Death's Door

by Meryl Sawyer

  “We have plenty of money.” A cold prickling sensation started on her cheeks, then crept down her back. Aiden always handled the finances. She was good at math, better than he was, but their business was relatively simple and he’d insisted on doing it.

  “We’re missing a quarter of a million dollars.”

  “Missing?” she repeated as if it were a foreign word. She was suddenly conscious of the anxiety reflected in Aiden’s eyes. A pulsing knot formed in her chest. It was one of those things she just knew without being told. Chloe had taken the money.

  “I logged on this morning and it was gone.”

  “Was it there yesterday?” she asked as she logged on to her computer.

  “Yes.”

  She heard the threat of tears in his voice. The only other time she’d known Aiden to cry was when he told her how sorry he was for hurting her, but he loved Chloe. She typed in Chloe’s password. “What is the exact amount we’re missing?”

  “Two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.” His voice was still shaky.

  There it was sitting in Chloe’s account. It was right there on the screen. She opened the drawer, took out her purse and found Special Agent Wells’s card. She picked up her desk phone and began dialing.

  “Who are you calling?” Aiden wanted to know.

  “Where’s Chloe?” she asked, continuing to punch in the number.

  “At the doctor. What does it matter where she is? Who are you calling?”

  “The FBI.” The phone started to ring.

  “That’s ridiculous. They can’t help us. This isn’t a federal case. I think we should go to Luis Estevez for a loan. I want you to come with me.”

  Special Agent Wells answered on the second ring. “It’s Madison Connelly. I want to report a crime in progress. Can you do anything about that?”

  “Depends. What’s going on?”

  “I’m at my company. Two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars is missing from our business account. I have Chloe Larsen’s personal account up on my screen. Our money is sitting in her account. It was deposited there early this morning.”

  “What?” Aiden vaulted out of his chair and stormed to her side of the desk. “I don’t believe this.”

  “I’ll freeze the account,” Wells told her. “As part of a federal investigation I can do that. You’ll need to get a lawyer and start proceedings.”

  “Please hurry,” she said, aware that Aiden was reading her computer screen over her shoulder. “You saw how fast my money disappeared.”

  “It’ll take less than five minutes.”

  “That’s not our money,” Aiden insisted, his face becoming the color of an eggplant. “That’s from Chloe’s trust fund.”

  “Chloe doesn’t have a trust fund. Her parents aren’t wealthy, but you wouldn’t know that, would you? You’ve never met them.”

  “They died in an auto accident.”

  “No. They’re alive and well. They’re high school science teachers in Fresno.”

  “I don’t believe you.” There was a kernel of doubt in his voice.

  “I could care less what you believe. I have proof that Chloe took my money. I gave it to the FBI this morning. That’s why I had Special Agent Wells’s card so handy.”

  “You’re just saying this because you hate Chloe for taking me away from you.”

  “You’re right, I hate her, but she did me a favor by getting you out of my life. I hate her for taking my money. I hate her for taking money from a Stanford University special marine project.”

  “Where are you getting all this?” Aiden’s voice was barely a whisper.

  “Sit down, Aiden.”

  Aiden did as he was told. He slumped down into the chair. Disbelief etched the face she’d once found so handsome. He was a weak man. How could she not have seen it?

  “Chloe loves me. She wouldn’t do this to me.”

  “Maybe she does love you, but she loves online gambling more.” She went into her purse again and found the card Tobias Pennington had given her. She had the feeling Wyatt’s assistant would know a lawyer who handled these kinds of cases.

  Madison thought of calling Nathan Cassidy, but there was something about the man that caused her not to trust him. Paul might not have found a link between Nathan and trips to Boston during the time the other donor-conceived children were murdered but that didn’t mean Nathan wasn’t involved. Instead of contacting Nathan, she dialed the number and Tobias answered on the first ring.

  “Hello. It’s Madison Connelly. Am I getting you at a bad time?”

  “Not at all. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m at work. I’ve discovered an employee has taken a considerable amount of money. The FBI has frozen her account, but to get it back I have hire a lawyer. Do you know someone who handles cases like this?”

  “Yes, but it’s going to cost you and it’ll take time. You’d be better off to demand the employee return the money.”

  “No way. I want her stopped.”

  “You’re just as stubborn as the rest of the Holbrooks,” Tobias told her with a chuckle.

  Madison didn’t bother to argue that she wasn’t a Holbrook. She merely wrote down the name and phone number. When she looked at Aiden, he was cowering in the chair like a dog waiting to be kicked. It made her think of Aspen back at the guesthouse.

  Madison tried to reach Paul but his cell kicked right to voice mail. She told him to call her, then she called the attorney’s office and made an appointment for the following morning. She’d had to use Tobias Pennington’s name to get seen so quickly.

  Aiden had perked up a bit while she’d been on the phone but he still looked like a man about to face a firing squad. “Where are you going to get the money for a lawyer? Why don’t I just convince Chloe to give it back?”

  “Nope. I’m filing charges.”

  “Look, I’ll pay you back every cent you lost, too,” he pleaded. “Chloe loves me enough to get help for this problem.”

  “It’s an addiction and it’s not easy to kick.”

  “I won’t be part of any lawsuit. I’ll say I gave her the money.” His smug grin reminded her of a used-car salesman. “No lawyer will take your case then. You couldn’t pay one anyway.”

  “Aiden, let me make one thing absolutely clear to you. I will file charges. If you lie, you could be charged, as well. I will chase you with lawsuits for years to come and make your life a living hell.” Like a time bomb, anger ticked inside her and was reflected in her low but mean voice. “Do you know where I’m living? In Wyatt Holbrook’s guesthouse.”

  She saw Aiden recognized the name. Most people would, but Aiden always knew the players in Miami and longed to be among them.

  “It just so happens that I may be his daughter.” She didn’t believe this herself but it sounded more threatening.

  “No way. I knew your father.”

  “I didn’t realize until recently that I was a donor-conceived child. Wyatt donated a lot of sperm while he was in college. I know he’ll lend me whatever money I need.” Of course, she knew no such thing, but she was determined to make Aiden take her seriously.

  “Oh God, what am I going to do?” Aiden was back to whining mode again.

  She felt like laughing and saying, I told you so. But she was a better person than that. She’d loved this man once. She’d grieved for him for months. She couldn’t bring herself to kick him while he was down. Meeting Paul had changed her view on life. She wanted out of this mess as seamlessly as possible.

  “Aiden, listen to me,” she said in her softest, kindest voice. “Chloe nearly ruined a professor at Stanford. She slept with him and stole donor information from his key project, spent the money on gambling, and someone exposed her. The poor guy used his life savings to pay back the money. The university asked her to leave rather than charge her and receive a lot of negative publicity.”

  Aiden threw his head back and stared at the ceiling.

  Madison gave him a minute to consider wha
t she’d told him. “It’s going to take tough love to change Chloe. She might receive a suspended sentence or a short jail term. But if she gets away with it, the way she did at Stanford, she’ll keep doing it.”

  Jade appeared at Madison’s desk. “Is there, like, something I can do?”

  Madison knew Jade couldn’t have heard their conversation. Madison had seen her on the other side of the cube farm, flirting as usual. Aiden was still staring at the ceiling.

  “Yes, there is something I need you to do. Go to each programmer. Ask them to check with all three credit reporting agencies to see if any credit cards have been taken out in their name that they didn’t authorize. Then—”

  “Kyle and Jeff told me yesterday that they were having problems. Cash had been taken out of credit card accounts.”

  “Oh, shit,” groaned Aiden.

  “Check with everyone else. Make them stop whatever they are doing and check with the agencies. If their credit is okay, have them freeze their accounts.”

  “Have we had a breach or something?” Jade asked.

  “Yes. Now hurry up and alert the programmers.”

  “Oh, fuck! I can’t believe this is happening.” Aiden slowly rose. “What am I going to do?”

  “Aiden, when I leave today, I’m not coming back. That doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about filing charges.”

  “What am I going to do without you?” He shoved his hands into his pockets, his shoulders hunched over like an old man.

  “Get Jade to do my job. She’s perfectly capable.”

  “No, I mean what am I going to do about this mess with Chloe?”

  “You may want to see an attorney yourself.” She took a deep breath, then added, “I want you to buy me out. You can make payments over time or something, but I’m through here.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m not sure, but Wyatt Holbrook has made me an interesting offer.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  How many bones are in the human body?

  MADISON WAS SITTING at the table on the terrace across from Wyatt. Savannah was chattering on and on about wedding plans. Occasionally, Nathan offered a suggestion. Wyatt seemed interested and he didn’t make a single comment about Savannah’s drinking. Savannah was enjoying her second Lady of the Night. Madison had never heard of this particular type of martini, but Savannah informed her that it was “all the rage.” The martini had a floater on it, a thin slice of cucumber topped by a dollop of caviar.

  “Now those are our plans, if we get married here in Miami,” Savannah told her father. “We’re also considering a destination wedding.”

  “Meaning?” Wyatt asked.

  “You know, like Molly Burke’s wedding in Florence.”

  “Right. Make all your friends travel halfway around the world.” Wyatt didn’t sound thrilled with this idea.

  Madison tuned them out and she thought about Paul instead. He’d come right over to Total Trivia as soon as he’d picked up her voice mail. He’d been able to convince Aiden to turn in Chloe. The last she’d seen of Aiden was as he left for the police station to file a complaint. Chloe would have the police and the FBI after her. Paul expected her to be arrested by evening. The woman might even be in jail right now, Madison thought.

  She was surprised to find she felt a little guilty. Here she was having a delicious seafood salad and gazing out at the beautiful ocean while Aiden was dealing with the consequences of Chloe’s problems. It would be difficult for him and he didn’t deserve it. She’d loved him once and felt sorry for him now.

  Maybe he’d become stronger, the way she had after the divorce. Sure, she went through emotional hell, but she came out a better person. And she’d found Paul. She’d been waiting her entire life for this man without knowing it.

  “Madison,” Savannah said. “Earth to Madison.”

  “Sorry,” Madison replied. “My mind wandered.”

  “I asked about your wedding.”

  Madison couldn’t imagine how she could contribute anything when such a lavish affair was being planned. “A justice of the peace married us.”

  Savannah scowled as if she’d just been served a plate of fried ants. “Really?”

  “I wouldn’t lie.”

  “Hadn’t your father recently died?” Wyatt asked.

  “Yes. A church wedding without him to walk me down the aisle was out of the question.”

  “Well, here comes dessert,” Nathan said in a none-too-smooth attempt to change the subject. “Homemade gelato with fresh fruit.”

  They were served the gelato in shell-shaped silver bowls. One of the maids put a dish of whipped cream on the table. No one spoke for a moment. That was unusual, Madison reflected. This was her third dinner with them. It seemed someone was always talking.

  “We’d better enjoy this weather,” Nathan said. “In another month we won’t be able to eat out here.”

  “I like to have breakfast here in the summer when the weather’s too hot to eat outside in the evening,” added Wyatt.

  Madison had to admit it was lovely right now. The balmy air wasn’t so humid you felt as if you were wading through it every time you moved. The aroma of the gardenias at the perimeter of the property drifted on a cat’s paw of a breeze that was too light to ruffle her hair. It would be perfect if Paul were sitting beside her.

  “Where’s Garrison this evening?” asked Madison.

  Wyatt shrugged.

  “Who knows?” Savannah said with a shake of her head that made her hair swish across her shoulders. “Probably at his place in the Keys.”

  Wyatt finished his dessert and glanced at Madison. She’d eaten the fruit but was toying with the gelato. “Are you finished?” he asked.

  “Yes. It’s delicious, but I’m full.”

  Wyatt rose, saying, “Excuse us. We’re going into my office to discuss some business.”

  “Have fun,” Savannah said a little too cheerily.

  Madison walked beside Wyatt and wondered how much of her troubles at the office she should reveal. It wasn’t gory enough for television in a city where crime was rampant, but it might be in the morning papers. She should at least mention it.

  Wyatt opened the door to his office and stood aside to allow her to enter first. There was a vase of yellow roses on his desk and their heady scent filled the air. A small model skeleton of a human body stood beside the flowers. There are two hundred and six bones in the human body, she thought to herself. Stop it! Let go of the trivia.

  Wyatt sat down, saying, “Have you had a chance to think about my proposition?”

  Madison took the chair opposite his desk. “A little. I’m afraid we had a problem at work that consumed my attention. An employee stole a lot of money.”

  “That’s terrible. You have enough problems already.” Wyatt paused, then asked, “You keep money around?”

  “No. She took it out of our bank account.”

  Wyatt nodded, but Madison didn’t elaborate. “I did come up with a few questions.”

  “Shoot,” Wyatt said with a smile.

  “If I’m not one of your donor-conceived children, will it matter?”

  “No, not in the least,” he assured her in an oddly gentle tone.

  “Will it make a difference if I can’t donate part of my liver?”

  “No, it won’t. With my immune system, I’ll be lucky to find a match.”

  She gazed at him, flashing a quick smile of thanks.

  Wyatt leaned forward, elbows on the desk. “I thought of you because you’re smart and have a background in statistics. Evaluating research requires a good knowledge of how to interpret test results. An analytical mind is important. Plus, I could train you myself in what time I have left.”

  Her heart went out to him. She remembered how depressed her father had become when the end neared. He had so wanted to be a grandfather. An ache too deep for tears suddenly came over her. She forced her mind back to the present.

  “There’s another pr
oblem,” she told him. “I oppose the use of animals in testing.”

  “I realize that from previous discussions. It doesn’t bother me. I don’t believe in it, either, except in rare cases. I believe vivisection will become a thing of the past—soon. Over ninety percent of all drugs tested on animals and declared effective fail in human tests.”

  “Do you think 3-D computer models will replace vivisection?” she asked, recalling what she’d read online.

  “Absolutely. That and microdosing, biochips and nanotechnology.”

  “What if I don’t like the work or you think I’m wrong for the position? Can we agree to be honest and say so immediately?”

  “Yes. Being honest is important,” he agreed. “Any other questions?”

  “Not really. I’m sure I will when you start to train me.”

  “When can you begin?”

  “Tomorrow.” She remembered her appointment with the attorney. “In the afternoon.”

  He arched an eyebrow in surprise. “What about your company?”

  “I’m selling it to my ex-husband.”

  MADISON HAD RETURNED from walking Aspen along the beach and heard her cell phone ringing from her purse, which was in the bedroom. She dashed across the living room, down the hall just as the phone stopped ringing. Maybe it was Paul, she thought. It was just eight, but hopefully he’d finished early or perhaps he was calling to tell her about Chloe.

  Voice mail showed two messages. The first was from Paul, saying Chloe had been arrested and would be arraigned tomorrow. Aiden would post bail immediately, she thought.

  The second message was from her mother. Thank God! Madison had been worried. Jessica Whitcomb sounded fine and left a 305 area code phone number. She must be home. Great, Madison reasoned. She could discuss this donor-conceived question in person.

  She punched in the phone number. Her mother answered on the second ring. “Mom. You’re home?”

  “I’m back, baby doll.”

  Madison’s heart sang; her mother often called her baby doll. Until Erin’s death, she hadn’t realized how much she missed her mother. “Where are you? When did you get back?”

  Two beats of silence. “Mom? Can you hear me?” What a time for a dropped call.