... so wounded, Dad. Still... why wouldn't sh-she just tell me?”
Marcus was cracking. Not good.
“You know, looking back there were signs,” Lisa whispered. “She wouldn't eat anything for like, a month and then suddenly, every time you saw her, she was eating everything in sight. She was sick a lot, too, but said it was something she caught at work. Seemed like every time I saw her, she was emerging from a bathroom.”
“The seamstress had to let out her dress for my wedding; said she went up a whole dress size in three weeks,” Monica said. “And the napping! We teased her ruthlessly, Mandy, remember? She actually fell asleep in the middle of a sentence at the nail shop.”
Mandy nodded. “I remember. We threatened to separate her and Marcus so she could get some rest. We thought he was the cause of her fatigue.”
“He was,” Katherine mused. She was obviously excited.
“And that note... the fucking note Mariah left,” Matthew muttered as he ran a hand down his face. “Give me the note, Marcus!”
Marcus reached into his pocket and handed Matthew the note.
“Damn it! This whole letter is a confession. Listen. ‘I'm sorry. We aren't going to work out. Please know that I love you but in order to keep us from suffering more later, I feel it would be best if I end this now. I hope and pray you find someone better suited for you; who can give you everything you want and don't want. You will never know how sorry I am that it turned out to not be me. I know you don't now, but someday, boo… someday, you will understand and agree with my decision. All my love and best wishes for your future,'” Matthew read. “Fuck, Cramp! She was trying to tell you. She had to be so scared to run off like that.”
Marcus sighed. “Still, why didn’t she tell someone?”
“Hello!” Nathan smirked. “Three words: Mariah Nicole Hollander.”
“Enough said,” the others said together.
Nathan shook his head. “Exactly. Pretty sure she’s determined to do this, alone, so that no one’s hurt.”
“Except we are,” Lisa sighed. “I am, at least.”
“No,” Stephen said. “We all are. A grandchild, our first, all around. I wish she’d said something, despite what she thought Marcus was going to say.�
��
Matthew nodded. “Yeah, I can’t… I mean, it’s all of our first. We should’ve been involved, told.” He glared at Marcus. “And we damn near missed being in its life because of this fool and his bullshit about kids.”
“Enough, Toad,” Marcus demanded. “I damn near missed it all, too. I had no idea, just like none of you.”
“I knew about the pregnancy,” a voice said softly.
I thought so. I nodded. Everyone else turned.
“Evelyn,” Rachel gasped.
Katherine goes to Evelyn. “How did you know,” she prompted.
“Mariah handed in her resignation at the clinic and I wouldn't accept it. I begged her to reconsider, but she just wouldn't and I told her I would go to Marcus.” She turned to him. “I knew you'd talk her out of it; whatever it was that was making her quit, I just knew you'd help her work it out. She broke down in my office, confessed the pregnancy. She was terrified. She doesn't want to do it alone, but she didn't want to throw a child on you that you obviously didn't want, either. She chose to remove herself, effectively removing the crux of the problem, or so she thought.”
Marcus stood and glared at Evelyn. “Why didn't you tell me? Anyone,” he loudly demanded, his eyes flashing.
Evelyn startled. “She made me promise, Marcus. She didn’t want it getting back to you. You were very convincing about children. I did push you to talk to her but it was too late; she was already gone.”
“Regardless of his feelings, he had a right to at least know, Evie. It's cruel to keep a man from knowing he's going to be a father. You should've told Marcus or her mother, at least,” Russell said, shaking his head at his wife.
“She made me promise. I couldn't,” Evelyn wept.
Russell let out a sigh then moved to hold her.
“Un-fucking-believable,” Marcus uttered, pacing.
When she calmed, Evelyn murmured, “A week before she disappeared, Mariah came to me crying, she was so nervous and scared. The OB office called and told her to come up right away, that something was off with her test results. She blew off the appointment she had for one, so Dr. Fisk ordered an ultrasound performed right away to determine the actual gestation age because her hCG result was elevated; much too high for the weeks she was supposed to be. She begged me to go with her since I was the only one that knew of her pregnancy.”
Mariah: The M Series: Book Two Page 31
