Maddy's Floor
be an expert. "Better than a donut."
     
    The stranger's hands fisted on his hips and his forehead creased as he scowled at her. "How'd you know I was a cop?"
     
    Surprised, she arched a brow. "I didn't." She smirked, feeling on a more equal footing. "Maybe that's your guilty conscience talking, Officer."
     
    "Detective."
     
    Maddy acknowledged his title with a nod. "So why is a detective hiding out in the stairwell of The Haven?"
     
    He snorted. "I'm hardly hiding, and I definitely was not expecting to be mowed down. I'm visiting my aunt and checking on my uncle's application to transfer in."
     
    "Ahh, I can understand that. Good luck." She checked her watch. So much for making up lost time. "If you'll excuse me, I have to run." She grimaced at the automatic turn of phrase.
     
    "Right. Back to full speed, I presume." He stepped aside.
     
    Maddy walked up the last flight of stairs at a more sedate pace. She couldn't resist looking over the railing for one last glimpse of the stranger, disappearing below.
     

***
    Drew continued down the last few stairs, his mind consumed with his 'run-in' with the intriguing mystery woman. She'd worn no nametag, had on no jacket to identify her role in this mausoleum, but her height was a definite clue that would help him find out who she was. He should have come right out and asked her, except he'd been lust-struck by the sight of the six-foot Amazon running barefoot in such a wild fashion up the stairs. And that flash of red and black lace peeking through the buttoned-up blouse – yeah, mega sexy.
     
    How odd. He was usually drawn to petite women. Then again, he also went for the helpless take-care-of-me-because-I-can't-do-it-myself type.
     
    He snorted at his folly. Drew glanced up the stairwell. His mystery woman had vanished.
     
    Though tempted to chase her down for her name and number, he held back. In an all-out race, she'd probably leave him eating her dust.
     
    Still his fingers flexed as if remembering what had slipped through their grasp.
     
    Drew walked down the remaining flights, his mind locked on her. Could she be the elusive Dr. Madeleine Wagner? He'd pictured her as a stiff professional with high-buttoned shirts and thick-rimmed glasses that hid a deep intelligence, not a barefoot, lingerie-loving wild woman flinging herself around the stairwell with complete abandon. How was he to reconcile the two halves to the whole?
     
    If she were Dr. Maddy.
     
    Aunt Doris had been here for close to a year. In that time, Drew had come to respect the staff and the facility. Uncle John, with his rapidly declining health, should be happy during his last few months here – if he could get in. Then again, his uncle was another wild card. He demanded and expected everyone else to hop to it – even though he'd retired a few years ago. Of course, he'd been forced to retire and that stilted his view of 'retirement.' John McNeil would still play the role of the 'chief of police' until the last breath left his body.
     
    Uncle John had run roughshod over everyone all his life and he wasn't about to stop now. If the old guy could arrange life to suit him better, he'd do it.
     
    Drew reached the busy parking lot. His uncle was a challenge, but he was family and that had to count for something.
     

***
    Maddy reached her office with barely enough time to clean up, calm down and grab her notes before her appointment. Today was important. The board meeting needed to go her way. Though she was progressive in her thinking, she was settled in many parts of her life…and change, for her, wasn't something that happened easily. Maddy wanted to stay exactly where she was – on the top floor – with her patient roster exactly as it was. She'd written the Board a nice letter explaining her reasons…that she understood their budget problems, but that if she had to take on more patients it would not be possible to maintain the quality of care each deserved.
     
    Still, if it came down to the

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