Chemical Attraction (5 page)

“What?” Madeline asked, smoothing out the tablecloth.

“Why did you give in so quickly?”

“I think I’d rather mingle.” Matt stood and walked away.

“Something came over me. I couldn’t resist. You’ve got to admit he does have a way about him and, wow, what a kiss.” Madeline sipped her punch to cool herself.

“Be careful, Maddy. I love my brother, but—”

“I know he’s a player. I’ve been watching. He seems like he’d be fun to be around.”

“He’s fun all right,” she replied, putting her elbows on the table.

“And I’m a bored scientist,” Madeline said, mangling the paper napkin on her lap.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Eva said as the mayor approached her.

Madeline blew out a breath as Eva left to dance. The mayor showed off a few of his dance moves while Matt sat back down and smiled. “The first time I leave my wife alone and he grabs her.”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. She’s getting her feet stepped on.” She sighed. “Would Eva have a problem with me seeing Joe?”

“No, she wouldn’t. Joe’s sisters are his only family. They’re just protective.”

Joe strolled back to the Hartford thinking about his next course of action. He held strong loyalties to his job. The FBI had given him consideration early in his law enforcement career. He had a knack with people, which helped in volatile situations. Keeping it strictly professional with Madeline would make this assignment tougher.

He saw her on the other side of the parking lot by the wooden pathway, her arms wrapped around herself as protection from the cool breeze off the water. He slipped his jacket over her shoulders.

She jumped. “Do you always sneak up on people like that?”

“We need to discuss your problem and establish our pretend relationship. I’ll want access to your research building and that cover would make it easier,” he said, trying not to take in her lilac scent.

“Having a boyfriend visiting me at work would attract less attention. When do we start?”

He leaned his forearms on the metal railing next to her. “Tomorrow morning, I thought I’d come down here to fish. Will you meet me?”

“Sure. I assume we’ll be spending the day together to set us up throughout town.”

“Yeah, especially around my sister and Matt, then we can work on a plan.”

As a group of people gathered in the parking lot, Madeline put her arms around his neck and kissed him again. He pulled her closer briefly then slowly stepped back. Damn, if it didn’t happen again. The zap from her lips jolted him awake again. That electrical charge caused his heart to beat stronger as if for the first time. God, he wanted her.

“Do you think they bought it?” she asked, calming her breathing.

He groaned and escorted her down the boardwalk. Madeline pulled his jacket tighter and smiled. Did she feel it, too? He sighed as they followed the path the two blocks to her apartment. She said hers was on the top floor of one of the downtown buildings. A chiropractor used the middle level facing the main streets. The basement level along the river was an ice cream shop. Once on Main Street next to the door leading up to her loft, he said good night and walked away. One of the hardest things he’d had to do in a long while.

Eva and Matt left before David’s set was over. Saying goodbye to various friends and colleagues as they went, they spotted Dr. Russell talking to Simon. Simon nodded his blond head vigorously. They finally reached the door just in time to see Joe and Madeline by the river.

“Does that mean you’re doing dishes two days in a row?” he asked.

“Jeez, so much for holding out.” She held his hand as they walked to his patrol car.

“I’m looking for my guitar first thing in the morning,” he said, helping her into the front seat. “I also remember an agreement that if I gave my speech we would continue certain activities.”

“How fast can you get us home?”

Eva slipped off her shoes and slid down her nylons. Matt moaned and pulled quickly out of the parking lot. She looked around the deserted street and unzipped her dress. With Eva already down to her black bra and panties, he turned onto the empty Main Street. Crouching down in her seat, she tossed her bra at him. With Eva’s bra hanging off his ear, he sped past Joe walking back to the B & B. He checked his rearview mirror to see Joe laughing with both thumbs up.

Naked, she tugged at his bow tie. He growled and searched for the garage door opener. Inside the two-stall garage, he hit the trashcan and pressed the remote again to lower the door.

“Now you’ve done it,” he said, pulling her onto his lap. After kissing her, he slid her out with him and kicked in the screen door. He carried her into their room and tossed her on the bed. He quickly undressed and then reached for his laughing wife.

SUNDAY

IN THE KITCHEN, JOE QUIETLY rummaged for a quick bite before he left for the river. He saw a note on the table.
Joseph, I left snacks in the refrigerator for your early morning fishing. Minnie Sophia’s Diner has the best gourmet coffee.
Opening the fridge door, he found a paper bag with a blueberry bagel and chocolate chip cookies. Smiling, he shoved a cookie into his mouth and scribbled a note below the one on the table.
I love you. You’re the best. See you this afternoon, Your Boy-Toy.

From his trunk, he pulled out his gear and set out toward the diner for some much needed coffee. He’d hardly slept. On every assignment, he contemplated all possible scenarios. Most of the time, it helped, but not always and that’s what kept him awake. Remembering those kisses didn’t help him sleep either.

He spotted Earl and a few older men at the diner’s counter. They watched him as he hauled his pole, tackle box, and sack to the cash register. At the banquet, Earl and the men sat at a table next to Sylvia and her friends. He hadn’t seen any of them dancing. Joe asked the waitress for a large black to go.

“You the kid staying at Sylvia’s?” bald Earl with his thick white mustache asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“I better not hear about any shenanigans over there.”

He smiled. “How’s the fishing downtown?”

“Not bad if you like carp,” he replied as the others chuckled.

Joe dug out change from his front pocket to pay for the coffee. “Sylvia can cook anything and make it melt in your mouth.”

“You behave around her. She’s a good woman,” the walrus said.

“She’s also a graceful dancer. You boys enjoy your day.”

He was lobbing his hook into the water by six-thirty. The haze over the water and opposite bank predicted another humid day. With Sylvia’s central air, at least the heat wasn’t adding to his insomnia. Sipping his coffee, he scanned the quiet riverfront. He could see Madeline’s apartment building at the far end of the boardwalk. The buildings had improvements in a patchwork of new and old bricks. Some had decks, but all had fire escapes along the back. She must have a great view.

Madeline pulled her turquoise tank top on over her head. From her two large windows, she saw the fountain in the shallow portion of the river and heard the chirping birds and flowing water. Leaning her left temple against the screen, she watched Joe fish off the boardwalk.

Nightmares filled her head
. She found herself digging from a shallow hole that deepened into a narrow pit. She clawed the sides. The dirt crumbled around her while water rose to her knees. She sensed a shadow above.
Sending a chill through her body, she shook it off and slipped on her favorite tan leather sandals. She had a legitimate excuse not to run this morning.

She hoped Joe was as good as they said he was when she called two weeks ago. Nervous just making the call, she felt even more on edge with an agent actually here. She hadn’t given her name. If her boss knew she pieced together certain indiscretions, she’d …well, she tried not to think about the consequences. She silently prayed that Joe could help her out of the hole and keep her from drowning.

After brushing her hair into a ponytail, she stuffed some money into her pocket and grabbed her keys and fishing pole. She locked her apartment door and turned the knob to recheck the lock. Paranoid already, she thought. Standing outside her street-level door, she locked and rechecked that one as well. She crossed the street to the Shell gas station for a large cappuccino and a container of red worms.

Smiling as she walked down the street toward the boardwalk behind the downtown buildings, she thought about those lingering kisses. Despite the seriousness of her situation, she still hoped to continue where they’d left off. As she approached Joe, she ogled him. He was sexy in a tuxedo but even sexier in t-shirt and jeans. His muscular biceps seemed to put a strain on his short sleeves and, damn, she liked his butt. She sighed and tried to focus.

Looking at his bait, she shook her head. “You’re not going to get a nibble with rubber worms. Try these.” She handed him the container.

He dug into its dirt with his fingers. “You gonna clean ‘um after I catch ‘um?”

“Carp are nasty. I’m not touching those.” Nodding at the container, she held her hook out for him.

“What do I get for doing this?” he asked, putting a squirmy red on it.

She smiled. “You get to take the fish off my hook. This was your idea.” She leaned over the side of the thick metal railing and released her line to an inch above the water. After propping her pole against the rail, she sat on the bench a few steps away. “How much did he tell you?” she asked, sipping her drink.

After casting his line, he angled his body toward her, sitting on the bench, and the water. “You didn’t tell him much. You understand that once I start investigating, you’ll be in danger. If we aren’t careful, the wrong people will find out what we’re doing,” he replied, surveying the area.

“I can’t seem to think of anything else.” That was a lie. She could think of something else and it started with kissing him again. She mentally pinched herself to refocus.

He reeled in his empty line. “Before we get into that, start by giving me some general background about your job.”

“Have you ever heard of the Blood Brain Barrier?”

“It prevents stuff from getting into the brain, right?”

“Yeah, it’s a barrier that protects the brain from foreign substances in the blood. The barrier is made up of tightly packed cells that prevent most molecules from entering.”

He cast his line back into the water. “You said most molecules. What types can get in?”

“Molecules with a weight smaller than five hundred Daltons can get through.”

He gently tugged his line. “Okay, you’re losing me. What’s a Dalton?”

“A Dalton is a measurement like kilograms but a lot smaller. For example, water has a molecular weight of eighteen Daltons, insulin has around five thousand. A virus weighs in the millions and billions. Bacteria are even bigger.”

“What’s this have to do with your research?” He put another worm on his hook, then wiped his hand on his worn Levis.

“BennTech has many heavy molecular drugs that have the potential to cure patients with neurological disorders, but none can cross the barrier. My research is to figure out a way to make the molecules lighter or find a way to sneak the drug through.”

Stepping toward her pole, she lowered her line, letting the worm wiggle on the surface of the water. A fish swam up and swallowed it. After reeling it in, she stepped back and held her fish out in front of Joe. Giving her a dirty look, he unhooked the carp and tossed it over the side.

“Show off,” he said, wiping the fish slime on his jeans. “Have you made any headway?”

She waited for him to stab another worm onto her hook and reset her line above the water. “Some researchers have developed a Trojan Horse that combines part of a drug that doesn’t cross the barrier with one that does. It’s genetically engineered to slip through. Other researchers are using intense disruption therapy, so chemotherapy drugs can treat brain tumors. My research works with nanotechnology to develop a new drug and delivery method.”

“That sounds like science fiction,” Joe replied, pulling in his empty line.

She let her worm dangle on the water’s surface. Another carp latched on. After reeling it in, she again held it in front of Joe.

“Now you’re pissing me off.”

She laughed. “I’ve lived here for five years and that’s the only way to catch them.”

Sitting at the kitchen table, Matt sipped his coffee while reading the Hometown section of the
Kalamazoo Gazette
. Eva added milk to the pancake batter as David walked in and poured some orange juice.

“Dad, did you see the huge dent in the trash can? I didn’t do it,” he said, sitting down.

“I did. I’ll fix it later.” He smirked and held the newspaper higher.

“And did you know the screen door won’t latch? The door’s bent at the bottom.” David gulped his juice. Smiling, Eva flipped the pancakes on the griddle.

“Yeah, I’ll fix that, too.”

“I found mom’s shoe under the side of your squad car. What happened?”

Eva stiffened as she set a stack of pancakes on the table. “My feet hurt on the way home. They must have fallen out of the car.”

“Don’t worry about it, David.” Matt forked a couple pancakes onto his plate.

David looked at them and made a face. “Aw, jeez, come on, you guys. I could have walked in on that. I have to live here, too.” He grabbed two pancakes and rolled them up. “Me and the guys’ll be back later for the barbeque.” Mumbling about how parents are embarrassing, he slammed the screen door on the way out.

“See what you did? You’ve scarred him,” Matt said, before taking a bite.

Eva sat down and reached for the syrup. “Me? I didn’t kick in the door or crush the garbage can. I was hot, so I undressed a little.”

“Yeah, okay, and did you notice your brother giving me the thumbs up when he saw your bra on my head?” He slid his chair back and refilled their coffee mugs.

She turned pink. “He’ll give us a hard time about that.”

“He won’t harass me. I was luckier than he was.”

“That’s interesting,” she replied. “Are you going to be around?”

“Yeah, I better fix the door and trash can. What time are Joe and Madeline coming over?”

“He told me he’d be over after lunch to hang out for a while. I’m sure they’ll be coming together. Want to bet me double or nothing?”

“Not a chance.” He chuckled.

After watching Madeline catch all the fish, Joe repacked his tackle box. Activity along the boardwalk had increased around them; they needed to move on and continue the discussion later.

“How about an early lunch?” he asked, picking up his stuff.

Nodding, she took the rest of the worms and handed them to a boy a few feet away. She whispered to the ten-year-old, so his buddies couldn’t hear. The boy smiled.

“Did you share your secret?” he asked as they walked away from the river.

“Yeah, all of his friends have expensive equipment. He had a pole from the Dollar Store. I’ll meet you at Minnie’s. You smell and have ick all over your jeans,” she replied, wrinkling her nose.

“Give me a half hour to become a suitable boyfriend.”

She grinned. “Better make it an hour.”

“Very funny,” he mumbled, heading up the hill toward Sylvia’s Bed & Breakfast.

He tossed his pole and tackle box back into his trunk. He trudged up the path to the front door. Looking at his pants, he knew he reeked, especially after unhooking all seven of her fish. Once in his room, he slipped off his shoes and then headed into the bathroom with his shaving kit. Naked, he snuck back to his room, quickly dressed, and slapped on some cologne.

“I didn’t catch a single fish,” he said, standing in the kitchen doorway.

Sylvia emptied the water out of the sink and wiped her hands on a towel. “What did you say to Earl? He’s been over here all morning.”

“Earl? Oh yeah, the bald walrus.” He grinned. “I didn’t like his attitude. He implied I’m not a gentleman around here.”

She folded her arms. “What about wearing just a towel?”

“Except for that. He seemed sweet on you, so I just said you were a great dancer and cook. Can I help it if he’s jealous?”

“Well, he saw that note you wrote. Now, he’ll be underfoot until my other boarders arrive. He and Herbert were on the same bowling team. Herbert never liked him and I can see why. He’s clingy.”

As Earl walked up the back steps, Joe grabbed Mrs. Folkert. He spun her around and dipped her as Earl looked through the window.

“Oh my,” she said as he stood her upright. “Come on in, Earl.” She turned back to Joe. “I’ll get you for that,” she whispered.

He chuckled and walked out the front door. In Minnie’s, he spotted Madeline’s familiar ponytail in the back of the restaurant. She wore a white tank with a red one layered over it. Inhaling her lilac scent, he caught a glimpse of her blue jean skirt as he slid into the booth. Smiling, she laid her menu on the table.

“I’m clean and fresh just for you,” he said.