“I know.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Thank you, Brittney.”
“You’re welcome.” She shut the door.
He walked slowly back to the car, hands fisted, controlling every ounce of his raging anger.
It took him time, but he calmed down. Because he would have four hours with his daughter, time he wouldn’t have had if he argued with Brittney.
Some things were worth fighting for, but sometimes the fight was internal.
* * *
Max had been expecting the visit from Lance Lorenzo all day. He showed up at Scoma’s Sunday night while she was dining alone at the restaurant.
“You fucking bitch.”
She looked at him coolly. “I warned you.”
“You had me fired!”
“You got yourself fired.”
He grabbed a chair and sat across from her. The bartender was eyeing the confrontation, but Max wasn’t scared of Lorenzo.
“This was my life. You don’t need a job. I do!”
She sipped her wine. “You lied in print. You lied about me. And you used kids as pawns.” After finding out that Brittney had forbidden Max from seeing Emma, she’d wished she’d done more than get Lorenzo fired. But what more could she have done?
“You’re gloating because you were right?” he asked.
“There’s nothing to gloat about,” she snapped and put her wineglass back on the table. She had nothing inside, not tonight. Not while dining alone in her favorite restaurant while her best friend celebrated his daughter’s birthday with his family. She’d told David it was fine, that she was tired, that she would relax after a hectic week. But it wasn’t fine. She wasn’t angry, which surprised her. She was sad. Over-the-top sad. And she didn’t know why.
But now she could let the anger take over. Fuel her. Because Lance Lorenzo was scum, and he needed to realize it. “You are everything I hate in a rotten reporter. You don’t care about the truth, you want your story. You used your sister’s future in-laws to your advantage. Your disinformation delayed finding the truth about what happened to Ivy Lake. You attributed quotes to me that I did not say. I told you, Lance, that first day we met what the terms were. You help me, I help you. You screw with me, I destroy you. You made your bed. I hope you learned something.”
He stepped toward her, hands fisted, but she didn’t flinch.
“I hate you,” he said.
She tilted her chin up and looked him in the eye. “I don’t care.”
He pushed the table, causing her wineglass to spill. She didn’t move. He stormed out.
Immediately, the waiter rushed over and cleaned up the mess. “I would never have let him come over if I’d known—”
“It’s okay.”
It was and it wasn’t. Lorenzo could be a problem for her down the road, but she didn’t regret what she’d done. He’d damaged the police investigation and he was a sensational liar. He’d attempted to humilate her. He had no business calling himself a reporter.
But, worse, he’d brought David’s family into the mix. He’d jeopardized David’s custody agreement. Lance Lorenzo was the reason Max was alone tonight.
Her phone vibrated again; another missed call from Nick. She didn’t call him back. She wasn’t in the mood. He wanted a one-sided relationship—if he couldn’t share about what his ex-wife was doing that upset him and that threatened his time with his son, Max didn’t know if she could fully trust him.
It hurt. She cared. Far too much. But she was too emotionally raw from what happened yesterday on the bay, and missing David’s family dinner tonight, to play the game with Nick. Maybe next time she was in town.
If there was a next time.
The waiter brought her another glass of wine and asked if she was ready to order.
“I’ll just have the crab cakes,” she said. “I’m not that hungry.”
“You’re always hungry,” a familiar voice said behind her.
She looked over her shoulder. Nothing could have surprised her more.
Nick.
He bent down and kissed her on the lips, ran a hand along her back, then sat down across from her. “You’ve been ignoring my calls.”
“It’s been a busy weekend.”
“I know. I called David to find out where you were.”
She didn’t know how she felt about that.
“You’re mad at me,” he said.
“I’m too tired to argue.”
He frowned. “Do you want me to leave?”
No. Yes. “I’m not great company.”
“That’s okay. At least, let me treat you to dinner.”
Their conversation was superficial. Two adults who had great sex together, but what else? Max didn’t know. She should tell Nick to leave until he was willing to talk about his ex-wife with her. She didn’t want an off-limits topic between them.
Brittney’s machinations today had hurt and angered Max. She blamed David … but she didn’t at the same time. All he wanted was time with his daughter, and Max was simply his friend and employer. She’d put too much into their friendship. Family always came first. And it should, when you had a family.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said with a smile.
“Tell me.”
“Tell me what Nancy is doing in court.”
Nick looked like she’d slapped him. “Max, I can’t. Don’t draw the line.”
“You drew the line,” she said quietly.
He didn’t say anything for a long minute. “I care about you, Maxine.”
She had nothing to say. What could she say? That she wanted him to trust her? She’d said that before; he hadn’t responded. She didn’t like repeating herself. She didn’t like being ignored.
“I’ll go,” he said.
“Don’t.”
He tilted his head, confused.
He would never understand. And maybe it was over. She’d try not to care so much. But right now Max didn’t want to be alone.
She stood and took his hand. Pulled him out of his seat. She kissed him. “My flight leaves at eight in the morning. Let’s not waste any time.”
“We should talk—”
“No. We shouldn’t.”
“Max—”
“Shh. It’s okay for now.”
It wasn’t, not really, but she could pretend.
At least for tonight.
ALSO BY ALLISON BRENNAN
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Notorious
No Good Deed
Best Laid Plans
Dead Heat
Cold Snap
Stolen
Stalked
Silenced
If I Should Die
Kiss Me, Kill Me
Love Me to Death
Carnal Sin
Original Sin
Cutting Edge
Fatal Secrets
Sudden Death
Playing Dead
Tempting Evil
Killing Fear
Fear No Evil
See No Evil
Speak No Evil
The Kill
The Hunt
The Prey
Acknowledgments
As always, I have several people to thank for their help in making this book the best it can be.
While I’m savvy with social media, I didn’t know how much I didn’t know … until I talked to my two teenagers, Luke and Mary, who helped me navigate through SnapChat and Instagram and other social media apps that I’ve since forgotten. They also showed me examples they’ve seen of cyberbullying, which helped me understand better what our youth face today.
As always, Dr. Doug Lyle, fellow author and all-around good guy, helped with the forensic details for this book. If I got anything wrong, trust me—it’s not Doug’s fault!
The wonderful author Catherine Coulter, unbeknownst to her, inspired this book a year ago when she hosted a spring lunch for fellow authors at her house. I drove through the town of Sausa
lito and pictured Max chasing a kid on a skateboard. I wondered why. Thanks, Catherine, for giving me more opportunities to travel to Marin County for research … and of course our champagne lunches.
And because writers are truly amazing, a special thanks to the dually amazing Karin Slaughter and Lisa Unger. This fan girl was thrilled when you both read an early galley and endorsed this book. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Zaneta Feleo, the administrative assistant to the Chief of the Central Marin Police Authority, helped me navigate their Web site, learn how the CMPA is organized, and answered numerous trivia questions. Because I write fiction, I took some liberties, but Zaneta helped me ground myself not only in the CMPA but in Marin County.
Last but not least, thanks always to: my agent, Dan Conaway—the calm, mellow fellow in our partnership who keeps me grounded; my editor, Kelley Ragland—the calm, smart voice of reason when my story goes off the rails; and everyone at Writers House and Minotaur who make it all happen.
About the Author
ALLISON BRENNAN is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty novels and many short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband, Dan, and their five children. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Also by Allison Brennan
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
POISONOUS. Copyright © 2016 by Allison Brennan. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover design by Ervin Serrano
Cover photographs: house © Joop Hoek / Shutterstock; cliffs © Plainpicture / Marion Belanger; storm waves © Plainpicture / Mira
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Brennan, Allison, author.
Title: Poisonous / Allison Brennan.
Description: First edition. | New York: Minotaur Books, 2016. | Series: Max Revere novels; 3
Identifiers: LCCN 2015048179| ISBN 9781250066848 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781466874732 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Women journalists—Fiction. | Murder—Investigation—Fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Thrillers. | FICTION / Suspense. | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths. | GSAFD: Mystery fiction. | Suspense fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3602.R4495 P65 2016 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015048179
e-ISBN 9781466874732
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected].
First Edition: April 2016
Poisonous Page 37