Old Flames

-2-

"Man, I can't believe Maddie is the one that shot you." Kerry shook his head looking over at Joshua laying in the hospital bed. They had said the only thing that saved him was the fact he was still wearing his vest under his clothes. Still, one bullet had gotten past, barely missing the vest but causing enough damage he had to have surgery. Joshua had told everyone else that he had caught an intruder and he was shot as the burglar escaped. "I still don't understand why you didn't just tell them Maddie did it, let them bring her in."

"Because I don't put it past Maddie to rat me out if she thought it would save her. Besides, I'd rather handle her myself. She's mine, I don't give a rat's ass if she's married to some business minute half way across the state." Joshua grimaced as he adjusted himself in the bed, it was a little restrictive.

"Wait, what? Go back, she's married?!" Kerry stared in disbelief, he had always thought she was just an ex girlfriend that came back cause Josh had knocked her up. "So the kid, she's not yours? Does her husband know another man's been raisin' his kid?" And here he thought Maddie had just been some innocent girl next door. "I mean I thought it was odd you had a kid when you always said you'd never have any but I just figured you had a little too much fun."

"No, the poor bastard has no idea he has a fuckin' kid."

"So where do you think she went? Obviously not back to him if he doesn't know she has a kid." Kerry ran his fingers over his bald head, "Her only relative is her mother, she didn't have any friends when she came out here. So that's our best bet for finding her. When I get out of here, I'm gonna have a nice chat with the old lady, and if she's hiding my Maddie, well, let's just say I'll drag her back kicking and screaming as she watches her mother's house burn down." Joshua smiled at the thought.

-A Few Days Later-

"Well, shit, that was an unexpected turn of events." Randy breathed taking a sip of his vodka martini, the sound of the club bumped in the background as he walked his way around the office stopping in front of the bookcase then turning to look at his friend, they had known each other since they were in diapers, they were more like brothers than friends really. "So Maddie just shows up out of the blue with a kid in tow. Are you even sure this kid is yours? She's been gone, what, five years?"

Nicolas had his legs stretched out, perfectly polish black dress shoes propped on the desk, his hands folded in his lap, he seemed quite calm for someone whose life had just gotten turned upside down. "She said the day she left was the day she found out she was pregnant, she was three months and gave birth six months later. It checks out."

"So, this boyfriend that beat the shit out of her, she said he was a cop and she shot him. Are you sure that's what happened? I mean, for all you know she could be in cahoots with the FBI. She trades you for an immunity deal. It seems more than coincidental considering you've got a meeting with the Instructor tomorrow. We stand to make a fortune if you agree to work with him and allow him use of your harbor." Randy pressed, he wasn't happy that Maddie was back. He thought she got the message when he barely left her alive. She couldn't have chosen a worse time to come back. He needed Nicolas to agree to this deal. He ran his free hand through his short brown hair, "Don't tell her anything, NIco, I'm serious. I've never trusted Maddie, she's a little too much of a prima donna."

Nicolas resisted the urge to beat the shit out of Randy for talking about Madilyn like that but at the same time he could see his friend's concern. It was odd that she came back now and with the perfect story that she knew would get him to help her. What kind of husband would he be if he didn't protect his wife and child in their time of need. Then again, what kind of wife didn't tell her husband she was pregnant. One that was afraid his criminal life would bleed onto their child was the response of his concinous. "I understand your concern but I've had Jericho keeping his ear to the ground." Jericho was one of the best trackers that Nicolas knew, he had him track down this Joshua Lange and put a tail on him. Nicolas wanted to know every move that fucker made.