Loving Madison

Forty-Three

Madison's heartbeat hammered crazily as energy flowed through her. Words came quickly to her mind, and wouldn't stop for even a breath. She'd tell him exactly what was in her thoughts.

"You're such an evil man. But I suspect you've always been that way." She shook her head. "In fact, I'm inclined to believe you were the one who killed Mr. Bailey, not Gaynor." She tilted her head as her mind flew with possibilities. "You had wanted Mr. Bailey's house so badly that you took the chance when Inspector Westland arrested him for Rosie's disappearance. You knew Mr. Bailey wouldn't give you any money because he didn't trust you. The only way to get anything from that particular cousin was to kill him...and make Gaynor take the fall for it. Once that happened, there would be no other choice but for the house to pass onto you."

Unbelievable, but as she voiced her thoughts, they made sense. Gaynor wasn't the killer. Heath was! And Heath knew his uncle wouldn't give the place to him because he was the gambler in the family, the cousin who couldn't take on responsibility.

Then a thought popped into her mind. If she was Lord Hanover's daughter, then Heath was...her cousin! She groaned in distaste. She'd not claim him as family, that's for sure!

"Tell me, Mr. Langston. What role did Miss Trent play in all of this? I'm assuming she knew that you had kidnapped Rosie. Why, I wonder. She couldn't have possibly been in love with Gaynor."

"She was," he muttered a blood trickled out of his mouth and down his chin.

"Did she know you killed Mr. Bailey?"

"No."

Slowly, color seeped back into his face as his evil gaze shot daggers at her. But she had the knife, and she wasn't afraid of him anymore.

"Ah, I see I've stumbled on another of your secrets." She grinned. "Unfortunately, you won't be able to keep this particular secret for long. As you know, I'm friends with a police inspector."

More color rose in his face, starting at his neck and growing to his hairline. He shouted and dove toward her. The movement was so quick she didn't have time to react. His fist knocked the knife out of her hand and then his fingers wrapped around her throat.

She lost her balance and stumbled backward. She managed to scream, but then her air was cut off. Panic consumed her. Why had she dropped the knife? She clawed at his fingers, trying to remove them from her neck. Suddenly, roles were switched again, and he was the stronger one.

"I killed many people in my life, starting with Spencer Watkins," Heath snickered. "The bugger wouldn't stop bothering me about the money I owed him. But I didn't stop there. I take out people who get in my way. And yes, that included my cousin, Jacob Bailey." His mouth stretched into a wicked grin and he laughed. "And it looks like you are next, Miss Haywood...or should I call you Lady Madeline Dixon?"

Where had her strength gone? She needed it back now!

She gasped, but couldn't quite catch her breath. Her chest ached and her throat burned. Tears stung her eyes. Slowly, weakness crept over her. She couldn't let him win. But it seemed she didn't have power over him any longer.

Dizziness assailed her as her mind spun out of control. Pain exploded in her head, and she couldn't think. Her body grew weaker by the second.

A loud crash resounded through the room just before her world turned black.

* * * *

Cameron felt no pain as he smashed his shoulder against the door, breaking it off its hinges. Anger was what pushed him now. It hadn't taken him long to find Heath's trail—thanks to witnesses who saw the man take Madison—and Cameron rode like the devil was on his heels to save the woman he loved. He sent Alice to the station to inform the other officers, in case he needed back up. When he approached the small hut and heard Madison's scream, something inside of him snapped. He didn't care who was in his way, he was going to get Madison!