Cold feet(37)
Author: Brenda Novak

She decided she believed him. "I’ll give you a week. After that, you’ve got to find somewhere else. Mom’s selling the house, and I’ll be showing people through it."

"No shit." He shoved his straggly bangs out of his eyes, stuffed his pipe in the pocket of his jean jacket and searched for a cigarette. "And I was just growing fond of this place."

"Then you’re the only one," she said, eager to leave. She didn’t like being in Johnny’s presence. She wanted to love him, did love him because he was her brother, but she couldn’t relate to the type of person he’d become. He was throwing his life away, which was a terrible tragedy–but unless he wanted to change, she couldn’t help him.

"So what brings you out here, all dressed up?" He spoke around the cigarette he was lighting.

Madison glanced down at her suit and the keys in her hand. "I need to use the truck."

"Oh, yeah?" He shoved his lighter back into his pocket and took a long drag. "Well, sorry it’s a little low on gas. I didn’t have the money to fill it up."

"You’ve been driving Dad’s truck?"

"Why not?" he said. "Nobody else does."

"Where’d you get the keys?"

Smoked curled toward the ceiling from his cigarette as he clasped it between two dirty fingers and took another drag. "He always kept a spare out here. You didn’t know?"

She shook her head.

"I guess there are a lot of things you never knew about dear old Dad, right?" He put his hands around his throat in a choking gesture and started making jerking motions and guttural noises, then laughed.

"I’ve got to go. I’m late for an important meeting," she said, and hurried to climb into the truck. She’d been planning to search it extensively, but she just wanted to get away. Besides, it looked completely clean. Leaving her own car parked out front, she backed out of the drive without bothering to wave.

CHAPTER TWELVE

CALEB SPENT THE MORNING trying to console Holly–who was still taking her sister’s death very hard–and the afternoon with Gibbons, going over the evidence that had been found at the site of Susan’s body. When he finally pulled into Madison’s driveway, he found a shiny black Jaguar sitting in his parking spot. He might have wondered who drove such an expensive vehicle, but the license plate, "Lieber 1," gave him a pretty good indication.

The Jag’s window slid smoothly down as he approached, and he immediately recognized the pasty-faced man he’d seen in Brianna’s baby book.

"Can I help you?" Caleb asked.

Danny leaned away from the open window to save his expensive suit from the light rain as he studied Caleb. "Don’t tell me you’re the renter."

"Why not?" Caleb asked.

"Because a man your age ought to be able to afford his own place, that’s why."

"I like it here," Caleb said carelessly.

"Where’s Madison?"

"I’m assuming she’s at work."

He made a show of checking his Rolex watch. "I pick up Brianna every other Friday at this time. She’s supposed to be here."

"Did you try Madison’s cell?"

"She’s not answering."

"She must have caller ID," Caleb said.

Because he’d spoken with a smile, it took Danny a moment to realize he’d been insulted. When he caught on, a muscle jumped in his cheek. "If there’s one thing I hate, it’s a wise ass."

Caleb crouched down, so they’d be nearly at eye level, and rested his arms on the door. "That’s interesting," he said, keeping his voice congenial, "because the one thing I hate is a man who bullies a woman."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"I think you do."

Danny’s eyes narrowed. "What happens between Madison and me is none of your business."

"You’re right," Caleb said. "And if you want to keep it that way, I suggest you start treating her with some respect."

"You know nothing about our relationship."

"I know she’s the mother of your child. That’s enough to tell me you should be treating her better than you do."

"She won’t have Brianna much longer," Danny said, but before Caleb could respond, Madison pulled into the drive–in her father’s truck.

She did it, Caleb thought, standing. She got the truck.

And now he had to take it to Gibbons….

His gaze automatically shifted toward the tires. He’d seen the plaster mold Gibbons had made of the track left near Susan’s body, but he couldn’t tell anything from this distance, especially in the rain. Comparing tire treads was usually a very difficult, laborious process. Only the fact that the mold revealed unique damage created by something sharp gave him any hope that Gibbons might be able to make a determination simply by looking.

"Sorry I’m late," she said, hurrying to help Brianna out of the cab. "The ferry was backed up when I came across earlier, and that threw off my schedule for the whole afternoon."

"What are you doing with your father’s truck?" Danny demanded, getting out of his car.

At the irritation in his voice, Brianna glanced uncertainly from her father to her mother. "Hi, Caleb," she said, sidling closer to him.

Caleb laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Caleb needs to borrow it," Madison said.

"For what?" Danny asked.

"He has a friend who’s moving."

"I guess he’s never heard of U-Haul."

"There’s no need to rent a truck when I’ve got one available," she argued.

"Caleb gave me a magic rock," Brianna piped up.

Danny looked her way, and his face reddened when he saw her standing so close to Caleb. "Get your things, Brianna," he said curtly. "Leslie’s waiting for us."

Madison’s little girl hesitated briefly before running off.

"Please try to have her home earlier this Sunday," Madison said as her ex-husband slid into the Jag’s soft-looking leather interior. "You’ve been bringing her back too late, which makes it hard for her to get up for school."

"I’ll do as I damn well please," he snapped.

Madison leaned down to see through his open window. "The visitation papers say five o’clock, Danny."

He opened his mouth to make some sort of retort, but Brianna came charging out of the house at that moment. He glanced at his daughter, then at Caleb, and barely waited for Brianna to climb in before he threw the car into Reverse. Narrowly missing Caleb’s Mustang and Madison’s father’s truck, he whipped out of the drive, leaving Caleb and Madison staring after him.

"THAT WENT WELL, don’t you think?" Madison said sarcastically, wondering what was going to happen next.