Living on the Edge (18 page)

It was Christopher, she thought grimly. He'd been smart. Somehow he'd gotten to Alison and had convinced her father's secretary to help him. Madison would have been suspicious of anyone else but not Alison.

Madison drank some water from the faucet and returned to the bed. Tanner would probably have recovered from the sedative, but that wasn't going to be much help to her. Sure, he could trace her to the hospital, but then what? She looked at the bracelet she wore. It only worked within the grounds of his property. No hidden beacon was going to give him a clue. She was on her own.

Christopher was going to kill her. She accepted that. If not today, then soon. The thought of death scared her, but what really made her want to pound her hands against the walls and scream was the thought that Tanner would never know she was sorry to have misjudged him. He would live the rest of his life aware that in the heat of the moment, she hadn't trusted him.

“I was a fool,” she whispered into the silence. “I should have remembered Christopher would do any
thing to get his way. I should have known you were on my side.”

Worse, she should have listened to her heart. Over the past couple of days, she'd been feeling things for Tanner. Maybe they were about him rescuing her as much as about the man himself, but they were still there. And they'd made her nervous. She didn't want to be vulnerable to any man. Christopher had taught her the danger of that.

She tried to imagine what Tanner would think when he woke up. He would find her computer and the e-mail. He would start with Alison. But then what? Would the secretary be in hiding? She had a feeling Christopher would take care of that little detail. Which meant Tanner would end up with no way to find her.

It didn't occur to her that he wouldn't look for her. Despite what she'd done, he would come after her. That's the kind of man he was. If only she could tell him how much she regretted what she'd done.

Time passed. When the sun was high in the sky and the small room had become uncomfortably hot, the door opened and Christopher entered.

“I hope you slept well,” he said politely as he stood just inside the door.

She stayed on the bed, back against the wall, legs stretched out in front of her, and studied the man she'd been so excited to marry.

He was tall, slim, with dark blond hair and light brown eyes. He was a man born to wear expensive clothes and have them look good. She'd been fooled by
a facade of good manners and a great lineage. She'd never seen the real man behind the smile.

When she didn't answer, he sighed. “You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?”

“I'm not inspired to cooperate.”

“Even if I threaten to kill you?”

She was proud of herself for not reacting. “You're going to do that anyway.”

He smiled. “Probably. But wouldn't you rather it was later?”

“Not if it means having anything to do with you.”

Christopher's good humor faded. “We could have been good together, but you had to spoil everything. You couldn't leave well enough alone.”

For the first time she realized
he
was the crazy one in the relationship.

“You don't want me,” she said quietly. “You've never wanted me. It was always about my father's company.”

“Which I have now. Did you hear? There's a merger pending.”

She nodded. “What do you want from me?”

“So impatient to be dead?” he asked. “Be careful, Madison. You're only a phone call away from the loony bin.”

The thought of being locked away like a crazy person had always terrified her. She did her best to keep the fear small and buried.

He moved over to the bed and sat next to her. “How did you do it?” he asked conversationally. “How did you
turn Keane? He's supposed to be the best in the business. You must have told a hell of a story.”

His calmness and even temper told her how in control of the situation he thought himself to be. Not comforting for her.

“I told him we were divorced,” she said, not seeing any point in keeping the truth from him.

His mouth twisted. “That damn divorce. I hadn't mentioned it to him. That was enough to convince him?”

She shrugged. “It was a start.”

“How much does he know?”

Terror swept through her, but this time it wasn't for herself. She'd expected Christopher to come after her, but she didn't want him chasing Tanner.

Christopher leaned close and wrapped his hand around her hair. He tightened his grip until every hair follicle burned.

“You're protecting him?” he asked, sounding incredulous. “Bitch. Did you sleep with him? Was he just as bored with you in bed as I was?”

He released her hair, stood and slapped her across the face. The blow stung, but she refused to react.

“I want you to change your clothes,” he said as he walked back to the door. “You'll have to eat, too. No fainting. In fact, nothing out of the ordinary.”

She waited, knowing he was finally going to tell her what this was all about. And then, before he could speak, she understood.

“You need more money,” she breathed.

“Smart girl. About ten million. We're going to your
broker's office and you're going to sign your stock and options over to me. Just like that.”

Before she could respond, he pulled a small electronic device from his suit pocket.

“This is a really interesting piece of work,” he said as he flipped up the cover and showed her three buttons. “I invented it when I was in college. A remote control device that can transmit several hundred miles. I tap into satellites with it and send a code to a receiver. Right now that receiver is attached to the brake line of your father's car.”

He smiled. “Oh, didn't I tell you? Blaine is driving to San Francisco. It was my idea. You know what the roads are like on the coast route. All those twists and turns. If a car lost its brakes there, the result would be tragic. One push of the button and no more Daddy.”

He snapped the cover back in place. “Your call, Madison. Either cooperate or he's dead.”

M
adison didn't need any time to think. “I don't care about the money. You can have it all.”

Christopher smiled. “Spoken with the easy confidence of someone who has never done without. Not that you should worry. I'll still take care of you.” He glanced at his watch. “You'll have a half hour to eat and change your clothes, then we'll drive to the brokerage office and make that transfer. If anything goes wrong—” He waved the remote detonating device.

“Nothing will go wrong,” she said quietly.

Fifteen minutes later, she'd forced herself to eat a scrambled egg and some toast. Food was the last thing she wanted, but she agreed with Christopher on the “no fainting” rule. She had no one to blame for her current circumstances except herself. Better to keep up her
strength and energy so if an opportunity for escape came, she was ready to take it.

As she sipped on the coffee, she changed out of her jeans into the pale blue suit Christopher had brought her. A white silk blouse and pale gray pumps completed the outfit. She'd just finished brushing her hair then pinning it up in a twist when he reappeared in the doorway.

“Ready?” he asked.

She nodded. “I'm going to need identification,” she said. “Even though they know me there, they'll ask for it.”

Christopher held out a small purse that matched her shoes. She checked inside and found her wallet, complete with driver's license, along with her passport.

“Did you get these from my place when you kidnapped me or did you take them later?” she asked.

He only smiled. “Let's go,” he said, motioning for her to step out of the small room.

Unlike Tanner, Christopher saw no reason to conceal the location of the facility from her. They were in some kind of business complex with rows and rows of small industrial businesses. She glanced around but couldn't figure out what part of town they were in. Still, she did her best to memorize what she could to help the police find the place again. Assuming she ever had the chance to talk to the police.

Christopher put her in the back of a limo, then climbed in himself. With the privacy panel in place, she couldn't see the driver, but he must have already been behind the wheel because as soon as Christopher closed the rear door, the engine started.

“Just so you know I'm not kidding,” he said as he began to punch numbers on a cell phone.

She watched him for a second, then realized it was Tanner's phone—the one she'd taken when she'd foolishly escaped.

“Blaine?” he said, speaking into the phone. “How's the drive?”

He listened for a second, then looked at her. “I have a surprise for you. Hold on a second.” He passed the phone to her and then removed the remote device from his suit jacket pocket.

She took the phone. “Daddy?”

“Madison!” Her father sounded delighted. “It's good to hear your voice. How are you feeling?”

“Good. I'm feeling really good. How are you?”

“Never better. I'm heading to San Francisco for a conference. Christopher suggested I drive. Fine idea. What a beautiful part of the country. We should all spend a long weekend in Carmel.”

Tears burned in her eyes, but she blinked them away. He was fine. He had always been fine. Why hadn't she trusted Tanner? Why had she acted out of fear instead of thinking things through?

“That sounds nice,” she said.

“Did Christopher tell you about the merger? Isn't it wonderful news?”

“It's great,” she whispered.

“Christopher is taking care of everything. As always. I don't know what I'd do without him around.” Her father sighed. “I know you two have had your differences, but I wish you would consider working
things out with him. Madison, he's a good man and he loves you very much. He's been distraught these past few weeks, first with the kidnapping, then with you away.”

Holding back the tears was nearly an impossible task. If it had been anyone else, she would have wondered how her father could have been so easily fooled. But he was a man devoted to his work. The rest of the world simply faded away. Christopher made his life easier and Blaine appreciated that. For him there was no need to look past the surface.

“I love you, Daddy,” she said quietly.

“I love you, too, Madison.”

Christopher glared at her, then took back the phone. “We don't want to distract you from your driving for too long, Blaine. Those are tricky roads. You be careful.”

She couldn't hear her father's response, but it didn't matter. The warning had been much more for her.

She knew in her heart that Christopher would kill her father without a second thought. No one mattered to him; he just wanted money and power. She was living on borrowed time, as well, but somehow that mattered less. If he killed her this second, she would have only two regrets. First, that she wouldn't be around to help her kids anymore, and second, that Tanner would always believe that she hadn't trusted him or cared for him at all.

 

The brokerage office claimed five floors in a Century City high-rise. Madison rode the elevator in silence, then stepped out in the elegant foyer and asked for Jonathan Williams.

“I'm sorry,” the receptionist told her. “Mr. Williams is on vacation. Did you have an appointment?”

Madison turned to Christopher. “Did you make an appointment?”

He nodded. “Paul Nelson is handling the transaction.”

“Then Mr. Nelson,” Madison said.

“Of course. I'll tell him you're here.” She waited politely for their names.

Christopher put his arm around Madison and squeezed her tightly against him. “Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard.”

“Of course.” The young woman smiled, then spoke into her headset. “Mr. Nelson will be right out.”

In a matter of minutes they'd met the tall, handsome man who would handle the transaction and had been shown into a conference room. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view north, toward Hollywood.

“Mrs. Hilliard,” Paul Nelson said as he held out a chair. “I understand you want to make some changes in your account.”

She took the seat and forced herself to smile at the man. None of this was his fault. It wasn't anyone's but hers. “Yes, please. I wish to transfer some assets into my husband's account.”

The broker raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. “Do you have a list of what you would like to transfer?”

She didn't, but Christopher did. He passed over a sheet of paper. Madison didn't bother to look at it. What did the money matter?

“This is just over ten million dollars,” Paul said.

“Yes.” Madison stared at him as she spoke. She wanted to take the man aside and tell him to get on with it. That
her father's life was at stake. Instead she smiled. “I've brought identification with me, if that's the problem.”

Paul chuckled. “No, it's not. All right. I'll prepare the withdrawal from your account and the deposit into your husband's account. Mr. Hilliard, will you be putting this into your brokerage account here?”

“Yes.”

She noticed Christopher didn't correct the man about their marital status.

Paul left the room, closing the door behind him. Madison rose and crossed to the window.

“What happens after this?” she asked. She knew he wasn't going to let her go.

“We'll get married,” he told her. “Something quiet. Maybe we'll fly to Las Vegas. That will seal the merger. In a few months, we can divorce. I'll keep most everything, but I'll leave you enough to live on.”

Lies, she thought. Oh, sure, he probably would force her to marry him again, but there wouldn't be a divorce. She knew she would die unexpectedly and that Christopher would play the grieving widower with great style.

She remembered what Tanner had told her about the death of his parents. A car accident. Something about brake failure. How many other people had he killed?

Christopher pulled out the cell phone and punched in a number. When he began speaking, it took her a second to realize it wasn't in English. Russian? she wondered. His Mafia friends? Is that what the ten million was for? The last payment on his jamming device?

As Christopher spoke, the door to the conference room opened. Paul Nelson stepped in.

“Just a couple of quick questions,” he said, even as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a gun.

Madison was too stunned to speak. Christopher hadn't turned around, so he didn't see the other three men, all dressed in black, enter after Paul.

She stared in disbelief as her gaze settled on one of them. Tanner!

His dark gaze met hers. She felt him willing her to remain silent. As she had no plans to speak anytime soon, that was easy enough to do. Unfortunately Christopher glanced up and saw Paul holding a gun. He dropped the phone, sprang to his feet and pulled out a weapon of his own. Even as he turned toward the other men, he reached into his jacket pocket.

“No!” Madison screamed. She lunged for him. If he got his hands on the detonator, he would kill her father.

He pulled out the small box and flipped open the cover. Tanner reached him first and savagely kicked his wrist. The box fell to the ground and went skidding across the hardwood floor. She dived for it, even as Christopher grabbed for her. Somewhere behind her a gun chambered a round. A heartbeat later, a bullet exploded just over her head.

Madison ignored the flying plaster. She grabbed for the box and wrapped her fingers around it. Behind her she heard a scuffle as Tanner's men subdued Christopher. She carefully closed the top on the box and breathed a sigh of relief.

Only then did she turn around and watch as Christopher was handcuffed. Paul Nelson slipped his gun back into his holster and patted Tanner on the shoulder.

“Nice work. Good timing.”

“Yeah. You, too.”

Madison glanced between the two men. “Your friend from the government?” she asked.

Tanner nodded. He crossed to her and crouched next to her. “You okay?”

She nodded and started to stand. He helped her to her feet. She handed him the device.

“It's connected to my dad's car. If you push the button, the brakes go out.”

“Do you have your dad's cell number?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He fished his phone out of Christopher's pocket and handed it to her. “Call him and tell him to pull over. I'll contact the California Highway Patrol and ask them to pick him up.”

Nothing in Tanner's calm expression gave away what he was thinking. It was as if none of this mattered to him. As if she were only a client. But that couldn't be true, she thought. She had to matter.

But first she wanted her father safe.

Fingers trembling, she called him.

“Dad? It's Madison.”

“Hello, honey. How are you feeling?”

“I'm fine. Listen to me, Dad, you need to pull over right now. Please. Just pull to the side of the road. There's something wrong with your car.”

She waited, breathless, willing him to believe her.

After a long pause, her father said, “Madison, are you taking your medications? It's important that you listen to your doctors. You've been through a lot. We
all want you to get better, but you can't rush your treatment.”

The unfairness of the situation slammed into her. Why couldn't he just believe her?

“I'm not crazy,” she said. “You have to listen to me.”

“What's the noise, Madison? Where are you?”

“At my broker's office. Christopher brought me here to have me sign over ten million dollars' worth of shares to him. He needs the money for…” What did it matter? Her father wouldn't listen.

She turned as the men Tanner had brought led Christopher from the room.

“I'll get you, you bitch!” he screamed at Madison. His face turned red and his eyes seemed to bug out. “This is all your fault. I'll get you, and when I do, I'll make you wish you were dead. You hear me?”

The last of her reserves faded. At that moment, Madison couldn't take one more thing. She handed the phone to Tanner.

“My father won't listen to me. Maybe you can make him understand.”

Then she grabbed for a chair as her legs gave out and she fainted.

 

Tanner stood on the tarmac, waiting for the helicopter to land. He had a car ready to take Blaine Adams to his house, where he would finally see his daughter and be questioned by the police.

Hell of a day, Tanner thought. Hilliard had been arrested and there was a warrant out for his Russian friends. Tanner figured the odds of them being found were slim,
but the search would send them underground for a while. That might be the best everyone could hope for.

He saw the helicopter in the distance and reminded himself it wasn't a good idea to punch an old man in the face. But that's what he wanted to do to Blaine. Hit him and shake him like a dog for putting his daughter in danger. Tanner believed the old man had acted out of ignorance, but that didn't excuse what had happened. Madison had nearly died because her father couldn't get his head out of his work long enough to take a good look at what was going on around him.