Husband by Choice

“Yes.”

“Because of something Wayne told you?”

“Let’s just say that something that occurred today leads me to believe that while Meri isn’t in danger, it might be good to be certain that Smith hasn’t been in touch with her.”

She knew something she couldn’t tell him. Something pertinent. Her expertise was far beyond his. As was her reach. This was why he’d called her.

Max sat down. He wasn’t going to do anything, ask her anything that would jeopardize her job. Or put pressure on her to tell him things that, ethically, she shouldn’t.

He was scared to death.

“So she never admitted to being my wife?”

“Wayne asked if she knew a Dr. Bennet. He could tell by her reaction that she did. After that, she opened up. She told him that she was your wife. That she was Caleb’s mother. He asked if she was okay. She assured him several times that she was.

“He asked if she needed any help. She insisted that she didn’t.”

It was hard to sit there and listen to that. “Steve had to be within earshot. Maybe he’s got her bugged.” Okay, his imagination might be running a bit wild. “Maybe he was in the other room.”

“I can assure you he was not.”

“But you don’t know whether or not he has her wired. He’s a former cop, Chantel. He’d play it out like a cop.”

Her brown eyes softened and he felt like a stupid kid. It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced in twenty years.

“I can’t guarantee that she wasn’t wired, no,” Chantel said. “Because she wasn’t searched. But I’d bet my life on the fact that she wasn’t. We have ways of finding out if someone is being coerced,” she said. “In this case, Wayne wrote on a piece of paper, asking her if she was on the run. She shook her head. She was calm, Max.”

“This person she was with, was it a professional?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“But you know.”

“Yes.”

“Is she staying with this person?”

“No.”

“But Wayne knows where she’s staying.”

“Yes.”

“How certain can he be that she’s safe there?”

“As certain as it’s possible to be.”

And he knew.

“She’s at The Lighthouse, isn’t she?”

“No, Max. She’s not. Now, please, stop this. I did as you asked. I found her. I’m certain she’s okay. Leave it at that, okay?”

He had more questions. Too many of them. And needed a few minutes to figure this out. To understand what Meri was doing, what she was trying to tell him.

“She knew that I was behind this evening’s visit?”

“After a time, yes.”