"I know you don't want me to do this," Max replied, tossing a shirt into her suitcase. "Stop looking at me like that."
"He probably helped kill Josh, Max, and you're going to walk right into that house? Alone? Of course I don't want you to do this," Kenny replied, not able to keep the patronizing tone out of his voice. "This all has a very familiar feeling to it anyway."
"Meaning?"
Kenny held her gaze a moment before replying. "Don't take this wrong way. Last time you went to see your parents Josh was . . ."
"You don't think I know that? Do you think I want to leave you and Emily? Kenny, I…I don't…I don't want anything to happen to her."
"You heard Jimmy and Skeeter yesterday, they think someone more powerful is pulling the strings here. What if this is one of them? Nothing will happen to, Em. We're not letting your family near her. I know, Max, you don't want to leave her."
"So we stop them before they can. You think I like the idea of spending time with my father under any circumstances? The fact that he might have had something to do with Josh's death . . . I don't think I can stomach being in the same room with him. I know you'll keep her safe, I just…It physically hurts to leave her."
"I just don't like it," Kenny sighed, "No back up, and you don't even know what you're looking for. I know it hurts, every time we put her to bed, I wonder…if she'll be there when we wake up."
"It'll only be for a few days," Max said softly, "And maybe we'll have our answers. Besides, didn't you say I need a distraction? Oh, Kenny, we can't keep living like this."
"Yeah, but I thought something like taking a cooking class. I know, Max."
"My mom is overjoyed that I'm coming, and my father is glad I'm living up to my familial duty," Max replied, ignoring the dig at her domestic skills. "I'm sure he's glad that it's an open-ended stay while I rethink my life."
Kenny bit his tongue for a minute as he tried to hide his disgust at the cover story they came up with last night. "Well it's one way to ingratiate yourself to him."
"I don't like pretending that our marriage is over," Max replied sharply.
Kenny paused as he looked at her. "Well neither do I. It's been hell these past few months, and I don't like sending you out like the sacrificial lamb. Especially when you've barely been able to put one foot in front of the other lately!"
"Oh? So now I'm the helpless little wife?"
"No, you're an amazing woman who has been through a lot, and I don't think that you're thinking this thing through."
"He's my father Kenny. I don't think he's planning on killing me."
"Why not? He probably killed Josh."
"We don't know that."
"Isn't that what you're going there to prove?"
"I don't want to believe that he's capable of that!"
"Don't go into this thing blind Max," Kenny replied a bit more calmly. "That's how you get hurt."
She nodded, as she felt some of the fight go out of her. "I wouldn't be doing this if there was another way."
"I know," he replied, pulling her into his arms. "Just come home to us, Honey."
101010101010
"You worried?"
Kenny shot Jimmy a look before replying. "Of course I am. How couldn't I be? I just sent my wife off to house filled with possible murderers."
"I don't like it any better then you do," Jimmy replied quietly. "She'll be fully wired."
"No back up? What the hell is she supposed to do if something happens? She's barely been functioning lately."
"Does she know that you feel this way?"
"Yeah . . . but Max is hell bent on doing it anyway. That damn guilt of hers. If anything happens to her . . . I don't what I'll do. Leaving Emily? She…I think that's the worst part for her." Jimmy regarded him silently, as he continued. "I'd rather never know who killed Josh then end up losing Max too."
"She'll be all right Kenny. We got her fully wired, and she'll be fine. She'll come back to Emily."
"We don't know that."
101010101010
What the hell am I doing here? Max glanced around the reception hall after Linwood's funeral, and thought it looked more like a party then a funeral gathering. What exactly do they want me to look for? With the way my father is glaring at me now I don't think he's going to spill his deepest, darkest secrets any time soon.
"Now this is a pleasant surprise. I heard that you were flying up for the funeral, but I needed to see it to believe it," a voice said from behind her. "It's been a long time, Maxine."
"Richard," Max replied, turning to face her ex-fiancé. "It has been awhile."
"You look wonderful," he continued, flashing bleached smile. "I heard about your son, and I am sorry for your loss. I would have come to the funeral, but I was taking care a business in Europe."
"It's the thought that counts. Thanks."
"You came out alone?"
Max flashed him a fake smile, and made herself sound pleasant. "Yeah . . . Kenny and I, well we both needed some space."
"I would never let my wife go through something so traumatic on her own."
Asshole, she thought, seeing his gaze flick down to her chest as talked. I was actually engaged to him? Kenny, I miss you.
"Well , that's the way we're doing it now. Um, I hear that you're working for my father now?"
"I was made a junior partner last week," Richard replied smugly. "The two of us should go out and celebrate. Like old times."
"I, well, I haven't had a lot to celebrate lately," Max replied lamely, as she saw her father come up behind Richard.
"All the more reason to," William interjected. "It might give you some perspective on your life."
They work together, Max thought quickly. Richard might be my key to getting into the office. Is this a date? Shit, does he think it's a date? Oh, I want to be down on our beach. "Sure," she finally agreed. "That'll be great."
101010101010
"I'm sure she has nothing to say to you," William barked into the phone the next day. "I suggest you stop calling here, and let my daughter move on with her life."
Max bit her tongue as she heard from the other room. Kenny, I'm so sorry, she thought. This will all work itself out, I wish that you were here.
"I don't care what you have to say! Stay away from my daughter. You've caused her enough trauma. Good bye."
"I would have talked to him," Max said softly to her mother.
"Why?" William demanded joining them in the living room. "You said you marriage is over, why waste more time on him?"
"We have a child together," Max countered. "And despite our problems that isn't going to change."
"You're finally where you belong. That life was never suitable for you, this is what is right."
She bit her tongue for what seemed to be the hundredth time in the four days that she had been there. "I know . . . I miss Emily. It's hard to just let it go. We've been together a long time.
"Richard's coming over for dinner soon. Go get ready."
101010101010
"Asshole," Skeeter commented, as Kenny hung up. "I liked the part where he never referred to her by name, just my daughter."
"He's a prince," Kenny agreed sarcastically, saying a quick prayer for her. "Shit. I wish I was there. It's been four days, and nothing yet."
"Be patient," Jimmy interjected. "Between the funeral and her cover story I doubt that there has been much time for anything else yet. Have you talked to her?"
Kenny shook his head. "Once. It was three in the morning, on her cell. The first night there. I can't leave her there alone, Jimmy."
Jimmy nodded slowly, trying to keep the fear out of his voice for his deputy. "How about a trip up there next week to try and repair your marriage? We'll watch Emily for you. Jill would love it. She'll be fine."
101010101010
Max sighed, looking at her reflection in the mirror. I really need to eat something, she decided, tracing her collarbone. I can't believe that Dad is having a party the day after Linwood was buried. For me. No, she argued, to reintroduce me to Richard. I'm barely separated and he's ready to marry me off? Oh Kenny, I miss you.
"You look stunning," Hannah called from the doorway. "So slender."
"Bony," she replied, slipping on a cardigan over her blue dress. "Maybe Maria's food will fatten me up a little bit."
"Not too much. I know Richard likes his woman thin."
Max held back a groan at the thought of Richard. "Is he here?"
"Not yet. I've got to run back down and check on a few things. Are you ready?"
"Ah, a few more minutes. I'll be down soon."
"So pretty," Hannah said quietly, stroking her cheek. "Don't take to long."
Max watched her leave, and snatched her cell phone out of her purse. Locking the bathroom door behind her, she sank onto the toilet seat and punched her home number.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Yourself."
Kenny grinned into the phone at the sound of her voice. "I tried calling you earlier."
"I heard . . . He's kind of a control freak. I miss you, and Em too. I hate it here Kenny."
"I miss you too. I hate waking up, and not having you next to me."
"How's Em?"
"Good, she misses you," Kenny replied, pausing. "I told her you were off doing secret stuff, and that you'd bring her a present."
"Is she awake? I'd love to talk to her."
"She passed out about a half hour ago. Found out anything interesting yet?"
"No. Although my parents are trying to set me up with Richard."
"The guy you were supposed to marry after college?"
"Yeah. He works with my Dad though, so he might be a way to get into the firm without raising too many red flags. Ugh. He's such an ass, and I don't know what I ever saw in him."
"I for one am glad you dumped him."
Max grinned into the phone. "Me too . . . shit. Someone's coming, I'll call you later."
"Love you," Kenny replied.
"Me too," she whispered. "Bye." Tossing the phone in a drawer, she took a deep breath and emerged from the bathroom. "Dad . . . Hi."
"Richard is downstairs, and he is expecting you," William said without preamble.
"Sorry, I was just freshening up," Max replied lamely, feeling 12 years old again.
"Follow me."
Max gritted her teeth as she trailed behind him for her date.
101010101010
"How is she? If you don't mind," Skeeter trailed off. "And who is Richard?"
"Fine. Richard is some guy she was supposed to marry when she graduated from college," Kenny replied. "She broke up with him, and that didn't go over to well with her father."
"It seems like nothing goes over to well with that man," Jimmy interjected, "What does this Richard do?"
"He works with Max's dad. Why?"
"If what we think is true this might be the reason. William Stewart is a twisted man, and maybe he is trying to recreate the past. We don't know why he would go to all of this trouble, springing Danny and Jen, the kidnapping, the murders . . . for what? So he could get his daughter back?"
"It had to be on his terms," Kenny added. "He's a control freak, and there is no way that he would have admitted he was wrong in anyway. He had to prove to Max that her life was wrong to form a relationship with her again."
"By killing Josh? It seems a little extreme," Skeeter jumped in. "For someone hell bent on family . . . why would he kill his grandson? Maybe he meant to find him? Expose Danny and Jen, and set himself up as some sort of hero?"
"How do we prove it? It's just speculation," Kenny asked. "And don't tell me that Max has to dig through all her fathers' files. It'll take forever, and she shouldn't be sacrificing herself like that. If her father is responsible for all these deaths, she shouldn't be there alone. If something goes down . . ."
"We'll take in one day at a time," Jimmy replied, knowing Kenny's worries. "Plus, we'll be taking a trip up there next week."
101010101010
"Why don't we take a walk? It's a beautiful night," Richard whispered in her ear.
"Sure," Max agreed, deciding it was the lesser of the two evils. "Let me get my sweater, and I'll meet you on the porch?"
"Wonderful, I'll go tell your father."
Grabbing her cardigan from the bench in the hallway, she paused outside the living room and heard the hushed tones of the two men.
"We're taking a walk William. She's a little hesitant around me, but we'll get past that. She'll see that this is right, but I'm going to take it slowly. The lunk that she is married to has worn her down, so that this will be an easy seduction."
"Fine, fine. I'm going to bring up the divorce papers tomorrow, and then we're going to sue for sole custody of Emily. Maxine is going to cut all ties to that life."
Shit, shit, shit, Max thought backing up into the kitchen. How the hell am I going to get out of that? Pushing the backdoor open, she stepped onto the patio and inhaled the night air. Divorce? Custody papers? Richard is a creep, and the last thing he is going to do is seduce me. Gross.
"You look deep in thought."
Smile, she thought, smile. "I forgot how beautiful this city is at night."
"You're beautiful Maxine, but you look so sad most of the time. I want to be able to take that sadness away, and make you happy again."
"I need some time Richard," she said softly, repeating what she told Kenny. "It's been a lot to deal with."
"Let me help you," he whispered, tilting her chin up so he could look at her. "We've earned this."
"Richard," Max said carefully, trying to step back, but his arms locked her to his chest. "Please don't."
"One little taste," he whispered, lowering his mouth to hers.
With one final push, she turned her head to the side, and his lips landed in her hair as she pushed herself away. "No, don't."
"Sorry, sorry," he replied releasing her. "I don't know what got into me. Standing in the moonlight with you, well I just couldn't help myself."
Taking a deep breath to steady herself Max nodded. "You're sweet, Richard, really. I'm coming off of a bad relationship and I just need some time."
"I'll wait. Why don't we have lunch tomorrow? You can come by the office, and then we'll go out."
Jerk, she thought, smiling. "That sounds great."
101010101010
"Guess you couldn't sleep either," Kenny said, scooping a wailing Emily into his arms. "You miss your Mom? I know I do."
"Mama."
Kenny stroked Emily's silky hair, as settled down in a chair with her. She's lost so much, he thought, Josh, and now Max. Who is coming back, soon I hope.
"Mama will be back soon," Kenny replied to his daughter's demand. "She misses you too."
"Now."
Damn, she's stubborn. Wonder who she got that from? Shit, when she's a teenager, Max and me will have some battles on our hands. He glanced at the phone in the hallway, and wanted nothing more then to talk to her again. To let Em hear her mother's voice. Glancing at the clock, he hoped that she was sleeping because it was 3:08 A.M.
101010101010
A career as a safe cracker sounds better and better, Max thought, creeping into her father's downstairs office. He used to keep the combination . . . on the bottom of that drawer. Sliding it from the table, she had to smile when she saw the faint numbers printed on the bottom. Committing them to memory, she dialed the series into the lock silently. For once I'm glad that this house is so large, and that my parent's bedroom is something like three miles from here.
"Let's see what we have in here," she said softly, pulling a file off of the top. "Hmm."
Oh shit, he didn't . . . he couldn't have. Pressing one of the bugs that Morell gave her under the corner of the desk, she tucked the slim file under her arm, as she closed the safe and backed out of the room slowly.
101010101010
"Your father wants to see us before we go," Richard said, greeting Max in the lobby. "You look lovely by the way."
"Thanks . . . What about?"
"He wasn't to clear on it. Do you mind running up to my office with me for a moment? I forgot some important papers I have to bring William anyway."
"Sure," Max agreed, not very eager to see her father after what she found in his safe last night. How am I supposed to go into his office like nothing is wrong? Thinking of the file she had hidden in the lining of her suitcase, she tried not to grimace. How the hell do I get it to Kenny, Jimmy, Skeeter or Morell? The only time I don't have someone with me is at night, and Richard doesn't seem to be planning on keeping it that way for long. Following him down the long hallway, she nearly bumped into him when he stopped.
"Sorry," she replied a bit sheepishly.
He regarded her silently for a minute. "I want to apologize for last night again, Maxine. I didn't want to push myself on you, and would like to start over with you."
"You don't have to apologize," she replied, trying to keep her voice even.
"I want to make you happy."
Wiping that smug smile off of your face would make me happy, she thought. "I have a lot to work through."
He flipped on the light in his office, and grabbed some folders off of his desk before replying. "I'm going to help you through it all. Lets head down to your father's office. He doesn't like to be kept waiting."
Walking silently down the hall, Max wondered what he meant by his previous statement. Deep breath Max, she told herself, don't give anything away when you go in there. Just act normally, and it'll all be okay.
"Richard, Maxine. Have a seat," William said from behind his massive desk before turning to his daughter. "I have a surprise for you."
"For me?"
William smiled slyly at Richard who handed him the files that he brought with him. "I think you'll enjoy it."
The last surprise he gave me was cutting off my trust fund when I refused to marry Richard. What now? Ignoring her pounding heart. "What is it?"
"We drafted your divorce papers, and are going to file for sole custody of Emily. That bastard won't ever see her again, and you won't have anything to do with him either."
Max just stared at the two of them like they had lost their minds, and couldn't find the words to express the rage she felt building up inside of her. Divorce? Custody suits? Oh shit, what did we get ourselves into here, Kenny? I want to go home, and go down to our beach. Just splash around with Em, and be a family again.
"Maxine?"
"What?" she finally asked. "You did what?"
"We can expedite the process too, which is one benefit of being such a large and powerful firm," Richard interjected, stroking her face. "I said I was going to help you."
"This way you can move on. Forget that life. It was wrong for you to begin with," William added. "All you need to do is sign."
Max struggled to find the words to say to them. "Whatever Kenny and my problems are, I have no intention of taking Emily away from him. He's a wonderful father, and Em deserves to know both of her parents. I wouldn't consider it for a minute."
"I have no intention of having that man connected to our family. He's nothing Maxine, and he'll just leech onto our family, and cause us more embarrassment," William growled.
"I don't want him being part of our life either," Richard added, taking her hand in his. "I would be honored to be Emily's father."
Sick, twisted, bastards, she thought looking back and forth between them. No way in hell that I'd let Richard be Em's father.
"I need to get some air," she finally replied, jumping to her feet, and grabbing onto the desk at the same time. "I'm not ready for this yet."
"I'll go with you," Richard offered, still holding her hand. "We can talk about this."
"No, no. I really don't want to talk about this anymore. I just need some time alone," Max replied backing away, as she pressed the bug into place. "You both gave me a lot to think about. Bye."
The two men watched her all but flee from the office before speaking.
"That didn't go so well," William commented dryly. "I hope that she doesn't still have feelings for this man."
"We worked too hard for it to be any other way," Richard commented,. "Those two lowlifes we had sprung from that institution . . . having to deal with them every day. This better not fall apart, William."
"There is no way that anyone will figure it. We're the only two that know."
101010101010
Max burst out onto the sidewalk, and wanted to cry. Gulping back her shock, she began to walk as quickly as she could away from the building. Deep breaths, she told herself. Just hold it together, Max. Oh, what the hell am I doing? Ducking into the park she collapsed on a bench and tried to compose herself before she dialed home again. Be calm, rational, she thought. Don't freak him out any more then you are.
"Kenny? It's me," she choked out, forgetting her plan to stay calm.
"Honey? What's wrong? Are you okay, and they didn't hurt you?"
Taking a deep breath, "I'm fine, really. I just wanted to hear your voice. So much has happened . . ."
"Tell me. C'mon Max, talk to me."
Taking another deep breath, she begin to tell him what she found in her father's safe and about her meeting with them.