Chapter Five

Thursday morning found Maddie taking the long route again on her morning jog, and for the second time, she completed it without feeling like she was about to collapse.

Progress, I’m making progress! her mind exclaimed joyfully.

As she headed to the shower, she was thinking about her future. Maddie was about to have a whole new world in front of her.

No one to shoot down and belittle my dreams, she realized. No one else’s ego to have to cater to anymore.

The notion exhilarated and scared her to death, all at once.

“So, what the hell do I want to do?” she asked her reflection.

Something with animals, I know that. And I have my MBA, so I am totally capable of running my own business. Anything I don’t know, I’m sure I can ask Dad about.

“Yeah,” she grinned at herself in the mirror. “Something that helps animals. Like a rescue shelter, where every animal gets placed in a new home.”

Whistling, she continued her usual morning routine. Once breakfast was out of the way, she fired up her laptop and began researching what was required to own and operate a rescue shelter in Texas, taking thorough notes as she went along.

Before Maddie knew it, the morning had flown by. Her stomach rumbling caused her to glance at the time.

“Three o’clock? Good Lord, no wonder I’m hungry,” she exclaimed.

She set her laptop to the side, stretched, and headed for the kitchen.

After a moment’s hesitation, she opted to make a quick chef salad. As she ate, she texted her father, asking if he had time for some general questions about starting a company. The answer was immediate.

Happy to help, kiddo! Whatever you need. What did you have in mind?

Well, she typed back, I am thinking about opening a rescue shelter. I’m researching specifics about what it would take to get one going, but I am going to need your input to help make sure I set it all up right, Dad.

That would be perfect for you, Maddie, I know how much you love animals, her dad replied. What does Eric think about it?

“Oh, boy,” she muttered. “Should have foreseen that question coming up. What do I say to that? ‘Oh yeah, Dad, about that, forgot to mention I’m going to file for divorce so who cares what he thinks?’ Not really something I want to break to my father via text message.”

Before she could formulate her response, the doorbell rang.

She texted I’ll fill you in more later, okay? back to her father, hit send, and headed to the front door.

When she saw who was standing there she was thoroughly confused.

“Hello, Mrs. Nibless?”

“Yes, that’s me, but please call me Maddie. May I help you?”

“I’m Detective Kenney, and this is Officer Greene. We’re with the Flower Mound Police Department. We need to speak with you. May we come in?”

“Um…sure, come in, please.”

She stood to one side as they crossed the threshold.

“Would either of you like something to drink? Coffee?”

“No, ma’am. Thanks.”

“All right. If you change your minds, just let me know.”

Maddie led them into the living room. She sat on one end of the couch, trying her best to calm her nerves. Officer Greene sat beside her as Detective Kenney took the adjoining high-back chair.

“Detective Kenney, Officer Greene, I don’t wish to sound rude, but… Why are you here?”

The detective leaned forward and as gently as he could told her, “Maddie, I am so sorry to have to tell you this, but your husband Eric’s been killed.”

She could feel the color leaching from her face even as she struggled to process the words; she was positive that she’d misheard the man.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Your husband, Eric Nibless, was found murdered yesterday afternoon in Wyoming.”

“It can’t be him, he’s not in Wyoming,” she said immediately, almost defensively. “He’s at a conference in Rapid City. Here. Let me find the number to the hotel, they’ll tell you, he’s attending a conference there…”

She started to stand up to go retrieve her phone.

But Officer Greene laid his hand gently over hers.

“Maddie, his wallet with his driver’s license was at the scene, and they confirmed his identity this morning through fingerprinting.”

She turned to argue with him and noticed the little crosses affixed to the collar of his uniform.

He’s the police chaplain, she realized. And they don’t just randomly come to people’s houses…

Unless… unless…

“This is real…isn’t it?” she whispered.

Officer Greene squeezed her hand.

“I’m afraid so, Maddie. I am so very, very sorry.”

A wrenching sob tore from her body as she began to weep. Greene handed her a tissue and patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

“Is there any one we can call for you, to come be with you?” the detective asked.

“My….my parents… and Kathy,” she managed to get out in between sobs. “In my phone…” her voice failed her, and she pointed toward the kitchen.

Greene nodded solemnly and went to go make the calls.

Detective Kenney moved to sit on the edge of the coffee table in front of her.

“Maddie, I know this is hard, and I know now is not the best time, and I’m so sorry. But I need to ask you some questions, okay? It may help us find out who did this.”

She nodded, still sobbing, reaching for another tissue.

“Can you think of anybody that would want to hurt Eric? Professionally, personally, anyone at all?”

“N-n-no,” she stammered. “Nobody comes to mind.”

Officer Greene returned to her side. “Your parents and Kathy are all on the way, okay?”

She nodded, whispering, “Thanks.”

“I have to ask these next ones, Maddie, and I apologize. How was your marriage? Any problems between you two?”

“I still love him,” she wailed. “But I haven’t been happy in years. I went to see a lawyer yesterday. Eric’s coming home Friday… was… was coming home Friday.”

Maddie swallowed hard, numb with shock, and blurted, “and I was going to tell him then that I was leaving. That I still love him, but I just can’t do it anymore.”

“Do what, exactly?”

“Exist in a vacuum,” she revealed, raw grief on her face. “Barely even speak to one another, much less any affection. We’ve been just roommates for a long time. I just didn’t want to admit it until now.”

She looked directly at Detective Kenney, and she could see he understood.

“But I didn’t want this,” she continued, fresh tears streaming downward. “I wanted us to part as friends and go live our lives. I never wanted anything bad for him. Ever.”

A brief knock on the front door caught their attention, and Maddie’s parents came swiftly into the room.

“Oh, baby,” her mom Deborah said, and took her daughter into her arms.

Detective Kenney and Officer Greene stood and approached Maddie’s father.

“Might we have a word in the other room?” Kenney suggested.

Her father nodded, and the three men traveled into the kitchen.

“I’m Chase Smithing,” her father said. “What the hell happened?”

“I’m Detective Kenney, this is Officer Greene. Mr. Smithing, your son-in-law was found dead yesterday afternoon, in a motel just outside Sleepy Hollow, Wyoming.”

“What in the hell was he doing there? He was supposed to be at an industry conference in Rapid City!”

“I know, sir, and authorities up there are trying to figure that out.”

“Are you sure it’s Eric?”

Officer Greene repeated what he’d told Maddie about positive identification through fingerprints.

“Wait – why couldn’t they just match him to his driver’s license photo?”