All She Ever Wanted - Barbara Freethy [106]
Madison felt her stomach muscles clench. Damn. That was not what she wanted to hear.
"Is everything all right?" Theresa asked curiously.
"Fine. Anything else?"
"There was also a message from a Natalie Bishop. She said she's on her way to Santa Cruz, and if you need to reach her, call her on her cell phone. Do you need anything else? I was going to run down to the printer to pick up the seating cards for the masquerade party."
"That's all." Madison waved the woman out of her office. She needed to think. Getting up, she paced around her desk. The police wanted to talk to her. That wasn't good. And Natalie was on her way to Santa Cruz. Had she also gotten a call from the detective? It sounded like the answers were in Santa Cruz. Maybe it was time she went back, too.
Taking her purse out of her drawer, she opened her wallet and pulled out the piece of paper upon which Laura had written her phone number. She dialed her home number, hoping she was there.
Laura answered on the second ring. "Hello?" she said, somewhat warily.
"It's Maddie."
"Thank God. I just got a call from a police detective. He wants to interview me again about Emily's death."
"I know. I got the same call. Listen, Natalie is on her way to Santa Cruz. I think we should go, too."
"Santa Cruz? I don't know. I'm afraid to go back there. I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Neither do I, but I'm going."
Laura hesitated, then said, "I'll get my mother to pick up the kids after school."
"Good. What will you tell Drew?"
"Nothing. He's still out of town, and I have no idea what he's doing. But that's another story."
"You can tell me on the way down. I'll pick you up in an hour. Give me your address." Madison jotted down Laura's address, then hung up the phone with a satisfied smile. She was happy to be taking some action. And this move felt right.
"Santa Cruz, here we come," she murmured as she headed toward the door.
* * *
When Natalie saw the Giant Dipper, a vintage wooden roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, she felt like she was home. This beautiful, lazy city by the sea had hosted some of the best days of her life, and even though she'd lived in the town for only sixteen short months, there were familiar scenes everywhere she looked. "Do you remember when we rode the coaster?" she asked Cole, who hadn't said much on the two-hour drive from San Francisco.
"How could I forget? I think that's where I lost the hearing in my right ear."
Natalie was pleased by the teasing note in his voice. She'd been worried about him, but she sensed that he was bouncing back. "I didn't scream that loud," she said. "Anyway, everyone screams on a roller coaster. It's expected. The girl screams, and the guy holds on tighter."
"Ah, so that's the plan. You women are just too damn smart."
"It's about time you figured that out," she said with a smile. She hated to break the mood, but she saw him glance at the street sign and wondered if he knew where they were going. "Do you want me to check the map?"
"I think we're heading in the right direction. Haller Avenue should be coming up in about a mile." He paused. "Is that your cell phone?"
"Oh," Natalie said, realizing the ringing sound was coming from her purse. She flipped open her phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, Natalie," Madison said. "Are you in Santa Cruz yet?"
"Just passing the boardwalk." She relaxed at the sound of Madison's voice. "I guess you got my message."
"I did, and I'm on my way, too."
"You're coming down here?" Natalie asked in surprise. "Don't you have to work?"
"It's difficult to concentrate in between dodging calls from the police. Did you hear from Detective Boland?"
"No," Natalie said with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What did he want?"
"To reinterview me. I haven't spoken to him yet. If you have a lead on Malone, I want in on it. So does Laura. She's with me."
"Hi, Natalie," Laura said in the background.
"So what have you got?" Madison asked.
"Maybe an address for Malone. Apparently, he set up his corporation in the name of Jerry Williams. Does that ring a bell?"