by EMILIE ROSE
If anybody could point him in the right direction, it was the retired cop who worked part-time security for the hospital. Adam caught up with him in the parking lot Friday evening. “Roger, how can I investigate a car accident?”
“Recent?”
“Six years ago.”
Roger tossed his uniform hat into his car and rubbed a hand over his high-and-tight haircut. “That complicates things. You can’t go to the site to measure preaccident skid marks or check the postcollision impact and debris field. And I’m guessing you don’t have access to the car.”
“It was totaled and hauled to the junkyard.”
“And it’s likely been stripped, crushed and sold for scrap since. You’ll be limited to the original accident reports and insurance claim forms. There are companies that specialize in auto accident investigations. Why didn’t you hire one at the time? Or has our wonderful legal system dragged the case out this long?” Bitterness snarled in his tone.
“The case never went to court, but information has recently come to my attention that makes me question whether the crash was accidental or deliberate.”
“Reliable information?”
“My mother.” The men shared a grimace.
“Kind of have to follow up on that one, don’t you? Was the driver charged?”
“Only for driving too fast for the conditions. She paid the fine without contesting.” He’d always considered that an admission of guilt. Now he wasn’t sure.
Roger frowned. “That charge is a judgment call on the officer’s part. It could mean anything or nothing.”
“My brother and his unborn son died as a result of the wreck.”
“That would have been a homicide or manslaughter charge.”
Homicide or manslaughter? Charging Madison with such a severe crime seemed...abhorrent. If he hired a private accident investigator he could probably keep the findings to himself. But he had to have the facts. For his sake. For his mother’s sake.
“I need to know what happened.”
“Tell you what, Adam. Email me the details. I know a guy who went into accident investigation after he left the force. I’ll forward everything to him and see if he’s interested in digging up an old case. If he is, I’ll have him call you. But I have to warn you, he’s not cheap.”
“The truth will be worth the price.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
MADISON HAD SPENT most of the week working herself into a tangle of nerves and trying to build the courage to face Adam again. She’d planned how she’d act and rehearsed what she’d say in an attempt to convince him that Tuesday night had meant nothing to her and that she could forget the passion she’d found in his arms and move on.
It wasn’t lying if she intended to make it so.
Then she’d arrived at the airport and discovered Adam had sent one of the coowners of the plane to pick her up. Her adrenaline level had crashed, but thankfully her cardiothoracic surgeon pilot hadn’t noticed. He’d been too busy yammering about the conference he’d attended over the weekend and about how his revolutionary procedure had been the hit of the event. He’d been flying over her area on his return trip and had volunteered to pick her up for Adam.
He’d been a narcissist to the bone, and she’d had enough of those to last a lifetime. Too bad she hadn’t been smart enough to know the difference between confidence and conceit when she’d met Andrew.
She’d ignored her pilot as best she could and had begun to prepare herself all over again for confronting Adam upon landing. But in the terminal she found Helen, not Adam, waiting. Her stomach did another roller-coaster swoop. Of disappointment? No. Definitely not. She simply wanted—no, needed—to get the encounter with Adam behind her.
She never would have expected him to be a coward. Ducking and diving or flat-out denial had been Andrew’s M.O. when he’d done something wrong. She’d expected better of Adam, the one who claimed he faced his fears and who’d accused her of running from hers.
“Where’s Adam?” she asked Helen, noting her mother-in-law looked better, more rested and less like she was teetering on the edge of a breakdown than in previous weeks.
“He couldn’t get away from the hospital. Didn’t his coworker explain?”
“No. He was too busy bragging about his brilliance.”
Madison headed toward the parking lot, but Helen lagged behind, looking as if she had something to get off her chest. “You told Danny’s staff about his cancer.”
Madison stopped inside the double doors and braced herself for an ugly argument. “Kay asked a direct question—I told you I wouldn’t lie. Danny hadn’t informed them of his situation—he promised me he would.”
“Danny has never had more than a sniffle or a twenty-four-hour virus in his life, and none of those kept him from the office. He wanted to believe he’d sail through this, too, that he was somehow stronger than most people.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I guess we both did. We didn’t expect the treatment to be as difficult as it has been.”
Compassion lowered Madison’s defenses. “That’s why you need a support team, Helen.”
“Lisa, Jim, Susie and Kay have each visited this week, bringing food, entertaining Danny and shooing me out of the house. Danny really needed that this week, Madison.” Looking uncomfortable, she shifted on her feet and tangled her fingers. “And I...I did, too. Thank you.”
Taken aback by the tears of gratitude brimming in Helen’s eyes and the emotional wobble in her voice, Madison nodded. “You’re welcome. Danny’s staff thinks the world of him, and they have a vested interest in his return. They need to contribute, as much as you need their help. They want the best for him, and they’ll be there for him long after I’m gone.”
“I can see that now. So does Danny.”
They continued to Helen’s car. “I should warn you before you see him tonight that we had to shave his head.”
If Danny had been half as enamored of his hair as Andrew, Madison knew that was a biggie. “That must’ve been tough on both of you. How are you holding up?”
Helen blinked. “Me? I’m fine. He’s the one...” She sighed. “I’m managing. His hair was one of the first things that drew me to him. And with it gone it’s just such a visible reminder that...I m-might lose him. It’s hard for me seeing him suffer and not being able to fix it. I always took good care of my boys.”
“Yes, you did. To the exclusion of looking out for yourself most of the time.”
Helen held up a hand to halt the words. “You don’t need to say, ‘I told you so.’ You warned me that I was unprepared for life without Danny. And you were right. Once I get him through this, I’ll think about going back to school or getting certified for something.”
“Good idea.”
“I admit, in the past when you pushed me to find a career I thought you were comparing me to your mother. I know she and your father were unhappy, because she was trapped, but—”
“You’re not my mother.” She didn’t mean to snap the words, but she didn’t want to talk about the horrible discovery that had driven her from home.
Helen stiffened, looking affronted. “I know that.”
Madison shook her head. “I meant you would never do what she did.”
“No. I wouldn’t do that to Danny. Ever.” She checked her watch. “Speaking of Danny... He’ll be waiting. We should go.”
“Helen, cancer treatment is a marathon, not a sprint. Let anyone who offers to help help. You can’t do this alone.”
“You learned all this from your patients?”
“In a small town all we have is each other, rather than a surplus of psychologists. Sometimes an ear is all people need. You absorb a lot if you’re willing to listen.”
Again, Helen shuffled her feet. “Madison, I—I’m sorry I’ve been so difficu
lt. Standing by my baby’s bedside and watching him slip away was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I kept clinging to the hope that Andrew would wake up, and...I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t help him. I needed to blame someone. You were the easiest target. I’m sorry.”
Madison had waited six years for that apology, but it still surprised her. “You were hurting. You’d just lost your son.”
Helen’s gaze bounced around the empty terminal before returning to Madison. Pain, confusion and regret mingled in her eyes. “For a long time I wondered... No, I convinced myself that the wreck wasn’t an accident.”
Madison flinched. It wasn’t any easier to hear a second time what Adam had already told her. “Helen, I would never have intentionally hurt Andrew or my baby.”
“I see that now. But Andrew had told me you two were having problems and that you didn’t want little Daniel. I believed you were rejecting my son and my grandchild. I became defensive because I couldn’t imagine my life without my children—no matter how they came into being.”
No matter how they came into being?
The odd phrasing alerted Madison. Had Helen known about Andrew’s trick?
“You thought I didn’t want Daniel even after I asked you about watching him while I worked?”
Helen lifted one shoulder. “I didn’t know what to believe. You were telling me one thing and Andrew was saying another. And you wanted to go back to work six weeks after giving birth. I just couldn’t imagine not wanting more time.
“Despite how hateful I was then, you still came back for Danny. You interrupted your life and your practice for us. I know coming here every week hasn’t been easy, but I don’t know what we’d have done if you’d refused.” Her voice wavered. She blinked furiously, then dug in her purse for her keys.
Madison circled to the trunk of the car, giving Helen a moment to get herself together. “You’d have hired the service and managed fine.”
“You don’t understand. Madison, having you here is a reminder of when life was still perfect, when we w-were still a fa-family.”
A family who had no idea how devious and manipulative their son had become. Or did they?
Madison watched her mother-in-law struggle until it became impossible to resist the need to comfort. She dropped her gear and wrapped her arms around Helen. She was more than a little surprised when Helen hugged her back so tightly it almost crushed the breath from Madison’s lungs. Helen held on for a very long time.
The embrace felt familiar, like coming home. Warning bells rang in her subconscious, but she didn’t pull away. Helen trembled as if fighting for control, then she stepped back and swiped her damp cheeks. Her expression turned all business.
“Let’s get you to the house. I left dinner in the slow cooker. Danny’s going to want to hear about your week. He’s been following the weather on television. It sounds like you’ve had some stormy days.”
Acceptance from the Drakes felt good. Too good. But it was treacherous ground. She had to keep her emotional footing, because if she allowed herself to travel that path, it was only a matter of time before she’d slide back out into the cold again. And if Helen ever found out what had happened with Adam, then it would be sooner than later.
And God forbid if there was a baby.
* * *
IT WAS ALMOST two o’clock Monday morning when Adam dragged himself into his house. Madison’s floral fragrance lingered in the air. She was here. Adrenaline flooded his veins.
He’d received no response to his text telling her he was sending someone else to pick her up, and after last Tuesday’s mistake he hadn’t known what to expect. Could he have blamed her if she hadn’t returned? No. He’d crossed a line and had sex with his brother’s wife.
Yes, Andrew was gone, but she would always be Andrew’s girl, and Adam had never taken anything that belonged to his brother. Not his toys, his clothes or his women. Too bad Andrew hadn’t felt the same.
Pushing aside the negative memories, he headed toward the kitchen. Tonight he could feel Madison’s presence rather than just hear the echo of his own footsteps, and for some reason it was comforting to know the place wasn’t empty.
He dismissed the crazy thought. All he felt was relief that he wouldn’t have to track her down or find a last-minute substitute veterinarian for tomorrow. He’d been fine without Madison before and he would be again.
He passed through the foyer. The earring his housekeeper had found wasn’t on the credenza where it had been since Wednesday. The small gold hoop had been the first thing he’d seen each night when he arrived home and the last thing every morning when heading out—to remind him of Madison and what had happened during the storm. Madison must have picked it up.
The sight of her cooler sitting in its usual spot by the back door halted him short of the refrigerator. He’d been waiting for a call from her all week. Was she pregnant? Would there be long-term repercussions from his loss of control?
“I never would’ve taken you for a coward.”
Her quiet voice behind him yanked every muscle in his body taut like a puppet master pulling slack from the stings. He pivoted. Every inch of Madison’s skin was covered save her bare feet and head. Loose pajamas concealed her legs and her short robe was belted tightly at her waist—the same robe she’d shrugged out of that night. Her long, tangled hair draped her shoulders.
“What are you talking about?”
“After your nasty comment about me running from my problems, you are avoiding me.”
“I texted to let you know I’d been held up and sent a picture of Saul so you’d know who to look for.”
“I didn’t get a text. All I know is your conceited friend was at the right place at the correct time with the same plane. He told me he was my ride. I tried to call to verify. You didn’t answer. I almost didn’t get on that plane.”
“I had my phone turned off.” He pulled it out of his pocket, turned the gadget back on and saw the Message Undeliverable icon by the text he’d tried to send her. He flipped it around so she could see it. “I’m sorry. The text didn’t go through. Sometimes that happens when I’m deep in the hospital building.
“Speaking of pawning off on friends, you pawned me off on yours. Deputy Jones interrogated me all the way to the airport. She probably dusted the cruiser and ran my prints after dropping me off.”
Madison grimaced. “June’s protective. If you weren’t hiding from me, then what kept you at work?”
“I was trying to avert the nursing strike. The deadline was midnight tonight.”
Caramel-colored eyes, narrowed with distrust, searched his face as if trying to weigh the truth of his statement. Had Andrew lied to her the way he had to his family? Probably. Another reminder that Andrew had been far from perfect. Having Madison back forced Adam to face that harsh reality on a regular basis. He’d be glad when the accident report came through. Pete Lang, the investigator, had promised to get on it as soon as he could.
Then Madison’s gaze met and held his. “Fine. But if you have to send someone else for me again please don’t send him. He’s convinced he’s the greatest surgeon ever born.”
“His ego is matched only by his surgical skills. He’s one of the best, but he’s a little hard to take in big doses.”
They shared a smile, then awareness of what they’d done invaded the room, seeping into the cracks and crevices until they were surrounded by it. Memories rushed forward. The warmth of her skin. The taste of her mouth. The wet heat of her body gripping his. His temperature rose and his pulse jackhammered against his eardrums.
Sex. That was all it had been.
But damn, it had been good.
He needed to get her out of here before he did something stupid like give in to the temptation. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
“I wasn’t asleep. Have you eaten?”<
br />
“Not since breakfast.”
“Yesterday?” She barely waited for his nod, then crossed to the refrigerator and pulled out a pot. “Your mother sent some chicken and dumplin’s and told me to make sure you ate.”
“Madison, I can feed myself.”
She gave him a look that should have made his thickening anatomy duck for cover. “I know that.”
“Are you pregnant?”
She gasped at his blunt question. “I don’t know yet.”
“When will you know?”
“Soon, I hope. I’ve never been the regular type. Stress tends to throw off my cycle.”
“If you are—”
“I won’t be.” Her quick denial made it clear she didn’t want to discuss the possibility.
“If you are, what will you do?”
She bit her lip, ducked her head and busied herself by reaching into the cabinet for a bowl. Her hands shook as she ladled out the stew, very precisely covered it with plastic wrap then put it into the microwave and turned on the machine.
“Madison.”
“I don’t know, Adam.”
“Ignoring a problem won’t make it go away.”
“I’m not ignoring anything. I just refuse to panic unless there’s a need.”
“Will you panic if you are?”
Her throat moved visibly, and the pulse at the base—the one he’d laved with his tongue—fluttered wildly. “A baby would...complicate things.”
His gaze dropped to her flat stomach. Andrew’s words echoed in his head. “You don’t want children?”
“I never said that. I’m trying to be practical. The timing is wrong. Child care is expensive. Money is tight. I barter animal care for what I can’t afford, but I wouldn’t be willing to let just anyone look after a child in trade for services rendered.”
