Really Her
1133 Words
Q must've been staring at her with his mouth open because she said, "Yes, Q, it's me," she said.
"I see that. Your presence brings up so many questions and I'm unable to prioritize them."
She smiled at him. Her fear over the man chasing her possibly forgotten? Knowing Madison, this was a ploy. No man chased her. Well they did, but none for nefarious purposes. They all just wanted to get in her pants.
"Always an open book, Q. One would think you would've learned to play things close to the vest."
Hm. She wasn't wrong, but he'd never been able to hide things from her. Not what he was thinking and certainly not his feelings. Heaven knew he would've loved to hide his feelings.
"Why are you here?"
"No 'hello'? No hug?"
"Did you really expect that kind of reception?"
“Fine. I'll tell you my story. A man stopped me on the street and told me he would kill me if I didn't give him the package."
“What package?" Q asked.
“I don't know."
“You have no idea what he was talking about?"
She shook her reddish-brown hair. The crimson came in highlights if the light in his lab hit her head at just the right angle. He blinked. Don't go there.
He shrugged. This woman was going to bring him trouble. “Did he get more specific?"
“Just that my husband sent it to me."
Her husband. He knew all about her husband. They'd been best friends at one point in his life. A long time ago. “Did he?"
“My husband—Charlie— is missing. Has been for six months. He was on assignment for a newspaper in the Middle East. I haven't heard from him since the day he landed. No e-mails, postcards or letters."
Q scratched his head and tried to think what was next. He was out of practice at this. He really hoped she wouldn't cry. He would be mush if that happened.
She was an adorable crier. No red nose, just tears sliding down her face. Five minutes after she stopped, you could never tell that she'd done it. At first he didn't suspect that she could turn them on. Later on, he never knew if she was truly sad or not.
Machines were so much easier to deal with. “Uh, okay. Then the man's mistaken. Maybe you need to go to the police. I can call them for you." Anything to get her out of his office. His domain that he'd built. His fortress.
“No." The word jumped out of her like a cat escaping water.
Suspicious for sure, but all he wanted was her gone. Out of his agency. Out of his life once more. No good could come of Madison's return. No good had ever come from Madison being in his life. “Okay. Well, this is a detective agency."
She stood and grabbed his black t-shirt. “Would you help me? I'm so scared. Charlie said to find you if anything happened to him."
Green eyes pleaded with him. He was a sucker for green eyes. They reminded him of the sea in the Caribbean.
And he'd made a promise he knew he would regret. When Charlie chose him to be his best man, Q knew he should've declined. He didn't. He also made a promise to Charlie that he'd look after Madison in his absence.
And here she was on his doorstep. Needing to be taken care of. Sigh. “Uh, okay. I'm not ---“
She didn't let him finish. Instead she hugged him.
Fiercely. She still felt as good as he remembered. Too good. Part of him wanted to envelop her in his arms.
He settled for patting her shoulder. Once. Twice. He waited for her to let go.
She pushed him away at the pounding on the back door. What now?
A large man stood glaring at the screen. Q blinked. “Is that the man that was chasing you?"
Madison wasn't lying. No doubt, Charlie had gotten in another mess and Q would have to clean it up.
“Yes, please don't let him in."
“Sure, but you can't stay here forever. We have a business to run."
“Just until he leaves. Please."
Q nodded. When the other detectives returned they'd help him.
The phone rang. “Quincy Detective Agency."
“Q, we've had a bit to drink. Could you bring our van and drive us home?"
It was Matt, his older brother. He chuckled. “Sure, thing, boss. I just have a problem."
Problem wasn't the right word to describe the blond currently occupying his workshop. She was so much more than that.
“Get here and we'll work it out."
The line went dead. Q replaced the receiver and the man pounded on the door. “Let me in."
***
Madison gripped the Q's shirt again. “Please don't let him in."
She'd forgotten just how strong he felt despite his slim build. No fat resided on Peter Quincy's body, but he wasn't bulky like a weightlifter.
Her fear was a noose tightening around her throat. He glanced down at her hands as if they were snakes.
“I won't. I have to pick up my brothers from a restaurant."
“Now? He's out there."
He blinked at her. “There's another way out of course. And he can't possible get around the building that fast especially because he doesn't know we're exiting the place."
“Good."
The man outside pounded on the door again. Madison jumped.
“Let's go," Q said.
He grabbed her hand and led her through offices. “I have a van outside."
She stumbled behind him. He stopped and steadied her.
“You okay?"
“Sure." She nodded even though she wasn't sure. Well, she should be okay, but she'd been surprised by the man on the street. As if he had known where she was going and was trying to intercept her.
She turned her attention to Q. The guy was a nerd for sure. He hadn't changed, but the file she'd read spoke of the things he'd done since she'd married Charlie. She was having a hard time meshing her image of him and what was said in his file. And that was only what she needed clearance to read.
The van in question was full-sized painted with the logo of Quincy Detective Agency on the side. It was already running when he unlocked the door for her.
“Do you leave the keys in the ignition?" she asked. Why didn't anyone steal it?
“Nope. Remote starter. Wonderful invention. I use it mainly on cold mornings."
She didn't know what to say to that.
- Writer
