Endangered: A Delecoeur Mystery #1 Read Online Free Page B

participant at
the conference.
    “Looks to me like maybe there is
someone.”
    “We discovered some money is missing in
the wildlife foundation’s books. I've been trying to reach the man who's in
charge of managing the accounts.”
    “You think he might hurt her to hide
embezzlement?”
    “Normally no, but I can’t rule anything
out now.”
    “What’s his name, I’ll call it in.”
    “Alan Granger. He is…or should be in Los
Angeles.”
    “Anyone else?”
    “Madeleine mentioned that someone gave
her hard time during her talk today.”
    Springer nodded, “Yes, a few witnesses
mentioned a man who confronted her outside the conference room.”
    Max looked at him in surprise. He realized
that Madeleine had minimized the incident when she called him. “She mentioned
someone gave her a hard time, but she didn’t tell me he’d confronted her.”
    “No one knows who he is, but we're doing
what we can to figure it out.” Springer pulled out his cell phone and called
one of the  detectives on his team to let him know about Alan and get an update
on the investigation. When he hung up, he turned to Max. “I’m taking you to her
hotel room so you can see if anything is missing. The hotel staff don't think
she returned tonight. She hasn't used the keycard. And there is no sign of
struggle in the room. But maybe you can see something that we can’t. I’ll stay
there with you in case she or someone else-”
    “Like kidnappers?”
    He nodded. “Like kidnappers call.”
    Madeleine's hotel room didn't give any
clues as to where she was. The police were looking all over the city, but not
finding anything. Springer told his men to expand their search to areas
surrounding the city. But nothing was coming of it. It was as if she fell off
the face of the earth. Max couldn't let his mind go to a place that involved
Madeleine being hurt or worse. That kind of panic clouded the mind and made it
difficult to make decisions. So he forced himself to focus on the task at hand,
find her. But as the hours ticked by, the fear gained a foothold. By five in
the morning, Max worried that his happiness was a thing of the past.
    He heard Springer's phone ring and
immediately went to him.
    "We need to talk,” Springer said.
    “Madeleine?"
    “No word yet. Here, have some coffee.
You look like you're about to fall over.”
    “Did you find Alan?” Max took the
coffee, but ignored the comment.
    “No. We need to talk about something
else.”
    Max noted the serious tone in Springer’s
voice. “What? What is it?"
    Springer tapped on his phone, pulling up
the morning edition of the Los Angeles Daily News social section. Max looked at
the screen and then to Captain Springer.
    “You know Max, in the case of a missing
wife, the husband is always the first suspect.”
    Max’s eyes narrowed. “Because of this?”
he jerked his hand toward the phone that showed a picture of him and Julia
having lunch the day before. “You think I did something to Madeleine?”
    “Not me, no. I know she's your life. But
other detectives... well..."
    “I’d never harm her.” The thought of it,
the idea that others would think it, made Max sick. Didn't they know his life
started and ended with her?
    “I know that, but this makes my men
suspicious.”
    Max looked at the pictures again. He had
to admit, Julia had invaded his space on several occasions during their lunch.
She never missed a chance to touch him. He read the caption that suggested
indiscretion without quite saying it. Somehow the author of the article already
knew that Madeleine was missing. Even though everyone who knew Max knew he
would never cheat on Madeleine, a tabloid wouldn’t miss out on the titillation
and scandal that would sell papers.
    “Julia Devlin of all people. I thought
you rid yourself of her when you left for college. She looks chummy with you
while your wife is out of town,” Springer said.
    “This is nothing. You need to tell your
men they’re wasting their