Mad Love: Madison

by Boone, Lisa

  Becca and Madison exchanged a glance. From his disheveled appearance, it appeared Keith had been celebrating a bit hard and a bit early.

  “So far,” Madison said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Keith said sharply.

  Madison’s eyebrows rose. “Just that it’s not over.”

  Becca’s face clouded. “But they caught him—”

  Madison shook her head. “That’s what Ethan said before they arrested him. He said, ‘It’s not over.’”

  “He’s bluffing,” Keith said.

  “I don’t think so.” Madison glanced to the window. “His friend Casey is out there, somewhere. I don’t know who I can trust.” She reached into the silk wristlet hanging from her wrist and pulled out her phone. “It’s Sarah,” she said walking a few feet away. She turned to the window as she answered the phone. “Are you okay?”

  She pressed her finger against her ear trying to hear her sister over the music playing in the background. “What did you say?”

  “I said, I’m not okay,” Sarah said in an annoyed tone. “I’m sitting here at Grandpa’s with only Rory for company. Why don’t you come and join me?”

  “Grandpa’s? What are you doing over there?”

  “The wedding is off. Harry got a call from some girl who told him that she had found Hannah in bed with her fiancé. Harry stormed up to the house. There was this huge fight. Hannah’s been crying all day.”

  “Oh no.”

  “Hannah’s dad said I could stay, but I thought it was best to leave. She has her sisters and I need to be with mine.”

  “That’s sweet, but I would prefer you weren’t. I’m still in danger. Besides, I’m just going to be here at the party a few hours before I head off to a hotel somewhere.”

  “Where?”

  She glanced over her shoulder. Becca and Keith were only a few feet away. She decided to ignore the way they were whispering to one another as they glanced her way. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “I don’t want to say.”

  Sarah’s panic came through the phone loud and clear. “You are not going underground without me. I’ll call Ashton. You know what she’ll do.”

  “Don’t you dare sic our big sister on me. You’d be just in as much trouble for not calling her when all this started to happen as I would.”

  “She’ll forgive me. I’m the baby of the family, remember?”

  “I don’t want you in danger.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but I’m already in danger. Let me stay with you. We can watch each other’s backs. Besides, it’s New Year’s Eve and I’m here in this big house all by myself,” Sarah said mournfully. There was a moment of silence before she added, “Jumping at shadows.”

  Madison tipped her head back with a sigh. “Okay, put your best dress on.”

  “Yay!”

  “I’ll buy you a ticket to the party.”

  “Good, I’ll be there in an hour.”

  “What are you going to do about Rory?”

  “Can we come back here after the party? I can leave him here for a few hours and then we’ll get a hotel room in town.”

  “Okay, see you soon,” Madison said before turning off the phone and tossing it into her wristlet. She turned back around. Derek had now joined Becca and Keith. He looked at her in concern as she approached.

  “Is everything alright?” Derek asked.

  “Fine,” Madison replied. “I have good news for you. Sarah will be here soon.”

  “Really?” Derek’s boyish face lit up in excitement. “I thought she had a bachelorette party to go to?”

  “It got cancelled.”

  “Good.” At her bemused expression, he quickly added, “Well, not good, of course, but I’m glad she’s coming.” His face suddenly turned serious. “She’s not bringing those two guys again is she?”

  “I sincerely hope not.”

  “Good,” Derek said.

  Keith rolled his eyes. “You should have told them to take a hike. If she was my girl—”

  “She’s not my girl,” Derek said quickly. “We just had one date.”

  Keith stared at the bottom of his glass. “Whatever.” He pointed his empty glass at Madison. “She better hurry up and get here.”

  “Why?” Madison asked.

  “I just heard that it was going to snow again. They’re predicting two feet of snow by morning.” Keith motioned to a waiter with a tray. He set his glass down and picked up a champagne flute. “Let’s get back to the subject at hand.” He took a drink. “Mr. Ethan Parker or whatever his name is.” His brow furrowed. “What was his real name?”

  “She doesn’t want to talk about that right now,” Becca said through gritted teeth.

  “No, it’s all right,” Madison said. “His real name is Alex Sampson.”

  “I knew it.” Keith pointed his finger in her face. “I knew there was something shady about that guy. He acted so perfect, like he was better than everyone else and had all the girls around here falling at his feet. So stupid.”

  Becca lifted her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me,” Keith said. “It was obvious he was a phony. I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on him.”

  “No,” Becca said with a snort, “you didn’t.”

  “Keith’s actually right,” Derek said softly. “Ethan was kind of scary.”

  “You’d be scared of kitten,” Keith snarled.

  Derek pursed his lips together but didn’t contradict him.

  Becca shook her head at Keith. “What is wrong with you tonight?”

  Keith’s hand tightened on the glass until his knuckles turned white. “I’m angry.”

  “No? You know I couldn’t tell,” Becca said.

  “It just infuriates me how easily he was able to slither his way into our lives.” His eyes softened as he looked at Madison. “He could have killed you. I just—” He snapped his mouth shut in annoyance as Madison’s phone began to ring.

  “Sorry,” Madison said reaching for her cell. “It’s Sarah again.” She turned to the side as she answered her phone.

  “I can’t come,” Sarah said.

  “Why not?”

  “My car won’t start. I’m stuck here until you come and get me.”

  “Why won’t your car start?”

  “I blame the fact that it’s ten years old and has over two hundred thousand miles on it. Are you still going to come and get me after your party’s over?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be there around one and then we’ll take off.”

  “Great!”

  “Sarah, Jamie doesn’t know where you are, does he?”

  There was an audible sigh through the phone. “No, I didn’t tell him. In fact, the only person who knows I’m here is you.”

  “Good, keep it that way. I’ll see you soon.”

  When she returned to her co-workers, Becca appeared to be in the middle of cross-examining Keith.

  “You’re being evasive,” Becca said.

  Keith frowned. “I am not.”

  “Why don’t you admit it?” Becca said. “You do know her.”

  “I’m not admitting anything because it’s not true.”

  Madison looked between them in confusion. She leaned toward Derek. “Who are they talking about?”

  “Some girl named Gina Gallagher,” he said with an equally curious look on his face.

  Becca crossed her arms. “You put her information in the computer.”

  “So what if I did.”

  “That means you know her.”

  “All that means is she came in to talk to me about something. That doesn’t mean I know her.”

  “Semantics,” Becca said with a scowl. “You knew what I was asking. How did you two meet?”

  “Why do you care?”

  “She was working with Ethan,” Becca said in clipped tones. “I’m curious.”

  “Look, I don’t have any clients named Gina,” Keith insisted in a bored tone.

  “Ethan referred her
to you.” Becca rolled her wrist as she tried to jog his memory. “Her husband was cheating on her. He was abusive. You met with her one day in front of Ethan’s office but she never came by again.”

  “Gina…” Keith said raising his gaze to the ceiling. “Nope. No idea.”

  Derek’s eyes narrowed. “Does she have long dark hair? Thick black eyeliner?”

  “That sounds like her,” Madison said. “Where did you see her?”

  “Ethan’s office. Keith sent me over there to ask about GPS signals and tracking people. She was sitting on the couch in his office when I walked in.”

  “You took long enough to go talk to him,” Keith muttered.

  “I told you I’d get to it and I did,” Derek said calmly before turning to Becca and Madison. “Keith was sitting next to her.”

  “Yeah,” Keith said with a smirk, “well, when you want something done right—”

  “GPS signals?” Madison interrupted making sure to keep her voice light.

  Keith downed the rest of his drink. “I had a client who was convinced his employer was tracking his every movement.”

  “Anyway,” Derek said, “when I got there that Gina lady was sitting in Ethan’s”—He frowned suddenly—“No, I guess I mean Alex’s outer office talking to Keith. They seemed like old friends.”

  “Really?” Madison said. She turned to Keith. “Do you remember Gina now?”

  Keith’s eyes suddenly cleared. “Yeah, she said her rich husband was cheating on her.”

  “What happened?”

  “Nothing,” Keith said, staring into his drink.

  Derek grinned, obviously pleased that he could rat out the other man. “Keith rushed her out of the office and I sat down to wait for Ethan.”

  Madison bit her lip. “Ethan wasn’t there?”

  “Nope, it was just Gina and Keith when I arrived,” Derek said grinning at the other man.

  Narrowing his eyes, Keith scowled back at him.

  What if it was Keith? Madison thought. She didn’t really know him that well. He started just before Quincy disappeared. What did Becca and Derek say a couple of days ago about Quincy and Keith? Something about him not liking the old detective.

  She looked into Keith’s eyes and felt a chill go up her spine as well as a faint stirring of hope. If Keith is guilty, then Ethan is innocent, she thought shifting her gaze to the side. After all, how many accomplices could a loner like Alex have? It would have to be one or the other. “How well did you know Gina?”

  “I only met her the one time,” Keith said. “Derek knows that. He was there when she was telling me her life story.”

  Three sets of eyes stared back at him.

  Derek slowly shook his head.

  “I swear, I just met her. She…” Keith’s face hardened. “Aw, forget it,” he said looking at his empty glass. “I’m going to get another drink.”

  Derek grinned as Keith walked away. “Yeah, I don’t think they had ever met before. I was outside the door for a few minutes listening as Keith tried to pressure her into divorcing her husband.” He started to laugh. “She had this deer in the headlights look when Keith practically strong-armed her into going to his office to discuss her case.”

  Madison felt her heart sink. For a moment, she had begun to question herself. Begun to trust Ethan. She lifted her hand to her face as tears stung the back of her eyes. Why did this have to hurt so much?

  Derek instantly sobered. “I’m sorry, Madison. I know it’s not funny. I was just…”

  “It’s okay, Derek, I understand. Don’t worry, I’m fine,” she lied, forcing a smile to her face. “Just fine. What did Gina say when you saw her there?”

  “Nothing really,” he said. “Keith did most of the talking. When they left, I sat down to wait for Ethan. I did wonder…”

  “What?” Madison asked.

  “Well, Ethan’s secretary was out sick or something.”

  Becca’s brow furrowed. “So?”

  “I just thought it was strange that his office door wasn’t locked. I kept thinking he was behind the door, hiding from me. Keith was right about one thing. Ethan was one strange guy.”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” Becca said.

  They glanced down at Madison’s wristlet as her phone buzzed.

  “Probably Sarah again,” she said taking out her phone.

  “When will she get here?” Derek asked.

  Madison frowned as a text message appeared on the screen. “No, sorry. I forgot to tell you. She’s having car trouble and can’t make it.” Her frown deepened as she read the message. “I have to go.”

  Keith stepped up behind Becca. He took one look at Madison’s face and stepped in close to her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Sarah just sent me a text message. She said she fell and hurt her leg.”

  “How badly is she hurt?” Derek asked worriedly. “Is she all right?”

  “I don’t know,” she said calling her sister’s phone. She swore when it went to Sarah’s voice mail. “I’ve got to go,” she said striding from the ballroom, with Becca, Derek and Keith at her heels.

  Keith grabbed her arm when they reached the hallway and turned her around. “I’ll drive you.”

  Becca looked at him as if he was crazy. “How much have you had to drink tonight?”

  “I’m fine,” he snapped.

  “Sarah’s been calling all night,” Derek said with a small worried shake of his head. “Why would she suddenly text you?”

  “I don’t know,” Madison said trying to jerk her arm from Keith’s grasp.

  Keith tightened his fingers. “You’re not going anywhere.”

  “Let go of me, Keith.”

  “It’s a trap,” Keith said. “Don’t you see that?”

  “My sister’s hurt.”

  “Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. “If you’re dumb enough to go chasing after her, then I will drive you.”

  She wrenched her arm free from his. “You’re in no condition to drive me anywhere, and frankly, I don’t want you anywhere near me right now.”

  Keith jerked her back. “Don’t be stupid. I’m the only one who can protect you.”

  She turned to face him. Lowering her voice, she said, “If you don’t take your hands off me, I’m going to scream bloody murder. What do you think that will do to your career?”

  Keith’s mouth tightened as he dropped his hand. “Your funeral, babe.” He lifted up his hands as he walked away. “I tried to save you, but if you want to die, just go ahead.”

  “What if Keith’s right?” Becca asked. “What if this is a trap?”

  “I have to go to my sister.”

  Derek scratched his head in confusion. “But I thought Ethan was the killer. Why are we all freaking out?”

  “Ethan told me that it wasn’t over. For all I know, he was working with someone.” Madison wrapped her hands around her bare arms. “I forgot to grab my coat.” She glanced at Derek. “Could you grab it for me?”

  “Yeah, no problem,” he said jogging toward the coat check area.

  “I don’t like this,” Becca said.

  “Neither do I, but what do you suggest I do?”

  “Call the police. Have them do a welfare check on her.”

  Madison pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just haven’t been thinking clearly since I got out of the hospital. I blame lack of sleep and the concussion,” she said looking up the number for the Winchester Police Department. At Becca’s shocked expression, she added, “I was at a train yard. There was this guy…Never mind, I’ll tell you about it later.” Finding the number, Madison quickly placed the call, only hanging up when she was assured they would check on Sarah. She then tried Sarah’s cell phone again. “Sarah’s still not answering.” She glanced back down the hall. “Where is Derek?”

  “He’ll be here soon. Where is Sarah right now?”

  “At our grandfather’s.”

  “Do you want me to go with you?”
>
  “No, the police are on their way.” She smiled with relief as Derek jogged toward her holding her coat. “Thank you,” she said taking it out of his hands.

  “Call me when you get there so I know you’re okay,” Becca said as Madison stepped onto the elevator.

  “I will.”

  Becca held out her hand stopping the door from closing. “Madison, be careful. If anything looks suspicious call the police.”

  She nodded as she pressed the button for the lobby.

  As soon as the doors opened, she raced to her car. It was just starting to snow when she pulled out of the parking lot. By the time she turned on the dark, lonely road leading to her grandfather’s place fifty minutes later, snow and ice had blanketed the ground making driving slow and treacherous.

  She gripped the steering wheel tight as the car slid to the side when she turned down the driveway. Inching her way forward, she looked at the house, ablaze with lights, praying her sister was okay.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  10:00 P.M.

  Madison ran up the steps, trying not to slip on the ice that had formed on the wood and entered her key into the lock.

  She glanced down at the wristlet as her cell phone rang. Entering the foyer, she hurriedly answered the phone.

  “Sarah, I just walked in the door.”

  “It’s me, Madison.”

  Madison’s breath caught in her throat at the sound of Ethan’s voice. She swallowed hard. “I’m honored that I’m your one phone call, but if you’re calling to ask me to represent you, you can forget it.”

  “I’m not asking for you to represent me.”

  “Good.” She hung up the phone and stuck it into her pocket. “Sarah?” she called out as she locked the door behind her.

  Rory came racing down the stairs, furiously barking. As soon as he saw Madison, he jumped up on his hind legs and scratched at her dress, excited to see her.

  She leaned down and picked him up. “Where’s Sarah, huh?”

  “Upstairs, taking a bath.”

  Her gaze flew to the dining room. Jamie, clad in a leather jacket and jeans, his boots propped up on the dining room table sat at the table staring at her. She glanced down at the rifle lying in his lap before turning her attention to the pink phone lying on the table next to his hand. Using one finger, he spun Sarah’s phone around in a circle. “About time you arrived. I was starting to get worried.”