Don't Tell (24 page)

Her face went even paler. He hadn’t thought it possible. Excellent. „Nurse Desmond. Where did she tell Mary Grace to go?“

„I don’t know.“

He brought his free hand around to her cheek, seeing the shock register as it connected with her jaw with a crack. „Don’t lie to me, Miss Crenshaw. That was a warning. The next time your baby takes a tumble into the river. What a shame that would be. Your neighbors will be all too willing to say you had post-partum depression. Poor Susan. Poor baby. Whatever will your husband say?“

Her lips trembled. „You’re…“

„Despicable? I suppose I can see your point of view. Back to Nurse Desmond. What did she tell my wife?“

„I swear I don’t remember.“

„You’d better try.“ He turned and took a few steps closer to the center of the bridge. Heard her run to catch up with him. He stopped and turned to face her again. „Start by remembering Mary Grace. Remember her face. Her neck. Her back.“

„I do.“ He had to strain to hear the whisper, almost lost on the breeze.

„Then you know I can and will do this.“ He paused, watched her fight with herself. „The name of the place, Miss Crenshaw. You have ten seconds before the bough breaks and your baby falls.“ Ten, nine, eight… He really hoped she wouldn’t make him do this. Baby Red was a cute kid. Five, four… „Three, two – “ He moved the baby to the edge of the bridge. Held him over the edge, his hands firm around the baby’s ribcage.

„Chicago,“ she blurted. Her hands reached for the child. Stupid bitch. Chicago was a big town. He could look for a year and not find Mary Grace in Chicago. Especially if she were no longer there after all this time.

Baby Red was squirming in his hands. „Okay. That’s a start. But there was a specific place, wasn’t there? Your baby’s becoming harder to hold. I’d hate to drop him. Ten seconds, Miss Crenshaw.“

Her shoulders sagged. „It was a place called Hanover House. Please give me my baby now.“

Hanover House. Success. Involuntarily his hands tightened and the baby shrieked in a pitch that would have shattered glass and he nearly let go. That would have been bad. He didn’t really want to hurt Baby Red. This little guy didn’t have anything to do with the disappearance of his son.

It was Baby Red’s mamma that would pay. Winters stood looking at her, this interfering bitch that was responsible for him losing seven precious years of Robbie’s life. He stretched his mouth into a thoughtful frown. „I hardly think you’re in any position to make demands, Miss Crenshaw.“

„You said…“

Irritated, he threw a sharp glance over his shoulder. „I know what I said, Miss Crenshaw.“ He walked to her car, placed the baby in his car seat and strapped him in. None the worse for the experience. Probably. Who the hell knew what babies heard and understood anyway? He straightened and turned to face the shaking woman. Her skin had taken on a greenish tinge. „I said I wouldn’t hurt your baby.“

Chapter Twelve

Chicago

Monday, March 12

10 A.M.

„Mail call.“ Evie Wilson plopped a stack of letters on Caroline’s desk.

Caroline looked up to find her aide’s normal blue jeans replaced by a suit with a snazzy short skirt and a hip-length jacket. High heels made her long lanky legs look incredible. Caroline swallowed back the little surge of jealousy at Evie’s youthful grace, instead leaning back in her chair to blow a low whistle. „Nice threads, or whatever you kids are calling clothes these days.“

Evie laughed even as her eyes brightened. She’d had such a hard life. She was just beginning to come out of her shell under the careful nurturing she and Dana had provided. And of course Eli. Eli had been instrumental in getting Evie back on her feet, in school, in a stable job – giving her a chance at a normal future even if her past had been anything but. „We call them clothes, Caro.“

Caroline sniffed. „Smart aleck.“

Evie practically skipped to the desk she used in her part-time hours. „Learned it all from you.“

At that moment the door to Max’s office opened and he stuck his head out.

„Evie, what time does the department meeting start?“

„In an-an hour,“ Evie stammered, her face going scarlet.

Caroline rolled her eyes. Oh, Lordy, she thought. Evie’s crash on Max had snowballed into a full-fledged… giant crush.

„Good. That gives me enough time to grade some tests.“ He flashed a smile at Caroline and she felt her body melt like butter. Poor Evie. She’d be heartbroken when she found out about her relationship with Max. „Oh, nice suit, Evie,“ Max added. He lifted a brow. „You’re not interviewing for a job somewhere else are you?“

Evie shook her head violently. „N-no. Of c-course not.“

„That’s a relief. See you later.“ He pulled back far enough so that only Caroline could see him give her a bawdy wink that made her bury her burning face in her budget reports. She heard his door close and Evie give a tremendous sigh. Then Evie’s high heels clicked as she went to prepare the conference room for their department meeting.

Caroline lifted her head when she heard the conference room door close. She’d racked her brain for a good way to break the news to Evie, but so far had come up with nothing.

„That about sums up today’s department meeting. Unless anyone has new business.“ Evie checked around the table and found all heads shaking.

„I think that’s a no on new business,“ Max commented.

„Then the last order of business is the drawing for the tickets.“ Evie said the words with reverence as she placed an envelope holding the coveted Chicago Bulls season tickets for the upcoming month’s games on the table. It was one of Eli’s legacies to the department.

„I was wondering when it would be time to do that again.“ Wade Grayson drummed his fingertips on the table. „Hurry up, Evie. It’s my turn, I just know it.“

Evie reached deep into the hat they used to draw the winning name. Her face colored to a deep rose as she pulled out a scrap of paper and read the winning name. „Sorry, Wade. This month the Bulls tickets go to Max.“

„No.“

Evie turned with everyone else to gape at Max in surprise. His face had grown dark, his jaw so taut a muscle twitched. The pencil in his hand snapped, half-jumping to the middle of the table.

Evie glanced at Caroline who was as shocked as everyone else. „But – “

He interrupted her with the slamming of his books, one on top of the other. „No buts, Evie. I don’t want the damned tickets.“ He stood, shoving his chair back as he reached for his cane. „And in the future, please ask my permission before including me in any of your little events.“

Silence hung heavy and as a group they winced when the door slammed to his office.

„Well.“ Wade puckered his mouth. „That was different.“

„That was rude,“ George Foster, one of the other professors, sputtered. „Evie, don’t you worry about him. He must be a Celtics fan. I hear they’re even ruder than New Yorkers.“

„But I should go apologize.“

„No, honey.“ Caroline laid a firm hand over Evie’s thin fingers. „George is right. For whatever reason, Max was insufferably rude. Why don’t you take the tickets this month.“ With a last supportive squeeze, Caroline released her hand. „Meeting adjourned, everyone.“

Caroline knocked once on Max’s office door before quickly slipping inside. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it, watching him stand before the window, arms tightly crossed over his chest, fingers digging into his upper arms, the picture of bottled anger. Her eyes widened as she took in the debris covering the carpet. Papers, notebooks, pencils and an assortment of paper clips lay strewn, knocked from his desk in a burst of tantrum. A framed photo lay face down between the door and the desk and she moved quietly to pick it up. With care she placed the picture of his parents on the empty corner of Eli’s desk.

„Max?“

„Go away, Caroline. I’m too angry to talk right now.“

Her brows snapped together. „You’re too angry? I’d like to know what about.“

„It’s none of your business.“

She was at his side before she knew she’d taken her first step. „It’s my business when you disrupt my office. It’s my business when you crush my aide.“ It’s my business when I’m falling for you, she thought. It’s my business when I thought you weren’t capable of such anger.

„This is my office, not yours and she works for me. Not you.“ His voice had an unpleasant note, unnoticed before.

Momentarily nonplussed, she could only stare. It was like Jekyll and Hyde. He stood before her, a man carved from stone. A stranger. Certainly not the man who’d courted her with such tender intensity for the last week. Who’d held her with such sensitivity and affection. Who’d kissed her and made her feel like an important part of his life. A fire of her own began to bubble. „So that’s it? Go away, Caroline, you bother me? I don’t think so, Max.“ She pulled at his arm. „At least look at me when you’re being rude.“

He yanked his arm away, the force causing him to twist and stumble. Grasping the edge of his desk he looked up, his gray eyes filled with a mixture of anger and pain, his lips curled back in what could only be called a snarl. „Get out, Caroline. You have no idea what you’re talking about.“

Quietly, she bent down to retrieve his cane and held it out to him. „You still haven’t gotten past your forced change in career, have you? Still pissed about losing the shoe deal, aren’t you?“ His hands clenched in fury but he said nothing. When he made no move to take the cane she stared at him for a moment, then she dropped his cane at his feet.

„Grow up, Max. Get a life. And when you’ve done both of those things, give me a call.“

Chicago

Monday, March 12

6 p.m.

„Mom?“ Tom came running at the sound of clashing metal. „What’s wrong?“

Caroline tossed a pot on the stove, still muttering under her breath. „Nothing.“

Tom blinked and cringed as a second pot followed the first. „Sounds like a pretty loud nothing. Are you sure you’re okay?“

Caroline heard the concern in his young voice and made herself stop. Taking her fury out on Tom was no better than Max venting on poor Evie. „I’m okay, hon. Just a little pissed off.“

Tom eyed her skeptically. „What happened, Mom?“

Caroline sighed. „I had a fight with Max.“

„Can I ask what about?“

She leaned her forehead on the cool surface of the refrigerator. „You can ask. Once I calm down I might even tell you.“

„Did he hurt you?“

Caroline spun around to find Tom in a battle stance, his face hardened. „No! Oh, no, honey, it’s nothing like that. Max is a very gentle man. Normally he’s a reasonable man. Today he was a very stupid man. Come, have a seat.“ She waited until Tom had folded his lanky frame into one of the small chairs, his expression one of suspicious disbelief. „Max has quite a story.“

„I know,“ he said grimly.

„How do you know?“

„The guys told me – his nephews. He used to have these big fights with his brother, Phil’s dad.“ He looked away. „I wanted to know about him. I wanted to know if he was…“ Tom shrugged. „So I looked him up on the Net.“

Wary, Caroline narrowed her gaze. „Show me.“ Impatiently she waited the thirty seconds it took him to get to his room and back, drumming her fingertips on the table. Her mouth dropped open in surprise at the thick folder Tom produced. In silence he let her look through every picture, scan every article. Finally she raised her head, amazement in her eyes.

„How did you do this?“

„We’re learning how to do research in our computer class. How to use on-line networks for study. Some of this comes from the LA Times, some of it is from old Sports Illustrated. A couple of articles from his hometown paper, you know, local boy makes good.“

Twelve years, she thought bitterly. He’d carried this grudge for more than twelve years. Disillusionment fueled her anger as she felt her short-lived dream of the perfect man slipping away. Too many men in her life had blamed someone or something for their bad luck. Her father. Rob. Eventually they’d ended up blaming her. She’d believed Max was different. She still wanted to believe he was different. That he could truly rise above his circumstances, make himself a better human being. She stood up, ready to give Max Hunter one more opportunity to prove her wrong.

„Mom?“

„It’s okay, Tom,“ she assured him. „I need to go out for a while.“

Tom pushed himself to his feet, blocking her path. „No. Not by yourself.“

Caroline drew in a breath, willing herself to be calm with her son, reminding herself that her anger was reserved for Max. Still her voice emerged much harsher than she’d intended. „Tom, I know you’re doing what you think is right and I appreciate you trying to take care of me, but I am your mother and quite capable of caring for myself.“

„He’s an athlete with a temper. You’re not big enough.“ His voice was desperate. „Don’t go.“

She laid a hand on his arm and felt his muscle tense beneath her fingers. „Tom, please. Don’t make me pull rank. Not tonight. Max will not hurt me. I’m certain of it.“

Tom hesitated, then stepped aside, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. „When will you be back?“

Caroline buttoned her coat. „In an hour or two.“ She could see the worry in his eyes. „Don’t fret, son. I’ll be okay. Can I have these pictures?“

„Okay.“ He stood and followed her to the door. „Mom, be careful. Call if you need me.“

„I will. Don’t worry. Lock the door behind me.“

Max had almost calmed himself when Caroline showed up at his front door, but one look at her angry eyes set his ire blazing anew.

„Caroline, what a pleasant surprise,“ he twanged, sarcasm dripping from every word. „Funny, I don’t remember growin’ up, gettin’ a life or givin’ y’all a call.“

A scathing look was all she spared him as she pushed her way into his foyer. Silently, he followed her into the kitchen where she was pulling at the buttons of her coat with stiff little jerks, a thick manila folder crammed under one arm.

With a fluid motion she shrugged out of her coat and tossed the folder on the table where it bounced once, sending the contents sliding free. Eyes dark and narrowed, she stood with her fists planted on her hips, her jaw set, a petite prizefighter poised for a bout. Even in his fury, his mouth watered at the sight of her.