Chemical Attraction, page 10
“Bad boy, mommy will punish you if you don’t behave. Eat your dinner.” On the countertop, Sissy hissed and lunged. Vera splashed water into the cat’s face.
“Behave yourself, Sissy, or you won’t get a treat.” Unfazed by the water, it hissed louder, changing her anger to fear. Her cats covered the entire kitchen floor with a few on the counter and table. Their tails stood straight up. Backs arched, they stopped meowing. The closest ones on the floor scratched her legs while Fluffy jumped on her back. Its claws dug deep and its teeth sank into the back of her neck. Screaming hysterically, Vera staggered into the hall. Fluffy continued to bite as she tried to reach behind her. She backed into the wall, causing it to cry out and let her go.
She dropped to her knees and watched her cats slowly surround her. Desperation replaced shock. She scrambled toward the hall closet as they bit and scratched her arms and legs. After turning the knob, she reached for the closest object to use as a weapon. George’s boot knocked back Gus and his gang.
She crawled into the dark refuge. Heart pounding, she pulled the door shut and plopped onto the mountain of shoes on the floor. Shaking and bleeding, she heard her precious babies clawing at the door. Tears filled her eyes as a numbness washed down her left side. She tried to form words to yell, but instead she moaned. Her mind screamed for help.
“You’ll have to look at this information. It’s not making any sense to me,” Joe said from Madeline’s small dining table.
She leaned out of the bathroom doorway. “I’ll look at it later. I’m not even sure it’ll make a difference. I may have to wander around the storage cage for the actual items.”
“Not without me, you won’t.”
In a tan tank with a brown skirt, she stepped out of the bathroom. She let her hair fall over her shoulders. “Let me get my sandals and I’ll be ready. I’m starving,” she said, slipping them on by the bed.
He watched from his chair. “What, no heels?”
“Eight hours is my limit. Some women can do it, but I won’t.”
He walked over to her. “I’m all about comfort. Besides, in sandals you’re the perfect height.” He kissed her lips and she moaned. It took all of his willpower to step back. “I knew I’d find you again, my wild goddess.”
Blushing, she smiled. “You need to feed me first.”
Walking into the Village Inn Restaurant, they saw a long table in the back with Eva and Matt at one end and David and five of his friends at the other. The huge room had a full bar on the right, tables of various sizes in the center, and a small corner stage on the left. He pulled out Madeline’s chair and kissed Eva’s cheek. Sitting across from Madeline, Joe had his back against the wall next to Matt. With three extra chairs between them and the boys, Matt watched as David and his friends decided what they wanted on their pizza.
“It figures, when I say I’m buying, his friends come out of the woodwork,” Matt said as a greeting.
Joe laughed. “Are we getting a pitcher? I could use a beer.”
“That seems to be the consensus tonight,” Eva replied. The waitress brought the beer and four mugs. After taking their order, she moved down the table to the teens.
“So who are the girls that just sat next to David and Nelson?” Madeline asked.
“Kim Kilmer and Jilly Anderson,” Eva replied.
“They were the ones who talked to David at the banquet?” Joe asked. Matt nodded.
While they waited for their pizza, the owner, John Brown, spoke into the microphone from the corner stage. “Tonight’s Karaoke Tuesday. Come on, guys. Sing a song to your lady.”
David looked around the room. Various men ranging from suits to overalls filled the bar stools. Families packed the tables. Nobody wanted to cook, and everyone wanted cooler air. His friends whooped as David walked to the stage. He sang James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” and looked at Kim the whole time.
“I’ve created a sappy monster,” Joe said.
“Yeah, thanks,” Matt replied. David finished his song with a cheer from his friends. He returned to his seat and received a kiss on the cheek from Kim.
“That was so sweet,” Madeline said. “Are you going to serenade me, Joe?”
“Do I get a kiss?”
“It depends on how good you are,” she replied. He walked to the stage. Playing air guitar, he sang Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded.” She laughed and shook her head. After the song, he waited for his kiss. “That was okay, but is it kiss worthy?” she asked Eva.
“Maybe you should show him how it’s done,” Eva replied.
He raised an eyebrow. “You can do better?” Madeline smiled. She belted out Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much” to the laughter and applause of the crowd. “That woman amazes me,” he said to his sister.
“She sings in a band. You don’t know much about her, do you?”
He chugged his beer. “I know enough, and I’m looking forward to the rest.”
“I think she just challenged her boyfriend to a sing-off,” John Brown said as Madeline returned to the table.
The crowd watched him smile and stand. He sang John Cougar’s “Hurt so Good” as the crowd continued to laugh and cheer. Madeline countered with Pat Benatar’s, “Hit Me with your Best Shot.”
“I think she’s got her boyfriend beat. What do you guys think?” John Brown asked. The crowd cheered for Madeline.
“I have one more song in me,” he said to her.
He whispered to his nephew, who nodded. David and two other friends followed him to the stage. While John handed microphones to the other three, Joe grinned. He sang the Hollies’ “Bus Stop” with David and his friends singing the harmony. The crowd went wild as Madeline sat stunned that he remembered. He watched her lean toward Eva.
“Does your brother do this often?”
“He’s a drummer. I always thought he mouthed the words with his band,” Eva said with a laugh.
Before he sat down, Madeline kissed him in front of the entire restaurant. “You win,” she said as David and the rest of the teens watched in awe and clapped.
Their waitress had waited for the commotion to calm before bringing out their pizza. Everyone grabbed slices, forgetting about John Brown and his karaoke. Sitting back against the wall, Matt watched as people came and went. A few more attempted to sing, bringing cringes to many. He observed three teenagers glaring at David. Matt then scanned the crowd at the bar. Most had been there since Happy Hour. All the suits had taken their ties and jackets off, except one. Matt thought that he had better not catch any of them driving home.
Eva leaned forward. “Hey Joe, can you come by the hospital tomorrow for lunch? My staff is dying to meet you.”
Smiling, Madeline sipped her second beer. “Should I be jealous?”
“No way, baby,” he replied, squeezing her hand across the table. “Sure, Eva, I’ll meet you for lunch.”
As the ladies stood, he and Joe watched the entire bar stare. Matt glowered at Dr. Russell, who leaned back on his stool and leered at his wife and Madeline as they walked toward the restroom.
“Is that son of a bitch asking to be punched?” Joe asked, sitting forward in his seat.
Matt sighed. “Are you still pretending with Madeline?”
Cringing, Joe looked into his mug. “I don’t want to.”
“Do I have to remind you that emotions have a way of interfering?”
“You’re right. I just didn’t factor her into the equation. I’ll keep my promise, Matt. Right now, we have a theory. When we have proof, you’ll be the first to know.”
He nodded as David came to sit by them. “You’re the man, Uncle Joe. Dad, thanks for the pizza. We’re going for a walk by the river.”
David held Kim’s hand. Joe laughed until he saw another group of teens follow them. “Is there going to be a problem with those other boys? They’ve glared at David and his friends throughout dinner.”
“I noticed that,” Matt said as the ladies returned. He and Joe watched the boys stop David just outside the door. “Joe, do me a favor and check it out.”
“Kim!” Brad Murphy yelled, stepping outside the restaurant’s front door, “You aren’t going with him.”
“Brad, we broke up two weeks ago. You can’t tell me what to do anymore.”
“Fine, then I’ll just schedule a physical with David’s hot mom and let her feel me up. I’ll make her cry like a rabbit in a dog’s jaw.”
David launched himself, swinging with both arms. His fury knocked Brad to the ground.
“David, step back,” Joe said, yanking him off the jerk.
He huffed. “You should have heard what he said about Mom.”
“I heard.” Joe reached down and grabbed Brad by the front of his shirt, standing him up. “If we ever hear you talk about my sister like that again, I will personally hunt you down. I will make sure Chief Connor puts you in a jail cell with a guy named Moose. Am I clear, boy?”
“Yes, sir,” Brad stuttered. His friends tugged on his arm and they took off running.
“David, I’d like a word with you,” his dad said with his arms crossed. “I am fed up with your attitude. After you walk Kim home, you will call Mr. Landford and tell him you won’t be working for him anymore. Instead, you will be working for me. You and I will be together every waking minute until I say different. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir,” he said loud enough for the group to hear. He then mouthed, “Thanks, Dad.” He knew it wasn’t much of a punishment and was relieved with the excuse to quit.
Back at their empty table, Madeline and Eva watched Joe and then Matt rush out the front entrance. “What’s going on?” Eva asked.
“Did you see the reaction of those two guys at the bar? When Matt walked by, they tensed like he was coming for them,” she whispered.
“Which ones?”
“Red Shirt next to Yellow Hat, they’re acting peculiar,” Madeline said.
“Are they drunk?” Eva asked. They saw Yellow Hat slip his hand in his pocket and pull out a three-inch knife. The other motioned to the door. “Are they talking about Matt?”
“I don’t like it. I think they’re tweakers. The guys will walk back in without any warning.” Madeline remembered her basic training. She had learned that this situation needed clear identification. Were these guys tweakers or just cocky drunks? Meth abusers were dangerous when tweaking. Nothing—not even more meth—takes the feeling of emptiness away from the tweaking stage of coming down from a high. They became extremely frustrated and drank alcohol to ease the bad feelings. “Eva, we need to warn our guys and keep an eye on those two.”
“What do you suggest?”
“If I remember right, the signs are rapid eye twitching and jerky muscles movements but a steady voice,” she stated.
“And they don’t need a reason to react violently,” Eva added.
“Okay, I’ll check it out. You warn Matt and Joe.” Madeline walked to the bar and stood to the left of Yellow Hat, who held the knife under the bar’s counter. “Can I pay our bill up here?” she asked the bartender. Handing him her credit card, she turned to Yellow Hat. “Can you believe they left me to pay for dinner?”
Smiling, his eyes shifted from side to side so fast it made her queasy. “I’ll show you a good time,” he replied, with no slurring from the alcohol.
While Eva slipped outside, Madeline signed the bill. Stepping closer, she saw Red Shirt watching the door. “I bet you and your friend could show me a good time.” That got Red Hat’s attention. He smiled, showing his rotten teeth. “Let’s go,” she said. She followed Yellow Hat with Red Shirt behind her. The extent of her plan was to get them away from the crowd.
While Matt and Joe watched David and his friends walk away, Eva rushed out the door. “Uh, honey, we have a situation in here.”
“What now?” Matt asked.
“There are two guys sitting at the bar and one has a knife. They got very agitated when you walked by. Madeline’s talking to them to see if they’re drunk or tweaking.”
“She’s what?” Joe asked.
“We had to do something. The guy with the knife is on the verge as it is.”
“Let me go in first, since they know you as a cop. Matt, you know I can’t draw my gun, right?”
“Yeah, I’m right behind you. Honey, stay put.”
Just inside the door, Joe came face to face with Yellow Hat, who pulled the blade from his pocket. Madeline grabbed his hand and kicked the back of his knees, dropping him to the floor. With his left hand, Joe reached for the guy’s wrist that held the knife and then punched him in the jaw with his right fist, knocking Yellow Hat out cold.
Red Shirt jerked Madeline against him. He put his arm around her neck and dragged her back into the restaurant toward the bar. Matt and Joe stayed by the door so they wouldn’t provoke him further. Madeline tried to loosen the grip around her neck. She took a deep breath and stomped on his foot. When he lessened the pressure, she flung him to the floor off her right shoulder. He yanked her down with him. With her full body weight, she elbowed him in the gut.
Joe hurried to help her stand while Matt grabbed the groaning Red Shirt. The entire restaurant applauded. Having seen the musical portion, the crowd enjoyed the dramatic part of their dinner theater.
“I guess I remembered more of my training than I thought,” she whispered.
Before Matt could demand to know what Madeline meant, Eva stepped back from Yellow Hat on the floor. “This one’s awake,” she said.
“Hey Joe, do you mind?” Matt asked, standing Red Shirt up.
“Oh, yeah,” Joe said, turning to hold Red Shirt steady.
After cuffing and patting them down, Matt shoved them into the backseat of his squad car. He called the station. After snapping his phone shut, he pointed at them. “You three, stay put,” he said as his on-duty officer walked the few blocks to the restaurant. “Ethan, put those two in separate cells. They’re coming off a binge.”
“Sure, Chief,” Officer Ethan Gerig replied before driving the car back to the station.
After walking to the station in silence, Matt sat at the nearest desk and pulled out the appropriate form. “Madeline, I’d like to hear your version.” Matt, Joe, and Eva listened. “Do you realize how dangerous that was?” Matt asked, sitting back in his chair.
“It would have been much more so if you and Joe had walked into the bar and got a knife in your back.”
“Can we go?” Joe asked.
“Yeah, I’ll see you both later,” Matt replied.
Eva sat on the desk. “Why did you and Joe follow David out the door?”
“Remind me to thank Madeline for dinner,” he replied. His wife didn’t need to know the reason for the fight.
Joe folded his arms outside the station. “What you did back there was dangerous.”
“Yes, I know. I already got the lecture from Matt,” Madeline said, walking away from the front door.
“I’m talking about the danger to our cover. Someone could recognize those tactical moves and get suspicious. Why do you think I didn’t use my gun? We’re here for a reason, Madeline. Remember that. My girlfriend shouldn’t be taking down tweakers, much less recognizing them.”
“I just reacted. I’m sorry.”
“You’re making me look bad.” He smiled. “Let’s walk back to your apartment. I left my notes there.”
“I need a shower. That guy stunk.” She winced, smelling her hair.
“Can I watch?”
Madeline nodded as they walked back to her loft. She couldn’t believe she flipped that guy. Happy she remembered some of her training, she thought the hole she was burying herself in didn’t seem so deep. Maybe she could get out.
Before she was fully wet, she felt the shower curtain move. His body heat radiated. Thankful for the cool water, she smiled as she tilted her head back to wet her long hair.
“Are you dirty?” she asked with her eyes closed.
“You have no idea,” he replied in a low husky voice.
She caught her breath when his lips touched her neck. Even in the cool water, steam rose from their contact. His tongue lapped up the water that dripped off her chin. When his mouth found hers, she sizzled. She slowly moved her hands to his chest, partially wet from the spray of the shower. The droplets mingled with her fingers in his dark chest hair.
“Will you let me wash your hair?” he whispered in her ear. All she could do was stand there. He had to be the sexiest guy she had ever known. Tall, dark, dangerous. He gave her a crooked grin as he turned her around to lather up her hair. Yes, she thought, extremely dangerous.
They had planned to talk about the case. But his watching turned into washing, which became a late night of touching. In bed, his fingers played with her damp hair as she rested her head on his chest.
“We aren’t getting any work done,” he said.
She sighed and told him about the fire in the restricted lab. “I’m going to find out what happened and what’s in there.”
“How?”
“I don’t know yet. They have the whole floor locked down. I’ll try the gossip channels first,” she replied, following the contours of his abdominal muscles with her fingers.
While Madeline slept, Joe spent the rest of the night debating the risks of his unprofessional behavior.
WEDNESDAY
PETE ADAMCZYK GLANCED AT HIS alarm clock. He had another hour before he started chores. “Damn squealing pigs,” he mumbled to his sleeping wife.
He regretted his recent decision to take over his dad’s farm. Jennifer hated the smell and took it out on him. But she didn’t mind the money from selling a few of the blue ribbons. The newest litter would continue to keep her off his case. After slipping on his overalls, he stalked barefoot toward the barn.
