Chapter 29
Twenty-Nine
“ Y ou ready for this?” Margot glanced over her shoulder at Max as they neared Dean and Annabeth’s back door. “We’re about to get attacked.”
He grinned. “Bring it on. I’ve missed the rug rats.”
A bright smile wreathed her face, and she reached for the doorknob. That was another thing she loved about Max. He truly loved and adored her children.
Surreptitiously, she touched her belly. Would they soon add another little one to the mix?
Nerves churned in her stomach, but so did excitement. She wasn’t nervous about having a child with Max. She already knew he’d make a great dad. That he’d stick around and raise their baby. It was more the drastic change to her life a new baby would bring.
She didn’t know why that made her nervous. Changes were coming with or without a baby.
Stepping inside, two blonde heads swung toward her from where the twins sat at the table eating breakfast. It only took a second for the girls to recognize who was here.
Chairs scraped the floor amidst a chorus of “Mommy! Mommy’s home!” In moments, Margot had both girls in her arms.
On her knees, she hugged them tight. Burying her face in Lily’s hair, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the girl’s scent wash over her. All the stress and worry from the last few days evaporated.
Kissing their cheeks, she rose, holding them both.
Emily turned and saw Max. With a wide smile, she reached for him.
Grinning, he took the girl and placed a smacking kiss on her cheek. “How’s my girl? Were you good for Dean and Annabeth?”
She nodded. “We went surfing!”
“I heard. Later, you’ll have to show me how good you are.” He looked at Lily. “Both of you.”
Margot nodded. “I want to see too. Right now, you two need to finish your breakfast.” She set Lily on the floor. “Then we’re going to Max’s house.”
Emily’s little fist shot up as Max set her down. “Yes! Swimming! Lily! We get to go swimming!” She scampered back to the table and hopped into her chair.
Chuckling, Margot shook her head. “Good to know my absence didn’t dampen her spirit. Or her love of swimming.”
Dean snorted. “I don’t think anything could kill that. That kid’s a fish.”
“Probably not,” Max agreed.
Margot glanced around, then out the front window. “Where are our marshal friends?”
“Outside, somewhere,” Dean said. “Marchand went to the hotel in the middle of the night to get some sleep. One of the others, Beale, relieved him. Ford and Sam switched places too.”
“Did you get any rest?” Margot frowned at the man. Dark circles rimmed his eyes.
“Some. I woke up when Ford and Sam switched spots. They stayed in the house until the girls got up. Sam’s outside now with the marshal.”
“Do we know any more today than we did last night? About where Berry is?” Max propped his hands on his hips.
“Not that I know of. But I haven’t talked to the marshals since we went to bed.” Dean’s phone rang as he finished talking. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew it. A crease formed on his forehead. “It’s Asher.” He slid his thumb over the screen and answered, but didn’t put it on speaker in deference to the little ears only feet away.
Margot crossed her arms and resisted the urge to tap her foot while she waited to hear what Asher had to say. When Dean’s eyebrows shot up, her heart rate followed. She clutched her shirtsleeves, hoping he hung up soon and filled them in.
A minute later, he said goodbye and pocketed his phone.
“Well?” Max rolled a hand when Dean didn’t immediately relay what Asher said.
Mouth flat, Dean’s gaze traveled between him and Margot.
A pit formed in her stomach. “What?”
“Asher figured out how Dale Conroy’s connected to the case. He was a patient of Tad’s. Considering that the body you found is likely Conroy and the money from the bank robbery was found on his farm, it’s highly likely Tad killed him.”
Bile rose in her throat. She didn’t want to believe it. The man she’d married wasn’t capable of murder.
Or so she’d thought. She was beginning to think she never truly knew the real Tad Gaultier.
Max walked to the door.
“What are you doing?” Dean asked.
“Finding Marchand.” He yanked the door open and stepped outside.
A moment later, Margot heard him bellow the marshal’s name.
The twins’ chatter at the table stopped. They both turned to stare at the door. Margot moved over to them, pinning a happy smile on her face. She wasn’t surprised they were shocked at the sound. They’d never heard Max raise his voice quite like that before.
As much as she wanted to stay and be part of the conversation, she needed to get the girls out of here. This was not something they needed to be part of, and she trusted Max to fill her in later.
“Are you guys done?”
Two small faces turned up to look at her. Lily nodded.
“Good. Go find your shoes, please.”
Both girls climbed off their chairs and scampered toward the back door. Margot glanced at the front of the house and the open front door. Max was out of sight.
The twins returned, shoes in hand. Margot knelt in front of them to help them put on the sandals. She was strapping the last strap on Emily’s shoe when Max walked back in with Marchand and Sam. Audra was with them too.
Relief flooded Margot’s veins. She’d been prepared to hijack Annabeth’s car and drive to Max’s house alone. But there were enough people here, someone with some training could accompany her and watch her back.
Walking into the throng, she took Max’s hand and pulled him aside.
“Everything okay?” A concerned frown marred his forehead.
“The girls don’t need to be here for this.”
His frown intensified. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle them. I’m just—” He broke off with a growl, raising a hand and curling his fingers into a fist. His jaw worked.
“I know.” She pulled his hand down and threaded their fingers together.
He sighed. “Um, I’ll take you home. The guys?—”
“No. You stay. I want one of us to stay informed. One of the others can take us.”
“I’ll take them.” Audra stepped forward, having overheard their conversation. “Sam can update me later.”
“I’ll go too,” Annabeth said. “This”—she waved a hand at her husband and the others—“is not really my thing.”
“Are you sure?” Max asked.
“Yes.” Audra turned to Emily and Lily. “Girls, let’s get your things.” She held out a hand, ushering the twins toward the hallway and the bedroom they’d been using.
Margot looked at Max again.
He framed her face in his palms. “You be careful. Eyes in the back of your head, all right? If anything seems weird?—”
She covered his hands and stood on her toes to kiss him and stop the flow of words. “We’ll be okay,” she whispered.
Tiny voices grew louder as Audra and the twins returned. Margot stepped back. Giving Max a tremulous smile, she turned her attention to her daughters. “You guys ready to go?”
“Yep! I wanna swim!” Em raised her fists.
“Then let’s go swim.”
The girls traipsed toward the door. At the threshold, Lily turned back and frowned when she saw Max wasn’t following her mother and Audra.
“Let’s go, Max.”
“I’ll be there a little later, sweetie. But you have fun swimming, okay?”
Her little frown remained for another moment before she nodded. Her eyes traveled over the adults, lingering on Marchand.
Margot had a feeling the little girl understood far more than she should.
Her little perceptive child.