The Maureen Persona

Chapter11

Chapter 11

The ride back to Lenore's house was uneventful, except for slow traffic due to road construction. When Megan entered the house she saw a worried Jonathon pacing around the living room.

“Were any other apartments broken into?” Jonathon spoke urgently into the mouthpiece of his phone. “Are you certain?”

“Jonathon?” Megan mouthed to her assistant. He put his palm over the mouthpiece and told her he’d fill her in when he got off the phone.

"Call me back as soon as you find out," Jonathon disconnected the call. Shaking his head, Jonathan motioned for Megan to sit on the sofa.

“What happened?” Megan sat with a creased brow creased.

“It seems someone broke into your apartment a few days ago,” Jonathon took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

“What?” Megan’s hand flew to her mouth. “How did they get in?” Megan asked as her hands started shaking.

"Whoever it was used an emergency bypass code to enter the building. According to the lieutenant I spoke to, your apartment was the only one broken into."

“What does that mean?” Megan asked but deep in her heart she already knew the answer.

“They think you were targeted,” Jonathon pulled Megan into his arms when her face drained of all its color. “I’m just glad you weren’t there when they broke in.”

“So am I,” Megan gripped Jonathon’s shirt and bit her lower lip. “Do you think it was someone looking for Maureen?”

“I don’t think so,” Jonathon shook his head. “The apartment is in Megan’s name. Whoever broke in was looking for Megan Witherspoon, not Maureen Withers.”

“There is no way I’m going to be able to go back there,” Megan shook her head.

"I know," Jonathon tightened his arms around her resting his chin on the top of her head. "I'll contact a realtor about finding you another place. Until then you can stay at a hotel unless you'd rather stay someplace else."

“I don’t know,” Megan shook her head. “I’m tempted to extend my stay here.”

"If that's what you want," Jonathon rubbed her back as her shaking significantly decreased. "I'll talk to Lenore about adding a few more weeks to our stay."

"Thank you, Jonathon," Megan released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

“And I hope you never have to find out,” Jonathon smiled.

*

Lenore was ecstatic when Jonathon requested an extension on their stay, nothing could please her more than having her best friend in town. It appeared that the house would be available for the next six weeks. That gave Megan enough time to find new accommodations in New York.

An extended stay meant that Megan would not be present for the auction. Mrs. Honeywell was disappointed but was understanding. She assured Megan that she would inform the bidders that factors out of her control prevented Maureen from attending the auction in person.

A week before the wedding Megan received an invitation to Renee's wedding shower. At first, Megan didn't want to go but after some persuasion from Lenore and the bride-to-be herself Megan reconsidered. It would be the perfect time to give Gerald and Renee their wedding gift without revealing her Maureen identity.

“Are you sure you can handle Mr. Whiskers,” Megan asked as she picked up the large box containing her give to Gerald and Renee.

“Yeah,” Jonathon nodded as he rubbed Mr. Whiskers under the chin. “Mr. Whiskers and I are becoming fast friends.” Mr. Whiskers responded with a meow and settled his head on Jonathon's lap.

“Don’t forget to contact the realtor,” Megan reminded him.

“I won’t,” Jonathon picked up his phone. “She texted me five minutes ago and already has several places she wants you to look at. One of them is close to my place.”

“Sounds good,” Megan looked out the window.

"Do you want me to reschedule your appointment with Donavan?" Jonathon asked as he looked his phone at it buzzed an email alert.

“You probably should, Donavan does not like Zoom meetings,” Megan turned her attention to an unfamiliar car pulling into the driveway. “Oh my God,” Megan stuttered. “It can’t be Megan stepped back from the window stumbling as she hurried to her bedroom and slammed the door shut.

“Megan,” Jonathon stood concerned about the sudden change in Megan's behavior. "What's wrong?" Jonathon knocked on the bedroom door before opening it.

"It's," Megan started shaking. A knock on the door caused Megan's shaking to become violent. "Don't let him in," Megan looked up at Jonathon with tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Who?” Jonathon asked as Mr. Whiskers jumped on Megan’s lap nuzzling her hands.

“Salvador,” Megan breathed as she pulled Mr. Whiskers into her arms and held him close.

“Salvador?” Jonathon felt his pulse start to race.

How had Salvador found them? There was no way unless he was somehow behind the break-in of Megan's apartment, but how was that possible, the apartment was in Megan's name, and Salvador only knew her as Maureen. The only thing he could think of was that somehow without their knowledge Salvador had discovered Megan's true identity, or at the least suspected that Megan and Maureen were one and the same.

“I’ll take care of him,” Jonathon placed a reassuring hand on Megan’s shoulder before rubbing Mr. Whiskers softly on the head.

Jonathon quietly closed the bedroom door and started toward the front door. Taking a deep breath to calm himself he opened the door with a smile. The last thing he wanted was for Salvador to suspect he knew what had transpired between him and Megan at Amy and Jackson's anniversary party in New York.

“Salvador,” Jonathon said standing in the doorway. “What are you doing here?”

"Isn't it obvious," Salvador took a step forward to gain entry to the house, but to his surprise, Jonathon did not move. "I've come to talk to Maureen."

“Maureen isn’t here,” Jonathon stated with a fake smile.

“What do you mean she isn’t here?” Salvador looked past Jonathon’s shoulder into the living room.

"Just what I said," Jonathon leaned slightly to the side preventing Salvador from looking past him. "Maureen isn't here, and even if she was you don't have any business with her, or did you not get the message I left your assistant canceling the artwork you commissioned last month."

“I’ve come to see if she will reconsider,” Salvador crossed his arms and glared at Jonathon.

“I’ll pass along the message,” Jonathon started to close the door only to have Salvador hold up his hand and prevent the door from closing.

"Where is she?" Salvador's eyes shot fire as hissed through clenched teeth.

“She’s on holiday, I think she went to visit some friends back home,” Jonathon said before forcing the door closed. “She’s going to be gone a few months maybe longer.”

“You don’t expect me to believe that do you?” Salvador sneered.

“I don’t really care what you believe,” Jonathon shrugged closing the door in Salvador’s face and turning the deadbolt. He looked out the window as Salvador marched back to his car and recklessly speeded down the street. Shaking his head, Jonathon went to Megan's bedroom and gently knocked on the door announcing himself before entering. Looking around Megan was nowhere to be found. He started toward the bathroom when he heard the loud purr of Mr. Whiskers coming from the closet.

"Megan?" Jonathan cautiously opened the closet door. Looking down, he saw Megan curled up in a fetal position with tears streaming down her face. "He's gone," Jonathon bent down and picked her up carrying, her bridal style to the bed. "I told him Maureen would be away for several months.”

"Thank you, Jonathon," Megan stammered as she held on to Mr. Whiskers as he nuzzled her cheek. "How did he find me?"

“I don’t know,” Jonathon shook his head. “But I’m going to find out.”