by Rebecca Deel
“Someone left them at the front door of my shop before I arrived.”
“You saw these flowers at 10:00 this morning. Did you notice other deliveries being made at that time?”
“No.”
“You didn’t receive any other dead flowers, right? Just these?”
She closed her eyes. Yeah, this was going to be bad, just like she figured.
“Madison.” Ethan’s voice sounded sharp, angry. “When?”
“Last week.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I thought it was a mistake. I didn’t want the delivery boy to get in trouble.”
“What did you do with the other box?”
“Trash.”
“I want to see this box of flowers,” Nick said, his words clipped. “Can that be arranged?”
“Sure.” Ethan flipped his notebook closed and jammed it into his pocket. “I’ll meet you at the shop after you take Madison home.” He frowned. “There is one other thing I wanted to tell you without Mr. and Mrs. Cahill present. I didn’t want to alarm them without cause.”
Madison folded her arms. “Don’t even think about shutting me out if this involves me.”
“I’m not sure it does, but I’d rather err on the side of caution.” He turned to Nick. “We found a sniper rifle in the trunk of Bates’ car.”
A sniper rifle? Was Ethan serious? Who in their right mind carried around a sniper rifle in the car trunk? A shiver raced through her body. Did he think Bates might try to shoot her?
Nick’s hands clenched. “What type?”
“A Marine M40A3.”
He closed his eyes for a few seconds. “Someone used the same type of weapon to gun me down. Get the ballistics report from the Knoxville PD.”
“Already requested it.” Ethan handed Madison a business card. “My cell number’s on the back. Call if you need me, no matter what time it is. I’ll meet you at the shop tomorrow morning with your key so I won’t have to disturb you tonight.”
The two men walked into the kitchen, talking in hushed tones. Madison slung her purse over her shoulder and carried her cup to the kitchen sink. Ethan didn’t need to worry about waking her tonight. She doubted she would sleep at all.
Stark silence pressed around Nick, unbroken by anything except rain and an occasional roll of thunder. He glanced at the quiet woman seated beside him. She hadn’t said a word since they left her parents’ house. He should apologize for losing his temper with her earlier, but she didn’t seem to understand the danger circling her. If his anger made her more careful, he’d accept any backlash.
He stole another look at his silent passenger. She slumped against the door, her arms wrapped around her middle like a shield. Madison couldn’t seem to get far enough away from him. He was losing ground with her fast.
The glare from his headlights bounced off the wet pavement as he parked in the driveway of her ranch-style house. They had to talk, but not in the car. Nick couldn’t focus on her until she was safe inside, and he needed to look in her eyes while they talked. Luke had been right about one thing. Every emotion Madison felt showed on her face.
Nick walked around the front of the car in the drizzling rain and opened her door. He leaned in and offered his hand. She hesitated, but finally grasped his extended hand for the leverage she needed to get out of his vehicle. His car sat too low to the ground. Might be time to trade in his ride for a small SUV, or at least something easier for Madison to handle.
“Thank you,” she murmured, walking ahead of him.
He smiled. Still polite, though furious with him. He caught up with her on the porch as her hand turned the key in her lock. “Let me check the house first.” He drew his weapon from his holster and paused with his hand on the knob. “When I finish, we’ll talk.”
When she nodded, he entered the darkened house. Nick searched the rooms, memorizing the layout and absorbing bits of information about Madison’s personality from her surroundings. His brows arched. Neat-freak Madison stashed yarn all over her house. She had as much yarn here as she did in her shop. Rainbow-hued wool balls filled a ceramic bowl on the kitchen counter where most people kept apples and oranges.
Satisfied the house hid no threat, Nick holstered his weapon and returned to the hallway. “All clear.”
“Coffee?” Madison led him into the living room, turning on lights as she went.
He noticed her pronounced limp. She was tired, but doubted she would admit it. “No, thanks. Can we talk for a few minutes?”
Madison plucked a fat green pillow from a recliner and tossed it to him. “For your back.” She sat on the green and white striped loveseat, crossed her arms and waited.
He eased onto the loveseat beside her and shifted the pillow around until it cushioned the sore spots in his back. “I know you’re mad. I’m sorry I lost my temper, but you scared me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You can be afraid if I’m near a stove, not near a box of dead flowers. I intended to tell you about them when we were outside The Bare Ewe.”
“What stopped you?”
She stared at him, challenged him. He remembered her agitation with his weapon. “The gun.” He sighed. In all their conversations, how she felt about guns had never come up. “I guess that’ll be a subject for another after-midnight call.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about Bates’ car?”
“I waited for confirmation. No point in terrorizing you or ruining the rest of your evening with your family. If Ethan hadn’t told you, I would have.”
She stood and prowled the room. “I hate secrets, Nick. I can’t deal with something if I don’t know what I’m facing.”
“Secrets like dead flowers and dead cars? Can’t say I’m fond of them myself.” He waited until her gaze locked on his. “I know you hate the unknown. I still have scars from battling the doctors the night Luke died.” Her flinch sent a shaft of pain through his heart. Man, he hated to do this to her, but she had to trust him. Her life might depend on it.
“What are you talking about?”
He reached out, grabbed her hand, and urged her to sit beside him again. “The doctors wanted to take you to surgery without telling you about Luke. They feared the shock would be too much for you to handle.”
“I begged them to tell me. They just patted me on the hand and said he was fine.” Anger simmered in her eyes. “I knew they were lying; I saw it in their eyes.”
Nick squeezed her hand. “I convinced them to let me tell you the truth.” He’d held her while she cried as the medical staff bustled around, prepping her for surgery. He didn’t know which wrenched his gut more—telling her about Luke, or breaking the news that she’d lost her unborn son as well. With the Cahills out of town that weekend, he was the only person at her bedside when she woke from surgery. “I’ve never lied to you, Madison. I never will.”
She watched him in silence. He could almost see her weighing the truth of his statements. “Thank you for that at least.”
“Am I forgiven now?”
“As long as you understand one thing.” She tilted her chin at a stubborn angle. “I’m not a fragile piece of glass. I won’t shatter. If you ever treat me that way again, I’ll slip into the kitchen, bake some brownies and make you eat them.”
Nick laughed. “No, please, not that. I get your point.”
“What do you know about Bates? Is he stalking me again?”
His expression sobered. “I don’t know; that’s why I want to talk to him. I do know someone fitting his description asked friends at your old apartment complex in Knoxville if they knew your address.”
An odd look crossed her face. “They didn’t know where I went. You wouldn’t let me tell anyone. So how did Bates find me?”
“Don’t know the answer to that yet, but I’ll find out.” Nick took her hand in his and pulled Madison to her feet. “You look tired and I need to meet Ethan.” He walked with her to the door. “I’ll call you later, tell you what I learn.”
�
��Nick, why did you come to Otter Creek?” Confusion shadowed the depths of her blue eyes. “Was it only because of Bates?”
Nick studied her a moment. Was their friendship strong enough to endure the truth, that he wanted to build a life with her? Could she see him as someone other than her dead husband’s partner? “You say you don’t like secrets. Can you handle the truth?”
“Try me.”
Nick let go of the doorknob, cupped the back of her neck with his hand, and tugged her into the circle of his arms. Her eyes widened, surprise etched on her face. “I came to Otter Creek for you.” His voice hovered above a whisper. He pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead and walked out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Ethan leaned over the floral box which contained the withered remains of three white roses. Wonder if white roses are hard to get this time of year? He’d have to ask Georgia Shannon at Petals tomorrow. If they were special order flowers, she might remember who placed the order.
The bell over the front door rang. Ethan glanced up. “How’s Madison?”
“Scared, but won’t admit it. Stubborn.” Nick approached the counter and the lavender floral box.
“Sounds like the other Cahill women.” He handed Nick a pair of latex gloves. “I already printed the box. Got some prints and a few partials, but more smudges than anything. I’ll let you know what we find out from the crime lab. Doubt we’ll have any luck on a handwriting analysis since the card’s printed.” He smiled. “It’s also crumpled. Madison didn’t appreciate her gift.”
With gloved hands, Nick moved aside a portion of the floral paper and examined the dried leaves and petals. He scanned the card through narrowed eyes. “If this is the same person who sent flowers before, there won’t be any prints from the perp.” He pulled off his gloves. “The florist received a plain white envelope containing cash and delivery instructions. The delivery went to an area church last week and no one at the church will know anything about white roses being delivered.”
“And by the time the police check on the deliveries, the envelopes and instructions are on the way to the county landfill.” Ethan shook his head at the cleverness of the plan. “We’ll follow up on it anyway, but the results will be the same.” He closed the floral box and slid the container into an evidence bag.
Ethan took off his gloves and studied the private detective’s somber face. Nick had a decision to make, one hard for any man used to being at the center of action on the front lines. “What’s your role in this, Nick? Protector or hunter?”
“Two weeks before he died, I gave Luke my word I would protect Madison.” Emotion flickered in the depths of his eyes. “He must have sensed something bad was going to happen because he reminded me of that promise a few hours before the accident.”
“But your word’s not the only thing binding you any more, is it?”
A faint smile appeared on Nick’s lips. “No.”
No wonder Madison looked uncomfortable earlier in the evening when he’d asked about the flowers. Nick had been listening for the name of a possible competitor. The journey to win Madison’s heart wouldn’t be easy. The Cahills protected their own. Ethan still wondered if Megan approved of his upcoming marriage to Serena. “You keeping watch outside Madison’s house?” He grabbed the evidence bag and motioned for Nick to precede him out the door.
“As soon as I buy coffee.”
Ethan locked The Bare Ewe’s door and checked his watch. Just after 11:00 p.m. “I’ll inform the prowl cars. I’ll relieve you between 3:00 and 4:00. You know where Wilson’s grocery store is?”
“Why?”
“They keep Goo-Goos in stock. Be wise to keep a couple of boxes on hand.”
Nick looked mystified. “Why?”
He chuckled. “Might help you out of the dog house,” he said. “Cahill women have a passion for chocolate. Madison’s weakness is Goo-Goo Clusters.”
“Wish I’d known that an hour ago.” Nick rubbed his hands over his face. “The way things are going, I might as well buy stock in the company.”
Madison jumped, her heart racing. What was that noise? She listened, waited for the sound to repeat itself. Silence. Frustrated, she set aside the sweater she was knitting for Josh. She’d already ripped out the row three times because her concentration kept slipping. Why did houses make weird noises at night?
When she spent the night at her grandparents’ house as a child, her grandfather told her those odd creaking and groaning sounds were house settling pains. Madison pressed her fingers against tired eyes. She wished houses only settled in the daytime. Every unexplained noise sent jolts of adrenaline through her system, which made sleep more elusive. Maybe she ought to borrow Serena’s dog, Jewel, tomorrow night. At least she’d have company while she counted slats on her blinds.
Madison grabbed a Jayne Ann Krentz book from her nightstand and adjusted her bedside lamp. She slumped against her banked pillows and began reading. Nothing like a good romantic suspense novel to occupy her active mind.
The phone rang. Who would call her at 1:00 a.m.? Good news didn’t come in the middle of the night.
“Why are you still awake?”
Madison’s heart leaped into her throat. “How did you know I’m still up?”
“Look out your bedroom window.”
She threw back the covers, scrambled out of bed. The cold hardwood floor sent shivers up her spine and had her two-stepping to the window. She whipped aside the curtain and saw a familiar red Mustang. “What are you doing?”
His laughter brought a smile to her lips. “Watching you stay awake half the night. You planning to sleep tonight?”
“I’m too wired.” She stared at the darkened interior of his car. “How can you call me from the car? I have your cell phone.”
“Serena let me borrow hers for a few hours if I promised to be her personal secretary. I’m to take a message if a call comes through for Home Runs.”
Madison laughed and let the curtain fall into place. She snapped off her light and slipped into her still-warm bed. “What did you find out about the flowers?”
“Looks like the same sender as before. Ethan lifted a few prints, but they’ll be yours or his aunt’s, or maybe the florist’s. You need to stop by the station in the morning so he can print you for comparison.”
She’d been afraid Ethan would find nothing usable. She burrowed deeper into the covers. “You’re staying all night?” For his sake, she hoped not. She had to admit, though, with Nick nearby she felt safer. And the truth of that thought made her uncomfortable.
“Ethan takes over in a couple hours.”
She smiled. Her almost brother-in-law left nothing to chance. He’d guard her and ensure Nick’s down time as well. Serena was blessed to have a man like Ethan in her life.
“So, what’s on the table for tonight’s discussion?”
“Anything other than guns or stalkers. Care to discuss that ambiguous statement you made before you left me?”
“What’s so hard to understand about me coming to Otter Creek for you? I meant what I said.”
“But that could mean two different things.”
“Guess you’ll have to figure it out for yourself.”
No matter how many different ways she twisted her question to wrangle the answer, he diverted her to another topic. By the time Madison ended the call at 3:15 as Ethan pulled up in front of her house, they had talked about everything from the fine points of beekeeping to the baseball stats for the Dodgers.
She rolled over and rearranged her pillow, grateful to have a friend who didn’t mind keeping her company in the middle of the night. She closed heavy eyelids, a smile on her lips.
CHAPTER FIVE
Madison opened one eye and glared at her beeping alarm clock. Couldn’t be time to get up; she closed her eyes again. The persistent buzzer annoyed her enough that she rolled over and swatted the clock.
She stumbled into the bathroom, glared at the tangled blonde hair and bloodshot eyes star
ing back at her from the mirror. In the steamy shower, Madison dropped the shampoo bottle and corralled the AWOL bar of soap which skittered to the far end of the tub.
After dressing, she headed to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. She pushed back the curtains, squinting at the sunlight streaming into her kitchen. Time to find something edible for breakfast before Nick arrived.
Madison opened a kitchen cabinet and stared. Organic granola? Rolled oats? Nuts? She shuddered and slammed the door. Compliments of Serena, a diet for good health. The refrigerator seemed more promising until she spotted organic juices, reverse osmosis water, organic milk and eggs, and various fruits and vegetables on the shelves.
She wanted real food, the kind with unpronounceable ingredients. Madison frowned at the colorful array of produce. Yesterday’s grocery list for Serena included ice cream, donuts, Cokes and cookies. She grabbed a note taped to a 32-ounce tub of vanilla yogurt. “Try this with the granola in the cabinet. Love, Serena.”
Madison crumpled the paper. She should have known better than to hire her sister as a personal chef. Serena knew her way around a kitchen, though. Somehow even rabbit food (aka salad) tasted good when Serena prepared it.
Could she talk Nick into a donut shop detour before he left her at The Bare Ewe? A knock on the door broke into her musings. She grabbed her purse and glanced at her watch. No time for coffee before leaving.
“Ready to go?” Nick smiled at her from the doorway. He looked fresh in his jeans and white buttoned-down shirt with rolled-up sleeves.
She frowned. How could Nick act so chipper this early in the morning after staying up half the night in a car outside her house? Perhaps it was because of his extreme good looks, exquisite talent and a killer smile with a cheerful morning disposition? Madison stared at him, irritation growing by the minute. “Do you know what time it is? No bird in his right mind is chirping yet. And tone down your smile; it’s blinding my eyes.” She slammed and locked her door behind them.
Nick chuckled. “It’s almost 8:00, and your mother warned me to be cautious around you first thing this morning.” He cupped her elbow and helped her into his car. “Serena called and offered breakfast suggestions.”
