Uncaged Obsessions (Uncaged Duet #2)

38. Max

CHAPTER 38

MAX

T hey separated us as soon as we got here, and I was stuck in an office instead of an interrogation room. I think their plan is to drive me insane in here though, all alone and wanting to leave. I checked the door and they locked it.

Which is probably illegal.

Finally, someone walks in and it’s a woman in a pantsuit, looking very official. I know right away she isn’t with the Seaside police and my hackles rise because that means she’s FBI. Though the smile she sends my way shows that she’s playing good cop with me.

“Hello Maxine, it’s nice to meet you, sorry it had to be like this. I’m Camilla.”

“It’s Max,” I snap probably more harshly than I should.

“Sorry about that, Max.” She sounds sincere and I have to give it to her, she’s a decent actress. “I think by now you’re well aware of what happened to your fiancé, Carson Bradford.”

I bite my tongue to prevent myself from screaming that he’s not my fiancé and how much I hate him because I know that won’t help establish my innocence.

So instead, I nod.

“I’m very sorry about your loss. We’re working to find out what happened and make sure whoever is responsible is caught. That’s why I wanted to talk to you. Do you have any idea who could have done this to him?”

“Nope.”

“Not a single idea? No one threatening him or any enemies that may have wanted to hurt him?”

Yeah, you’re looking at her. And if I didn’t, the three men you also have here would’ve done it for me.

“I wasn’t involved much with the people he associated with.” I know I shouldn’t answer, but I can’t help it, putting on my best act as the old Maxine. The innocent, quiet, uninvolved, unassuming Maxine Barclay.

Camilla looks skeptical for the first time since she came in here. “How’d you end up here in Seaside, Max? It’s a little far from Texas isn’t it?”

“Yes it is.”

“So, how did you decide to come here?” she asks again.

I should stop talking, I know I should. But I also want to end this once and for all and knowing I might regret it, I give a part of the truth. “My parents…I just—” I shake my head, trying to will tears to appear in my eyes. “I needed to get away from them. They aren’t good people, and I was scared.” My voice turns into a whisper and I think I’ve got a tear welling in my eye, so I look at the ground trying to see if that’ll help it fall.

“What about Carson?”

I shake my head, still looking at the floor and I think this is working to get me to cry. “He didn’t want to come.”

“Did you want him to?”

I should’ve listened to Danner and said nothing. I either act like I loved him and he was my fiancé, love of my life and I’m distraught, or I say no.

I shake my head.

“Why not?” she asks softly, and again I really try to play up the tears before I look up at her.

“Because I just—” I sigh, forcing my voice to crack. “I just really needed to find myself.”

She nods, seemingly understanding and now I’m impressed by my own acting skills. I guess I had to act for a majority of my life so playing some innocent fiancé of a murder victim comes a little too easily.

“Max,” she takes one of my hands in hers and I think it’s supposed to be comforting, but all I want to do is snatch it back, “I need you to tell me if you know anything that can help us.”

I should say more about my parents. Or I should say nothing. I feel like I’m already too far down this path to stop now. That’s especially true when she mentions my guys.

“Could any of the men you came in here with have had something to do with it?”

I shake my head adamantly. “No. If it was anyone I would question my parents.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I don’t trust them.”

“Have they ever threatened him?”

I’m not sure what to say, and luckily I’m saved from having to say more when I hear Caine losing his mind calling out my name. I suppress the smile that wants to break free because he may be a bit of an unhinged psycho, but the fact that he’s my unhinged psycho does something to me.

“What’s going on?” Camilla shoots up and storms out of the room. I follow after her, and as soon as Caine sees me he rushes toward me, cupping my face, slamming our mouths together in a kiss that’s definitely not appropriate for public, but I don’t even care.

“Are you okay?” he pants against my lips.

I nod easily, and he tucks me into his side. “We’re leaving. Adam and Drew are coming too. We aren’t under arrest and you guys have had enough time.”

Camilla looks at me and I think she’s measuring my reaction, so I hide my smile. “Are we done? I’d really like to go home.” I ask her.

She hesitates, but nods. “We’ll be in touch if we have any more questions.”

“You won’t,” Caine responds. “Where are Drew and Adam?”

Camilla looks at him with narrowed eyes, then back at me. “I’ll get them.”

When she walks away, Caine leans down to whisper to me, “Are you really okay?”

And I realize he can probably see the evidence of my fake tears, so I look up at him with a subtle wink. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He kisses me again. “This is why you’re perfect for me, killer.”

With the way I’m feeling, this is why I know all three of them are perfect for me.