An Act of Deceit: Book 2 of the Sarah Woods Mysteries (14 page)

     I shook my head. “Things have been a little shaky with my relationship. I don’t want to push it. Besides, you’ve done such a great job covering my tracks.”

     Carter laughed, shook his head, and turned to go.

     “What about Ted? Is he still here at the hospital, or is it . . . too late?”

     “He’s stable,” Carter replied, turning back. “He’s in room 205, but you already knew that.”

     I nodded. “Maybe I should pay him a visit and apologize for upsetting him earlier.”

     “Maybe you should focus on your own health right now. Get some rest.”

     “Fine,” I said, swinging my legs back onto the bed.

      He gave me a wave and walked out of the room.

      I swung my legs back over the edge of the bed, this time feeling for the floor with my feet. I had to pee. My legs held as I pushed up from the bed and stood. I was about to take my first step towards the bathroom when the nurse walked in.

     “Glad to see you’re feeling better, Mrs. Woods. Here, let me unhook you,” she said, disconnecting the IV. “Dr. Wang will be in shortly. It looks like you’ve been cleared to go home later today.

     I thanked her then used the bathroom, got dressed, and peered into the mirror.

     My suspicions were confirmed: I looked like hell.

     I was about to climb back onto the bed to wait for Brian and Daniel when I realized what I needed to do. I picked up the potted orchid and walked down the hall to the elevator. I made my way to room 205, stopping just short of the doorway, and peeked around the corner. Ted was sitting up in bed, his daughter, Stephanie, at his side. Tears came as I watched the two of them holding hands, chatting, laughing, and crying. I said a silent thank you to Carter. No longer any need for me to explain my intentions, I left the orchid just outside the door and headed back to my room.

     Moments later I was comfortably back under the covers of my own hospital bed. I decided to check my cell phone while waiting for my family to return.

     I had a voice message from Max.

     I laid the phone in my lap and stared at it. My first instinct was simply to delete it, but I was curious and a little excited that he’d called.

     I called voicemail and listened: he was concerned about me and wanted to explain himself. I thought about what I would say to him, when Brian and Daniel strolled back into the room; Max would have to wait.

     “Hey, Mom, we saw your doctor in the hallway. He said you could go home later today. Isn’t that great?”

     “That is great, honey.” I still had a mild headache, and my stomach and throat felt sore. Despite my discomfort, I was truly happy for the first time in a long while.

Two weeks later

“Your first client is at ten,” Sammy said as I walked in. “And you have three more after that.”

     “Thanks, Sammy.” I set a Starbucks cup down in front of him. “Extra cream, no sugar, just the way you like it.”

     “Thanks, doll. So, how did the anniversary dinner go last night? Did Daniel treat you to a fancy restaurant?”

     “He took me to Applebee’s.”

     “Please tell me that’s a joke,” he said, rolling his eyes.

     I laughed and massaged his shoulders. “It was sweet. Applebee’s is where we first met. He thought it would be romantic.”

     “Hogwash.” Sammy shook his head in disgust. “You deserve better than that. Your mother must be rolling over in her grave.”

     “We had a nice time. Just be happy for me, okay?”

     Sammy seemed unconvinced. “Does this mean your marriage is on the mend?”

     I shrugged. “I don’t know, but Daniel isn’t as cheap as you make him out to be. Guess what he did?”

     “I can only imagine.”

     “He booked us a ten-day trip to Hawaii.”

     “It must be one of those free trips to a time-share resort where you have to sit for three hours being force-fed a bunch of crap. Or he has business meeting he neglected to mention. When do you leave?”

     “We’re taking off the day after tomorrow. Would you mind rescheduling my appointments for the week we’re gone?”

     “You leave in two days?” Sammy’s exasperated expression made me laugh.

     “Yes, and I can’t wait. I’m going to get my--” I was interrupted by the phone.

     Sammy answered then handed the receiver to me. “It’s someone from the police department.”

     “Sarah Woods? This is Sergeant Davis over at the Bridgeport Police Department. We’ve located your stolen vehicle. It’s impounded at Stan’s Garage and Towing. I’m sorry to have to break the news to you, but it was totaled in an accident.”

     “Do you know who was driving it at the time?”

     “A Mister Zach Pullman, Ma’am. Do you happen to know who he is?”

     The only Zach I knew was the bartender I had met at Lola’s. Was he talking about the same person? “I’m not sure” I replied. “Is the guy okay?”

     “He wasn’t injured, but we have him in custody for grand theft auto with his partner, Tony Solero.”

     “Wow,” I said. “Thanks so much for letting me know.” I shook my head and made a mental note to stay away from strip clubs, and to never trust good-looking bartenders.

* * *

     It had been another long day of drudgery. I remained at the office after Sammy went home, staring at the clock.

     After waiting almost a week to return Max’s call, he was now on his way over to talk.

     He walked through the door a little after six, flakes of snow on his head and jacket. “It’s almost April,” he said. “I can’t believe we’re getting another damn blizzard.”

     “I know.” I gestured toward the small sofa in the waiting area. We sat and faced one another.

     “Thanks for seeing me,” he said while resting his hand on my knee.

     “What’s on your mind?” I was trying to play it cool, pretending I hadn’t been anticipating this moment with every ounce of my being.

     “That girl you saw me with at the mall … it’s not what you think.” His eyes held mine. “Her name is Cindy. We dated years ago. I invited her to dinner, just as a friend.” He shook his head and sighed. “I was lonely, Sarah.”

     “You don’t owe me an explanation. You know that, right?”

     “When you saw us at the mall, I sensed some hurt in your eyes.”

     I looked away. “I’ll admit I was a little shocked that you’d moved on so quickly.”

     “I’m really sorry, Sarah. The last thing I ever wanted to do is hurt you.”

     Well, life doesn’t seem fair at times, but I’ll deal with it. I don’t know what’s going on with my life right now, anyways. Things are really up in the air.”

     “I know what you mean. I’m in the same boat. I’ve been trying to find work, but it’s rough out there. I might have a temporary job coming up. At least it will keep me busy.”

     “Good luck. I hope it works out.” I stood up.

     Max followed my lead. He smiled and leaned over to kiss my cheek.

     I shifted my head so that our lips met, and they stayed together until I slowly pulled away.

     “You’re hard to resist, Max Stevens,” I said, planting my hand on his chest and gently pushing him away. “You’d better leave before we do something we’ll regret.”

     “Speak for yourself.” He backed away while wearing a huge grin,
zipped his jacket, and waved. “Any regret would be yours alone.”

     Max stepped out into a mass of swirling snowflakes and I was alone.

     I stood there in the office for a long while, my body tingling from Max’s touch. I felt a bit foolish, but what would be the point of denying our attraction. I had no idea what might happen in the future, but it was okay.

     I tidied up a bit, put on my coat, and stepped out into the frigid night. The cold seemed a little more benign as I pondered what I would pack for my trip to the islands: a few sundresses, flip-flops, and a bathing suit or two. Maybe I’d even splurge on a new set of luggage with the bonus I had received from Janet.

     I locked up the office, my mind adrift with visions of beaches and palm trees, when I sensed someone behind me.

     I spun around, ready to strike.

     “Whoa,” Carter said, jumping back. “It’s me, Sarah.”

     “Damn you, Carter, you scared the crap out of me. You almost got a key in your eyeball.”

     “Sorry. I just came by to see how you’re doing.”

     “I’m fine,” I said, neglecting the fact he hadn’t called me in over two weeks. “How are you?”

     “I’m doing all right. Look, I have another job coming up. Are you interested?”

     I stood, arms crossed, in the chilly night air, the snow accumulating on both of us. “I would be,” I said, “but I’m going on vacation in a few days. Next time, maybe?”

     Carter smiled. There was something peculiar in his manner I couldn’t quite figure out.

     “Sure thing … oh, and have a great time in Hawaii. You deserve it.”

     As I stood there watching him walk towards the snow-covered Buick, it occurred to me: I’d never mentioned where I was going.

     How did he know?

The end