Thank you for reading Enjoy
Chapter 2
She had fallen asleep somewhere between finding out her father's murderer was still loose and the cup of coffee right before daybreak that made her stomach churn. She lay still, tightly curled into a ball in front of the fire on the hard wooden floor of the house that was more of a small cabin.
Matt didn't sleep. He had stayed with her, against her wishes, but stayed and watched over her. He said he was doing his job and the road was too hazardous to drive on until morning. Matt wasn't about to admit to himself, much less to her, that he was staying because Madison made him feel something he hadn't felt in years. There was something pulling him to her and like a mystery book or one of his cases, he had to figure out the reason why.
He watched her sleep through the night. She snored, she talked and she cried. All he wanted was to scoop her up and hold her. Just to help her through whatever misery she was feeling, but he knew it would be impossible at this point.
Madison Stone was a job, a family member of the deceased, even a suspect at this point. As the only living relative, Matt assumed Madison would be getting the fortune Stone left behind. Not that there was much to go on for her to be a suspect. Not at this point. But from what he could tell, Madison didn't own much herself and the millions the old man left behind would surely help her out. Money always seemed to be a good starting point for a motive.
It didn't make sense though, Matt thought. They weren't close. Even when she was young, especially when she was young, the old coot ignored her. The old man had sworn up and down Madison wasn't his child. If that were the case then why would she think he would leave any of his estate to her? The money motive, in his mind, was therefore shot.
Madison was a loner from what he could tell. She didn't have much in the way of social skills. In a way, Madison seemed almost rude because of her shyness. Her social skills were so under-developed. She was quiet, shy and timid, very timid. It was as if she were afraid of what he might do to her.
They were alone in the middle of a nasty storm and there would be no one to help her, even if she had someone to call. So why would she chance coming if she was truly the wallflower that she seemed? The question just kept coming back up.
Why was she here?
Matt had kept his distance, stayed on the other side of the room observing her. He tried to give Madison the space she obviously needed to feel comfortable with him. That feeling never came to pass. He could tell from her body language it wasn't going to happen easily.
Madison finally fell asleep out of pure exhaustion, but not because she felt safe. Quietly, he got up and stoked the fire again. The snow was still falling outside, not as heavy as it had been an hour before. He hoped that she would sleep... rest. She had needed it.
He saw it from the moment he looked at her on the porch. She must have driven for hours without stopping. The questions he had for her could wait. She was in no shape mentally to deal with a police inquiry. Morning would be here soon enough.
Matt had removed his coat hours earlier and sat on the floor near her feet as he warmed up the room with the heat of the fire. His dark hair was rumpled as were the clothes he was still in from the night before. The uniform wasn't the most comfortable thing he owned, but he had been a lot more uncomfortable during the long nights on the job. The stake outs he did in metro D.C. were the worst of them. Murder capital of the world was what all the cops called it. If a cop wanted action, D.C. was the place to be.
Madison was awake. She didn't move, but opened her eyes and watched him. The way his arm muscles bunched and bulged under the sleeves of his shirt intrigued her. They seemed to stretch the limit of the material, almost breaking the seams. The taut pull of his pants outlined his muscular thighs. She wondered to herself if the material was as stretchy as it looked.
She did appreciate his respect for her space. Matt had sat close to her, but far enough away that he wouldn't disturb her sleep. His boots were still on as he sat back on his haunches and stirred the fire. Yes, she remembered the boy this man had been. She remembered he never harassed her like the other kids did. He just simply went on as if she didn't exist, just as most people had done her entire life.
"I remember you." Madison spoke softly as she shifted her arm and propped her head up slightly. Her body ached with a tiredness she hadn't known since her early days of P. E. class each school year. "You were a senior when I was a sophomore... a linebacker, right?"
Matt turned and gazed down at her body, curled up warm and soft still with the small hint of sleepiness in her eyes. Pressure gripped in his chest, tightening around his heart, making the blood pump just a bit harder through his veins. He wondered if she even knew how tempting she was at that moment.
It would be so easy to just curl up next to that warm little body and let her feel the warmth that seemed to spread through him like a raging forest fire. It was a temptation that he didn't need. A momentary fantasy that wasn't going to happen. Matt knew that and held those heated thoughts in place.
Down boy, he thought to himself, you are in no position to be thinking about that right now. She is hurting, Matt thought. A woman in pain, vulnerable can take a man's focus away from his job. That is a line he won't.
Matt concluded the lust that was nagging at him must be the effect of the drought in his social life. For him to have these kinds of thoughts while on duty just wasn't normal. He never felt this kind connection to someone who was involved with an investigation. He needed to step back and remain professional.
She made it personal. She has a good memory, better than he did, of those long ago days. The fact that she remembered his football position had knocked him off balance. Not many remember him that way now.
Matt nodded to answer her question. "Your mom worked at the diner on Main Street. I remember her."
He missed the hurt in her eyes when she looked away. It didn't occur to him what he said would hurt her. He was making polite conversation acknowledging their memories of each other.
"You remember her...not me." Madison corrected him, making him feel like an idiot.
Her stomach growled as she sat up and moved away from him. How long had it been since she ate? she wondered. Yesterday morning maybe, no, it had to have been the day before. She vaguely remembered grabbing McDonalds on one of the gas stops she had made. Yes, the Quarter Pounder with cheese and large Coke didn't sit in her stomach well. The idea of food was having the same effect on her now.
"Yeah, I guess so. I'm sorry." Matt felt bad, her face told him it wasn't the first time she wasn't remembered. Something told him that was a common occurrence for her. For that alone he was sorry. "How about I fix you something to eat?" Uncomfortable that she called him out on his statement, he rose to escape the room.
"It's okay. I'm not hungry." Madison pulled the thick blanket around her and settled down closer to the fire. For some reason the room had suddenly gotten very cold.
"Your stomach just growled. I heard it." Matt argued, raising his eyebrows waiting for her refusal. "It's no problem. I got some groceries for you before I headed out here yesterday. You're fully stocked as long as we're stuck here."
Without another word, Matt turned and left her alone in the room. Why would he bring groceries? How does he even know what she likes? Madison was at a loss for words. Not that he waited for a response. Obviously, he is determined to fix her food, whether she wants to eat it or not.
Madison watched him work, a view that made her wish she was more outgoing, more personable, more...everything. But she isn't. She is plain old Madison Stone. The wallflower who blends in with the wall better than she does anything else. No one remembers her because there's nothing about her worth remembering. When she leaves here, she'll be forgotten before she even hits the state line.
"Madi? You want some coffee?" Matt called from the other room.
The familiarity of him using a nickname for her made Madison stiffen. No one has ever called her Madi. Matt had called her Miss Stone all night. He was polite, professional and courteous all night. But now, in the morning light, he had become personal. Poor Madison's stomach lurched as she felt she would toss up anything she put in it.
"No. Thank you." She replied back. "God, no more coffee." She groaned softly as she hung her head.
She felt awful. Next to no food, no water, no sleep for two days and an overdose of coffee in her system has really screwed with her body. She knows better than to go so long without food and water, she just forgot again. She would have to be careful to remember small meals, so she doesn't get sick again.
Matt isn't the most domesticated man, but having been a bachelor for the last eight years, he wasn't given much of a choice. After he moved back in with his parents to help them out, it was a forced issue with his mother that he cooked dinner two nights a week. She said it was good practice for the next woman in his life. He laughed at her confidence that there would ever be another woman. To this day he still didn't believe that.
Matt cut a slice of butter off of the stick and slapped it into the heated frying pan. Quickly, he began cracking eggs and mixing them with cream and a dash of garlic. Slicing down the slab of bacon he bought, Matt tossed the thick strips into another fry pan with deft ease. He isn't the greatest cook, but he can make a delicious breakfast.
Smelling the bacon and eggs Madison refuses to get sick again. She just has to eat slowly. After all, she is starving. If she put too much in her stomach at once, she would throw it all up. That's the problem with having a nervous stomach.
Slowly, she got to her feet and padded across the cold floor to the bathroom. Standing in the doorway, Madison took in the room. Some things didn't change, she thought as she looked around the tiny room.
Her mother's taste in décor was as tacky as roach bait. The hot pink and purple designs that graced the stark white walls clashed with the green and orange shag bath rug. The woman had no sense of style, Madison thought cringing at the mixture of colors.
Madison didn't have a place to judge on style. She thought of her own boring bathroom and what someone would think of it. The plain oak cabinets, the white laminate countertops and the white walls showed no style at all. No pictures hung on the wall, only a serviceable medicine cabinet and a small hutch over the toilet to store necessities.
There wasn't a single personal touch in any part of her apartment. But that was her style--no style-- nothing to impress someone, nothing to be remembered by. She would simply blend in and be forgotten.
After growing up hearing the vulgar things said about her mother, Madison was determined she would be nothing like her. She was the exact opposite of her mother's loud obnoxious behavior. Madison is plain and boring. Where her mother was bright, vibrant and the life of the party, Madison purposely made herself dull, drab and a wallflower.
It kept the gossip mills of the small town off of her back. There were no stories of the apple falling too close to the tree. Only once did she allow herself the opportunity to do something fun. Only once did it take for the gossip to fly that she was just like her mother. It never happened again.
Madison chided herself for comparing herself to her mother. It was useless now. Her mother was gone. Twenty years had passed since she lived in this house. She was no longer the child she once was. She was free to leave at any time from this small town. She shouldn't feel the need to let the memories haunt her again. They only take her back to where she doesn't want to be.
Madison took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. "Get a grip Madison! Madi?" She tried out the nickname and shook her head. That's not her.
It was time she took the advice of the therapist she paid so dearly for. If she wants to be seen differently, she needs to change what's inside. The shy wallflower has to step out on the floor and dance to her own song. If she only knew what that song was.
When Madison stepped out of the bathroom, her face was freshly scrubbed, teeth and hair brushed ruthlessly. A cozy sweater and a fresh pair of warm sweats were on. Matt was placing two plates on the small metal kitchen table where two steaming mugs waited. Madison looked at him under her lashes, shy still, and very timid, but solid.
The fresh look of her made Matt pause before he continued setting the plates down. She looked better, rested. The blue in her eyes stood out even more now without the dark circles under them like last night. There's a scared little girl inside of this beautiful woman. For some reason, she can't see what a magnificent creature she is.
What happened so long ago to make Madi so afraid of men? Matt wondered. He thought it better than to ask. He knew what happened. Her father and mother had happened. Between the two of them, it was amazing she turned out as well as she did.
"Breakfast is ready." Matt smiled with the announcement.
Turning back to the pot of coffee, he carried it to the table then retrieved a glass of milk and set it down for her. Matt figured he should keep it casual for the moment. Maybe, if she didn't see him as a threat of some sort, she would soften a bit toward him.
"Thought this might help if your stomach's acting up. I also fixed you some camomile tea. My mom used it for us as kids." Matt understood all too well the issues of a no-food-all-coffee diet. He tortured his own stomach plenty in D.C..
Madison gave him a quiet thank you. She was embarrassed that he had paid that close attention to what she was going through. Tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit she had developed years ago, she sat across the table from him.
What else did he notice?
Matt dug into the meal without looking up. He was starved as well and made a point of food first, conversation later as he shoveled in the eggs. He ate with the hunger of a man who hadn't eaten in days. Madison couldn't help but admire his appetite as she poked at her eggs, wishing she had the same appetite.
Filling his plate a second time full of eggs and bacon, Matt guzzled down three cups of coffee, the entire time not saying a word. He made himself at home and seemed so at ease. Madison simply picked and nibbled at the first helping of eggs he had given her. Her nerves once again getting the best of her.
Matt noticed she wasn't eating. He didn't push her, or nag that she needed to. He also noticed she is watching him like a hawk. Again, he didn't need to acknowledge what they both knew was best for her. She's an adult and can take care of herself.
Matt finished his food, hoping Madison would at least try to talk. He got nothing. If he wants a conversation it's going to be up to him to get her to open up. With that in mind, he decided to start with the obvious and the safe.
"You really should eat something. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Matt tried to sound nonchalant as he pushed back his chair and stood over her.
He drained the last bit of coffee from his mug, waiting to see if she would respond. Madison is used to being tested though and knows when it's best for her to keep quiet. Persistent, Matt stood patiently until she looked up at him before he turned and went to the sink.
Madison bit her bottom lip as she watched him walk away. Frowning at the uneaten food on her plate, she contemplated what he said. He was right about eating something. She knew it, but the idea of food made her hesitant. It wasn't that she wasn't hungry, quite the opposite, she was starving, but he made her nervous. Those nerves were making her stomach do flips. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out why he was still there.
Hearing the water running in the sink got her attention. He poured the dish soap into one side of the sink and began loading the dishes into it. Understanding that her time was up, Madison quickly rose and scraped her plate into the trash. He needed to go so she could eat, so she could relax. She needed to figure out why she was really here.
"The roads should be cleared this morning. You don't have to stick around, Lieutenant." Madison tried not to sound too eager to be rid of him. She didn't want to be rude, but she really wanted him to leave.
"Not today they won't." Matt nodded toward the window. "Snow's still falling and will you stop with the 'Lieutenant' stuff? We grew up together, for Christ sake. It's Matt."
She took a breath, telling herself to keep her cool. "Okay."
The slight irritation in her voice didn't go unnoticed. Matt's eyebrow rose slightly, but he decided to ignore her tone. She didn't like him here and that alone intrigued him. What was she hiding that she didn't want him to see?
Madison wasn't fooled by the friendly small town cop act. They may have grown up in the same town, but together wasn't the way she remembered it. He grew up his way, she grew up hers.
"Matt, you can leave any time. I don't need a babysitter." Madison looked up at him now, desperately trying to show some confidence and straightened her spine.
Standing so close to him made her feel worse. The obvious size difference between them was apparent. His shoulders are wide, arms thick with muscle and a broad chest that tapers to a trim waist. She wondered if it was all hard muscle underneath that fitted uniform. Worse, she wondered what those strong muscles would feel like.
Instantly Madison felt like clobbering herself for letting the thought even enter her head. He would never be interested in someone like her. He was probably married with kids by now. Most likely he had a perfect wife, and a happy family. She just needed him to leave to get her head straight again. It was impossible to get her bearings with him invading her space this way.
"You should still be able to get out. You have a truck! I saw it out there. I'm fine, you can leave." Madison felt almost desperate to get him out of the house.
She needs her space and solitude. She does better on her own. It was familiar, normal, for her to be alone. Madison functions better when she sticks with her routine. Strangers make her uncomfortable and that's exactly what Matt is, a stranger.
Placing her dishes into the soapy water, she tried to elbow him out of her way. "Here, I can do this. You should go while you still can." Madison starts to nudge him aside to move to the sink. "Thank you for everything. I don't want to keep you from your family. I'm sure they are worried sick about you."
The idea of spending the whole day, and another night with this man made her tremble and sweat. Her nerves were already raw. Why couldn't he understand that she just wanted to be left alone?
Matt smiled an easy smile down at her, then leaned his hip against the counter. "My family is just fine without me." Matt said, trying to gauge her attitude. Crossing his arms over his chest, Matt tried to read her facial expression. "Why are you trying to get rid of me?"
Madison's cheeks pinked with embarrassment. She felt ridiculous now. How she wished she could handle the attention with greater ease. Her mother was the one who enjoyed attention. Once again Madison proved they were nothing alike.
The idea of teasing her made Matt smile. The shy woman in front of him didn't know how beautiful she was. And he realized he had missed that fact years ago too. She isn't the kind of woman he ever thought he would be interested in. Not enough to tease, or even to flirt with, at least not until now.
There is an amusement in his voice, a hint of humor in his eyes. She wanted to scream "Because you scare me!" and get him out. Madison knew that wouldn't work. He was enjoying her anxiety too much. Besides, he's here to do his job not to get to know her.
Her alleged father had been killed. Matt had been the responding officer on duty. She was the only living relative. To top it off, Matt probably believes her father's murder was something she would know something about. For the life of her, Madison couldn't figure out why she wouldn't want to get rid of him.
Matt radio beeped on his belt. "Hey, Matty! You there?"
Annoyed by the interruption, Matt pushed the button on the radio without lifting it from his belt. "I'm here."
"We got worried when you didn't come back to the station last night. What, did ya get busy trapping a mouse last night?" The snide voice rang through the static and made Matt cringe.
Irritated, Matt grabbed the radio off his waist. He was making progress with Madison. At least, he thought he was. She was talking to him wasn't she? Mainly encouraging him to leave, but still, it was a huge step from only an hour earlier. The stupid mouse comment is only going to set his progress back. Matt needs to be able to find out what exactly made Madison Stone tick.
Trying to remain professional, he answered the question. "I'm with Miss Stone at the moment. What do you want, Jerry?"
The guy was a jerk in high school and still is one. How he had managed to get on the police force was beyond Matt. In the back of his mind, he knew the idiot was somehow related to the high and mighty of the town, which would explain how he got his job. Not that he was good at it. Jerry would rather harass people who aren't kissing his ass.
"Got those test results you wanted." Jerry's voice crackled again over the radio.
Matt took a breath and looked at Madison. She had tried not to cringe, but he could see her irritation at the mouse comment. Her face had hardened, although she tried to remain neutral. Madison knew her jaw had clenched and her knuckles had whitened on the plate in her hand.
Quickly, she dipped the plate into the water and kept her hands under the suds where the tension in them wouldn't be noticeable. Her eyes stayed focused on the sudsy water as she scrubbed the plate under the bubbles. Matt knew the plate in her hand was already sparkling clean. She was hurt and he knew why.
"I've got to take this." Matt kept his voice soft and touched her arm. The heat from that simple touch sent her body into flames. She wanted to jerk away, but knew it would be just one more thing he would question her about. It was better just to try and remain calm. "I'll be in the other room for a minute, then I'll be back to help you."
If he had been able to, Matt would have reached through the radio and strangled Jerry for the stupid comment. The man just couldn't control his mouth. If Madison would look at him she would see exactly how angry he was with the comment, but she didn't spare him a glance.
She nodded acknowledging his words but her gaze remained on the task at hand. Matt left the room before Madison felt her shield start to crumble. She knew that "the mouse" the officer had referred to was her. She knew Matt staying out with her in the storm was going to cause some major gossip throughout the town. Her body slumped forward and she rested her forehead against the cool counter. Why couldn't he just leave her in peace?
Madison's head began to throb again. She had had more headaches in the past seventy-two hours than she had since she left this town. It was the stress. She knew it. She hated it, but she dealt with it. Reaching into her purse where she always kept her medication, Madison found the container that held her migraine medication. Opening the bottle, she popped two of the tablets into her mouth and washed them down with the last of the milk Matt had given her.
He had been right about the milk. It didn't burn her stomach as bad as the coffee had. Her fingers were crossed that the little pills would work their magic and she would feel better shortly. If Matt would just leave she could lay down and pull herself together.
In the other room, Matt listened intently as Jerry read the report to him. The results showed Pierce Stone had died with a head contusion. A blunt object to the back of the head knocked him out, but wasn't the cause of death. Matt waited for the rest. No prints were identified. No blood, although there should have been some, at least of the victim's. They had found a wound on the back of the skull. It was a nice open gash, covered with dried blood.
Why the hell hadn't there been any blood at the scene? That in itself raised a red flag for Matt. The man got nailed on the back of the head with a blunt object. Why was there no blood over the floor where his body was found? And what had been the cause of death if it wasn't the blow to the head?
"Tox scan shows Daddy Dearest had a B.A.C. of .15 – the guy was loaded. It also showed he had something else in his system. They haven't been able to identify it yet, though." Jerry's voice crackled again through the radio.
Matt knew there were too many unanswered questions. The key had to be the tox screen. He figured whatever was in Stone's system had been worse than the blow to the head, and clenched his fist as he stared out the window at the falling snow. Matt watched in the distance as a shadow moved at the tree line. Hunters on the property most likely, he thought and went back to listening to Jerry continue on with nothing that would lead them to the culprit.
The hair on the back of Matt's neck stood on end. She was listening. Matt felt Madison's presence in the room, but didn't turn around. She doesn't trust him anymore than he can trust her. But to get to the truth he needs her trust.
"Okay. Have we gotten anything at all from the house?" Letting her hear him, Matt continues the call.
Madison couldn't help herself. She needs to know what is going on. No, she deserves to know what was happening with her father's case. It didn't matter that he didn't acknowledge her as his daughter. It didn't matter that time after time he rejected her and her need for a father. The man was still her father, her blood, at least according to her mother. It was her right to know exactly what the police had found and what they were doing to find the culprit who killed him.
Slowly, Matt turned to see her standing in the doorway, confirming his suspicions. Madison was barely in the room. The dish towel was wrapped in a tight knot around her hands. Her eyes widened, shining with the morning sun as she stared at him.
That's when he saw the stress. Her hands were wrapped so tight in the towel Matt figured her circulation would be cut off soon if she didn't release the material. So much had changed in him since he had moved back here. Everyone was always in everyone else's business. Not that they weren't when he was a kid, he just didn't pay attention to it back then. For the first time in his life that small town habit really bugged him.
It didn't occur to Matt that he was doing something he never would have done in D.C. He was discussing work with a coworker in front of a civilian, a family member of the deceased. But Madison was more than that. She was involved in the case and possibly a suspect. She had no right to hear what they were discussing. Matt always trusted his instincts, they'd always been on target. Right now, they were telling him this woman could help him solve her father's murder, if she were willing.
Matt refused to release her gaze as he slowly walked towards her. Reaching out, he took the dish towel from Madison's hands and tossed it on to the kitchen table. Reaching out, he took her hand trying to give her some support.
The tension crept from her hands and worked its way through her body. Madison had to consciously try to relax her shoulders and face, but it wasn't working. Attempting to pull away from his grasp, Matt kept her hand tight in his and led her into the room then nudged her onto the couch. He sat down next to her keeping her hand in his. She's frightened, he could see it. It was obvious the situation was causing her more than a normal amount of stress.
Matt's grip stayed strong and warm on her cold hands. Madison prayed he couldn't tell her palms were beginning to sweat from all the anxiety she was feeling. Madison felt so small, so fragile, so vulnerable sitting next to him. It was disarming how just one of his looks could compel her to do what he wanted.
She felt his thumb gently rub over the back of her hands, soothing her while he listened to Jerry continue on. Slowly, the little frown lines erased from her face. He was able to calm her just enough from that simple contact. Madison felt her walls crumble just a bit. The thought of exposure had her shift away from him. As quick as that wall cracked, it went back up at Jerry's next remark.
"Something, maybe nothing. We found a letter from Candace." Jerry announced, causing Madison to stiffen her entire body. "Looks recent, too."
That was impossible and they all knew it. Candace had been dead for ten years. How had her mother sent her father a letter? It had to be at least ten years old. Madison was certain the officer had to have been mistaken.
"Says here she knew what he was up to and if something happens to her, she would make sure everyone else knew as well. She says here that he is to take care of Madi or else he will regret it. Sounds like Mama was fixing to do some blackmail or something." Jerry stopped there.
"Or something." Matt muttered, noticing how Madison cringed at the nickname. He didn't like the sound of the letter. The woman was dead. Unless she could miraculously come back from the dead, someone sent the letter for her. It was impossible for that letter to be from Candace.
Madison looked down at their hands. Matt hadn't let go of her. She thought she felt his grip had tightened then relaxed. The soft caress of his thumb didn't cease, but she could tell by the frown on his face and the tension in his shoulders, he was not happy with this turn of events. In fact, she swore she felt the disconnection to him immediately as Jerry was cut off by static again.
Quickly, Madison pulled her hand from Matt's and rubbed her hands together. The heat from his touch vibrated still on her skin, even though she felt like ice was in her veins. She couldn't seem to warm up.
"Madison, do you know something about this? Do you have anything, anything at all you want to tell me?" Matt asked, setting the radio on the table.
He had to know if she knew anything about this letter. Matt didn't believe the woman he spent the night with was capable of killing anyone. But he had to ask. He has to hear it from her, to see her face when she denies it. If she is as good of an actress as her mother, or if she is as honest as she seems.
"Matty, you there? There's something else here." Jerry broke in.
Grabbing the little black box, he pushed the button on the side. "What?"
"Seems Daddy dearest had an addendum to the will. If he were to be suddenly found dead, he implicates his daughter, Madison Stone, of the reason." Jerry blurted out right before the radio cut out.
Please remember to vote comment and share