Page 195 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

He frowned. “What’s going on?”

“I’m trying to find out what happened to my parents, and I don’t want anyone to know who I am,” she said. “So please don’t give me away.”

He looked past her, and his genial face changed, and she saw anger and hatred vie for control of his face. “Here comes your murderer,” he hissed. He stepped back and began to spread his net with jerky movements.

Becca turned and saw Max coming toward her across the sand. He wore a scowl identical to Greg’s.

“I wondered where you’d gone,” he said. “I’m ready to go if you can tear yourself away from the young Adonis here.”

The contempt in his voice rattled Becca. “I—I’m ready,” she stammered.

“You got something to say, say it to my face,” Greg spat, turning to face Max.

“You’re not worth my time.” Max’s lip curled.

“Hotshot writer, you think you know it all,” Greg’s face grew crimson. “You didn’t know enough to keep your wife happy, did you?”

Max’s hands curled into fists. “We were perfectly happy until you interfered.”

Becca was beginning to get it now. Greg must have been the other man she’d heard about.

“You just couldn’t stand for her to be happy, could you?” Greg stepped closer and thrust his face into Max’s. “You won’t get away with it. Someday people will know you killed her.”

His face crumpled, and Becca thought he was going to cry. She could see his hands shake.

“I didn’t kill my wife,” Max said quietly.

Greg’s face flushed even more. “She and I were going to move to Marquette and start a new life. You couldn’t stand that, could you?”

“You’re delusional, Chambers. You weren’t the first man in Laura’s life. She liked the excitement of the chase. Once she caught a man, she grew bored with him. It was just a matter of time before she dumped you. I’m sorry for you, I really am, Chambers.” He turned and grabbed Becca’s arm. “Let’s go.”

“You’re wrong!” Greg shouted after them. “You’ll pay, Duncan. I’ll make sure you pay.”

Becca could barely keep up with Max. His angry strides carried him past the steps, and she tugged at his arm and pointed. “We go up here.”

He turned and helped her mount the first step. “You go first.” His voice was terse and angry.

Becca dared a peek at him. A muscle in his jaw worked, and she could sense a coiled strength in him. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“Stay away from Chambers,” he said. “He’s bad news. I’m not convinced he didn’t have something to do with Laura’s death. He was the last person to work on the motor.”

“Could he have wanted to kill you and not Laura?” Becca was breathless as she struggled up the steep steps.

“Laura seldom went out in the boat with me.”

“Why did she go that morning?”

Max reached the top of the cliff where Becca stood. “I’ve never figured that out. I was going fishing, and she hated the smell of fish. She said she wanted to talk to me.” He shrugged. “Maybe Chambers was right, and she was really leaving me. She might have wanted to get me alone where no one could hear us yell at one another.”

Becca felt rattled as she walked back to the car with Max. She wasn’t finding out much about her own parents, but Laura’s death was steeped in mystery as well.

Max fairly vibratedwith anger as he drove back to the house. It always upset him to see Chambers. And even though he didn’t want to admit it to himself, he’d been overcome with jealousy to see Becca talking to the man. She deserved someone with more integrity than one who was willing to get involved with a married woman.

He reined in his thoughts. Where had that come from? Becca was a deceiver of some kind and she deserved whatever she got.He needed to keep his distance. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. It was easier said than done.

He parked the truck in front of the manor and jumped out. Becca followed him inside.

She put her hand on his arm as they reached the porch. “I’m sorry, Max,” she said. “I hate that Laura hurt you, and that you’re still in pain over it.”

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