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“Well, maybe I should clarify what I mean by cloud nine,” he said adjusting his specs. “It’s like someone in love,” he joked to her. “Not that it’s any of my business, of course. I just want to see all my patients and my patient’s families happy. Especially when we see you in here almost every day without fail. As I’ve said before, it’s wonderful what you’re doing but you need to give yourself a break. You don’t want to burn yourself out. Then what good will that do for your mother?”
“You’re right, Dr. Branson. I just…” really need to get a life, I suppose.
Maxine spent the next half hour discussing her mother’s care with Dr. Branson before going back to spend the rest of the time with her mother. The visit turned out to be more rewarding as her mother came around at times. She then asked for some assistance in finding towels and a new gown so that she could bathe and dress her mom. She also washed her mother’s hair and brushed it as if she were a princess getting ready for a royal visit. Maxine was satisfied when she’d left her mother.
When she got back to the car in the parking lot, she wiped the sweat from her brow. The sun was getting hotter but Maxine was also tired. She still had a few more stops to make before heading home.
To the department store.
Maxine picked out a beautiful gift set and a lovely bedding set for Lucy and the baby. She then went to a specialty store in the plaza adjacent to the mall where she had the gifts personalized with a message to the baby from Maxine, the baby’s future godmother. It was difficult to pick out a perfect gift for someone who actually had money but she thought every mother would appreciate sentimental gifts.
Later, she pulled up in the garage of her apartment building with a few shopping bags in her hands. When she got out of the elevator on the eleventh floor, she fished for her keys in her bag and yanked them out. When she reached her door, her mouth fell open. She dropped her bags on the floor by her feet, her keys frozen between her fingers. She didn’t need a key to get into her apartment. The door was wide open! Her home had been broken into and trashed.
CHAPTER NINE
“What?” Lucas fumed. He felt a surge of heat fire through his blood. If anyone laid a finger on Maxine, he would make sure they would live to regret it.
“Lucy got the call a few minutes ago,” Antonio said as he spoke to his cousin in the study.
Since Lucy’s difficult pregnancy, Lucy and Antonio been spending more time at the estate than downtown, which made sense since their family doctor and trusted obstetrician was in Mayberry Hill and Lucy would eventually deliver at the local hospital. The Romeros had donated a wing to Mayberry General Hospital. It was private hospital with the latest state-of-the-art medical equipment.
“So what happened?” Lucas demanded to know.
“Well, the cops took the report and told Maxine to call someone close to her to spend the night. So she called Lucy.”
“And?”
“Lucy invited her to come stay with us, but Maxine told her she would prefer go to the nearest hotel. She only called Lucy to inform her in case Lucy tried to call her at home and didn’t get her.”
“Is Maxine crazy?” Lucas thinned his lips in anger.
“Lucas, don’t do anything foolish.”
It was too late. Lucas didn’t know what got into him. But he was going to reach Maxine and make sure she was safe. He reached into this pocket for his smartphone and dialed one of his contacts.
How the hell did that one slip by? He had people watch her office during the first two weeks since she’d received that note but things seemed under control then. He had someone watch her building to ensure she was safe, but again, he’d been given the green light and didn’t see the purpose in continuing his surveillance for her safety.
Damn! Was he wrong? Lucas rarely took missteps. That was an oversight that would never happen again. He would see to that.
“In which hotel is she staying?” Lucas asked pointedly. He was deeply agitated. He just didn’t know what came over him all of a sudden. Why did he have this reaction to Maxine? This was all too crazy for him right now but he didn’t have time to analyze his feelings for this woman, he just knew he had to act fast. She was in some kind of trouble and from judging her character over the past few months, she wasn’t the trouble-making type of girl.
