Questions
1079 Words
“Yes."
Madison's answer came out as a whisper as if she didn't really want to admit it.
“Did you have affairs?"
Her face tightened. “I don't see what relevance that has."
“You're assuming this has to do with your husband. Maybe it has everything to do with you."
She seemed to mull that over. “I never thought of that."
“So I go back to my question," he said.
She swallowed visibly. “I met a man, but it never went beyond coffee. He listened to my woes. Then…"
“What?"
“He disappeared. He didn't answer his cell phone anymore. Then it was disconnected."
“Did you ever think he wanted information and must've gotten it."
“No, I'd never thought of it. At first I assumed I'd been too needy. Ultimately, I was relieved that I hadn't cheated on my wedding vows."
Somehow that warmed him. At least she was faithful. Too bad she was being faithful to someone else. Someone far away. Someone who could even be dead.
“You realize that it's common for journalists to be kidnapped in the Middle East."
She sighed. “I know, but I expected a ransom note."
“You're sure you didn't receive one?"
Without hesitation, she said. “No. I honestly expected one."
She answered too fast in Q's book, that meant she was hiding something. “I don't feel as if you're being completely open with me."
She walked away from him. “Some of this is pretty personal. Some of it I've been pretty stupid for. I guess I'm embarrassed."
“I see. Madison, I need to know everything."
“Everything? Like how stupid I can be?"
He chuckled. He'd seen women be stupid for a guy more than once in his life, but he'd never judge Madison for it. “I guess so if it could pertain to this case."
“Charlie sent me a package."
***
This was so embarrassing. How could she tell him? She spun around and looked him straight in the eye. “I lost it before I ever opened it."
He put his phone on the counter, and stood. His brow creased. “If you aren't going to be straight with me, we can stop here."
“Please. I'm being honest. I left it in a cab. I know that sounds odd, but I did. My car was in the shop and I'd given my driver the day off. I didn't have the heart to call him back, so I took a cab from the post office. I had so much in my arms, I forgot about the package."
He settled back into the chair with a wary look her way.
She wanted to be completely honest, but wasn't sure how much she could safely tell this man. This knight in an Armani suit that was from three seasons ago. He wanted to help, but he didn't know how big this was. She didn't know how big this was.
“Did you call the cab company?"
“Yes, the driver quit as soon as he took me home."
“You didn't find this suspicious?"
“Of course, but since I didn't know what was in the package, I figured it was a loss. I wouldn't be able to retrieve it. If Charlie wanted me to have something, he'd resend it."
“Did you contact him about it?"
“No—Yes. I called his cell and left a message. He never called back."
“Was this before or after he went missing?" Q asked.
She assumed from his interrogation, he was taking the case. The idea buoyed her. She'd been feeling paranoid for some time and only the man approaching her today justified her feelings of being watched.
“I think. The soldier for hire narrowed it down to a five day period and that was when I got the package."
He made some notes again on his phone. “What was the name of the cab company?"
“Central Cab."
“I haven't heard of them."
“Me either, but they were in the phone book."
“I can look them up when I–“
Her heart clenched. He didn't have an office. He didn't have a base of operations. “Take me home. I have an office you can use until you find a place to work."
He seemed to mull that over. He rubbed his chin the way he did when he was thinking. “Internet connection?"
“Cable modem."
“Sold, thanks. Let me take you home now and I'll check into a hotel and come back."
“No. I have plenty of room. This way you have access to the office 24/7. I'll give you key to the house and the security code."
“I couldn't impose."
“You aren't. We could run around the family estate for days and not collide. Trust me on this one."
“Sounds like it's too big for you."
She sighed. “It is. I'd hoped to have children to fill it."
Her lost dream threatened to choke her. Not too long into the marriage she'd known she couldn't have children with Charlie. He was too busy tilting at windmills to be a father, so she'd given up on the idea.
At this point, she didn't have any prospects and her biological clock was ticking. There would be no children for Madison.
Q put a hand out to touch her. “That's sad, but you shouldn't give up on your dream."
She smiled, but she doubted it reached her eyes. “Let's go home."
***
The second look at the large house Madison lived in took away Q's breath. He made a good living owning and operating the detective agency with his brothers, but he could never afford this. Madison's house was no new-fangled McMansion. The fortress screamed old money. Like Philadelphia Main Line old money. Lions at the front gate and all. The building possessed a lot of character.
And apparently a butler, as one stood waiting for them in the doorway. A white-haired gentlemen who looked down his nose at Q.
“Oh, Jenson, you didn't need to return from your vacation."
“Miss Eileen called me as soon as she reached home. I couldn't stay away, Miss Madison."
Madison squeezed the old man's hand. The butler's welcome for Q wasn't so warm. “And who is the gentlemen?"
- Writer
