“How nice.” I glared back.
“He also thought someone should warn you about your friendship with that character Spoon.”
“Spoon’s not a bad guy,” Zach interjected.
“He did a good job on my car, and I got it back looking like new,” Mother said.
“Moron also wanted me to tell you that renting to one of Spoon’s parolee friends is a bad idea. Most of them go right back to prison. Why would you rent to someone who just got out of prison? Why not drug addicts?”
“Prison?” Mother said, horrified.
“What would Elizabeth think?” Brad asked. “I’ll tell you, what she’d think is that she made a bad decision leaving you The Cottages.”
Beneath the table, Zach put his hand over mine and squeezed.
“I can’t believe you had a conversation about me with someone who hasn’t met me,” I told Brad. “You’re making all kinds of accusations without facts. I’d never be so disloyal to you, and I’ll not sit here while you question me about pure gossip,” my voice rose.
Brad turned to Mother. “Have you noticed she’s become a master at not answering a question with a straight answer?”
“How’s this for clear, Brad?” I said. “Go fuck yourself.”
“Madison!” Mother chastised.
The silence around the table was deafening. Brad and I continued to glare at one another.
“So what’s a security expert?” Brad asked Zach.
“Stop!” I yelled. In an attempt to change the subject, I asked, “Did you win at poker, Mother?”
“I did, but not as much as I wanted.”
“You’re a lot like your sister,” Zach said. “Elizabeth had a weekly poker group. She loved those games.”
“I used to play with them when we came for vacation. We always had a lot of fun.”
“Madison, at some point you’re going to have to let us ask your boyfriend a question or two,” Brad continued, intent on forging ahead with grilling Zach.
“How’s your love life, Brad? Got any more hot psycho babes stashed out in The Glades?”
“Really you two,” my mother pleaded. “You’re acting like children, and ruining a family dinner.”
I gave it right back to her. “When exactly did you call and invite Brad to dinner? Before or after you invited Zach? When you called Brad, did you tell him Zach would be coming?”
“Madison, there’s no need to protect me. Not tonight anyway,” Zach said.
Mother stood up. “Who wants dessert? Crème brulee or ice cream?” The mention of dessert broke the tension.
“Who’s going to take ice cream or over crème brulee?” I asked.
“No thank you, Madeline,” Zach told her. “I’ll share with Madison.”
“If he eats more than two bites, he gets his own,” I said. He’s crazy. No one shares dessert, at least not in this family.
* * *
“Let’s go outside and sit by the pool,” I suggested to Zach.
Brad, who refused to be left inside by himself, followed us.
“You never said what happened to your leg,” Brad reminded Zach.
“I got shot. No damage, just hurts a lot.”
“Shot?” Mother asked as she walked out on the patio. “Is that part of your job?”
“It’s a hazard of the job,” Zach tried to sound casual. “Thankfully it doesn’t happen often.”
“I’ll help you do the dishes,” I told Mother.
“Brad can help me. You stay with Zach.”
I mouthed a thank you to her.
“I’m rinsing, you load,” Brad told her as they walked into the house together.
I looked at Zach. “Let’s go put our feet in the pool. We need to talk.”
He looked at me, a serious look on his face. “I don’t think I can get my hand inside your dress if we sit on concrete.”
“How would you like it if I stuck my hand up your pants?” Did I really just say that?
“Yeah. My turn?” His big smile told me he would remember my suggestion.
“How about if I owe you one?”
“That will be the best IOU I’ve gotten to-date.”
“Since we’ve met, you’ve been shot twice, I’ve killed someone, and now a dead body has turned up. Not to mention Tucker, the irritating Will, and let’s not forget Harder.”
“What’s going on with Tucker and Will, I might be able to help. I’ll send Slice over,” he suggested. “He can straighten out Tucker. He’s afraid of Slice. They had an argument once that didn’t end well for Tucker.”
“Whit recommended a real probate attorney, Howard Sherman. Tucker doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to follow through and hire Mr. Sherman. He can deal with Tucker and handle my interest in the estate. I’m out of my league where Tucker’s concerned. He’s a master manipulator.” I kept quiet about my impromptu visit to his office. I didn’t want to admit that he scares me.
“I gave Cruz your number. He can represent you when you go to Harder’s office. Unlike Tucker, he has an excellent reputation.”
“Aren’t you going to ask what I was doing coming out of your bedroom?” I asked.
“At the hospital, Fab began explaining and at the same time yelling that she was glad I was alive,” Zach laughed. “I didn’t ask her to try and make sense. I learned a long time ago to wait until she calms down.”
“She seems like a person who never loses her cool.”
“For the most part, she doesn’t. When she does start yelling, that’s her way of telling you how important you are to her.”
“I’m not sure where to begin.”
“I wish the first time you’d come to my place had ended in hot sex, not gun shots.”
“My thoughts exactly,” I said, against his lips.
“I could sneak into your bedroom later.” He kissed me, his finger tracing my neck.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Brad said, sitting in a chair next to us.
“You are,” I retorted.
“Mother is going to bed soon.”
I laughed at him. “That is such a huge lie, Bradley.”
“I need to leave,” Zach said, standing and pulling me into another kiss. “Come with me,” he whispered.
“Can you imagine?” I giggled. “I don’t want to disappoint my Mother.”
“When do you think you’ll get back to The Cove?”
“I’ll be home by late morning.”
“I’ll meet you at the house. In the meantime, I’m going to learn everything I can about The Cottages, and everyone who lives there. We’ll figure this out.”
“I’m sorry my brother was so rude to you,” I apologized. “He wanted to make sure you weren’t anything like my ex-husband.”
“I would terrorize any guy who liked one of my sisters, and chase off any I deemed unworthy. Thank goodness they’re all married.”
“Wouldn’t you give the guy a chance?”
“Hell no. I’d check the guy out every which way, and if I didn’t like what I found out, he’d be gone. Your brother doesn’t have my resources. We should be happy Moron hasn’t heard about the shooting and the dead body yet. This could’ve been a lot worse.”
“I’ll never get used to calling anyone Moron. Mr. Moron, maybe. When I do meet him, I’ll make it clear he’s not to rat me out to my brother ever again. I’ll take Slice along.”
“Taking the big guy?” Zach shook his head. “Walk me to the door. Your mother is standing over there giving me the evil eye.”
Zach and I walked over to Mother. “Thank you for inviting me, Madeline.” He kissed her cheek. “Come down to The Cove for dinner sometime.”
“I’d like that. And thank you for the hand-rolled cigars. I’m looking forward to sitting out here and enjoying one.”
“Cigars?” I said, confused.
“A hostess present,” my mother answered. “Wasn’t that nice?”
At the door, I grabbed Zach by the shirt, pulling him close, kissing him. “You s
cored on the cigars. Hand-rolled, very nice! I’m glad you came.”
“Kiss me like that again.”
And I did. I watched as he walked to his car, wishing for a different ending to the evening.
“Mother, you outdid yourself on dinner,” I told her, walking back into the house. “I’m going to bed.”
“You slept all day,” she said, frowning. “How can you still be tired?”
“Mostly, I’m tired of the way you two treated Zach. I’m going to my room before I say something I can’t take back. Good night.”
Chapter 25
Making my way downstairs, I could smell the coffee brewing. “Morning, Mother,” I kissed her cheek. “Any pecan rolls left?”
“I went out early and got some more, there on the counter.”
“Where’s Brad?” I asked, taking a roll from the plate. If you had a favorite anything, Mother had it for you when you came to visit.
“Still asleep. We stayed up late talking, and we shared a cigar.”
“I’m going to shower and head home after breakfast. Zach and I are meeting for lunch. Maybe we’ll spend the day together.”
“How are you feeling? You look better than yesterday.”
“I feel good,” I reassured her. “I guess I needed the sleep.”
“You are secretive, Madison.” She sounded worried.
“I’m going to work on that. Can you keep my secrets and not interfere with my decisions?”
“I can keep secrets. I can try on the other.”
I gave her a big hug. “I’ll be back soon. We can go to lunch and shop.”
I put my dishes in the dishwasher, then showered. I pulled on a coral smocked summer dress and matching flip-flops, which had big flowers between the toes. “Come on, Jazz, time to go home.”
Brad sat in the kitchen drinking coffee. “I’ll carry the cat and your bag out to the car,” he offered.
Mother pointed to the familiar pink box and said, “The bakery box is for you. Do I know my daughter or what?”
“You’re the best. I love being spoiled. I have so much more appreciation as an adult.”
“Promise you’ll do this again,” Mother said.
“Come and stay with me for a few days. We could do an overnight trip to Key West. Now that would be some shopping.”
“Sounds like fun. Be nice to your brother on the way out.”
I hugged Mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I love you.”
“How mad are you?” Brad asked, once we were outside.
“Give Zach a chance. He’s no Dickhead. You’ll like him.”
“I figured out pretty quickly that he’s no Dickhead. I liked the fact he took the grilling when he could’ve told me to stick it. I can see he likes you.”
“We need to do the family dinner thing; get together and barbecue at my house.”
“Your house. Now that sounds weird.” He seemed a little sad.
“It does, doesn’t it? You’re welcome anytime. Nothing’s changed from the way Elizabeth left everything. Just more seashells.”
“You and your seashells,” he shook his head. “Keep in better touch and I won’t worry so much.”
“You too,” I gave him a big hug. “Love you.”
“Back at you.”
* * *
“We’re in the kitchen,” Zach called out.
We? Now was not the time to ask them to wait to be invited inside. I never made an issue of it before, accepting people walking into my house as normal. I walked in the kitchen to find Zach, Axe, and Fab were standing around the kitchen island.
“Is there anything more to bring in?” Axe asked, heading outside.
“My bag and Jazz’s stuff.”
“Stay here,” Axe told me. “The food just arrived.”
I turned to Zach. “Take out?”
“From Jake’s bar,” he said, pointing to the familiar containers.
“Poor guy. Jake’s aware you’re all here, and he doesn’t have any idea what’s going on.”
“At least he can keep his mouth shut, unlike Moron,” Fab laughed. “I heard he met your brother and shared way too much information.”
“I can’t wait to meet this Moron fellow. I thought Brad would have a stroke. Thankfully, he wasn’t up on the latest or, it could’ve been a lot worse,” I said.
“What did you tell your family?” Fab asked.
“Nothing. Although they both commented on how much I’ve changed since the move. How I’ve gotten more secretive.”
“Their finding out is inevitable. Then what?” Fab questioned.
“Lots of hard feelings. I’ll think about it tomorrow or the day after. Like Scarlett.”
Axe pushed open the door for the second time. “How does the damn cat have more traveling gear than you do?” he asked, coming in with Jazz’s stuff.
“Damn cat? I hope he pees on your leg.”
“What a nasty smell,” Zach laughed.
“Did Jake send over chicken enchiladas?” I asked, heading over to the counter where the food containers were stacked.
“I joked with Jake to send your favorite. He just sent a container marked with your name. So how much time do you spend at Jake’s?” Zach asked with a raised eyebrow.
A male voice called out, “Anyone home?”
“We’re in the kitchen,” Zach yelled.
Kevin came walking through the door. He had on rumpled blue jeans, a white golf shirt, and his hair was messy. Who’d guess that under that sheriff’s uniform he had such a great body?
“Something smells good.”
“Jake’s. There’s enough food for ten people,” Zach told him. “Get a plate.”
“Hey, Madison, how are you doing?” Kevin asked.
“Not as freaked out as yesterday.”
“What’s happening with the investigation at The Cottages?” Zach asked.
“The dead guy was ID’d as one Oscar Wyatt,” Kevin announced. “He got released from a prison in Georgia about a month ago. Theft, burglary, your basic small-time con with a lengthy rap sheet. We’re working the theory that he ripped off the wrong guy, who got mad enough to put a .38 in the back of his head.”
“Any tie to The Cottages? Any unusual spike in local crime?” Zach questioned.
“No more than usual. Same as always. Auto burglaries, personal property theft, drunkenness in one form or another, nothing new there,” Kevin answered. “We showed his picture around. No one stepped forward to identify him. As a matter of fact, no one claims to have ever seen him in town anywhere.”
“What’s a low-level criminal with no known associations doing here in The Cove?” Zach was surprised. “New people always get noticed.”
“We couldn’t find any information on him after he left prison. He dropped off the map, which isn’t uncommon.” Kevin said.
“Why was Harder working so hard to tie Madison to this guy?” Axe asked.
“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” I said.
“It’s no secret he hates Zach. Big disappointment to him that Neal Cooper didn’t kill you,” Kevin laughed, looking at Zach. “The more interesting part is the manager at The Cottages pointed the finger at you,” Kevin said, turning to me.
“Why would he do that?” Zach asked.
“He doesn’t like me either, and the feeling is mutual,” I said quietly. All eyes were on me. “But I didn’t realize he disliked me enough to accuse me of murder.”
“Blaming someone for murder goes beyond dislike,” Axe said.
“His attitude has never made any sense to me.” This morning I’d been happy to come back home. I changed my mind. I should’ve stayed at my mother’s and fessed up. I do crises better in numbers.
“He told Harder you sneak around the property at all hours,” Kevin relayed. “Go in and out of your tenants’ cottages when you know they’re not home.”
“Everything Will said in his statement were the same accusations that had been made against Will and his partner.” I found
it hard to believe all of this was happening.
“He also told Harder that you and Spoon have some sort of secret business dealings,” Kevin continued. “And that you let an ex-con move in, that you claim is a family member, demanded copies of all of the keys, and that’s when the body showed up. Harder was jerking you around because he could. You were never a serious suspect.” Kevin popped the top on his beer.
“Will definitely hates you, he made that clear,” Kevin said, looking at me. “Harder and I figured he took one or two facts, and embellished them into a big story. We’d both pretty much discounted everything he said by the time we cleared the doorstep.”
“Harder wanted me to come in for an interview, and he changed his mind. What happened?” I asked, trying to control my temper and my fear.
“Harder and Tucker are not only friends, but they’re business partners,” Kevin answered. “Right now they’re working on some big real estate deal. My informant at headquarters told me that Tucker wanted you jerked around and out of his hair. He has plans for The Cottages that don’t include you running them.”
“Once Harder was notified of the time of death, he verified your alibi, and moved on to other leads. I also heard he got a call from the chief, and the chief told him to back off unless he had something solid. Anyone you know call in a favor?” Kevin asked, looking at Zach.
“My attorney, Cruz Campion,” Zach answered. “Cruz and Chief Reese play golf together on a regular basis. Cruz called the chief to make him aware he’d replaced Tucker Davis. He requested that if Harder needed to speak with Madison again, call him directly, and he’d set up a meeting.”
“What do you know about Will?” Fab asked me.
“Nothing really. Tucker hired him after Elizabeth died. One of the tenants accused him of the same things he accused me of doing. He threatens the tenants, sneaks around the property and the neighborhood. He got into a fight because he was accused of going into one of the units. No one at The Cottages likes him,” I told everyone.
“What’s Will’s last name? I’ll give the info to my skip tracer and see what she comes up with,” Zach suggested.
“Will Todd. Don’t forget to run Forrest.”
Crazy in Paradise Page 15
