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Death's Door

Page 32

by Meryl Sawyer


  “I hear you. I came home three days ago. I’m staying with Max and Andy.”

  “Three days? Why didn’t you call me? I’ve been worried. I hadn’t heard from you in so long.”

  “I’m sorry, honey. It’s hard to explain.” She sighed. “I didn’t want to hear you say ‘I told you so.’ I’m getting a divorce.”

  Had she been so cruel about the marriage that her mother hadn’t called her for three whole days? “Oh, Mom. I’m sorry. I must have been—”

  “You were right. Scott wasn’t the guy for me. That man was your father.”

  “Mom, can you drive over here? I want to see you. Hug you.” Tears unexpectedly filled Madison’s eyes.

  “I don’t have a car,” she replied. “The boys won’t be back for hours.”

  Max and Andy were gay friends of her mother’s. She’d known them both since high school. They were accomplished interior designers whose services were always in demand. They’d made a fortune by restoring fabulous old homes in Coral Gables.

  “Are Max and Andy still in Coral Gables?” Even though she’d grown up around these wonderful guys, she’d lost track of them when she’d been married to Aiden. He was as homophobic as they came.

  “Yes.”

  Madison took down the address her mother gave her. “I’ll be right over. It’ll take me a while. I’m in Palm Beach.”

  “What are you doing there?”

  “It’s a long story. I’ll explain when I see you.” Madison snapped her phone shut, tossed it in her purse and scribbled a note to Paul. She knew he’d be furious that she’d left by herself, but she had to see her mother.

  Her car was parked behind the bungalow. She hadn’t used it lately because Paul insisted on driving her. “Hop in, boy,” she told Aspen. Her mother loved dogs. She’d be thrilled to meet the retriever.

  It took less time to arrive than she’d anticipated. Traffic was lighter than usual, since it was after the rush hour. She turned onto the gorgeous tree-lined streets she’d once loved so much. Max and Andy didn’t live far from where she and Aiden had bought a house.

  She drove up the long cobbled driveway that went around to the back of the house and parked off to the side in case the guys returned and wanted to park in their garage while she was visiting with her mother. Jessica Whitcomb must have been listening for a car. She rushed out a side door, her arms open.

  Madison was out of the car in a flash. She ran into her mother’s arms and bear-hugged her. “Oh, Mom. I’m so glad to see you. I love you. I missed you so much.”

  “I missed you, too.” Her mother pulled back. “It’s too dark out here to see what you look like, see if you’ve changed.”

  “Mom, I apologize for how mean I was about you remarrying. I’m sorry it didn’t work out. I know how you must have felt after Daddy died. Lonely and upset. I wasn’t any help.”

  “It’s okay. You were right. We weren’t a good fit.” She slipped her arm around Madison’s waist. “Let’s go inside and talk. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

  The “boys,” as her mother usually called Andy and Max, had restored another huge rambling home to its original elegance. It reminded Madison of the nearby Biltmore, which was Spanish in design, with ornate tiles and mahogany furniture boasting plush cushions.

  Her mother led her in through the side door not far from where she’d parked her car. “I can stay here in the south wing until I get on my feet again. The boys are true friends.”

  “Yes, they are.” She hugged her mother again and tears began to trickle down Madison’s cheeks. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  “Don’t cry, honey. Everything is okay.” Jessica ran her hand through short, curly locks. “Changed my hair.”

  “I like it.”

  “It was easier on the boat. Plus, it was time for a new look.” She gestured toward a love seat.

  They were in a study or a small reading room. It was done in relaxing shades of moss-green. The fabric on the furniture had a palm leaf design.

  “I’m so terribly sorry about Erin,” her mother said. “The boys told me.”

  “I found her, Mom.”

  “Oh my Lord!” Her mother’s blue eyes were the same ones Madison saw in the mirror every morning, but now they were filled with genuine sorrow. Her mother hugged her and ran her hand across the back of her head, comforting Madison the way she had when Madison had been a child. “The boys didn’t realize that.” Her mother released her and gazed lovingly into Madison’s eyes.

  “I know. The media just said a friend found her. That would be me.”

  “It must have been terrible. I can’t imagine…”

  “Devastating. Even worse, the police suspected me.”

  “They did? Why?”

  “Apparently, Erin had some valuable property she’d inherited from her parents. She left it to me. I had no idea. She’d never told me. So the police thought I had a motive.”

  “They know better now, don’t they?”

  “Yes, I think so.” She didn’t want to get into all that yet. There was one question on her mind and it had been nagging at her relentlessly. “Mom, when was the last time we talked? I can’t remember. So much has been happening.”

  “It was over a month ago. Even then I was thinking about flying home, but I didn’t mention it. I had to wait until we sailed into a port with an airport nearby. Then I just flew here rather than call.”

  “I’m so glad you’re home.”

  “I get to start over again,” her mother said, attempting an upbeat tone. “I have no money and no job. I’m going to hit you up for a loan.”

  Madison slapped both hands over her eyes and laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Mom, I don’t have a cent. At least you can get credit. Thanks to identity theft, I don’t have any money, but don’t worry. I’m fixing the mess.”

  “Oh, baby doll. That’s terrible. The boys will let me stay here and lend me money. There are a couple of places I can apply for a job. It’ll work out.”

  Her mother was always like this. Optimistic. It was uplifting just to hear her voice, know she was home. Where she belonged.

  “Mom, there’s something I need to ask you. And I need you to tell me the truth.”

  Her mother gazed at her in shocked surprise. “Haven’t I always told you the truth?”

  “Yes, of course.” It was true; her mother rarely dissembled. Only at the end, when her father was near death, had her mother insisted he was going to make it. Maybe it hadn’t been a lie, Madison decided. Her mother had honestly believed a miracle would happen. “Is Daddy my biological father?”

  No sooner were the words out of her mouth than she heard furious barking. Aspen. In the excitement of seeing her mother, she’d forgotten him. There wasn’t even a window down in the car.

  “Oh my gosh.” She jumped up. “That’s my dog. I forgot him in the car.”

  “Bring him in. The boys won’t mind.”

  Madison went to the side door that led out of the study to the driveway. She squinted at the darkness and stood there a moment to let her eyes adjust. Aspen was still barking. He rarely barked, she realized. Usually, it was at a neighbor’s orange cat that had the audacity to come near the guesthouse.

  The driveway was lined with mature trees and tall bushes. Shadows overlapped each other, and she thought she saw something move. Probably another cat was retreating into the bushes to get away from Aspen’s frantic barking.

  Paul’s voice warning her to be cautious sounded in her head. No one knew she was here. Unless she’d been followed. No way. She’d looked in her rearview mirror as she left Corona del Mar. No one had been around, not even the guard. He’d probably been patrolling the other side of the property.

  A twinge of guilt crept through her. She’d switched off her cell phone. She didn’t want to be interrupted while she had this discussion with her mother. Paul would call the minute he saw her note. And he’d be furious.

  “Wait a se
c,” her mother said. “Let me turn on the lights. The cobblestones are uneven. You don’t want to fall.”

  A few seconds later, floodlights illuminated the driveway, which was cobbled with lacy green baby tears growing between the stones. The boys really had a flair. If she ever had enough money, she’d hire them. She walked up to the car and opened the door for Aspen. He bounded out, tail wagging.

  “Come on, boy. Meet my mother.” She walked back to the side door. “Mom, this is Aspen.”

  Her mother stroked Aspen’s silky blond head. “Oh, you’re handsome.” She turned to Madison. “Have you had him long? You didn’t mention him when we last spoke.”

  Madison explained about finding him at Erin’s home. She also told her that the retriever had been liberated from a cosmetic firm testing products on animals. They sat down again with Aspen settled at her feet.

  There was a moment of silence before Madison’s mother said, “You were asking about your father.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Name the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles live side by side.

  MADISON INHALED a deep breath. So much depended on her mother’s answer. “Was Daddy my biological father?”

  “Yes, he was. Why on earth would you think he wasn’t?”

  “There were records at a place called New Horizons Clinic. They had your name on them, and there was this interview for screening—”

  “How did you know?” her mother asked, obviously stunned that Madison knew any of this.

  “The Holbrooks uncovered the records.”

  “I did go there,” her mother admitted in a low voice etched with emotion. “I never told your father about it. We were having trouble getting pregnant. I took every fertility test imaginable.”

  “Was there a problem?”

  “Not with me,” her mother said. “It turned out Zeke had a low sperm count. He said it would happen with time. Several years went by and nothing. I thought maybe I should do something.”

  “Without telling Daddy?”

  Her mother looked away and sighed. “Yes. I knew he wouldn’t approve. He kept saying we would get pregnant. He was right. We did. You came along. I never followed through with New Horizons.”

  Another weight lifted. No one would believe her, but she’d always known in her heart of hearts that Zachary Connelly was her father. A warm glow sang in her veins.

  It took Madison a few minutes to explain to her mother about Paul finding her and the Holbrooks believing she was related. She explained about Chloe and the ID theft and how she was living in the Holbrooks’ guesthouse and now going to work for him.

  “My word! This is amazing. Well, I’m afraid Mr. Holbrook will be disappointed. You aren’t related to him. Odds are you’re not a match.”

  “I knew. I knew all along. Daddy was truly my father. No one would listen to me because that clinic had your name down as receiving his sperm.”

  Her mother drew a deep breath. “I’m not surprised my name was down. The clinic was very expensive. I borrowed the deposit from the boys. When I became pregnant, I went to the clinic and asked for my deposit back. They said it was nonrefundable. I was furious. A friend told me there was a waiting list by that point.”

  “Was the friend Erin’s mother?”

  “Yes. Susan told me. How did you know?”

  “Go on. I’ll explain in a minute.”

  “I sold my name to another woman.”

  “Wait a minute,” Madison said. “Didn’t the clinic know exactly who you were?” Her mother was beautiful even now, but when she’d been younger, she’d been a knockout. People didn’t forget her.

  “They did, but New Horizons had two locations. One was in Miami, while the other was in Boca Raton. I contacted a woman Susan knew and she willingly purchased my spot. I told her to go to the Boca clinic and say she’d moved there and have the records transferred. I read that later they closed the Boca clinic and just operated out of the Miami office.”

  “Daddy never knew anything about this?”

  “No. I didn’t tell him. He would have been angry about it. What was the point?” Her mother touched her arm. “Baby doll, there are some things men are better off not knowing.”

  “Why did Erin’s mother wait until Erin was in her twenties to tell her?”

  “Erin was always a difficult child. Reclusive. Susan had expected a highly intelligent child because the father was a Mensa member and a Harvard grad, but Erin really didn’t care about school. I think her mother worried that she’d rebel even more if she knew was donor-conceived.”

  “I think it’s what got her killed.” Madison went on to tell her mother about the murder of Wyatt’s offspring in the Boston area and about the death of Keith Brooks Smith. She then explained about the Chagas scare.

  Her mother’s eyes darkened with emotion. “Your life is in danger, isn’t it?”

  “It may have been, but when this news gets out, I’m off the hook.”

  “Oh God,” her mother cried. “I never imagined—”

  “Who would? This is a bizarre thing. If someone is so desperate to get rid of Wyatt, why not just shoot him?”

  Her mother nodded. “This is a very sadistic person. Very.”

  “A certifiable lunatic.” Madison’s body tingled with relief. She was exactly who she thought she was.

  “How are you getting along without Aiden? Are you dating again?”

  “I met someone wonderful. Paul Tanner. He’s a homicide detective. He’s been watching over me. You know, in case this maniac comes after me.”

  “Really? That’s wonderful. I can’t wait to meet him.” Her mother hugged her. “Please be careful. I’m worried about you.”

  “Don’t worry, please.” She reached for her purse, which was on the floor not far from Aspen. “I’d better call Paul and let him know I’m coming back soon. He’ll worry, too.” She checked for messages; there weren’t any. Maybe I can get back before Paul does, she thought. “Let’s get together tomorrow. I’ll introduce you to Paul. And if you need money—”

  “I’ll ask the boys to lend me some. They’ve already offered, but I assumed you…”

  “I may be able to help you out soon. We’re working on it.” She rose. “Walk me out to the car.”

  Aspen jumped to his feet and followed her to the door. The lights were still on, and they went slowly toward her Beamer. Neither wanted to part. There was so much to say, but Madison didn’t want to upset Paul. As her mother had wisely pointed out, there were some things men were better off not knowing. If she could get back before he did, she wasn’t mentioning this trip.

  Aspen sprinted ahead, barking furiously. The hackles on his back were up; his tail was down low.

  “Are there any cats around here?” she asked her mother.

  “I guess. The boys don’t have any but I’m not sure about the neighbors.”

  “Aspen rarely barks except at cats.” She watched the dog. He had his nose under the car just below the passenger door, barking for all he was worth. “I’ll bet there’s a cat hiding under the car.”

  As they came closer, Aspen’s head popped up. He looked at them and began growling, low and deep in his chest, the way he had the night Garrison came to put the note on her door. Madison lowered herself to her knees and peaked under the car. Nothing unless the cat was black. Wouldn’t its eyes glow in the dark?

  “What do you see?” her mother asked as Aspen continued to growl.

  “Nothing. Do the boys have a flashlight?”

  “Yes, in the pantry. I’ll go get it.”

  Madison went around to the back of the car and tried to look from that angle. She caught the gleam of the cat’s one red eye. A one-eyed cat in Coral Gables? Anything was possible, she decided. After all, the Everglades was the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles lived together. That was Florida for you.

  Enough with the trivia, already.

  The eye blinked. “Shoo! Shoo!” she shouted.

 
It didn’t move. Aspen was beside her now, barking again, then growling. The eye blinked again. She realized a second had elapsed. It blinked again. It wasn’t a cat. It was an electronic something.

  Madison stood up and backed away from the car. She pulled her cell phone out from her purse and hit the speed dial for Paul’s number. He answered, “Hey, babe. I’m on the way there right now. Took longer than we thought.”

  “Paul, did you put a tracking device under my car?”

  “No, why?” She heard the alarm in his voice. “What are you doing looking under your car? Why is Aspen barking?”

  Her mother came up with a flashlight and stood beside her. “I’m with my mother in Coral Gables. When I came out—”

  “What in hell are you doing there? Is the guard with you?”

  “No. I came by myself. My mother returned from the South Pacific. I had to see her.”

  “Son of a bitch! You never listen.” He cursed again, then said, “I’m not far. Give me the address. I’ll come over.”

  She rattled off the address and told him, “The thing has a tiny blinking red light on it.”

  “Shit! Sounds like an explosive device. Now listen to me. Do not touch the car. For sure, do not put your key in the ignition.”

  “Okay. I promise.”

  “I’m not an expert on bombs, but one thing we’ve learned from Iraq is that they can be detonated by cell phone. Get as far away from the vehicle as you can. I’m calling the bomb squad.”

  “What’s happening?” her mother asked.

  “Come, Aspen. Let’s go to the front of the house.” She took her mother’s arm and led her away from the Beamer. Aspen followed. “I looked under the car and saw a blinking red light. Paul thinks it might be a bomb.”

  “Oh my God!”

  “I think Aspen was warning me. I’ll bet he was in the car when it was put underneath. That’s why he was barking.”

  “Oh, baby doll. What are we going to do?”

  Her mother had never been the hysterical type, but Madison detected something akin to panic in her voice. She felt ice creep into every pore.

 

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