by Donna Hill
“Yes, but—”
“And you would get a big portion of that with endorsements and sponsorship. Is that right?”
“Yes. I—”
“In other words you have a lot to gain by reclaiming your spot on the team and an awful lot to lose if you didn’t.”
Kelly felt warm all over. She laced her fingers together and squeezed them to keep from shaking. “Detective Scotto, if you have all that information then you know that I’ve been gone from Atlanta for almost two months taking rehab in New York for a broken ankle. I haven’t seen Stephanie since before I left.”
“But you have seen Coach Livingston. He was living with you at your hotel in New York and only recently returned after the assistant coach suffered a heart attack.” He smiled at the surprise in her eyes. “Yes, I do my homework, Ms. Maxwell. I also know that he made a recent trip to see you again and then you return to Atlanta, unannounced, and Stephanie Daniels is found dead. With her out of the way, your spot on the team would be in the bag as they say.”
Kelly’s eyes widened with alarm. “You aren’t accusing me of killing Stephanie?”
“Hmm, we’ll leave that for the District Attorney to decide. The M.E. is still running tests to determine the cause of death, but in the meantime, I need to do my part.”
“Is your part tossing out false accusations?” she fumed.
“My part is getting to the truth, no matter how ugly it may be. You may not like it, but it’s my job.”
She wanted to slap the smug look off his face. “If that’s the case then I think you need another day job.” She pushed back in her chair and stood. “If you don’t have any other accusations to make I’ll be leaving now.”
Vinny stood. “Of course. You’re free to go. I’m sure we’ll be talking again. And you know you can’t leave the jurisdiction.”
She threw him a nasty look. “Have a great day, Detective.” She snatched up her purse from the table and walked out praying that she wouldn’t collapse in a heap on the way.
When she reached her truck her cell phone was beeping. She checked her messages and there was one from Alex. She got in and turned on the ignition but couldn’t find the energy to pull off. She sat there for a few moments. She hadn’t spoken to Alex since their falling-out and just the sound of his voice on the message was enough to ease the tightness in her stomach.
She dialed his number and hoped that he’d pick up. The voice mail answered. She squeezed her eyes shut in disappointment, but left him a long message trying to bring him up to date but mostly to let him know how much she missed him and needed to talk to him.
With that done, she put her phone back in her purse and drove off.
When she reached her house the message light was flashing on her phone. With all that had transpired in the last forty-eight hours there was no telling who might be calling.
She sat down on the couch and pressed the flashing light. Two calls were from reporters who wanted an exclusive interview. One was a telemarketer and the last one sent a chill through her.
It was from Steven Mobley, the Atlanta Sports Commission liaison. He wanted everyone from the team to come in for mandatory drug testing. Her test was scheduled for the following morning.
She jumped at the sound of her ringing phone. With shaky hands she picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Baby, it’s me.”
“Oh, Alex, thank God.”
“How are you, what’s going on?”
She brought him up to date as best she could, leaving nothing out.
“I can’t believe that they think you had something to do with this.”
“Neither can I.”
“I know this is hard, but it’s only a matter of time before they sort this all out.”
“I know. It’s just the waiting that’s so unnerving.”
“Listen, about the other day, I’m sorry for overreacting. I had no right to go off on you like that. Of course you and David have a lot of history together. You wouldn’t be the woman that I’ve fallen in love with if you’d behaved any other way.”
“I’m sorry, too. I know my relationship with David is anything but conventional and I shouldn’t have assumed that you would take it without reacting. If you did, a girl might think you didn’t care.” She laughed lightly.
“Friends?”
“Friends.”
Alex paused a moment. “I think I’d better tell you this next bit of news before the press gets wind of it. It’s part of the reason why I called.”
“Oh no, what else could it be?”
“Charisse is Stephanie’s cousin.”
“What!”
“She called me this morning. Apparently, Charisse is listed as next of kin and she was notified.”
“The world is getting smaller by the minute,” she replied drolly.
“There’s more.”
“I don’t know if I want to hear it.”
“She’s on her way down there. You’re liable to run into her at some point. I didn’t want you to be taken by surprise.”
“Nothing surprises me at this point, Hutch. Can you come down here? I don’t want to deal with all this alone.”
“I’ve already made arrangements to be there by Saturday morning. Just hang in there, babe. It’s gonna be all right.”
“I’ll meet you at the airport.”
He gave her his flight information.
“I don’t know if I can last two more days,” she confessed, bone and brain weary.
“You will. Just try to relax and do what they ask.”
“I know.” She sighed.
“Get some rest. I’ll call you later tonight.”
“All right. I think I’ll lay down for a while.”
“Oh, were you able to get your documents?”
“No. I have no idea where David kept them. I feel so stupid.”
“Don’t. Don’t beat yourself up. You trusted him and you had no reason not to trust him. It’s as simple as that. We’ll get it all straightened out.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that,” she said, forcing some cheer into her voice.
“You got it. Listen, I have to run. I have a conference in about ten minutes.”
“Okay. Call me later. Don’t forget.”
He chuckled. “I’ll definitely try not to forget to call you.”
She laughed. “Talk to you later.”
“Later.”
“And, Hutch,” she said quickly.
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too. Bye for now.”
“Bye.” She hung up the phone.
She rested her head back against the cushions of the couch. Charisse was coming to town: her man’s baby mama and cousin to her now-dead rival and teammate. Could life get any stickier than this? If it weren’t so twisted she would laugh, but there was nothing even remotely funny.
Chapter 40
Here we are now
Kelly arrived at the clinic shortly before ten a.m., the damning words from the newspaper still spinning around in her head. Gold Medal Hopeful Stephanie Daniels Found Dead in her Atlanta Apartment… Now it appears with Maxwell on the mend and her competitor no longer a threat, Maxwell may well gain back her title of the golden girl.
David had been released on bail and called her that morning. He tried to assure her that everything was going to be all right, that he had nothing to do with Stephanie’s death and now these stories of steroid use on the team. He begged her to believe him, but she didn’t know what to believe anymore.
She went to the front desk. “I’m scheduled for a test,”
she said to the nurse.
The nurse looked up from the charts in front of her and smiled. “Name?”
“Kelly Maxwell.”
The nurse eyed her for a moment then typed some information into the computer. She looked up at Kelly. “Room 610. Down the hall, second door on the left.”
“Thanks.”
Kelly entered the room. There were two nurses and a guy in a suit. He was the typical-looking bureaucrat. Medium build, pale complexion with sandy brown hair, a nondescript face and a suit right off the rack.
“Ms. Maxwell?” the man in the suit said.
Kelly nodded. “Yes.”
“Have a seat. I’m Steven Mobley from the Sports Commission. I have some papers here that I need you to sign before you’re tested.”
“Papers?”
“Yes. Attesting to the fact that if steroids are found in your blood you agree that you will be removed from the team as a violation of the rules set by the Commission.” He handed her the papers. “Look them over and sign them. Then we can get started with the tests.”
Kelly took the papers, at least mildly thankful that her hands were not shaking. She looked them over and the words began to run around on the page. Nothing made sense. She was in the throes of an episode. All of the tension and stress had finally gotten to her. She drew in a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. She closed her eyes for a moment evoking visions of sandy beaches and brilliant blue waves rushing against the shore. She breathed in again, allowing her mind to take inventory of her body, section by section until she was relaxed. She drew in another deep breath.
“Ms. Maxwell,” Mr. Mobley barked.
Kelly wouldn’t let his tone affect her. She tuned him out and concentrated for a few seconds more on being completely relaxed. Slowly she opened her eyes.
He was scowling at her and the two nurses looked at her curiously.
“Migraine,” she said before focusing on the papers in her hands. The words made sense. Inwardly she smiled. She signed where indicated. The last thing she had to worry about was steroids.
Mobley oversaw the drawing of blood and labeling of the tubes and then she was free to go.
The moment she stepped outside cameras and popping flashbulbs were in her face.
“Ms. Maxwell, were you here to be tested for steroid use?”
“Are steroids the reason for your phenomenal performance on the track?”
“Was Coach Livingston administering steroids to the team?”
“What are your feelings about Stephanie Daniels’s use of steroids?”
Kelly pushed her way past them trying to hide her face as she hurried across the parking lot to her truck. The questions and the reporters followed her. She was barely able to get inside her truck and it wasn’t until she gunned the engine that they finally made room for her to drive off.
What in the world was going on? She knew that in the sports world random drug testing was the norm and with so many athletes taking steroids the commission had really cracked down. But the press had gotten wind of something.
She drove as quickly as the law allowed back to her house and prayed that the reporters felt like preying on someone else, at least long enough for her to get inside her door. No such luck.
She rode past a tight knot of cameramen and print reporters who were camped out in front of her house. She got out, looked each of them in the eye as they fired questions at her. She ignored them all and went inside.
Once on the other side of the door, she leaned back against it and gave in to the fatigue and anxiety. She slid down the door drawing her knees up to her chest. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. She should have listened to Alex. She should have stayed in New York.
Finally she pulled herself up from the floor and went to her bedroom. She stripped out of her clothes then went to run a hot bath.
Almost an hour later she emerged, feeling somewhat better. She fixed herself a light meal and settled down in front of the television.
At the top of the news was the Stephanie Daniels death. The M.E.’s report was back and the toxicology tests indicated that there were high levels of steroids found in the deceased’s blood. There was reason to believe that David Livingston, the team coach and prime suspect in Ms. Daniels’s death, may have provided the steroids not only to Ms. Daniels but the rest of the team. Several substances were removed from his home after a search warrant was issued.
Kelly aimed the remote at the television and turned it off. This was worse than a nightmare.
The next time Kelly came out of her house was to go to the airport to pick up Alex. The newshounds had dwindled down to less than a half-dozen as she zoomed past them wishing she could mow them down without having charges brought against her.
As usual airport security was tight. She had to circle the airport twice before she spotted Alex standing near the curbside pickup.
A warm feeling of peace filled her when she saw him. The knot that had been in her stomach for days slowly loosened and she smiled for the first time in what felt like far too long. She pulled up in front of him.
Alex opened the door, tossed his bag in the backseat and hopped in.
“Don’t move,” he said.
She frowned. “Why, what’s wrong?”
“I just want to look at you for a minute.”
She giggled.
“You’re still as beautiful as I remembered.” He leaned close and kissed her with such tenderness that Kelly’s chest ached. Slowly he eased back and caressed her cheek. “God I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” she whispered.
A security guard tapped on the window. “You can’t stay here,” he said.
Kelly rolled her eyes, and eased out onto the exit road. “How was the flight?”
“Not bad. Lousy food, of course.”
“Well, I’ll fix us something when we get back to my place.” She glanced at him. “I think I should warn you that you’re going to have to run the gauntlet of reporters when we get there. They’ve been living outside my house since I got back in town.”
“Oh boy, that bad huh?”
“Yes, this is big news, at least until something else piques their interest.”
“Have you heard anything new?”
“No. Just waiting for the tests results to come back, which should be any day now.”
He put his hand on her thigh. “How are you, really?”
“Exhausted, frustrated.” She turned to him. “But I’m a helluva lot better now that you’re here.”
“Well, I took a short leave. So I’m here for as long as you need me.”
“You don’t know how glad I am to hear that.”
When they arrived at her house, the news van was still parked outside and several reporters were milling about. They came to attention when her truck approached.
“Here we go,” she said.
He took her hand. “I’m here now.” He reached into the backseat and took his bag then got out. He came around to her side and opened her door. When she stepped out he put his arm around her shoulders and walked her to the door, shielding her from the onslaught of flashbulbs and questions.
“Whew!” he breathed once they’d shut the
door behind them. “You’ve been dealing with this all week?” He peeked out of the window.
“Everywhere I go. Don’t be surprised if you see your face in the papers tomorrow as some sort of accomplice.”
“Unreal.”
“Let me show you around so you can relax and get comfortable.” She took his hand and walked him through the rooms. “Make yourself at home,” she said, when they got to her bedroom.
“I like the sound of that.” He gave her a wink.
Kelly giggled. “You can use the top drawer and put whatever you want in the closet. And you can—”
He swept her into his arms and looked down into her upturned face. “When this is all behind us, I thought we could take a trip somewhere.”
“Have somewhere in mind?”
“A deserted island. Just me and you.”
“Hmm, Dr. Hutchinson, that sounds very naughty.”
“You haven’t seen naughty.”
He ran his hands along her back until her body curved into his. His lips found hers and he moaned into the sweetness of her mouth. Then like a scene from An Officer and a Gentleman, he swept her up into his arms. She almost expected to hear applause when he carried her across the room and laid her down on the bed. He lay down beside her, kissing her, holding her, telling her how much he missed her, how much he loved her, all the while removing her clothes.
When she was fully naked he began his worship of her body, starting at her head, and worked his way down her body, with a slow intensity that had Kelly’s senses reeling. His mouth and hands worked in tandem alternately arousing every inch of her exposed flesh with hot kisses and titillating caresses.
Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt but finally got them undone. Then she went to work on the belt and zipper. He pulled off his loosened clothing and tossed them on the floor next to Kelly’s. She drew in a sharp breath when she felt the power of his erection pressing against her thigh. He was rock-hard and just the thought of him inside her again set her own juices flowing.
