Page 89 of Deception

“Can you describe her at all?” Madison asked.

“She was taller than I am.”

That would be about anyone in Natchez. “Was she skinny? Overweight? Average size?”

The aroma of chicory filled the kitchen as Nadine paused putting coffee in her French press. “Now how would I be knowing that with a hood over my head, missy?”

“Did she say what she wanted?”

Steam came out of the spout, and Nadine focused on pouringwater in the French press to let it steep. “Maybe she was looking for the same thing Gregory was looking for?”

Madison had known her father would search for the file she’d taken as soon as she left. “Do you know if he found anything?”

A smile tugged at the older woman’s lips. “From how angry he was when he left, I’d say not.” She tapped her forehead. “I almost forgot. He said he would not be back tonight. Maybe tomorrow. I suppose he’s staying with his girlfriend.”

“You know about that?”

She gave a curt nod. “Remember, my daughter, Nanette, is the head of housekeeping at the Westin in Jackson, and she saw them there the day after your mama was buried. Nanette was so angry—she and Sharon were practically inseparable growing up.”

She remembered her mom telling her Nanette was maid of honor when she got married. Anger bubbled up from Madison’s stomach. He’d stayed with that woman so soon after her mother died? “Did he see your daughter?”

“No, but I doubt Gregory would have remembered her, anyway—he made sure they didn’t see each other after he took your mother off to Memphis. They only connected with each other in the summers when you came down.”

And then her father had put a stop to that as well. “The person who attacked you—could it have been the woman he’s marrying?” Maybe her father returned to do more searching and brought her to take care of Nadine.

“No.” She pressed the plunger down and then poured the rich liquid into a cup. “You sure you don’t want any?”

“No, thank you. How can you be sure it wasn’t that woman? Do you know her name?” Madison couldn’t keep calling her “that woman,” and she couldn’t be sure it was the same woman in the photos.

“Margo Ellington, and I can be sure because Nanette said the woman was very harsh when Gregory wasn’t around and had a grating voice. Ordering her to bring towels and coffee ...”

Madison barely heard anything past Nadine calling her Margo. Her father was marrying the woman he had the affair with. The woman who was only seven years older than Madison. She shook the thoughts off and tuned back into what Nadine was saying.

“The woman today was soft-spoken, and she was looking for something specific.”

Madison studied the housekeeper she’d known since she was a child. She’d just realized Nadine had avoided answering her question earlier. “Do you know what she was looking for?”

“No, but ...” Nadine averted her eyes, staring down into the dark liquid in her cup. “William Anderson had a good heart. He helped many babies find good homes and signed many adoption papers.”

Madison heard a “but” in Nadine’s voice. “What are you not telling me?”

“I don’t think all the mamas wanted to give their babies away. Maybe this woman was one of them and maybe she thought she’d find something in his office that would tell where her baby was.”

48

Come in,” Dani said to a soft knock at her door, and the nursing assistant who had been assigned her end of the floor came in to pick up her lunch tray.

“You didn’t eat much,” the twentysomething girl said.

Dani laughed. “You wouldn’t either if they brought you a piece of chicken you could use for a hockey puck.”

“I’m sorry ... our main chef has been out with an emergency appendectomy. Can I get you something else? Maybe a cup of ice cream?”

“When you get time, Cathy. No hurry.” She liked the young CNA. The girl had just gotten her certification for a level 2 nursing assistant and planned to go on to nursing school.

Cathy took the tray and disappeared out the door. Dani lowered the head of the bed. Maybe she could take a nap, but her thoughts drifted to Madison. Her heart warmed at her sister’s offer for Dani to stay with her when she got out of the hospital.

She’d felt an instant connection to Madison but sensed reluctance on her part. Madison was probably protecting herself. She understood that—it was how she usually operated. But it’d been different from the first moments with her sister.

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