Husband by Choice
The place was small, two rooms, plus a bath. Old wood floors that were splintered from lack of care. Cracked Formica cupboards. It seemed fitting for a detective turned private eye on the lam. But not for Meri.
Not at all for Meri.
He followed Chantel out and asked his friend, “So what now? If he didn’t bring her here is it feasible to believe that he doesn’t have her?”
“It’s possible that he doesn’t,” she said. “Anything’s possible.” Her glance was pointed.
Meri could be dead in the woods, Max. He read the message in her eyes.
“He could be headed to Mexico with her,” he said. Because it was preferable to the other vision he’d just had.
“He’ll never get across the border.”
Nodding, he stood, hands in the pockets of the jeans he’d thrown on before leaving the house.
The man was history. It was just a matter of time.
“So now what?” He repeated his earlier question.
“We’ll have someone on this place and keep scouring the area. Mostly, we wait for him to turn up someplace. A bus station, a gas station, doesn’t much matter, we’ve got the area covered.”
And if he took Meri out of the area? The other officer, Bailey, exited the house and climbed back into her car.
“It doesn’t do any good to ask what-ifs,” Chantel said gently, her face turned up to Max’s. “You have to think positive and let us do our job.”
“I am thinking positive. You’re going to get him.”
He just prayed to God Meri would be alive when they did.
“Good, now go home, and I’ll call you when I hear something.”
He was staying put.
“Someone needs to be at your house, Max. Meri might turn up there. She might be in trouble. Need help.”
Okay, he’d go home. But he wasn’t going to like it. Not one damned bit.
“Oh, and Max, when they went through Meredith’s room they found a diary. It’s been entered as evidence right now. A detective is reading it, to see if there are any clues there to Meredith’s whereabouts. But from what I’ve heard, you’re going to want it. She loves you, Max. She did it for you, just like you thought. She knew about Smith and she left so that he wouldn’t get near you and Caleb.”
Max nodded, too choked up to respond. And went to climb in his van and drive home as he’d been instructed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE HOUSE WAS...NICE. One floor, marble tile throughout, except for the bedrooms that had newish carpet, plush in a neutral tone.
The walls were soft beige with accents in appropriate places. A dark red wall in the living room alcove. One deep gold wall in the master.
There were two other bedrooms. One painted a light purple and one painted light green. Her favorite color and one of his.
Out back he’d put in a swimming pool, kidney shaped, with a Pebble Tec bottom and waterfall. There was also a built-in gas grill and kiva fireplace.
All of the things she loved.
“I told you I know you,” Steve said, grinning like a kid as he followed her from room to room. “And wait until you get to the kitchen....”
He’d installed a double wall oven, glass top stove, and convection microwave. The countertops were granite and the island was big enough for a couple of bar stools.
“And look.” He opened the cupboards. All of them. And she recognized everything in them.