Chemical Attraction (14 page)

“Yuck, I’ll take care of that pervert.”

“He can make or break our research.”

“That’s what he wants you to believe. Stay away from him.”

“Not a problem, he’s old enough to be my dad.”

“Next time I see him, I’ll mention it.” Madeline laughed. “Let’s call it a day. I’m beat.”

They stepped off the elevator on the first floor and ran into the devil as he headed up to his office. “Jessica, I want to talk to you,” Dr. Russell said, blocking her way.

“She’s late for an appointment. What can I do for you?” Madeline nudged her assistant along as she waited for an answer. Jessica blew her a kiss before leaving the building.

“I wanted to talk to her about your department’s research presentation.”

“I’ll be presenting, and you’ll have my full report on Monday.”

Scowling, he stepped closer to her. “Do not underestimate my power on the board.”

“I know exactly how much power you think you have with the board. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m late as well.”

He grabbed her arm, stopping her. “You will not talk to me that way.”

“Uh, hello, Mr. Dr. Russell,” a blond, curly-haired man said as he shuffled his feet.

After squeezing her arm hard, Dr. Russell turned to the man. “Simon, come with me,” he replied, ushering him into the elevator.

Rubbing her arm, Madeline signed out and slowly walked to Joe’s car.

“Hey baby, how was your day?” Joe asked as he pulled away from the curb in front of BennTech.

“I’m glad it’s over. How was yours?” Madeline asked softly.

“There was an incident with your aunt today.” He filled her in on what had happened.

“Let’s stop by my apartment and I’ll pack a bag. I don’t want her in that big house alone at night.”

He carried her bag and an apple pie into the B & B. Madeline hurried past him. “Aunt Sylvia,” she said, rushing into the kitchen, “are you okay?”

Sylvia set the plates on the kitchen table. “I had quite a shock, but I’ll be fine, dear.”

“Well, I’m staying with you. You shouldn’t be alone at night.”

“Where should I put these?” Joe asked from the doorway. The smells were making his stomach growl.

“I’ll take the Pink Room.”

Sylvia took the pie and smiled. “Dear, just put the bag in Joseph’s room.”

Madeline shifted. “What?”

“You’re going to end up there anyway,” Sylvia replied to his amusement.

“Aunt Sylvia,” Madeline said, blushing.

“I’m not naïve. I know the ways of romance. Besides, I don’t want to clean two rooms. Dinner’s almost ready.”

Madeline grabbed her bag and the key from his hands and ran from the room. He finished setting the table while Sylvia sliced the beef. “Why does she keep blushing like that?” he asked.

“You’re only the second man she’s ever been with.”

Stunned, he froze like a statue holding a fork. “What’s going on?” Madeline asked as she eyed his stance.

“I was just telling Joseph that—”

“That Minnie makes the best pies,” he said, frowning at Sylvia’s grin.

During dinner, Joe tried to keep the conversation light by talking about his fishing prowess at his friend’s Saginaw cabin while Madeline teased him about his attempts on the boardwalk. He had a feeling all three of them had other things on their minds.

After dinner, Madeline washed the dishes. Joe dried them while Sylvia watched. “Aunt Sylvia, it’s still early. Do you want to play cards or something?” Madeline asked.

“You can play strip poker later,” she replied. Joe laughed at Madeline’s groan. “I haven’t heard you play the piano lately. How about that?”

“I’m learning all kinds of interesting things about you,” he said, drying the crock-pot lid.

“Madeline took lessons every summer she stayed with us. She’s really very good.”

“I’m impressed. I’d like to hear your recital.”

“All right, but no more teasing.”

Madeline sat behind the baby grand and started with Mozart and Chopin. The more Joe learned about her, the more he wanted to be with her. She amazed him. He didn’t know how he felt about Sylvia’s revelation. Madeline switched to another waltz, so he moved the coffee table out of the way. He and Sylvia danced around the room. Madeline changed to a foxtrot, trying to throw him off. He smiled and transitioned into the dance. Loving it, Sylvia gracefully followed his lead.

“I need a rest. I’ll play and Madeline can dance. That was fun. Thank you, Joseph.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied as they switched places.

Madeline slipped off her sandals and joined Joe in the middle of the room. They waited for Sylvia to situate herself on the bench. “I like you in my arms,” he said.

“I bet you say that to all your partners,” she whispered.

His gut winced. He’d lose that bet. He suddenly wanted to take back every line he had ever said to a woman. Sylvia started with a fast tempo waltz. She enjoyed playing matchmaker. Why did she reveal such personal information about Madeline? What started out as a playful part of his assignment with another agent was taking a different turn. He worried that this romance was getting in the way. It added to the already dangerous situation. He was letting his guard down. He couldn’t afford to make mistakes. What had he done, and how could he fix it? He missed a step and quickly recovered. Madeline laughed as he spun her around the room. Sylvia slowed the tempo with each song. He held her closer until they were barely moving.

“Good night,” Sylvia whispered as she left the room.

“Madeline,” he whispered into her ear.

“Hum,” she mumbled, nuzzling his chest.

He stepped back from her slightly. “We really need to talk business.”

“Okay.” She frowned.

“You’re making this very difficult for me.”

Dropping her hands to her side, she stepped back farther. “I’m sorry.”

Madeline rushed for Joe’s Blue Room. She forgot what it was like to open herself up. Joe said all the right things. How could she get lost in that romantic fantasy? It was happening all over again. What’s the matter with her? He was here for a few weeks to help her, and then he’d move on to the next assignment. Her feelings for Joe were getting in the way. He’d just said so. She grabbed the materials management copies off the dresser and sat in the chair. Joe watched from the doorway.

“Did you make notations about the supply list?” She tried to forget the dancing.

Running his hand through his hair, he sat on the edge of the bed facing her. “My notes match what you already told me. Each department ordered those bulk items, but it doesn’t prove a thing. All BennTech has to say is that it was computer error. We need solid proof.”

She tossed the supply list on the floor. “What about the manifests? Anything odd?”

“How the hell would I know what’s odd?”

Sighing, she started on page one of thirty. After reading through the forth page, she looked at him. “I can’t concentrate with you staring.”

“Fine, you want iced tea?”

“Yes, please,” she responded before he stalked out the door.

She flipped to the next page. The jumbled mess listed the incoming and outgoing chemicals and supplies to and from various companies. It took her a little while to figure out the organized chaos. Once she understood the way the manifests were set up, she quickly scanned the pages, but not fast enough for Joe, who paced the room.

“I don’t see our bulk items, but the rest are coming in from legitimate supply companies that we’ve worked with for years. I doubt the companies would put up red flags for the meth components and compromise the money they get from BennTech.”

“So you didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.”

“What this tells me is that absolutely nothing is shipped out. But I have no idea how that helps.” She dropped the manifests on the floor and sat back, folding her arms.

“Why are you so mad?”

“I’m not. I’m doing the best I can.”

“God, I want this damn case solved,” he replied, leaning his back against the door. “Okay, let’s talk it out.”

She took a deep breath. “Well, if there’s nothing shipped out from materials management, it means they’re using the items in the building, right? Do you think that’s what the fourth floor is all about?”

Joe slowly sat on the edge of the bed. “It makes sense.”

“I can’t think of any other area they could be hiding the items. I’ll try to get in there tomorrow,” she said.

“No, if it’s as restricted as you say, we can’t afford to have you get caught. You’re our only access into the building.”

She stood to stretch her legs. “Then I’ll keep asking around until we get a lead.”

“I don’t even like you doing that without me around.”

She stepped closer, wanting to reach out for him, but stopped herself and turned toward the window. “Joe, I’ve been snooping since I started.”

He gently took her hand in his. “I need you to be careful.”

“I know, so I don’t lose our access.”

“Not just that. I care about you,” he whispered, staring at her hand.

She pulled it away. “I don’t understand you at all. First, you want to talk about the case and then you say things like that. I don’t know how to behave around you. I’m going to check on my aunt.”

She quickly pulled the door shut. Did he want this over so he could move on? Was he already bored with her? Stopping in the bathroom first, she washed her face and brushed her teeth. She walked quietly up the steps.

“Aunt Sylvia?”

“Come in, dear.” Propped up in bed, Sylvia was reading from her old journal. “What’s the matter?” she asked, closing her book.

“I wanted to make sure you’re all right,” she replied, lying on her side next to her.

“And?”

She sighed. “I’m afraid of him.”

“You mean you’re afraid of your feelings for him.”

She nodded. “He’s a player. I don’t know what to believe.”

“I see. Well, that player is also a very nice young man. I told you what he did at Minnie’s the other morning. Just tonight, he dried the dishes and distracted an old woman with dancing. Is that to whom you’re referring?”

She smiled. “He is sweet.”

“Besides, at the banquet he chose to dance and be with you, not those dimwits.”

She winced. She knew the real reason he’d picked her.

“You can’t hide forever,” Sylvia continued.

“I know,” she replied, sitting up to leave.

“Life is too short not to enjoy it.”

Madeline heard the water running in the bathroom. After flipping off the light, she climbed to the far side of his bed.

Joe walked back into the Blue Room and saw a lump under the covers. He hadn’t known how to reply to her earlier. He wanted his wild goddess. He wanted to pursue her without compromising his investigation, but he hadn’t had a chance to say anything. She had bolted from the room. He wasn’t sure she would come back. He stripped down to his boxer briefs. He double-checked his alarm, then slid under the sheet. Her body stiffened.

“Madeline, can I just hold you tonight?”

She scooted her back against him. He put his arm across her waist and held her hand. Her body relaxed next to his. She fell asleep soon after. It took him a lot longer.

THURSDAY

JACK ADAMS UNLOCKED HIS VETERINARY office at five in the morning. His assistant constantly hovered, especially after that phone call from Matt. She usually did her work and left him alone. He’d had suspicions about Tricia two months ago when she started. The job didn’t pay nearly as well as she dressed, but she worked hard and knew what she was doing. Maybe too well, he thought, as he turned on the lights.

He checked his overnighters in the backroom. He boarded a black Labrador, a Great Dane, a Terrier, and a Siamese recovering from a hit and run. They watched him walk across the room to the file cabinet. After pulling out the three files, he sat on a stool at the multi-purpose table.

Opening Hurley’s emu chart, he reviewed the last visit. He had vaccinated each one. He even noted their friendliness. He jotted down the saline base number. Looking through the Adamczyk chart, he found the latest house call. He had also inoculated the sow. He started to write down the vial number when he realized it was the same. He quickly flipped open Mrs. Wilson’s chart and skipped his notations. He remembered that one. At her house, he and Tricia had inoculated all twenty-five cats, taking up most of the day. He scanned the page to the bottom. The numbers matched the same batch.

Leaving the charts on the table, he checked the small refrigerator and found four vials in the door separated from the rest. Why hadn’t he noticed that before? Taking one, he walked past the reception area to his office. He had a bad feeling that this was his fault or, more specifically, his assistant’s. He didn’t have proof, but she usually signed for the supplies and meds that came in. Sitting behind his desk, he picked up the phone and dialed Matt’s direct office number. As he left a message, he heard the outside door shut in the backroom.

Within the first half hour, Matt met with his officers and took four phone calls. It looked like another busy day. Again, David answered phones behind a desk in the outer office. Matt finally had a chance to check his voicemail. Taking a gulp of his lukewarm coffee, he listened. “Uh, hey Matt, it’s Jack. Can you come over here as soon as possible? I have some information that may be helpful. I don’t want to say over the phone. I want to keep this under my hat.”

He hit the erase and stepped into the noisy outer room. Since his officers were preoccupied, he waited for David to finish his phone call. “I’m going out to the vet’s office if anyone needs me.”

After the quiet drive to BennTech, Joe reminded Madeline to be careful. He watched her walk up the steps. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept with a woman without sex. While he mulled over the reasons why he’d liked holding her all night, he turned onto the main road. A blast shook his car. He floored it toward the black smoke, flying down the dirt road with dust trailing behind him. The smoke came from the abandoned house he and Madeline had stopped at on Monday. He parked off to the side as Matt slammed on his brakes right behind him.

The explosion had leveled the two-story farmhouse. A tall blaze with heavy smoke rose from the middle of the debris. Wood slats and siding covered the front and backyard extending into the cornfield. Small fires burned around the area. The blast had singed the shade trees nearest the house.

He and Matt jumped from their cars and assessed the area. They immediately saw two charred bodies in the yard. Joe checked the closest one for a pulse. He shook his head as Matt did the same by the other.

“What the hell happened?” Joe asked, looking at the devastation.

“My guess … meth lab. The fire department’s on the way with an ambulance. I called from my car,” Matt replied.

“I’ll get your fire extinguisher and try to put out some of these smaller fires.”

Matt stared at the ground behind a fat oak. “Jesus, what the hell?”

Stepping around debris, Joe sprayed the hot spots of smoldering wood and clumps of dry grass. Matt pointed at two large containers of hydroiodic acid and red phosphorus. The tree trunk had protected them from the blast. “Shit, Matt, back away. That’s inflammable, too.”

Matt headed for his cruiser. Joe continued to spray the area around the containers. He spotted a lump of clothes in the yard next to the cornfield. Walking closer, he realized it was a child. He knelt next to a boy of about four and gently felt for a pulse. “This kid’s alive.”

“I just checked on the ambulance. They’ll be here in a few minutes,” Matt replied, rushing toward him.

“He’s breathing, but unconscious. Got a gash on his head. He must have been playing outside,” he said, monitoring the boy’s pulse.

Forgetting about the vet’s message, Matt found a small, homemade baseball field farther back in the yard. After looking at bases made of large, newly melted plastic lids, Matt quickly surveyed the area for other children. He saw movement in the cornfield. Drawing his gun, he yelled for the person to come out. Nobody answered. He cautiously approached the movement. At the edge of the field, he found two slightly older boys huddled crying. He called to them but realized the blast must have affected their hearing. After slipping his gun back into its holster, he checked them for other injuries. One had minor cuts and the other a deeper one on his forearm. Motioning for the boys to follow him, he led them to his squad car. He stopped their bleeding using gauze from his first aid kit.

“Where’s that ambulance?” Joe yelled, compressing the young boy’s chest. He gave the boy two breaths and continued the compressions.

“Hang in there, Joe. They’re here,” Matt yelled back.

Matt put the crying boys in his cruiser’s backseat and watched the ambulance, a fire truck, and a city cruiser barrel down the road. The EMTs hurried to Joe with a stretcher. The volunteer fire fighters took over the center blaze first. Joe continued CPR as the two paramedics placed the boy on the stretcher and hustled him into the ambulance. Joe worked with the paramedic as the other drove.

Matt waited for his two officers. “Bobby, I’m taking these boys to the hospital. That’s inflammable material over there that I want you to document. Ethan, when you’re done here, drive Joe’s car to Sylvia’s B & B.”

“I’ll keep you posted,” Bobby replied. He walked over to the burning hole where the house had been.

At eight o’clock sharp, Lloyd Landford walked through the front gate of Abe’s Auction Barn. The dust, kicked up from the ground, stuck to his sweaty body. For a small farming town, the livestock auction was the local hangout for young and old, where farmers bought and sold their steer, sheep, pigs, and other farm animals. The auction was a social and business place for Allenton County farmers. The older folks came to gossip and critique the product; the young kids came to see and pet the animals. Abe took a percent of the livestock, and sold popcorn, hot dogs, and pop during the contests of bull riding and roping on the weekends.

Lloyd made his way to the large pole barn in the middle of the dirt compound. Trucks and trailers were parked in complete disorder around the barn. The metal building had two open ends for the livestock to parade through with bleachers along the sides. The dirt center had three joined pens to hold various beasts. Inside, a growing crowd filled the bleachers. He spotted his neighbor, Cliff Randall, who was sitting next to Ginger Gibbs and her ten-year-old grandson, Spike. He cringed when she waved. Her husband had died last year from the flu, as had his wife. For the past six months, she’d conveniently been where he was. He liked her as a friend, but she was pushing for something more. With a sigh, he climbed to the third row of seats and sat next to Cliff.

“Hi, Lloyd,” Ginger said, smiling.

“Grandma, can I go by the animals now?” Spike asked.

She nodded. “Just stay in front of our seats on this side of the fence.”

“I heard they found a body in your field,” Cliff said, readjusting his overalls. “Any idea who it was?”

He shook his head. “The police haven’t told me a thing. I feel so bad that my detasselers found it.”

“How horrible,” Ginger said, crossing her arms. “Did you hear about Vera Wilson? All of her cats attacked her. They’re all dead. Vera’s funeral’s Saturday.”

Cliff lowered his head. “Yeah, Pete Adamczyk’s funeral is tomorrow.”

“Gene’s son?” he asked. “What happened? He’s a young kid.”

“His Blue Ribbon sow killed him. I was considering making an offer on that one once she weaned her piglets,” Cliff replied.

As they watched Abe and a few of his helpers usher seven dairy cows into the main pen, an explosion shook the building. Dust from the rafters rained down on them. A few people on the edges and top of the bleachers fell off. Women screamed and children cried. The agitated cows calmed quickly with the help of Abe and his crew.

“What the hell was that?” Cliff asked. They rapidly filed outside the building to look around. He pointed to the black smoke rising from beyond the tree line.

“First, animals attack people in town, now explosions … what the heck is going on?” he mumbled.

“Animals are going crazy around here. I’ve got some friends that are keeping their pets tied up in their yard afraid to go near them,” Ginger replied, holding Spike’s hand.

Hearing the sirens, the group returned to the barn. They figured the fire fighters and police had the situation under control. He, Ginger, and Cliff sat back in the same area while Spike leaned on the metal bars and watched the cows wander slowly around the pen. Abe waited for the crowd to settle down. As he worked his way through the pen, the cows became agitated and stomped. One cow shifted its hip and knocked Abe to the ground.

A woman screamed that the cows were attacking Abe. The crowd in the stands shouted in panic while Abe tried to stand. People ran from the barn while others froze where they sat. Only a few jumped the fence to get Abe out of harm’s way. The extra people in the pen spooked the cows and increased their agitation. Suddenly, shots fired and four cows lay dead. The other three charged the next gate to the outside pen.

The ambulance flew around the corner to the emergency area at the hospital. Eva had heard Matt’s voice on the ER’s dispatch radio. The whole town had heard the explosion. Three nurses and a doctor met the ambulance before it came to a complete stop. As a team, they lifted out the stretcher and rushed it into a treatment room. Joe stepped down.

She hurried to him. “My God, Joe. What happened?”

“Matt’s on the way with two more young boys; they can’t hear because of the blast.”

She gently pulled him into the waiting room. “Let’s sit down.”

“That boy is maybe four. What the hell are they doing around a meth lab?” They saw Matt’s cruiser come around the corner. Another nurse ran out to help him. “Go. They’ll need a friendly face.” He leaned forward in his chair and stared at his filthy hands.

Matt left the boys in an ER treatment room with Eva, then sat next to his brother-in-law in the waiting room. “You did good, Joe.”

“We’ll see. Jesus, Matt, he’s a little kid. Did those boys say anything?”

“No, they’re still disoriented. Once Eva gets them cleaned up, I’ll have her talk to them.”

“We need to discuss those containers. It’s the reason I’m here.”

Before he could listen to Joe’s explanation, his cell rang. “Yeah?” he asked, looking at Joe. “I’m on my way. Have Bobby meet me there.” Hanging up, he sighed. “I gotta go. Come for dinner and bring some answers.”

Matt drove through the truck entrance of Abe’s Auction Barn. He saw twenty people off to the side talking to Brayland Kent. Bobby Callahan had beaten him there and was looking around the pen. Another ambulance had parked off to the side with the back doors open. The EMTs were tending to Abe’s arm. As he walked to the pole barn to join Bobby, he thought about the last time he was there.

During his second year in college, he had planned to meet his high school friends to hang out. He had brought David, who was almost two. His son loved animals, so he thought he would like seeing them up close. David made animal noises the whole time; Matt’s friends had found it annoying and made excuses to leave. They headed for Bubba’s Bar. He and David had stayed and enjoyed watching the young men ride the bulls. That was the first time he had realized how different his life was from his partying friends. He felt the weight of his responsibilities. The sadness overwhelmed him until he tucked his exhausted son into his bed. He watched him sleep and knew he wouldn’t change a thing.

“Chief,” Bobby said, “we have four dead cows. Karl Hagen shot them when they turned on Abe.”