and there was no physical evidence left at the scene when my guys swept it later that night. We’ve increased the police presence around the library as much as possible, but the fact is, the guy will likely get away with what he did to her.”
My gut clenches.
That’s the last thing I wanted him to say.
“My fear isn’t so much that he’ll get away with it, but rather that it’ll happen again. What happens next time when I’m not there to intervene?”
My question seems to stump him for a second. “You seem to be taking this relationship with my daughter pretty seriously.”
I lift my chin and reply with one word: “Yes.”
His eyes narrow as he studies me in an unusually intense manner. It’s like he’s trying to read my thoughts. Then he shrugs and sort of chuckles—I swear the man chuckles—before he turns and unlocks his police cruiser.
That’s all.
I guess it’s a start.
Today is Andy’s birthday, the big 3-2. He’s having people over to his house later and I know Madison’s excited to go. She thinks she has the best gift ever for him. Now that he and Arianna are a couple—believe me, it’s all I hear about at work—Madison got them matching bowling league shirts with their names embroidered on the back.
She also ordered some for us, Kevin, and Eli, but she doesn’t think I know that. She’s pretty bad at keeping secrets.
We’re at her apartment, spending the afternoon together like we usually do, and I’ve just basically broken a hip trying to have sex with her on this damn futon. It was worth every second, mind you, but I’m about done with this place. The second I think she’ll actually accept, I’m asking her to move in with me. A part of me knows she wants to give in. That cold shower she’s taking right now can’t be enjoyable. She’s in there hissing under an icy stream.
I’m on my laptop, researching anything I can about her case. I know odds are I won’t find anything. I know the incident might have been a one-off thing, a complete coincidence, but I can’t seem to squelch the idea burning in my head that Madison might have been targeted on purpose. I got her talking about it again after her dad left this morning, though she hates when I bring it up.
“I can’t live in fear my whole life, Ben. Besides, I was probably just being paranoid when I thought someone was following me.”
I don’t think she was being paranoid at all. If anything, she needs to be more concerned.
Another news article on the Clifton Cove Times website leads me to a dead end. There’s nothing. No write-up about the incident. No mention of Madison or a suspect on the loose. It’s probably for the best. There’s no point in worrying everyone, and there’s such little crime in this area of town. I’d understand it if Madison was walking over where Mac and his friends hang out, over near Murphy’s. They probably—
My brain stops short on that thought.
It’s stupid, really. Just a whim.
Shit. I’m already on my feet, stuffing my phone in my back pocket and finding my keys.
“Hey Madison!”
“Yeah?” she calls from the bathroom.
“I just remembered I’ve got to go run an errand. Is it okay if I meet you at Andy’s party?”
The shower cuts off and a second later, her head pops out of the bathroom. “What do you mean, an errand?”
“It’s something for work.”
She frowns in disbelief. “Um…okay, I guess. You’re definitely lying to me right now, though.”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
Because if I tell you where I’m going, you’ll ask me to stay, but I have to try.
“I’ll tell you at the party,” I say, stepping over to her and kissing her forehead. Then I think better of it and kiss her lips. She’s warm and wet. It’d be a better use of my time to push her right back into that shower, but then I remember it only gets freezing cold water and that idea pops like a bubble.
“I’ll meet you at Andy’s. I won’t be late, I swear!”
Ten minutes later, I’m outside Andy’s house insisting he get in my car.
He’s hanging out the window, shaking his head. “I’ve got party setup to do, man—streamers to hang, balloons to fill. Arianna wants to give me my birthday present before the party starts and I’m pretty sure it’s a blowjob.”
His eyebrows dance with the possibility.
“That’s cool, man, really. No one wants you to get that birthday blowjob more than