Cop's Passion Read online

  Glancing into the rear view mirror, she saw the cop car pull out behind her. Bloody great, she had to be babysat home. The patrol car followed her all the way and stood idling by the kerb while she pulled into her garage and shut the door. It didn’t pull away until she’d shut the house door behind her.

  Chaz met her in the doorway to the kitchen, his plaintive meow a clear reproach about a late dinner.

  “Don’t you start,” she told him, then picked him up to give him a kiss between his seal-coloured ears. “You’re the only male I’m not mad at right now.”

  Chaz obviously didn’t care. He complained the whole time she chopped up some chicken for his dinner, only relenting when she placed the dish on the floor in front of him.

  Then she remembered the kitten. It was now nine o’clock at night, but it still had to be fed. Even though she only wanted a shower and to flop on the sofa, she couldn’t bear the thought of it going hungry, so she chopped up more chicken and headed back out the door with torch in hand.

  True to his word, the big boofhead next door had left his side gate unlocked, so she walked quickly through and went to the shed. Peeking inside, she saw the glitter of the kitten’s eyes peering out from under the bench, and she squatted down and spoke to it softly for several minutes. It meowed several times back at her but didn’t advance. At least it didn’t run away or try to hide and pleased with that little bit at least, Maddy placed the chicken down not far from it and refilled the water bowl. After placing it beside the food dish inside the shed, she went back to her own place and finally, finally, had her shower.

  Tired out, not even the annoyance she felt towards Mike could keep her awake and within minutes of lying down, Maddy was fast asleep with Chaz tucked up beside her. Not even the sound of his motorcycle rumbling into his driveway woke her.

  ~*~

  Knocking on Maddy’s door the next morning, Mike still could not get over the danger in which she’d unwittingly placed herself. He was going to drag her to the shop to buy a mobile phone. If he had to, he’d handcuff her to his own wrist so she’d have no choice. Failing that, he’d buy her one himself.

  There was no answer and the garage door was closed, so he presumed she was at work. A movement in the lounge window caught his eye and he turned his head to find himself looking into a pair of brilliant blue eyes in a seal face. Ye gods, the lady had a Siamese cat, one of those who howled like a baby, so he’d been told.

  Mike regarded the cat cautiously, and was regarded back with much interest. The cat lifted a seal paw and batted at the window. Luckily Maddy had security screens on her windows, because going by the coy expression on the cat’s face, if he got out he’d be Mike’s friend for life. Another annoying fur ball he did not need in his life right now.

  Leaving the house, Mike returned to his own place and did some overdue laundry. He was hanging it up on the clothes line when he spotted the kitten. Standing very still, he watched as the little animal strode across his back lawn as though it owned it. Probably thought it did, seeing as it was sleeping in his shed and being fed.

  The kitten saw him and stopped. They regarded each other cautiously before the kitten sat down to watch him.

  Shaking his head, Mike resumed hanging up the clothes, sure that the fur ball would take off. It didn’t, instead, it sat and watched him until he went back inside. When he looked out of the door a short time later, the kitten was standing on its hind feet at the clothes line, sniffing the legs of his trousers.

  He was hoping Maddy would return home for lunch, but when she didn’t appear he knew he wouldn’t be seeing her that day. By the time he got off work she’d probably be asleep.

  Sure as eggs, when he got home late that night the lights in her home were off except for her bedroom light. Not about to rouse her out of bed, he went inside. But he was still determined to talk to her.

  The next morning he went out to the garage to open the door and was just in time to see her car pulling out of the driveway and onto the road. Now he had a plan. He was working two morning shifts, so he’d see her that night and make her understand that she needed a mobile phone. Maybe the stubborn chit had already bought one, then he could save his lecture.

  Going to the open garage door, Mike was startled to see the kitten curled up on the seat of his precious motorcycle.

  “Oy,” he said. “You can’t sleep there. Off.”

  Startled, the kitten leaped off the motorcycle and ran behind some loose sheeting in the corner.

  “I opened the door for me, not for you to make yourself comfortable,” Mike continued. “Don’t think you’re staying here, fur ball.”

  Slinging his leg over the seat, he settled down and kicked the motorcycle into life. It roared as he throttled it, and he grinned at the pleasure of the sound.

  The kitten wasn’t so enamoured and took off out of the garage.

  “And stay out.” Mike pulled on his jacket and gloves. Backing the bike out of the garage, he parked it while he shut the garage door again, then he secured his helmet on his head, got back on the bike and roared off down the street.

  The day wasn’t his best. Every dickhead that walked the city seemed to come across his path. A beating, a domestic, a broken restraining order, a kid caught in the act of vandalism, and a car accident pretty much made kept him and Alan racing from one end of the small city to the other. Why people had to be so nasty was beyond him. It was a fact that he’d never understand the dickheads of the world, just as it was a fact that the paperwork that came with it was a huge headache. And just as it was another fact that it made Maddy buy a mobile phone for emergencies an urgent problem he needed to attend, because if she ever came up against one of the dickheads he dealt with regularly, well, he shuddered to think about it.

  By the time he knocked off work and went home, he couldn’t even raise a protest when he saw the kitten curled up on his veranda. At the sound of his motorcycle, it scurried off the veranda and around the corner of the house to disappear into his backyard.

  After the day he’d had, the kitten didn’t even register on his annoyance scale.

  A glance over at Maddy’s house showed that all was quiet, so Mike headed indoors. Throwing his clothes into the wash basket, he showered and dressed in shorts and t-shirt, grabbed an iced coffee from the ‘fridge, and flopped down onto the sofa. Idly he flicked through the TV channels until he came to an old movie, and within ten minutes he was sound asleep.

  The lady was home. Mike watched as her car pulled into the drive and he glanced at his watch. He’d give her an hour or so to do whatever it was she needed to do and then he was going over to have a long overdue chat with her. Unfortunately, less than half an hour later another car pulled into her drive and he saw a petite woman dressed in elegant clothes get out of the car and enter Maddy’s house as though she owned it.

  Cripes, did that mean Maddy actually kept her front door unlocked at times? Mike scowled. He was going to have a serious talk to her about her own safety as soon as her visitor left.

  Glancing down, he caught sight of the kitten ambling out of the bushes lining his fence to sit on his path and survey its world leisurely. Ye gods, anyone passing by would think it lived here with him, which it damned well didn’t, and that was something else Maddy had to sort out - the damned fur ball.

  ~*~

  Maddy liked her sister-in-law, but she wasn’t so sure about the woman who arrived not long after her. Belinda Lovett dressed elegantly, but Jeannie Bernard, her new friend - whoo boy, Maddy was sure that her clothes alone cost more than Maddy’s car.

  Belinda was a slender vision in a white sundress, and Jeannie exuded wealth in a silk pants suit and high heels. Bringing this rich woman to Maddy’s humble dwelling meant that Belinda and Matthew, Maddy’s brother, were going higher in society.

  So just why were Belinda and her rich friend here? Maddy eyed her sister-in-law closely as she ushered them into her lounge room. Belinda was up to something.

  Jeannie brushed some
imaginary dust - and no doubt Siamese cat hair as well - off the seat of the armchair before she sat gingerly on the edge of it and smiled a little condescendingly at Maddy. Her gaze swept over Maddy from head to toe, and distaste showed fleetingly in her eyes as she lingered on Maddy’s over-generous curves.

  That decided it. Maddy didn’t like her, so she turned her attention to her sister-in-law.

  Before sitting in the armchair, Belinda shifted a couple of the cat shaped cushions and sat down, elegantly crossing her legs. “Darling. Delightful taste as usual in furnishings.”

  “Say what you mean, Belinda.”

  “Fine. Do you really need cat shaped cushions?”

  “Yes. End of discussion on that topic.”

  “Sharp-tongued as ever, I see.”

  “Observant as always, duly noted.

  Jeannie glanced between the two of them with a slight smile, but she was obviously not sure how to take their teasing. Maddy politely smiled at her but that was as far as she was willing to take politeness.

  Belinda sipped at the mug of tea. “No cup and saucer?”

  “As I already said, observant as always and duly noted.”

  “Now I know what to buy you for your birthday.

  “Oh goody, some more items to place in the back of a cupboard until a decent interval has passed and I can donate them to the Good Samaritans.”

  Belinda laughed. “I have missed chatting with you, darling.”

  “Me too.” With a grin, Maddy nodded to the packet of biscuits on the coffee table. “Have a teddy bear shaped bickie.”

  With a sigh, her sister-in-law broke open the end of the package and withdrew a biscuit. “Not even served on a plate.”

  “Conserving energy and water.”

  Shaking her head, Belinda smiled and broke off a piece of the biscuit to give to Chaz, who was hovering around her feet. “So, darling, tell me. Have you met anyone nice since moving here?”

  Maddy mentally rolled her eyes. “I work for the same Association that I have for the last five years, so no new workmates there.”

  “Don’t be silly. I mean since you moved here, to this new neighbourhood. Any eligible men?”

  They all left as soon as they heard you were coming.”

  Belinda levelled a look at her.

  “Good men aren’t easy to find,” Jeannie said. “Most of those with money and connections are already taken.” She glanced at Maddy. “You need to start looking.”

  Uh-huh. A gold-digger. Delightful.

  “No men here I’m aiming for,” Maddy replied, and she could almost see Belinda change her game plan.

  “Your brother-”

  “The one you’re married to?”

  “No, your other brother, Darren.”

  “Just trying to get the facts straight.”

  “He’s expecting his third child.”

  “I’m delighted for him. Has the Miracle Science magazine contacted him yet?” Amused, Maddy waited for the reply.

  Sure enough, it came quickly. Belinda set the mug down on the coffee table. “Missy, your sister-in-law, is expecting the baby. Really, Maddy, don’t be tiresome.”

  “I can’t help it. I am tired.”

  “You work too hard.”

  Wait for it, Maddy thought.

  “If you’d only find a nice man, you could get married, give up work and become a housewife.”

  And there it is. “Oh yes, because my sole focus in life is to get myself a ball and chain and attach myself to the kitchen sink.”

  “That’s what servants are for, Madeleine.” Jeannie set her untouched mug of tea on the little coffee table. “Find a nice man with good prospects and you won’t be tied to the kitchen.”

  “You’re not getting any younger,” Belinda added.

  Maddy’s eyes almost crossed. “I’m really too tired for this shit.”

  “Ladies don’t swear. I do wish you’d watch your language, that isn’t how your parents brought you up.”

  “I swear and I’m single. I must put you all to shame.” Amusement gave way to irritation. Maddy liked her sister-in-law, but honest to God, there were times she wished she lived in another state. One of those times was now, when all she wanted to do was kick back and relax, not listen to another attempt of Belinda match-making. Which reminded her… “You don’t have yet another poor bastard lined up for a blind date with me, do you?”

  Jeannie made a little moue of disapproval but Maddy ignored her.

  Belinda smoothed her hemline over her knees. “We’re having a dinner on Friday night, and Matthew has a single male friend-”

  “No! No no no.” Maddy scowled. “I hate blind dates. I hate being matched up to my perfect brother’s perfect friends, then having them dump me because, let’s face it, I don’t meet their ideals.”

  “Matthew is far from perfect.”

  “You’re not listening, Belinda, as usual. I don’t fit his friend’s ideals.” Maddy moved to the edge of the sofa. “No.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “Did you tell him I’m not a slender model?”

  Belinda’s false eyelashes lowered slightly over her eyes. “He knows you’re a nurse.”

  “Did you tell him I’m not slender?”

  “Really, dear, what has that to do with it?”

  Pushing up from the sofa, Maddy groaned. “Everything. Matthew’s friends are perfect, they want perfect model wives, with perfect features and perfect figures.”

  “Now, darling, that’s not always true.”

  “Are you kidding me?” Maddy crossed her arms. “Peter, Tom, Jackson, Zavier, Morten, Henry? Remember them? All blind dates set up by you, and every single one of them took one look at me and almost broke their necks leaving after the dinners. No, no and no.” Maddy leaned forward and growled, “Oh, and did I mention no?”

  “Maddy, don’t be ridiculous.”

  “They weren’t interested, Belinda, so give up your matchmaking.”

  “Perhaps they would be interested if…”

  Maddy arched an eyebrow.

  “Well…” Belinda waved a hand elegantly in Maddy’s direction.

  Maddy couldn’t believe it. “You’re not seriously saying what I think you are?”

  “Well…” Her sister-in-law was clearly trying to find the words, but finally she simply stood up and said, “If you lost some weight, then maybe you’d find a man and get married.”

  “Are you freaking kidding me?”

  “Just a few pounds. Kilos.”

  “A few kilos?” Maddy’s eyes felt like they were going to pop right out of her head.

  “Okay, more than a few kilos if you want to be blunt about it.”

  “Are you shitting me?”

  Belinda’s nose screwed up reprovingly.

  Jeannie held up one hand, her gold bracelet slipping down her forearm. “Allow me.” She turned towards Maddy, her lips in a smile, her face full of sympathetic understanding. “I know it’s not easy being a large woman in this world, but to fit in you need to take yourself in hand. I can help you-”

  “Are you shitting me?” Maddy couldn’t believe the audacity of the woman.

  “Maddy!” Belinda gasped. “Please, Jeannie is a guest and-”

  “No, really.” Smiling sweetly, Jeannie stood up and laid one hand on Maddy’s shoulder. “Sweetie, deep underneath every woman wants to have a lovely figure and fit into lovely clothes. Every woman wants a man to take care of her. I can help you shed some of that, let’s be honest, horrid fat, and make you into the kind of woman men will lust after.” Her smile widened. “We can do it together.”

  Maddy could practically feel the steam coming out of her ears. “You’re standing there seriously telling me to lose weight so I can catch a man?”

  “Now, now.” Seeing the growing fury on her face, Belinda tried to calm the situation. “Don’t get upset. We’ve all been worried about your health and-”

  “All of you? Who the hell is talking about me? Matthew?
You? Mum and Dad? Darren and Missy?” Incensed, Maddy balled her fists. “Jeannie, your anorexic and totally obnoxious friend?”

  “Maddy!” Belinda was horrified.

  Jeannie’s eyes narrowed. “There’s no need to be nasty, Madeleine.”

  “Get out.” Maddy pointed at the door. “Both of you, out now!”

  Belinda obviously realised she’d gone too far. “Now don’t get upset, it’s not as bad as it sounds.”

  “You freakin’ think so?” Maddy stormed from the room.

  Belinda was hot on her heels. “Don’t do anything silly, Mads, please. I shouldn’t have said anything!”

  “Don’t apologise when you were only trying to help.” Jeannie was right behind Belinda.

  Belinda bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Mads, I-”

  “Damn right.” Maddy flung open the front door. “There’s your perfect car. Now get your perfect arse and your perfectly obnoxious friend out of my not-so-perfect presence, and find someone else who fits your definition of perfect to partner up with my perfect brother’s perfect freakin’ friend for your perfect dinner!”

  Jeannie marched out with a huff and her nose in the air.

  Belinda scuttled through the door, wailing, “Maddy! Please, I-”The door shutting behind her effectively cut off her apologies.

  Fuming, Maddy locked the door and refused to answer the knocks. Storming into the lounge, she grabbed the two mugs and packet of biscuits and took them through to the kitchen, where she washed the mugs and set them on the draining board and placed the biscuits in the biscuit container.

  Anger towards her sister-in-law especially roiled through Maddy. Of all people, she should understand how hurtful her comments would be, and to bring someone else into the conversation, to have them join in about her weight, it was - it was…it was downright bloody hurtful.

  By the time she’d finished, she checked the front window to ensure that her sister-in-law and her rich-bitch new best friend had indeed left, and finding the driveway empty she made her next move. Crossing to the answering machine, she flicked it on. No doubt her brother would be on the phone and then her parents, all wanting to talk to her, to make her see that Belinda had just spoken thoughtlessly again as usual and she hadn’t meant to sound hurtful.