Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set (32 page)

Chapter 13

I returned to the lanai after my conversation with Jessica. Max and Dr. Theo were focused on a tablet computer. “What’s going on?” I asked, walking towards them. Max pushed a seat out for me with his foot.

“
We have an interesting development, Sarah,” Max said. “We’re watching the live surveillance in Cunningham’s living room. Brenda Graves isn’t Cunningham’s cleaning lady after all. She’s his lover.”

I settled into the seat. “How do you know that?”

“
We just watched them have sex on his couch,” he whispered.

“
You’re kidding. Was there any talk of Toby?”

“
No, but this changes things. Richard and Carter just left for her apartment with a picture of Toby to see if anyone recognizes him.”

“
This is potentially good news, right? Should I go tell Jessica?”

Dr. Theo stopped me. “No. I don’t think she needs to know about this Brenda woman.”

“
Oh. Okay,” I said.

Dr. Theo stood up from the table with an apparent look of concern. “You have to understand. My daughter has been through a lot.”

Jessica’s enduring affection toward Cunningham was no big secret, apparently. “I understand,” I said.

Dr. Theo nodded curtly, turned, and made his way back inside the house.

Once he was gone, Max leaned in close to me and asked, “How did your little chat with Jessica go?”

“
I think I understand her a little better. She’s a troubled soul with a lot of pride. As far as O’Malley goes, it looks like it’s a non-issue.” I looked around to make sure we were still alone. “She actually admitted she’s still in love with Cunningham.”

“
No wonder her father doesn’t want her to know about Brenda.”

“
I think it would be good for her. She needs a dose of reality.”

“
You’re not thinking of going behind his back and telling her, are you?”

“
If she knew that Cunningham was shacking up with his cleaning lady, maybe she’d finally get the picture that he’s not coming back.”

“
I know you’re tempted, Sarah, but take my advice. Don’t do it.”

Max was right. It wasn’t my place. Jessica wasn’t my daughter. But if she was, I would feel obligated to enlighten her.

***

A few hours later, Carter and Richard returned from Brenda’s apartment. The look on their faces suggested the trip had been unsuccessful. “Where is everyone?” Carter asked.

“
The mood around here got a little tense after you guys took off,” Max said. “How’d it go?

Richard sighed. “We talked to two separate neighbors living in the apartment building. Neither one has seen her with a boy.

“
No roommates?” I asked.

“
Not that anyone has seen,” Richard said. “We left a message for the landlord, but he hasn’t gotten back to us yet.”

“
I’m a little surprised you refrained from breaking into her place,” Max teased. “That seems to be your signature move.”

Carter snickered. “Too late now. The neighbors have already seen us. That’s why you and Sarah will have to do it.  Tonight.”

Max blinked hard.

“
What’s the big deal?” Carter asked.

“
Well, it’s against the law for starters.”

“
And hacking into personal cell phones and planting surveillance isn’t? You know how to pick a lock, right?”

Max sighed. “Of course.”

“
Great. Don’t forget to wear plastic gloves. You don’t want to contaminate the place.”

Max ignored the comment. “What are you going to do?”

“
After we give Dr. Theo an update, we’re going to pay a visit to the Hope Chapel where Cunningham made a call. Then we’ll head back to his place to keep an eye on Brenda. Where’s Jessica?”

“
Last I knew she was out by the pool, but I haven’t seen her for a while,” I said.

“
Just so you know,” Max lowered his voice, “Dr. Theo doesn’t want Jessica to know about the Brenda thing.”

Carter tilted his head. “Why the hell not?”

“
Apparently, she’s still hoping Cunningham will return to her with the kid.”

“
And why would she think that? Don’t tell me she still pines for the guy.”

Max nodded.

“
Shit.” Carter ran a hand through his hair and looked at Richard. “What kind of fantasy world does she live in?”

“
Her father isn’t doing her any favors by sheltering her,” I said.

Carter shrugged. “That’s not our call. Let’s focus on finding the kid.” He handed Max a slip of paper. “This is Brenda’s address. Find me something we can work with. Best you head over as soon as the sun goes down.”

Chapter 14

It was getting dark as we drove west through the dusty streets, heading toward the town of Kahila where Brenda lived. I got the feeling this was an area most tourists never saw. I gazed out the window at the garbage-lined streets. Each house appeared more dilapidated than the one before, with broken-down vehicles for lawn ornaments. An emaciated stray dog wandered the street in search of food. It was no great mystery why this town never made it into the tourist guidebooks.

Brenda lived in a run-down, brown condo complex with a rusted iron fence surrounding it. The three-story building appeared to have six units, two on each floor. An outdoor stairway on the left appeared to be the only access to the apartments. We parked around the back. About half the parking spaces were occupied by vehicles in various stages of ruin. Lucky for us, the lighting was dim.

“
I don’t see any video cameras,” Max said. “Kind of odd. You’d think the insurance company would demand some kind of security measures in an area like this.”

“
This place is a little scary.”

“
I’ve been thinking about this whole situation, Sarah. If Cunningham’s motive to kidnap his son was just about the money, why go to such trouble to hide him?”

“
Maybe he’s greedy. He wants both the money and his son.”

Max held the binoculars to his face and adjusted the focus. “There’s someone standing on the second floor landing, having a smoke. Better wait until he goes back inside.”

“
How can you see anything in the dark?”

“
These are night vision binoculars. Can you grab the bag in the back seat? Be careful, it’s heavy.”

“
Sure.” I reached around and hoisted the bag up and over the console where it eventually landed in my lap.

Max lowered the binoculars from his face and set them on the dashboard. “Can you dig out the latex gloves inside the bag?”

I couldn’t see so I stuck my hand inside to feel around. There were a few hard metal objects. I eventually felt the rubbery plastic of the gloves and pulled them out.

“
Okay,” he said, slipping the binoculars back in the bag. “The smoker is back inside. Stay here and keep watch. I’ll be right back.”

“
Wait. I’m not going with you?”

“
Have you ever done this before?”

I gave a half-shrug.

“
It’s safer if you stay in the car,” he said.

I peered through the windshield at the dreary looking parking lot surrounding us. “I beg to differ.”

“
Think of it this way. If we get caught, only one of us will have to go to jail. Then you can bail me out.”

“
Nobody’s getting arrested,” I said, grasping a pair of latex gloves for myself.

When I started to slip them on, Max let out an exasperated sigh. “Are you always this stubborn?”

“
I’m persistent. There’s a big difference.”

“
Good to know. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“
Ready?” I held up my hands and wiggled my gloved fingers at him.

Max just shook his head.

As we made our way across the parking lot, The Simpsons blared from a T.V. through an open window on the first floor. The sound was comforting. It helped distract me from my heart, which was beating like a conga drum in my chest.

Max walked at double speed, the huge black duffel bag hanging from his shoulder. I had to run to keep up with him. He turned toward me as we got closer to the building. “Are you sure you still want to do this?” he whispered.

“
Let’s go up before I change my mind.”

I became winded after climbing the three flights of stairs, two steps at a time, but I kept up with Max as he made a quick turn to the right. I followed him across the overhanging wooden walkway to the last door, unit 304. There were no lights on inside.

Max paused in front of the door and looked at me. “What if someone is in there?” he asked.

“
Maybe you should knock first, just in case.”

Max lifted his hand to rap on the door as a thunderous crash startled both of us.

I looked over my right shoulder. The sound seemed to have emanated from the neighboring unit.

“
Sounds like someone dropped a toaster oven,” Max said.

We heard a second crash, louder than the first, followed by a woman’s scream.

I pointed and Max turned his head. Two individuals had crashed through the doorway, and collided with the railing outside. The man and woman --- each weighing at least three hundred pounds --- clawed and pummeled each other with astounding ferocity.

“
A domestic dispute,” Max said, seizing my arm. “Quick, move over here.” He pulled me close to him. We watched in horror as the massive Hawaiian guy wrapped his meaty hands around the woman’s throat. She fought back by punching him in the head. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

“
We have to call nine-one-one,” I said, fumbling to get my cell phone out of my back pocket. It slipped out of my hands and onto the landing a few feet in front of me.

I stepped forward to retrieve it, but Max grabbed me.

“
No, Sarah. They’ll see you.”

“
We need to help that woman. He’s choking her,” I said. The faint sound of sirens was barely audible over the shouting and screeching.

“
What we need to do is get back to the car before the police get here,” Max said.

“
She could be dead by then. Do something.”

His jaw tensed as he looked around. He hesitated then reached inside the black duffel and pulled out what looked like a wrench. “This should distract him.” Max flung it in the direction of the big Hawaiian’s back. It bounced off the guy’s bulging neck with a dull thud.

The Hawaiian released the woman, and reached around to the back of his neck. “What da fuck?” he yelled.

I lunged forward and grabbed my phone.

“
Let’s get out of here,” Max said.

Chapter 15

“
Nice shot. You pissed him off good,” I said, referring to Max’s attempt to distract the Hawaiian hulk from strangling the woman.

Max removed his plastic gloves and returned them to the black duffel. “I’m sorry I grabbed you back there. I was afraid someone would see us.”

“
I understand,” I said.

Twenty minutes later we were parked in an abandoned shopping plaza lot to let Carter know we didn’t get into Brenda’s apartment.

“
Don’t sweat it,” I heard Carter say over the speakerphone. “We’ll come up with another idea first thing in the morning.”

“
Are you and Richard still parked outside Cunningham’s place?” Max asked.

“
Yeah. Looks like Brenda might be spending the night. There hasn’t been much talk, unless you consider moaning and groaning a conversation. We’re about to head back to the hotel, but we’ll keep a close eye on the surveillance equipment.”

“
Okay. See you in the morning,” Max said, ending the call. He turned to me with a tired smile. “Can you join me for a bite to eat, or do you need to return to the hotel?”

“
I would love to get some food.”

We decided on Mexican and stopped at a place near the hotel. The flimsy tin building was actually charming in a rustic, campy sort of way. Colorful lights crisscrossed over our heads, making the atmosphere romantic, yet festive.

Max ordered two margaritas and a plate of loaded nachos. Once the drinks arrived, his shoulders relaxed. He closed his eyes and took a sip. “Oh, Momma, this is exactly what I needed.”

I couldn’t help but giggle.

“
What are you laughing at?” Max had a tentative grin on his face.

“
Did you see that guy’s face when the wrench bonked him on the back of the neck?”

Max tried to cover his smile with his hand. “What else could I do? There was no way I could’ve taken him on. The dude would have crushed me.”

“
Good thing the police showed up. It probably took four of them to restrain the guy.”

Our nachos arrived and we dug in like two vultures. I couldn’t stop staring at Max’s face. I loved the way his jaw moved when he chewed. He was even sexy with melted cheese dripping off from his chin
.
“
So,” Max wiped his mouth with a napkin, “you never finished telling me about the rest of your conversation with Jessica.”

“
I think I’ve come to the conclusion she’s got abandonment issues.”

“
Really?”

“
It’s a depressing story. Her mother left when she was very young.”

Max took a few sips of water and reached his hand across the table to touch my elbow. “On a different note, how’s Daniel? Shouldn’t you call to check up on him?”

“
You mean the ass who flew back home last night?”

Max practically choked on his drink. “What?”

“
I know. Ridiculous, isn’t it?”

“
What about his back? How can he travel like that?”

“
Oh, believe me. He’d do anything to prove a point.”

“
Have you heard from him since he left?”

I shook my head.

“
Have you talked to your son?”

“
Not yet. I left him a message, but he hasn’t called back.”

“
Just think,” Max said. “If you told Brian you were working for a private detective in an abduction case, you’d be the coolest mom in the world.”

“
You might be right.”

“
How would Daniel feel about it?”

“
Working for Carter? He’d probably laugh in my face.”

“
You should just tell him. He might surprise you.”

“
You’re sticking up for him?”

“
I’m not necessarily advocating that you work things out with your husband, but the guy must have some redeeming qualities.”

I looked away. “I was barely twenty-one when I met him. He was charming at first. We had a lot of fun back then, but as the years went by, his career became his number one priority. At that point he lost his sense of humor.”

Max hesitated. “How are things in the bedroom?”

“
When it comes to having sex with him, I have a perpetual headache.”

He gave me a big smile. “Does he have a problem? You know there’s a pill for that, right?”

“
He has a more serious condition than that,” I said, keeping a straight face.

Max raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“
Yeah, it’s called DHS.”

“
What’s that?”

“
Dick Head Syndrome. There’s no pill for it.”

Max looked confused at first then his eyes lit up. He tilted his head back and roared with laughter. I couldn’t help but admire his dimples, and the way the corners of his eyes wrinkled.

“
Why are you laughing?” I asked. “It’s a very serious condition.”

Max wiped his eyes and said, “You’re having marital problems and you can still crack a joke. That kicks ass.”

“
I think the margarita helps to put things in perspective. It’s a little alarming how dependent I’ve become on booze.”

“
I don’t think one margarita makes you an alcoholic.” Max’s expression turned serious. “I should know.”

“
I don’t understand.”

Max held up his empty margarita glass and looked down at it with a frown. “This is a serious problem.”

I lurched forward, trying to stifle a laugh. A small chunk of cheese spewed from my mouth, landing on Max’s shirt. I gasped and instinctively covered my mouth with my napkin, as if it would reverse the damage.

“
Hey!” Max looked down and pointed to the glob. “This is great. Now I’ll have a little snack for later.”

“
I’m so sorry.” I was mortified, even though Max was being a good sport. I reached over with my napkin to rectify the mess. “This is embarrassing.”

His eyes sparkled with amusement. “You have a great laugh, by the way.” His eyes locked with mine.

“
Thanks. But next time you start cracking jokes, please make sure there’s nothing in my mouth.”

“
It’s a deal,” he said.

There was a question I’d been meaning to ask him. No time like the present. “So, what about your love life? Are you seeing anyone?”

He gave a feeble smile. “I have no interest in trying to meet anyone at the moment. Life is too chaotic. Besides, I sort of have a crush on someone who’s currently unavailable.”

My heart flip-flopped. Was he referring to me?  I stirred the ice cubes around in my drink, afraid to look him in the eye.

Thankfully, Max changed the subject. “It’s getting late. Should we head back to the hotel soon?”

I paused. “Probably a good idea.”

Max signaled the waitress for our check.

***

Half an hour later, we were back at the hotel. Max offered to walk me to my room. “I’ll call you in the morning after I hear from Carter,” he said. It was as if the awkward moment during dinner never happened.

“
Works for me. By the way, what room are you in?”

He pointed down the hall. “Second to last door on the left, room five twenty-three. Why?”

“
Just wondering.”

Max was standing so close I could smell the sweet scent of lime on his breath. Was he waiting for me to invite him in?

He took a step back as if he sensed my dilemma. “Well, sleep tight.”

“
Yeah, you too.” I leaned over to kiss his cheek, at which point he wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me closer until we were in a full embrace. His breath on my ear sent tiny goose bumps down my back. So much for a quick goodbye.

“
I know your life is confusing right now,” he whispered, “but things have a way of working themselves out. I hope you believe that.”

I nodded, but all I could think about was his hands on my lower back.

He paused for a second and looked at me. A mischievous grin spread across his face. “What are you thinking about, Sarah.”

I took a step back, releasing my arms from him. “I was thinking you should probably get some soda water on that cheese stain. It would be a shame to ruin such a nice shirt.”

“
I’ll do that,” he said, still smiling. He turned and walked down the hall.

My heart was fluttering as I entered my room, partly from the booze, but mostly from the intense attraction I felt for Max. Every inch of my body wanted him. I sensed he felt the same way, but couldn’t be sure.

I decided to take a cold shower and slip into bed. I turned on my Kindle, and was about to start reading a new book when my cell rang. It was Brian.

“
Hey, honey. How is everything back home?” I asked, trying to keep things light.

“
Fine.” He sounded tired. Hearing his voice reminded me how much I missed him.

“
Hey, it must be pretty late there. Don’t you have school in the morning?”

“
Yep,” he yawned in my ear. “Just got done studying for a test.”

“
Did your dad get home okay?”

“
Yeah, he’s here. He’s grumpy, as usual.”

“
How’s his back?”

“
Not so good. He’s having me wait on him hand and foot like I was his personal slave, or something.”

I tried not to laugh. “Are you okay? I hope you’re not upset I decided to stay in Hawaii?”

After a long pause, he said, “It’s okay, Mom. You deserve a vacation.”

My heart melted. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

“
But you are coming home eventually, right? You can’t leave me here alone with Dad forever.”

I laughed. I was so glad he was on my side. “Just five more days, I promise.”

“
So what have you been doing out there all alone?”

“
Just trying to take it easy.”

“
Do you want to say hi to Dad?”

“
Not really.”

“
Okay. I should go to bed. See you in a few days, Mom.”

I kissed the phone, told him I loved him, and ended the call.