Endangered: A Delecoeur Mystery #1 (6 page)

It wasn't long before boredom set in. To
fill the time, Madeleine had cleaned the house top to bottom – twice. She’d
rearranged the bedroom and the living room furniture only to put it back in its
original position. She knew she was nearing crazy town when she nearly signed
Oscar up for a dog show. She loved Oscar, but there was no way that mutt would
win anything.

To make matters worse, when Max was
home, he coddled her like she was a sick child. Thank goodness he had some
important project he was working on or he’d be hovering over her all day and
night. She didn’t want a babysitter and she didn’t want to spend another moment
inside the house. Knowing that Max would be upset if she went shopping, she
decided she would visit him at the office for lunch. That way she could get out
of the house and he could keep watch on her. She knew he didn't like her idea,
but his tone told her that he also knew he couldn’t keep her locked up any
longer. Lunch at his office was the compromise.

Madeleine arrived at Max's office building
and pulled into the underground parking lot.

“Hello Mrs. Delecoeur,” a middle-aged
guard said as he approached her car.

“Hello…uh... Mr. Tamm,” Madeleine said
reading his nameplate.

“Mr. Delecoeur insisted I escort you
up.”

“Did he? Well, thank you.” Madeleine
shook her head. How was it that she could love Max's protective spirit and yet
be so annoyed by it at the same time?

“I’m happy to do it. I heard about your
accident. What a horrible ordeal. But I told my wife Bessie that I knew you’d
come through like a champ.”

Madeleine smiled at him. “I could have
used your confidence last week when I felt like I was run over by a train.”

“Ah, it will take more than a train to
slow you down. And I know Mr. Delecoeur, he won’t stop until he finds who did
this to you.”

“I just hope it’s soon and without
incident.”

“Amen to that.”

“Mrs. Delecoeur?”

“Alan!” Madeleine startled at seeing
him.

“I need to talk to you.” He looked tired
and edgy. A nugget of fear took root in her belly.

“I have a few questions of my own,” she
said hoping her stern tone belied her apprehension.

“I know…”

It was then Madeleine saw the gun, but
she had no time to react before it fired.

~~~

“Oh God, Mr. Delecoeur, Mr. Delecoeur …”
Marie ran into Max’s office without knocking. “…in the parking garage… “

She didn’t have to finish. Max was up
and out of his office. He ran and cursed the elevator that wasn’t there when he
reached it.

“Tell me, Marie,” he said as he headed
to the stairway.

She followed him. “There's been gun fire-”

“Call the police and-”

“The police are already there.”

His feet moved as fast as they could,
but not fast enough for Max. What was he going to find when he reached the
garage? Was Madeleine there? Would he regret forever having agreed to having her
meet him at the office? He felt sick and knew it wasn’t from pushing the limits
of his physical abilities. It was panic and dread. Would his life be over?

He burst through the door of the garage.
He wanted to feel relieved that the police and medical help had already arrived,
but until he saw Madeleine there was only panic.

“Mr. Delecoeur ,” a policeman tried to
intercept him.

Max pushed him aside, “Where’s my wife?”

“Max,” Lt. White, a long time friend of
Max and Madeleine's approached and Max didn’t like what he saw in his face.

“Move, dammit. Where’s Madeleine?” He
saw a covered body and Madeleine’s purse laying on the garage floor. His knees
buckled and he fell to the ground. “No….NOOOOOOO.”

F
our days later,
Max looked around the room at all the people who had come to pay their
respects. It was inconceivable to him how he could be expected to function much
less play host to these people. Who came up with the idea that the grieving had
to give a reception after the funeral? Didn’t he have enough to think about? He
could barely get dressed. Julia had to do his tie because he couldn’t
concentrate to get it done. He wanted to drink to oblivion. Anything to get rid
of the devastating pain in his chest. Even Oscar felt the loss. He was holed up
in the laundry room. Max wished he could join him.

“How are you holding up?” Lt. White
asked.

Max could only look at him with
disbelieving eyes.

“Right. So, do you see anyone here that
may be involved?”

“No. All these people loved her.”

“What about them?” Lt. White pointed
with his drink to Julia and Chas.

“I don’t see how or why.”

“Old flame comes to reclaim her man?”

Max shook his head. “I don’t think so.
She and Chas were both in L.A. when Madeleine disappeared in San Francisco.
Anything new from the scene?”

“Nothing you didn’t already know.” Lt.
White's cell phone rang. “Excuse me.”

He left Max alone. Alone in a crowd of
people. Even growing up in foster care, he couldn’t remember ever feeling more
lost and empty. Everyone gathered in his home loved and cared for him. He could
see their concern for him, and their shock and grief over Madeleine. But he
felt like his soul was ripped from him and no amount of consoling or offers to
help were going to change that.

“I remember when my father died.” Chas
said stepping next to Max. “I wondered why we had to entertain all his old
buddies. We’d just buried my father, why did we have to host a party?”

Max nodded his understanding.

“You look like you’ve had enough of
this. Why don’t I let people know it's time to go?”

As much as Max thought Chas and Julia
were self-centered, he had to admit that he wouldn't have made it the last few
days without them. Julia had functioned as hostess because he couldn’t do it
and resented that he was expected to.

“I'd appreciate that, Chas. Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Max snuck from the room to the kitchen
for a drink of water.

“Max?” Julia came up behind him. “Can I
do something?”

God, if he heard another person ask that
he’d strangle them. “No. Thank you, Julia. I just need some time to myself.”

“Chas is letting everyone know it's time
to go. I’ll help him and then clean up.”

He nodded, but didn't respond. When he
thought everyone had left, he headed upstairs.

“Max?”

He turned to find Julia and Chas at the
bottom of the stairs.

“I made some sandwiches for you. You
need to eat.”

“I’m not hungry now, but thank you.”

“You look like you could use a rest too,
but don’t forget to eat. Madeleine would want you to keep your health up.”

Max’s eyes narrowed. He resented Julia
telling him what Madeleine would want him to do.

“Is there anything you else you need us
to help with?” Chas asked.

“No, thank you.”

“I’d be happy to stay Max. I can take
care of calls…run interference…cook…” Julia offered.

“I appreciate all your help, both of
you, but right now I just want to rest.”

“Are you sure?”

“You're making it worse, Mother,"
Chas chastised. "Give him some space."

Julia went to Max, putting her arms
around him. His body stiffened at first and then accepted her embrace. In that
moment, she wasn’t the shallow Julia he’d just gotten reacquainted with. She
was the young girl who had been his best friend, who had been there for him
when he struggled to discover if he was more than abandoned and orphaned. There
had always been a selfish streak in her, but when it was really important, she
had been there for him as she was now.

“Thank you,” he whispered as he hugged
her back.

“You have my number if you need
anything. Anything Max.”

Max nodded, gave her a quick squeeze,
and turned to go upstairs.

By the time he reached the bedroom, his
coat and tie were off. He threw them on a chair. He lay on the bed as he
loosened his shirt. God what a day. How he survived it he didn’t know. He
closed his eyes and let the fatigue overtake his body. He was so deep in
exhaustion that he didn’t hear her enter until she sat on the bed next to him.

He opened his eyes.

"I know you don't want me
here."

He regarded her with annoyance. “Why are
you here?”

“I couldn’t stay away, Max. I know you
wanted me to, but I just can’t.”

She was right. He’d wanted her to stay
away, but now that she was here, he couldn’t make her go. His need to fill the
ache, the hole in his soul was so fierce. He reached up, took her arms in his
hands and pulled her over his body rolling her onto her back. He stared down at
her as his anguish and emptiness forced him to find a way to numb his senses.
He kissed her hard and without finesse. His only goal was to take in her
essence, to try to fill the void. It wasn’t right, but he couldn’t stop the
need to have her.

“You shouldn’t be here, but God help me
I can’t send you away.”

“I’m here, Max. Right here.”

They rolled together, fumbling for
clothing, until they met flesh to flesh.

“Don’t move," he demanded once he
was seeped inside her. She stilled, held him close. His head dipped into the
valley of her neck, his hands gripped her hips. He held on as if his life
depended on it. But soon, the desperation and emptiness were replaced by a
feeling of completeness. He lifted his head, pressing a gentle kiss against her
lips. He rested his forehead against hers.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered.

“For what?”

He held her tight, needing to feel her
round him, holding him as if only she was preventing him from shattering into a
million pieces.

“The last four days have been
unbearable, but today... today has been hell. I could barely get through it,”
he said. “I would never be able to survive if I really lost you, Madeleine.”

Madeleine’s hands caressed his face.
“It’s not real. I’m here with you now. And I’m going to stay here.”

He started to protest, but she pressed a
finger to his lips.

“I won’t go back to that safe house Max,
I won’t. Our home is just as safe as anywhere. We can close all the drapes so
no one can see in and people will think you're just closing out the world
because of your grief. I promise I won’t be seen or go anywhere.”

“Like you didn’t go anywhere the last
time you were holed up?”

She gave him a face. “You would bring
that up.”

“It's your safety we’re talking about
here. As awful as it is to be apart, I’d rather have you locked away safe and
not see you than to have you killed.”

“I saw you today, Max. You could barely
function. Even as a farce, my funeral cost you.”

He couldn’t deny that.

"Besides, I should be taking care
of you instead of Julia.”

“But Julia can cook.”

Eyes narrowed, Madeleine said, “You are
evil, Max Delecoeur. If you want Julia to sooth your grief, fine. But I’m not
leaving and nothing you can do will force me to leave.”

“Madeleine,” his voice turned to velvet
and his eyes softened, but held a mischievous glimmer.

“Oh no you don’t.” She started to push
him away, but he moved within her sending exquisite sensations through her
body. She gritted her teeth. “You can’t sweet talk me this time.” She tightened
her legs around him to keep him from moving.

“I’m not talking.” He shifted.

She groaned. There was only one thing
left to do. Fight fire with fire. She arched her back and pulled him close.

He growled, his thoughts of trying to
get her to go back to the safe house lost by the sensations of his very much
alive wife moving beneath him.

Now it was love and passion and joy that
drove him. He sought to give her back all that she’d given him. She responded
in kind. Together they moved, until sated, they lay quietly in each other’s
arms.

Max grinned as he watched her snuggle
against him. God he felt better. She was right. Even though the whole funeral
and reception were fake, it had cost him. He thought he could pull it together
and send her back to the safe house, but why bother? The truth was he wanted
her with him where he could keep an eye on her.

The ordeal had cost her too. He could
see it in her eyes. Twice now someone had tried to kill her. The last four days
they hadn’t seen each other as Lt. White arranged to have her whisked away to a
safe place and they put into motion a plan to smoke out the killer.

They had spent time apart in the past,
but always stayed connected by phone or email. This time they had zero contact
and it was extremely difficult. The farce had begun to feel all too real. Max’s
only assurance that all was well over the last few days was Lt. White’s cryptic
messages delivered under the guise of the investigation.