I shook my head. Mr. Chesterton didn’t waste any time.
I picked my way carefully over the piles of broken dishes and scattered clothing and sat down hard on my futon. Richard sat down beside me.
“What happened to your arm?” he asked, his voice genuinely filled with concern.
“Your secretary shot me.”
“Oh, pumpkin, I’m so sorry.” He put an arm around me. I was too tired to protest. Even when he started doing little kissing things on my cheek.
“I missed you so much,” he whispered.
I sighed. While it would be so much easier just to hate him, I had to admit, I’d missed him a little too.
“Maddie, look, I know a lot has happened between us,” Richard said, taking my hand in his. “But, I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Chesterton told me how it was you that figured Althea out. I-” He choked up, his eyes misting. “No one else believed me, but you had faith in me.”
I bit my lip, refraining from pointing out it wasn’t so much faith as fear of having a felon’s baby.
“Maddie, I know in the past I’ve done some stupid things.”
Correction – colossally idiotic things.
“But, I want to make it up to you. Chesterton said he thinks he may be able to get me off with just probation if I agree to testify against Althea. It could take a while for the trial, but once this is all over, I want to make it up to you. I want you to move in with me. Being apart like this has shown me just how much I need you in my life and I don’t want to be away from you again.”
I held up my hands. “Wait, move in with you? This is all moving too fast.”
“Too fast?” His puppy dog eyes looked up at me.
“Richard, you’re married!”
“I had the divorce papers drawn up today.”
Ouch. Poor Cinderella.
“Maddie, I know things have been crazy. But, believe me, you’re the only one for me.”
I shook my head, a migraine brewing behind my eyes. “Richard, I… I need time to think about this.”
His shoulders sagged, but he nodded. “Of course. Take all the time you need.”
I stood and walked him to the door, careful not to trip over my abused slingbacks, as he said goodnight and slipped out into the predawn light. I locked the door behind him, leaning against it with a sigh.
Bad Cop or Ken Doll?
Richard had happily ever after stamped all over his designer slacks. Once the trial passed and the divorce went through, I could easily see a house in the suburbs in Richard’s future. Ramirez, on the other hand, had instant gratification tattooed across his muscular biceps. The look in his eyes tonight promised a night that could easily top Dana’s four times. But then what?
And there was another aspect to consider in all this.
I looked down at my belly. Was there really someone in there? Even if there was, was that enough reason to stay with Richard?
“Well,” I asked my flat belly, “what do you think I should do?”
No answer. Damn. If I hadn’t just spent the night getting shot at I’d like to think I would have had the energy to go out and buy a new test then and there. As it was, I promised myself that tomorrow was The Day. Hell, I’d faced the homicidal frizz ball, I could face one little pink line. Or two
Firm in my resolve, I pulled out my futon and curled up in my blankets, and fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow.
I awoke to the sounds of a school bus dropping kids off at the end of the block and my neighbor’s steamy soaps from downstairs. I cracked one eye open. 3 p.m. Yikes. I got up and took the longest shower on record, letting the scorching water sooth my over abused muscles. I put on a denim skirt and mock turtleneck to cover the purple necklace gracing my skin and added a pair of very high heels to compensate for the big ugly bandage on my arm. There wasn’t much I could do about the black eye, but I gunked blue eye-shadow over the other one to try and even things out.
I made a pot of strong coffee and checked my messages. The first was Tot Trots threatening to cancel my check if they didn’t see a design by Thursday. Then Marco called saying he saw me on the news last night and everyone at Fernando’s was demanding details now. Mrs. Rosenblatt called and said Albert saw a black panther in my future and I should come in for an aura cleansing soon. Dana left a hysterical message, the gist of which was that she and No Neck had decided to kiss and make up, and, in the midst of the kissing part, she’d seen me on the news, and ohmigod was I okay?
I called Dana back first, and she answered on the first ring with a breathless, “Hello?”
“Hi. It’s me.”
“Ohmigod! Are you okaaaaaay?!”
I held the phone away from my ear, cringing at Dana’s dog-whistle pitch. “Yes, I’m fine.” Relatively speaking. I quickly filled her about the Prada clue, the files on Jasmine’s computer and my run-in with the Frumpty Dumpty. When I finished I could almost hear Dana vibrating with excitement on the other end.
“Ohmigod, Maddie, you totally kick butt, girl.”
I couldn’t help a little smile. I kinda did, didn’t I?
“This is so cool,” Dana continued. “You’re all over the news, you know. You’re like a hero now.”
“Well, I don’t know about that-”
“Oh, honey, don’t be so modest. You single handedly solved
I bit my lip, refraining from mentioning I’d actually suspected the wrong blonde. “Well, I got lucky.”
“I’ll say. Honey, you could have been killed.”
I looked down at the bandage on my arm. Like I needed a reminder.
“Well, I didn’t. I’m fine.”
“For now. But what about next time?”
“Next time?” I’m sorry, but I wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to come face to face with another gun wielding psycho. “Trust me, I’m a one trick pony. There will be no next time.”
“How can you be sure? Maddie, this is a wake-up call. Crazies are everywhere!”
I rolled my eyes at the phone. “I’m fine, Dana.”
“This guy at the gym does these self defense classes for women. We should totally sign up. He has one starting next week called Urban Combat for the Modern Woman. What do you think?”
“I think I’m hanging up now, Dana.”
“Well, what about carrying a gun for protection? Or pepper spray. At least think about getting some pepper spray.”
I rolled my eyes so far I think I saw blonde roots. “Goodbye, Dana.” I hit the end button, leaving my best friend making a shopping list of deadly weapons.
Crossing my fingers they were in a good mood, I dialed the next number on my call back list, Tot Trots. I explained the situation and asked for an extension on the Strawberry Shortcake designs. They weren’t too thrilled with one of their employees being affiliated with embezzlement and murder, but they agreed to give me until the end of July. Next I called Marco back and promised to come in for a long pedi soak and gossip session tomorrow. Then I called Mrs. Rosenblatt and promised to let her do an aura cleansing for me next week.
Then I didn’t have any other calls to make except for the one I’d been dreading since I saw Richard sitting on my futon last night.
I made another cup of coffee.
I scrolled through my speed dial numbers. Ramirez’s was right next to Richard’s. God, I hated decisions. I closed my eyes and did a little eeny meeny miny mo. I didn’t like the outcome, so I did it again. I took a deep breath and dialed.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Hi, it’s Maddie. Listen, do you want to meet for a drink tonight? Say, seven at Casa Maderda on Wilshire?”
