Holdin' On for a Hero (108 page)

Let’s go to my room,
he signed.

“Okay.”

They showered and dressed quickly. Checking first to make sure there was no one milling about in the hallway, they hurried to Max’s suite where he went directly to the computer and started tapping away. His decipher program displayed his thoughts on a separate monitor for her to read.

You have to talk to Grandfather. We’ll need his help
.

“Okay,” she agreed. “But help with what?”

Max grinned and tapped out more. Nikki’s eyes widened and she turned to him with a skeptical look. “I don’t know, Max. If we get caught, chances are I’ll get the boot and you’ll…well, you know.”

Yes, I’ll be institutionalized,
the words appeared on the monitor.

“It’s a big risk.” She put her hand on the arm of his chair and leaned down to look him in the eyes. “Are you sure you want to chance it?”

He nodded emphatically. There was nothing she could do but agree.

* * * * *

Nikki’s eyes moved over the words on the page of the book before her but she didn’t comprehend a single word. She was as nervous as a cat confronted by a Rottweiler. This was the day the plan she and Max had formulated would be set in motion.

She considered it again. They both stood to lose if anything went wrong. She would lose the job and end up on the street. Worse, she’d be barred from ever seeing Max again. But he stood to lose more. If the plan turned south he would, in all likelihood, end up in some institution, drugged and imprisoned for the rest of his life.

What the hell are you doing?
her conscience demanded. Nikki wished she could answer her own question. Her rational mind knew what she was doing was dangerous. If she had any sense she would back out. But her good sense diminished every day she was with Max. All she could see, think or feel had to do with him and the growing emotional bond between them.

Maybe it was foolish and dangerous and maybe they were fated to fail, but she had to try. If someone didn’t prove Max’s stability and intelligence he’d be a prisoner forever. And she’d lose him.

She didn’t think she could bear that. As improbable, ill-advised and foolhardy as it was, she loved him.

A sudden commotion alerted her to the initiation of their plan. She jumped up and ran inside.

Max was in the conservatory, throwing a gargantuan fit. He was throwing priceless art objects, pushing over furniture and racing around like a madman. Osgood rushed toward the conservatory, shouting for Louise to call Steve.

Nikki ran as fast as she could to Osgood’s office. She dumped out the pen holder on the desk. Just as Max had said, a small key spilled onto the desk along with the pens and a silver letter opener. She ran to the closet in the office. Mounted on one wall was a small locked cabinet.

With trembling fingers she inserted the key and turned. It opened. Inside was a box of individually packaged syringes and a line of small glass vials with rubber stoppers. She yanked up her shirt and unzipped one of the fanny packs strapped around her waist.

She scooped all of the vials from the shelf and placed them in the fanny pack. That done, she unzipped the second pack around her waist and took from it identical vials.

As she lined them up on the shelf she said a quick prayer that the trust she and Max had placed in Simon wasn’t misguided. He’d provided the replacement drugs and had assured them that the vials contained nothing more than saline.

Quickly locking the cabinet, she raced into Osgood’s office and dumped the key back into the pen holder along with all of the pens and the letter opener. She ran through the kitchen and collided with Louise. The impact sent them both staggering backwards.

“I’m sorry!” Nikki made a grab to steady Louise. “I was looking for you! Max—”

“Yes, yes! I know.” Louise hurried by her.

Nikki ran back to the conservatory. It looked like a tornado had blown through. She couldn’t begin to imagine the cost of everything that’d been destroyed. Steve and Osgood and one of the gardeners were trying to corner Max who was dodging and evading, lobbing things at them and purposely missing.

He caught sight of Nikki in the doorway. She nodded at him to let him know she’d succeeded. Max pretended to trip and Steve jumped on him, getting him in a hold with his arm around Max’s neck, twisting Max’s arm up behind him.

Max struggled and the gardener joined Steve to subdue him. Osgood shouted for Louise who dashed into the room a few moments later, red-faced and out of breath. She handed Osgood a syringe and a vial.

Nikki held her breath as Osgood prepared the injection and approached Max. Max put on a brilliant performance, fighting and making it hard for the men to hold him still enough for Osgood to inject him.

He continued to struggle for several minutes then his movements started to slow. With each passing minute he became more sluggish until finally he seemed to wilt and sag.

Osgood nodded to the men who held Max. They half carried him out of the room, his feet moving but primarily being dragged.

Nikki waited until Osgood started out of the room behind them. “Was that really necessary Mr. Gaynor?”

“Ms. Morgan, I have neither the time nor inclination to indulge in yet another debate with you over Maxwell’s care.”

“But it looked like you gave him a lot of whatever that is,” she indicated the vial in his hand. “How long will he be out?”

“Until morning.”

“Oh, okay. Well, should I check on him later?”

“No need. He’ll not awaken before tomorrow morning.”

“But what if he does?”

Osgood heaved out a loud breath. “He’ll be restrained. If he awakens he will press the call button and someone will see to his needs. Barring that, everyone—and I do mean everyone—will stay away from him. Is that clear, Ms. Morgan?”

“Crystal. “She replied.

“Excellent,” he said and started to walk away.

“But!” she called out and stopped him. “Since he’s out of commission until tomorrow, do you think it would be okay for me to go over to the university today?”

“Do whatever you like, Ms. Morgan.”

“Thanks.” She smiled as he hurried off.

She went to her suite and changed clothes then waited half an hour. Making sure she wasn’t seen, she snuck up to Max’s suite. He was lying on the bed, his wrists and ankles secured in padded restraints that attached to the bed posts. His eyes were closed.

She closed the door behind her. “Max?”

His eyes popped open and he grinned at her. She hurried to the bed and unfastened the restraints. Max hugged her excitedly and she returned the embrace briefly then pushed him back. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?

Born ready
, he signed.

She smiled at the response. “Okay, meet me in the garage in ten minutes.”

He gave her the thumbs up and got off the bed. Nikki let herself out of his room and went downstairs. She stopped outside the door to the kitchen to listen to the conversation going on inside.

“The Westons are going to have a royal fit,” Louise was saying. “Especially Mrs. Weston. God only knows what this outburst will cost. Osgood, he nearly demolished the room.”

“Yes, yes, I know, I know,” he sighed. “But there’s little point in us informing them of it now. Best we clean up the mess, call the insurance adjuster and inform Mr. Weston once it’s been determined what the insurance will cover.”

“Yes, you’re right. If Mrs. Weston finds out she’s sure to have Maxwell committed immediately.”

“Maybe that would be for the best, Louise.”

“Osgood! I can’t believe I’m hearing you say that! You know—”

“Please, Louise, not now,” he interrupted. “Let it go, just this once. Have the staff start on the conservatory. I have to contact the insurance company.”

“And Maxwell?”

“I’ve restrained him. He’ll not awaken until tomorrow. Let’s all just let him be and turn our attentions to the tasks at hand.”

“Fine,” she agreed in a huff. “But this conversation isn’t over, Osgood Gaynor. Not by a long shot.”

“Of that, my dear, I am sure.”

Nikki found the conversation quite interesting. It was clear that the Gaynors knew something. Just as it was clear that Louise was the most sympathetic to Max. That might prove valuable.

She pushed open the swinging door. Louise and Osgood looked at her at the same time, both with expressions she read as them wondering if she’d overheard anything.

“Hi.” She gave them a smile. “I’m off to the university. Anything I can pick up or errands I can run while I’m out?”

“No, thank you,” Osgood answered.

“Okay, then I guess I’ll see you later.”

“Enjoy your outing,” Louise offered.

“Thanks. Bye.”

Nikki went to the servant’s garage. Her car was parked beside Osgood’s. Aside from it there were five other cars in the garage. She didn’t see Max anywhere. She wandered around the cars to see if she could spot him. When she didn’t, she returned to her car and got in.

She started the car, reached up to adjust the rearview mirror and yelped. Max’s reflection grinned at her in the mirror. She whirled around. “You scared the crap out of me!”

I’m sorry,
he mimed, acting contrite.

“It’s okay,” she smiled. “Now get down and let’s get out of here.”

He ducked back down onto the floorboard while she pressed the remote to open the garage door.

Luck was on their side. They didn’t encounter anyone on their way off the estate. As soon as they were safely on the road, Max climbed over the seat and buckled in beside Nikki.

“Get the address out of my purse,” she said as she put a CD in the player and cranked up the volume. It was one of Max’s favorites, Tool.

He found the paper with the address on it and handed it to her. She read it and put it in the ashtray on top of the coins she kept there. She reached over and gave Max’s leg a squeeze.

If she had known the effect that small gesture had on his libido, she would’ve been surprised. Any touch from her was like an instant turn-on for him. He hoped she didn’t see the bulge forming in his pants. A grown man should be able to control himself better than that. But he had no luck at all with it. She could just look at him and give him a hard-on and no amount of masturbation eased his hunger.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Nikki had grown adept at reading his expressions.

I want you so bad I feel like I’m dying
. He couldn’t communicate that to her as much as he wanted to, so instead he relayed “just nervous.”

“It’ll be fine,” she assured him.

They found Mark Robinson’s apartment building. It was large, luxurious and unfortunately for them, manned by a security guard inside the entrance. From the look in her face, Nikki hadn’t considered that.

“May I help you?” he asked when they entered.

“

“Uh…oh…sorry, I have the wrong place.” She grabbed Max’s arm and steered him back out of the building. “Crap!” she complained. “I never thought about there being a guard. Now what do we do?”

Worry,
Max signed.

“Huh?”

There were security cameras in the lobby.

Nikki felt like a bowling ball had suddenly appeared in her stomach. “Well…well, maybe that’s not a problem. After all, it’s not like he reviews the video of everyone who come in the building.

I hope you’re right,
Max signed, ending with his hands in a prayer-like position.

* * * * *

“Did you get it?” Nikki asked as soon as she entered Max’s room.

He nodded and motioned her over to where he sat at the computer. On one of the monitors was a blueprint. On the other was code she didn’t understand.

“This is Dr. Abernathy’s building?” she asked.

Max opened a new window on the second monitor and tapped in code. Nikki read the deciphered message.

I’ve figured out how to get in and out without being detected. But we have to do it at night,
the message read.

“All right!” She hugged him in excitement. “When do you want to do it?”

Tonight
, was his reply.

“Tonight? Max, maybe that’s pushing it a bit. Osgood’ll be coming up here to check on you in an hour or so, and if you’re not on that bed in those restraints our goose is cooked.”

What does that have to do with getting into Abernathy’s office?

She read his response and sighed. “Well, nothing, I guess. But I just don’t want to push our luck. Since you’ll be getting over the drugs don’t you think someone will be checking on you tonight?”

I have that problem taken care of.

He rose and hurried across the room to disappear into the closet. When he emerged again, he was carrying a life-sized inflatable man.

Nikki couldn’t help but laugh. “That thing’s hideous.”

Max let the doll fall to the floor and rapped on the keypad.
But effective. I use it when I want to visit Grandfather.