Dead Right (Stillwater Trilogy #3)(49)
Author: Brenda Novak

“I still can’t believe I did that,” she murmured.

“It was understandable under the circumstances. Forget it.”

Her eyes rose to meet his, then dropped to his mouth. “I’m not sure I can forget.”

His heart started to pound again. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“All I want to do is remember.”

He tilted up her chin with one finger. “What are you doing to me?” he asked and bent his head to kiss her, but the bell over the door jingled before their lips could touch. Letting his hand fall, he looked up to see Kirk standing at the entrance.

Madeline made no startled gasp, but Hunter could sense her distress. “Kirk,” she said. “I—I wasn’t expecting you.”

Her ex-boyfriend regarded her with utter contempt. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“No, I—” she self-consciously smoothed the skirt Hunter had lifted less than an hour earlier “—wh-what do you need?”

“I just came by to tell you to listen to your damn messages,” he said and stalked out.

Madeline covered her face as the door banged shut and the jingling died away. “The whole world’s gone insane,” he heard her whisper.

He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to be the cause of any more anguish. And yet they couldn’t seem to stop, or even slow, whatever was going on between them.

“What should I do?” she asked, finally lowering her hands.

He wasn’t sure if she was talking about him or the case. He couldn’t tell her what to do about the powerful attraction between them. He didn’t know himself. But he knew what he’d do about the past. “I think you have only one good option,” he said.

“What’s that?”

He resisted the urge to take her in his arms. “Gut it out.”

“You said I should let it go.” Her words were barely a whisper.

“I was wrong. You’ve already come too far, Maddy. You’ve got to see it through or the doubt will eat you alive. It’ll destroy the relationships you’re trying so hard to protect.”

She nodded. But when she looked up, her eyes glittered with challenge. “Does that mean you’ll stay? Are you willing to see it through with me?”

Was he? Every time he thought of his ex-wife he felt such intense anger he could scarcely function. Alcohol was the only thing that deadened the sensation, and he couldn’t have it. He spent his life in a constant tug-of-war between the anger and the craving. And yet, somehow, a third craving had managed to distract him. Was it another mistake?

“If we do it on my terms,” he said at last.

“What’re your terms?”

“I stay at the motel.”

“That won’t help as much as you think it will. We’ll still be together a lot. You’ll have to work fast.” She didn’t wait for him to question that comment or respond. Turning away, she hit the play button on her answering machine.

“Madeline, little Brittany’s going to be starring in The Wizard of Oz at the school. Any chance you might like to do a story on her big debut? Give me a call…”

“Is that what the news is like here?” he asked, putting some distance between them.

She smiled nostalgically as she jotted down the number. “Yes. That’s what I’ve always loved about this town.”

The next message began. “Madeline, this is Mom. Why aren’t you answering your cell? I’ve been trying to reach you all day. Please tell me you’re not parading that private investigator all over town. Clay and Grace have been through enough. I couldn’t take it if Clay was put back in jail…”

Gut it out. With a visible wince, Madeline hit the fast-forward button, then straightened.

“Madeline,” a deep voice rasped.

Hunter froze. “Who’s that?”

She shook her head in apparent confusion.

“Mad-dy?” the voice went on. “It’s your dad-dy.”

“It’s a crank call,” Hunter said. But the blood had already drained from Madeline’s face, and the message held them both riveted.

“I’m coming back, baby. I’m finally coming back. How did you like my pantie collection? Grace’s always smelled the best.” He groaned in sexual rapture. “She was so tight. But they all are at that age. That’s why I love ‘em. They’re hot and tight and know how to obey—especially when they wear a collar.” There was a pause. “Spread your legs for me, okay, baby? You’re the one I wanted all along.”

There was a click as the caller hung up. Hunter stopped the playback, but before he could say or do anything more, Madeline ran for the bathroom. After the door slammed shut, he heard her retch.

“What’s he like?”

Before Clay could answer his mother, Allie turned from the kitchen sink where she was doing dishes and angled her head toward the living room. “You’d better check on Whitney, don’t you think?” she said softly.

Nodding, he walked to the entrance of the living room to find his stepdaughter fully absorbed in the Disney movie he’d rented for her—and was relieved to know she wasn’t listening to their conversation. Irene had shown up shortly after lunch, as frantic as she always seemed to be these days. But this time Clay couldn’t blame her. He was feeling more than a little nervous himself. He’d endured a lot in the past two decades, but he’d always been able to count on Madeline’s unwavering support. As long as Barker’s own daughter insisted Clay was innocent, he had a fighting chance of beating any charges the police brought against him.

But it was possible that this private detective could change her mind. Beneath Hunter’s tanned face and movie-star smile, he had a keen intellect and plenty of confidence. Clay knew he was no longer dealing with a small-time police force that was completely inexperienced when it came to a murder investigation.

“She okay?” Allie asked as he walked back into the kitchen.

“She’s fine.”

“Clay?” his mother said, growing impatient.

“Solozano’s nothing to worry about,” he lied.

Irene’s fearful eyes fastened on his. “Are you sure?”

She wanted to believe him. If only he could convince her. “I’m sure.”

“But he could expose everything.”

“He won’t.” They had to get his mother to settle down—before she aroused even more suspicion and curiosity than normal. She was the weak link. If Hunter was as good as Clay suspected, it wouldn’t take him long to figure that out and exploit it.