AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Maddix swallowed tightly.
"Now, we're going to go under the assumption for the moment that you didn't kill Eddie and that Mikayla isn't lying. She believes she saw you. That leads to the question, who looks like you?"
Maddix shook his head fiercely. "Not even my son resembles me. I take after my mother's side of the family, and she's an only child. There aren't even any cousins on that side."
"Illegitimate cousins or brothers?" Nik asked.
"Hell no. As much money as I make, I'd know if there were any. They crawl out like cockroaches when you have money."
Nik stared back at Maddix thoughtfully. It had been worth asking. He'd had to rule it out before he could begin his own investigation.
"I'll need any information you have on Eddie as well as the investigation your police department has put into this case, no later than tomorrow afternoon."
"I can do better than that." Maddix reached to a drawer at the side of his desk. "I have the file. Daniel has kept it updated as well. I've gone over every inch of it, though I can't find anything that points to anyone in particular, Nik. There are no suspects. No one saw anything except Mikayla, and I swear to God, she didn't see me there." He pulled the file free. It was easily three inches thick. At least the police department had been doing something.
Nik took the file, glancing at it for just a second before tucking it under his arm and staring back at Maddix emotionlessly.
"Keep Luke away from her," Nik finally ordered the older man icily. "If he comes around her again, Maddix, he's going to get hurt."
Maddix sighed heavily. "He liked her an awful lot, Nik. Despite appearances, this hit Luke har
d."
"I think he's a spoiled little bastard and the only thing that hit him hard was the fact that he couldn't fuck her. Keep him the hell away from her, or I'll fuck him up. Are we understood?"
Maddix swallowed tightly. "I'll make certain he stays away from her." Giving a quick nod, Nik turned and left the room, disappearing into the shadows of the house and exiting out the way he had come.
He had his work cut out for him.
There were no easy answers here, and no suspects. All he had was a woman he knew was innocent, a friend he suspected was innocent, and a game with no rules. Fortunately, those games were the only games Nik played well.
"Mikayla?" Deirdre's voice outside Mikayla's door held a hint of warning. Mikayla lifted her attention from the dress form and the ball gown hanging on it. 84
"Yes, Deirdre?"
The door opened as Deirdre peeked in apologetically. "Um, there's someone here demanding to talk to you."
"Who?" There was an edge of irritation in her voice and she couldn't help it. She so didn't want to have to deal with Luke again.
"Me."
Nope, not Luke, but perhaps just as bad.
Glenda Nelson stepped into the room. Maddix's trophy wife. She was easily twenty years younger than he, model gorgeous with her dark cocoa skin and shoulderlength raven black hair. Deep, dark brown eyes stared back at Mikayla with a hint of anxiety rather than the animosity she would have expected.
Glenda was just as arrogant as always, though. Pushing past Deirdre, she entered the room, looking around the large sewing area curiously before turning back to Mikayla with a haughty air.
"We need to talk," Glenda stated.
"I have this, Deirdre," Mikayla assured her. "Go on back to the shop." Mikayla waited until the door closed before turning back to the other woman.
"What can I do for you, Glenda?" she asked wearily. "If you're here to throw your own little fit like Luke did, then I don't want to hear it." Glenda shook her head with a grimace as her chocolate brown eyes seemed to darken further. "I heard about the shooting last night. I was worried, and concerned."
"Afraid I'd accuse Maddix of that, too?" Mikayla gave a little mocking snort.
"Not hardly," Glenda assured Mikayla with a slight shake of her head. "I'm as certain of Maddix's innocence as I am of my own. As I said, I was concerned, as is Maddix. I wanted to see for myself that you were unharmed." Glenda had almost been a friend, one Mikayla felt she would have cherished. Now, only suspicion and regret lay between them.
"Perfectly unharmed." Mikayla held her arms out from her body as she fought back the anger that continued to brew inside her.
