Crime & Passion

by Chantel Rhondeau

  Madeline relayed everything she saw, trying to distance herself from the memory of seeing Maria’s face. More dead eyes to haunt her dreams, only this time they belonged to someone she cared for.

  “There’s one more thing,” she said, still uncertain she was doing the right thing. “Brandon Feldman somehow knows about the phone call made to Frank Johnson before his death.”

  Eric’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

  Madeline sighed. “He says he has a police source who told him about it. I just wondered if maybe...”

  “If maybe he made the call?” Eric asked with raised eyebrows.

  She shrugged. “Either that, or someone in this office needs to keep their mouth closed.”

  He nodded. “I’ll talk to the Chief and ask around.”

  That was the best she could hope for. Relief descended on her. Someone finally knew this information and could do something about it.

  Eric finished writing some notes. “I do need to ask you about what happened outside your apartment last night.”

  She looked at him sharply. “Why does that matter?”

  He stared at her for a moment, not responding. Finally he sighed. “Several people called the station to report you and Donovan fighting. I was already on my way to check on you, but the calls started coming in right before I arrived.”

  “I don’t care what they said. What business is it of theirs?”

  “Don’t snap at me, Madeline. I’m trying to help, and so were they. Your neighbors were worried about you. They said Donovan was threatening you.”

  “Threatening me?” Madeline stood abruptly from her chair. “That’s ridiculous.” She started for the door with a half-formed idea that she would just leave this place.

  Eric placed his hand on her arm. “You need to sit back down, please. I was there, remember? I heard a lot of what he said. I heard him warn you about being alone at Woofy Cuts. It sounded like a threat to me, too. And now something’s happened at Woofy Cuts.”

  “You’re wrong about him.” Madeline sat down, realizing the shock must be wearing off. She didn’t feel as clear-headed as she had before. What was she thinking? She couldn’t leave the station without Donovan. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her jumbled thoughts. “He didn’t threaten me. He was genuinely concerned. Because I keep cooperating with the police, Donovan is afraid the killer is after me. Maybe he’s right. Maria was in the shop today, but I was supposed to be there. He could have come to kill me, and Maria got in his way.”

  ***

  “You have to calm down before Chief gets here,” Brice cautioned.

  Donovan looked into Brice’s concerned eyes. “I can’t. This is my fault.” If only he’d never left Maria. Madeline would have safely made it to the shop on her own, and Donovan could have saved Maria’s life. How could he ever forgive himself for leaving her?

  Brice gripped Donovan’s shoulders and shook him. “Stop that. It wasn’t your fault. Not unless the rumors are true and you actually killed her.”

  “How could you say that? You know I didn’t.”

  Brice leaned against the edge of Stone’s desk. “Then clean your face and quit bawling. I need you to think like a cop right now and help me figure this out.”

  Donovan tried to block the image of Maria out of his mind, wiping at the wetness on his cheeks. Her staring eyes seemed to glare at him in accusation, just like the eyes of the teenage boy he’d had to shoot barely twelve years earlier.

  He looked at Brice and nodded, knowing the other man was right. He’d have plenty of time to dwell on how he failed Maria in the future. Right now, he needed to do what he could to find her killer. “What do you need?”

  “I know you said you think someone’s framing you for this. What motive would you have to kill Maria? Why would they think they could pin this on you?”

  “I honestly don’t know. Are you bringing Brandon in for questioning? He was the last one to see her alive, and he has plenty of reasons to hate me.”

  “Yeah. I called him. He’s coming down to give a statement. But if he did do this, you know he’s just going to say he didn’t, and place you at the scene.” Brice folded his arms across his chest. “Chief Stone suspects you’re guilty because of that phone call from your cell to Frank Johnson. He’s heading to get a signature on the search warrant for your apartment and car right after he leaves Jeremy and Maria’s house.” He looked away as he said that, perhaps realizing it would only be Jeremy’s house now.

  Donovan leaned his head against the wall behind his chair, trying to focus on the more immediate problems he faced. “Maybe the search will help. There’s nothing for Stone to find. Once he figures that out, he can start listening to what I’m saying.”

  “There is that. For me to take your accusation against Brandon seriously, I’ve got to have a plausible motive for him to do this to you.”

  “You know he has that vendetta against me because of what happened with his wife.”

  “She was some piece of work, wasn’t she?” Brice’s lip twisted in disgust. “Lori flirted with every guy in town, and slept with several. We all thought she was single. The problem was, people warned her to stay away from you. I think she saw you as a challenge.”

  “Lots of women do,” Donovan replied, wondering why he let his life get so out of control that the first thing people in town did was warn away new residents. I’m going to change all that, now that I’ve found Maddie.

  “Brandon never knew what she really was,” Brice said. “It makes sense that he blamed you.”

  “And how could I tell him?” Donovan shook his head, the tragedy of the whole situation striking him once again. Lori paid a higher price for her infidelity than she deserved. “I’m no saint, but I figured it would be better for Brandon to cherish her memory and believe I was at fault.”

  Brice tapped his fingers against the desk at his side. “So he has a good reason to hate you. Why wait until now? That happened years ago.”

  “Maybe it has to do with Maddie. Brandon wants her, and I think he’s angry that she’s been spending time with me.” He clenched his hand into a fist. “Maybe he sees this as the same situation as with Lori, but this time he plans to win the girl by putting me in prison.”

  “No. That doesn’t make sense, Donovan.”

  “Why not?”

  Brice leaned forward. “You didn’t meet Miss Scott until after she found Frank Johnson’s body.”

  Donovan closed his eyes. “Well, shit. That was the best theory I had.”

  “Look, I shouldn’t even tell you this, but I consider you a friend, and I don’t believe you did this.” Brice took a deep breath and puffed his cheeks out before releasing the air. “Chief’s got a theory of why Maria was killed this morning. That’s what he called about a few minutes ago.”

  “Okay. Let me have it.”

  “He thinks the killer was actually after Madeline Scott. By now, everyone knows she is usually by herself every Monday morning at the store.”

  Donovan nodded. “That’s why I went to check on her. I didn’t want the killer to have a chance to get her.”

  “What if the killer came in there, found Maria, and something went wrong with his plan?”

  “Maddie not being there would have screwed things up enough. Why kill Maria?” A sharp pain shot through Donovan’s chest at that thought.

  “Maybe Maria somehow figured out what he was there to do? He would have to kill her then to keep her quiet. Whoever this is can’t afford to leave someone around to identify him.”

  Donovan felt the tears gather in his eyes once again and blinked them away. “Bastard.”

  “Problem is, Chief thinks you’re the bastard.”

  “That makes no sense.” Donovan stood from his chair to pace the small office. “Assuming I wanted Maddie dead, which I definitely don’t, who would be dumb enough to think I’d kill Maria? I love her like a mother.”

  Brice nodded. “I know you do. That’s why I don’t think you did
it. You’re smart enough to convince her she was wrong if she suspected you of being a killer. You wouldn’t have strangled her.”

  Donovan’s stomach heaved once again as the image of Maria’s neck circled by the nylon rope filled his vision. He was unable to stop the tears from falling, but managed to swallow back his nausea.

  “I’m glad you believe me at least.” He looked at Brice. “What the hell do I do now?”

  ***

  “So Maria took your place, huh, Maddie?”

  Madeline recognized that voice. It was the person who answered Donovan’s phone yesterday. She looked up. A petite woman with short, black hair stood next to her.

  The woman sat in the chair Eric had vacated when he went to question Brandon Feldman. She crossed one slender leg elegantly over the other and folded her hands across her knee. Her long nails were painted blood red.

  Madeline glanced at her own ragged nails. She wondered if perfect manicures turned Donovan on.

  So not important!

  “You must feel awful,” the woman said when Madeline didn’t reply.

  Madeline did her best to keep the guilt she felt off her face. She refused to talk to Donovan’s lover about her feelings. Though truthfully, she felt horrible that Maria was at the shop as a favor to her. She should have been safe at home with her husband, cooking cupcakes for her granddaughter.

  “Hello,” the woman said, waving her hand in front of Madeline’s face. “I’m talking to you.”

  “You must be Donovan’s friend.” Madeline smiled sweetly, trying to pretend this knowledge didn’t bother her. “I didn’t catch your name on the phone yesterday.”

  The woman smiled. “I’m Suzie Stone.”

  Madeline raised her eyebrows. “Any relation to Chief Stone?”

  “Yep. I’m his daughter.”

  Madeline looked across the room to where Eric quietly interrogated Brandon. Anywhere that would keep her from studying Suzie and comparing herself to her.

  Suzie was pretty enough, but Donovan’s actions had been so odd the past few days. Maybe he wanted to be with Suzie in hopes that would get him back on the police force. She certainly didn’t seem any better than Lindsey, and Donovan dumped Lindsey without regret. Donovan said he wanted a true life partner—Madeline couldn’t believe Suzie was that woman. Something about her seemed off. Then again, maybe it was her oddness that attracted Donovan.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Madeline forced herself to say. I’m becoming a better liar every day.

  “Yeah, sure. You too.” Suzie looked to Chief Stone’s closed office door. “Are they keeping my baby all locked up in that office? He must be having a horrible time of things. He loved Maria so much.”

  Before Madeline could respond, Kenneth Stone walked through the front door, glancing around the station. His eyes looked Madeline over, and a frown creased his mouth when he saw Suzie. He crossed the room quickly.

  “Suzie? What did I tell you yesterday about hanging around here?”

  Suzie turned in her chair with a ready pout on her lips. “Dad, you can’t expect me to stay away when Donnie’s in trouble. He’s important to me.”

  Donnie? Madeline wondered how he felt about that. It was as irritating a name as Maddie.

  Stone’s face reddened, and the glare he favored his daughter with could’ve stopped a raging bull in its tracks. “What you tried to do yesterday is not acceptable. Don’t force me to throw you in jail.”

  “That was a misunderstanding, Dad.” Suzie twisted a strand of hair around her finger. “You know I just want to help my baby.”

  Madeline thought she might vomit. Suzie looked older than her, but the woman acted much younger. This was the woman Donovan rejected her for. Really?

  “You need to stay away from Donovan.” Stone’s gaze flicked briefly to Madeline before he shook his head at his daughter. “Get out of here now, Suz. I’m not asking again.” He turned and stalked off, wrenching open the door to his office, walking in, and slamming it behind him without looking back at Suzie.

  She made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat. “Open a few files, eavesdrop on a conversation, and he acts like I killed someone.” She stood from her chair. “I tell you, Maddie, sometimes I wonder if marrying Donnie is worth all this trouble. All I wanted was to find information that would help clear his name. Then, Dad will have to give us his blessing instead of saying Donnie’s not good enough for me.”

  “You—you’re marrying him?” Madeline swallowed hard, wondering when Donovan had time to pop the question with everything going on. “I had no idea.”

  She placed her red nails against her lips. “Oops. That’s still a secret. We’re not telling anyone until Dad’s okay with it. Don’t say anything, okay?” She winked. “I’d better get out of here before Dad comes back.”

  All Madeline could do was nod.

  Suzie turned toward the doorway and took a few steps before turning back. “Will you do me a favor, Maddie?”

  When hell freezes over. “What do you need?”

  “Just tell Donnie I was here, and I’ll wait for him at my place. Let him know clothing is optional when he gets there, would you?”

  ***

  Madeline held the hot Styrofoam cup in her hands, watching the door to Stone’s office, praying they let Donovan out soon. She didn’t know why she felt like she needed to stay and wait for him. After all, he’d probably be in a hurry to rush over to Suzie’s house. Clothing-optional establishments seemed about his speed.

  Still, she felt she owed it to him to stick around and make sure he didn’t need anything from her. He did his best to protect her this morning, and he had an absolutely shattering day. Even if he’d been a cop for a long time, it couldn’t be easy discovering the body of someone he loved.

  Brandon had left the station about twenty minutes ago, having spent a half hour in tense conversation with Eric Sanders. He’d tried to catch Madeline’s eye on his way out, but she avoided his gaze. She didn’t know if he actually killed anyone, but she didn’t feel like giving him the benefit of the doubt.

  “How’s that coffee, Madeline?” Eric asked. “You need a refill?”

  She wasn’t actually drinking the coffee he gave her, just held the warm cup. “I’m fine. Thanks.” She wondered what Brandon said about his so-called police source, but she was sure Eric wouldn’t tell her. “Do you think Donovan will be done soon?” she asked instead.

  Eric sighed. His hazel eyes held compassion, but he shook his head. “Why don’t you go on home? I’ll tell Donovan to call you as soon as he can.”

  “No. It’s fine. I’ll wait for him.”

  “You could call Lindsey Butters while you wait. She told Officer Peterson she wanted to talk to you as soon as possible.”

  Madeline sipped the too-strong coffee to keep from having to respond to that. She knew what Lindsey wanted to talk about. Officer Peterson told Madeline when he arrived at the station a while ago. Lindsey planned to shut Woofy Cuts down for a while, which meant Madeline no longer had any jobs.

  She knew she shouldn’t be so selfish. At least she still had her life. Maria hadn’t been so lucky. But the fear of running out of money was a real one. She only had enough saved up for her rent. Now, she would have to use her savings for all her living expenses. She might run out of funds before the lease was up on her apartment.

  Well, that was a problem for another day. Maybe the police could solve the case quickly and Madeline could go back to work at her mishmash of jobs.

  The door to the office finally opened, and Donovan walked out, Officer Brice Carter next to him. Donovan looked around the room, spotted her, and said something to Carter.

  He crossed the space in a few steps, holding his hand out to Madeline. “You stayed.”

  She set her coffee on the desk and placed her hand in his. He helped her up, and she searched his face for any sign of his mental state. “I wouldn’t just leave you. Are you okay?”

  He blinked his eyes a few times, squeez
ed her hand tightly, and gave her a half smile. But he shook his head. “Can we get out of here?”

  “I thought you’d never ask. Where do you want to meet me?”

  “Actually, I hoped you’d agree to taxi me around,” he said.

  Madeline walked toward the door, and he followed along. “Is there a reason you can’t take your car?”

  “They’re keeping it here to search it.”

  So, they still believed he was guilty. “Where do you want to go?”

  “I need to get some clothes out of my apartment. They said I could go back there now to do that. I guess they’re done searching there.” He shrugged. “After that, I hoped we could go to your house.”

  “My house? What for?”

  “I hoped you’d let me stay there tonight. First, I don’t think you should be alone. Also, my apartment is going to be in shambles right now.”

  Madeline wondered at his game. “I think we both know that’s not a good idea.”

  “I’m throwing myself on your mercy here,” Donovan said. His bright blue eyes froze her in place as they pleaded silently with her. “I know we’ve not really gotten along the past few days, and that’s my fault...I don’t want to be alone right now.”

  Madeline softened slightly. She knew he’d had a tough day. Losing a loved one was never easy. “I don’t want you to be alone either, but why stay with me?”

  “Because you said we could try to be friends, and I need a friend right now.”

  Madeline shook her head. “I meant why not stay with your fiancée? Wouldn’t that make more sense?”

  Donovan’s mouth opened, closed, then opened again. “My what?” he finally managed.

  Boy, Donovan sure could be a jerk. She knew they wanted to keep their relationship a secret, but she couldn’t believe Suzie would think it was okay to extend that out to Donovan spending the night with another woman to keep the secret. She sure wouldn’t be okay with that if the situation were reversed.

  “I said your fiancée,” she repeated, enunciating clearly. “She and I had a chat while you were being questioned. She asked me to let you know she’s waiting at home.” Madeline lowered her voice, trying to keep the anger and embarrassment out of it. “She said clothing is optional.”