Maddie was so much happier than she had been before but it wasn’t always easy being open and freely sharing. For a while it would be nice if things just went smooth. Right now though, Maddie needed to make sure Aiden knew that she hadn’t meant to hurt him and that she loves him.
Taking a deep breath. Maddie tried to gather all the strength she had inside herself because it was really important that she get this right.
“You have been walking around and working totally unprotected!” Aiden carried on growling. “Anything could have happened to you. He could have gotten to you any time!”
Maddie looked at him biting her lip. For Aiden it wasn’t just that she hadn’t told him about Charles being on the loose but Maddie being unsafe too. He felt like she was unprotected and he had left her like that.
“Aiden.” Maddie said in a softer, almost soothing tone.
“Ruby I love you to bits.” Aiden cut in again. “Always will, but you left me in the dark again. Except this time it wasn’t just between me and you, it was way bigger than that. You could have been taken, hurt or god knows what.”
Maddie could feel each of his words sink in and, just like they were meant to, they got her thinking.
How could she have been so stupid with her own safety?
When in her life did Maddie start putting her safety at risk? When did she think it was okay to play so fast and loose with it?
Maddie wasn’t sure but things were different. She had people around her that were counting on her being about for a long time. So that meant she had to start looking after herself better. Protecting herself and, mostly, sharing things so that other people can help look after her too.
“Do you understand?” Aiden asked.
Maddie looked down at her hands trying to take this all on board. It would take work but she would get there.
“Yeah.” Maddie replied, her tone saying it all. “I understand.”
There was a second or two pause as both of them took everything that had been said in and what that meant for them. There had been a change happen in this car today, a good change.
“Right.” Aiden said. “That’s it done.” It does need to be talked about anymore.”
Aiden was right. They had talked about it, or rather he had, they agreed on it, thought on it and now things would be different going forward. Better.
It was totally the opposite of everything that had ever happened between her and Charles.
This was how things were meant to be.
Taking a deep breath Maddie turned her thoughts towards her friend in the hospital bed. For now she needed to give that her full attention. Aiden and Maddie were still going to bed together at night, like always. Other people needed them now.
As the pulled into the car park Maddie had stayed quiet the rest of the way. Aiden needed time to think some more and she was okay to give that to him. Before she could do anything he had parked, jumped out the car and had walked round to open her door. She had undone her belt and he helped her down.
As they walked towards the doors that led into the main reception area, Aiden took her hand and they walked in as a unit ready to face whatever they could.
That was Aiden, even though he was hurt and angry that she had not told him about Charles, he still tried to give her support and comfort through just holding her hand.
He seemed to know exactly where to go, maybe the nurse hadn’t told him what ward she was on. As they pushed through the double doors to the intensive care unit they were confronted with several police officers in uniform and a man in a brown leather jacket. He was about 6 foot tall with long, and right now, messy hair. He had paired the jacked with blue jeans and white plain t-shit and brown trainers. The man stood in amongst the officers writing things down as he spoke to them.
As Maddie and Aiden got closer he put his arm over her shoulders and pulled her in so that the front of her body was flat against his side. It was clearly a mark that said ‘she is mine’. Maddie didn’t mind at all. Bringing her arms up she wrapped them around his waist and gave him some of her weight.
When they were only a few steps away the Leather Jacketed man looked up to watch them. When his eyes settled on Maddie’s face he clearly showed recognition on his face before he excused himself from the officer he was talking to and walked towards them.
“Do you know him?” Aiden whispered in her ear before the man got to them.
Having no time to respond she just shook her head slightly and hoped that Aiden noticed.
“Mrs Wallace?” The blonde man asked.
Maddie tensed.
“Ms Smith.” Aiden said firmly.
The man looked at Aiden. Really it was more than a look it was taking him in from head to toe, as if he was taking every detail about the man and trying to decide what he thought of him. Then his eyes flicked to her and he did exactly the same thing.
“And you are?” Aiden asked clearly not liking the looks that they were getting.
Then man reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He then flipped it open to show a police badge.
“Detective Miller.” He said calmly as if he wasn’t bothered by Aiden at all. “We spoke on the phone…Ms Smith.”
Maddie breathed a little easier and nodded again at the man. Slowly she pulled an arm away from Aiden and held it out to shake the detectives.
“Yes, of course we did. It’s nice to meet you in person.” She said softly.
Miller’s eyebrows rose slightly at her words and actions but he shook her hand.
“This is my partner Aiden Scott.” Maddie carried on, introducing Aiden. “I would really like to talk to you more but right now I would really like to see Jean. Do you think I can see her?”
The two men stared at each other for a moment before Aiden gave his head a little nod and that was it. It seemed like they had sized each other up and found that they both weren’t too bad.
“I have just a couple of questions first.” Miller said pulling out his wallet again.
Maddie found herself totally not okay with answering questions first. She wanted to get to her friend. She wanted to hold Jean’s hand and whisper into her ear and tell her that everything is going to be okay. Maddie had been where Jean is now and although those words wouldn’t feel true just now she knew they would burrow in and end up being a life line that she needs in her recovery.
“Okay but can we please be quick.” Maddie said then rubbed a hand over her face. “Sorry that was really rude. It’s the middle of the night or maybe later than that and I love my sleep. Still I am sorry there is no excuse.”
The detective looked at her with a raised brow again before nodding. It also looked like he was trying to hide a grin but she had no idea why. Maddie hadn’t said anything funny. Aiden and Miller would both get on great, they both laughed at nothing.
“That is totally understandable Ms Smith.” Miller said smoothly as Aiden gave her a comforting squeeze.
“Call me Maddie.” She said looking down at her feet.
She really just wanted to go in and see her friend. The sooner she got through these questions the sooner she could be by Jean’s side.
“Maybe you can start asking the questions, Jean probably wants to see Maddie more than she wants to see her and you can see Maddie really wants to see Jean.” Aiden said in a slightly confusing way that made total sense. Somehow.
The detective nodded and looked down at the notebook in his hand and flicked through a couple of pages before deciding what he wanted to ask or maybe how he wanted to ask it.
“What time did Jean leave your flat last night?” Miller asked looking up at Aiden.
Maddie had no idea! She hadn’t looked at a clock. Honestly she had always found it funny that people knew exactly what time they were doing things in TV programs. Maddie rarely looked at a clock and never wore a watch.
“Half 11.” Aiden answered straight away.
Looking up at him quickly Maddie’s mouth fell open a little.
&n
bsp; “You know exactly what time?” She asked surprised.
Aiden looked down at her smiling.
“Yeah. I offered to call her a taxi while you were saying bye to Eddie and Fiona. She refused. Said it wasn’t far and she wanted to see where you lived considering you love it so much.” Aiden said, looking at her then turning to Miller to make sure he was listening too.
The Detective was paying attention and was writing everything down.
“Mrs Masters was staying at the Casterfield Inn?” Miller asked.
Maddie knew it was a question but worded it in a way were it might not have been. She didn’t know why this struck her as odd but it did.
“Yeah.” Maddie responded.
“Did you visit her there?” The detective carried on.
“No.” Maddie replied.
Why did he want to know if she had visited her there?
“I dropped her off there yesterday and picked her up tonight to take her to the flat.” Aiden answered too. “I never went in.”
Miller nodded and kept writing. Maddie felt like she was under suspicion again. Did this man think that she or Aiden had done this to Jean? That they would lay a hand on that lovely older woman?
“Have you heard from your ex-husband?” Miller then asked and with it took all the air out of her lungs.
She felt sick to the core. Maddie hadn’t been wrong with her suspicion about who had done this to Jean. It was her fault. Maddie had done this to Jean, it was her fault that all of this was happening.
“No.” Maddie breathed. “I haven’t heard from him.”
Aiden looked down at her, his eyebrows lowered. He knew what she was thinking. Damn, why did he have to be so good at reading her mind? Aiden looked away from her and back to the Detective who was watching Maddie’s reaction too.
“Do you think he did this?” Aiden asked, his voice hard and demanding.
Miller slowly looked away from her and to Aiden, he gave a little nodded and looked back to Maddie, who had not missed the nod.
Her legs seemed to lose all feeling and felt like she was going to fall. Aiden felt this and reacted straight away by wrapping both his arms around her before moving her so that she was stood in front of him with her back to the detective.
“Look at me Maddie.” Aiden said softly.
Maddie couldn’t her head was swimming with so many bad thoughts. Her stomach made her feel like it was doing summer-saults. Her legs definitely weren’t working now. Her head even felt light, it was stopping her from thinking of anything other than Charles and how it felt when he punched her. Her hand rose to her ribs as she remembered the kicks to her chest that use to make her wheeze for days.
“Ruby look at me.” Aiden said much sterner and using a couple of fingers under her jaw, he tilted her head up.
Working hard she managed to get her eyes to focus on his. They were dark and swirling with emotion but none of it seemed to be blame directed at her. If anything they were filled with concern.
But it was all her fault. Maddie had gone against her instinct to run. Instead she had stayed and made friends, Aiden had even hunted out past friends to bring them to her. Basically Maddie had made it easy for Charles. Everybody and everything she had ever loved was now in one easy place, one big target for him to easily hit and take out. He would as well. Charles would do everything he could to make her hurt. It was her punishment.
“None of this is your fault so get that out of your head right fuckin’ now.” Aiden declared passionately. “You need to listen to this and make sure you take it in okay?”
Maddie took a deep breath to try and steady herself. Even just hearing these words made her legs feel a little bit steadier, the fog in her head was clearing and the now familiar warmth of Aiden’s body started seeping into her cold one.
Nodding her head was Maddie’s only reply to his question, she didn’t quite trust her voice yet.
“You had a dinner party and invited your friends, they had a good time and then went home. There was nothing there that was bad or wrong in any bloody way so stop thinking like that.” Aiden said trying to get his point across to her, he dropped his head so their foreheads were touching as he carried on. “HE is the asshole here not you. HE is the bastard that attacked an old woman. HE is the one, and only, person to blame here not you.”
Maddie didn’t blink at all as she let his words fill her ears and head. Aiden was right without a doubt and although it made her feel better it didn’t take away from the feeling that she had brought this on herself. Maddie had tried to live a life where she could be happy and now Charles was punishing her. This was done as a message and she got it loud and clear.
Charles was having fun but ultimately he was coming for her.
“Excuse me but I really need to ask a couple more questions.” Miller said from somewhere behind her.
Going up on her tip toes she gently kissed him. Aiden took over straight away and made it a quick passionate kiss before he let her move so she was tucked into his side again.
Now Maddie was embarrassed. Not by the kiss, no she would never be ashamed of what she and Aiden had together. What made her cringe was her mini break down that Detective Miller had seen. More was the sympathy she could see in his eyes and right next to that was pity.
“So you haven’t heard from Charles Wallace since we spoke on the phone?” Miller asked far more carefully this time.
Taking a deep breath Maddie tried to keep her voice level as she answered.
“No I haven’t heard from him or Craig since we last spoke.” Maddie said softly. “But…”
At that word she could feel Aiden getting tense next to her and the Detective going on alert and paying more attention to her words. He even stopped writing.
“About four weeks ago I was coming home from work and I thought I was being followed.” Maddie whispered staring at the floor. “I never saw anything but I was sure there was someone there. So sure I ran the last street to my building.”
“Did you even see anyone following you?” The Detective asked watching her closely.
“No.” Maddie said her voice certain. “I never saw anybody. I…I just knew that there was somebody there.”
Aiden squeezed her side and spoke up.
“I was waiting for her outside her flat. Maddie had come running up the stairs scared.” Aiden confirmed. “Her neighbour, Sarah Clarkson, was there and saw it too. When she let Marvin, her husky, out of her flat he went running down the stairs as if he was after someone. He then came back and never left her side for the rest of the day.”
Miller nodded and started writing at twice the speed of before.
“Does the dog often run off by himself?” Miller asked without lifting his head from his notes.
“No, that dog is scarily well trained and would never leave Maddie unless he thought there was danger that he could get.” Aiden replied telling nothing but the truth.
Miller kept writing and then turned around to nod to one of the police officers in uniform to come towards him.
“Do you know what room number Mrs Masters was staying in?” Miller asked.
Maddie shook her head and gave more of her weight to Aiden. He didn’t even react to it and she loved that. Her man was strong enough to take her weight so easily and didn’t mind when she gave it to him. If anything he liked that she lent on him.
“14. I booked the room.” Aiden said.
The Detective nodded and gave orders to the officer to go and check out room 14 at the Casterfield Inn. He did all of this still writing. Maddie wanted to know what he was thinking but at the same time she really didn’t. If he told her she could maybe be more informed, if she didn’t…well then she could stay in ignorant bliss.
“You can go and see Mrs Masters now but I might want to ask you more questions at a later date.” Miller ordered finally looking up at her. “Okay?”
Maddie nodded straight away and looked up at Aiden. She wanted to go into her friend’s room now but could sense th
at Aiden had more questions.
“Go ahead Ruby.” Aiden said giving her a kiss on her nose. “I am going to ask a couple questions then I will be in too.”
Looking up at him she knew he was doing what he felt he needed to do to protect her. If anything important came out of these questions that she needed to know he would tell her. Maddie trusted him.
Tilting her head back she waited until he bent down and kissed her lips before she whispered.
“Okay baby, see you in there.” Turning to the Detective she gave him a little smile. “It was nice to meet you Detective Miller.”
He gave Maddie a chin lift before watching her walk away. She could feel both the men watching her walk to the room but it didn’t stop her from taking several big breaths to prepare himself before walking in.
Maddie knew what she would find and seeing her friend with several lines and cables coming from different parts of her body, some hooked up to machines others drips, she still had to fight the tears that rushed to her eyes.
Jean’s face was swollen and from the way she was laying Maddie knew that her ribs hurt. One of her arms was in a cast and there were bruises all over her body that showed that this had not been a quick attack by Charles but a long strung out one. It was meant to bring the most pain to Jean as he could and for Charles…the most enjoyment.
“Oh honey I am so sorry.” Maddie breathed before she walked further into the room.
Jean’s eyes blinked several times before focusing on her. When they did the panic spread across her face and she tried to move in the bed.
“You should stay still.” Maddie said softly walking round the bed to take the hand that was not in a cast. “It will hurt less that way.”
“Run.” Jean croaked out in reply.
Maddie frowned looking at her injured friend. She did not like where this was going. Fear, desperation and regret flooded her body and she found herself gripping Jean’s hand a little tighter.
Becoming Maddie (The Casterhouse series Book 1) Page 29
