Chapter Ten
The next morning after breakfast, they went out to explore the island. They discovered a huge waterfall and an inland water hole in the middle of the island.
Exotic birds, crabs, turtles were all they could find. The kaleidoscope of flora and fauna endeared the place to Carol. Every time she saw some small animal, she squealed with delight. After exploring till lunchtime they returned home, exhausted. They both together made a one pot chicken and vegetable stew and ate it hungrily with crusty bread.
Max was working on his laptop after lunch and Carol lay down beside him with a book when his mobile phone buzzed. He got up and went outside to the patio and took the call. He agitatedly spoke on his phone and Carol was worried about any problems that he might be facing.
He returned after forty long minutes with a worried expression on his face. "What happened?" She asked him, worriedly.
"We have to return back to Vegas, Carol, " he said, with a grimace.
"Why?" She asked, not knowing what to expect. Some emergency might have come up else Max would never be ready to return back.
"Your friends have lodged an FIR with the police. They have filed an abduction charge against my name. The police have raided my house in Vegas. They had raided my office twice already. This is going against my reputation, Carol. We need to go back. You decide whether you wish to go back to your friends or stay with me as my wife. The decision is yours. No force, no obligations but even if you leave, I won't give you a divorce. I'm yours for life," he said, with an unhappy face.
Carol stared at him with her mouth hanging open. She knew what she wanted. Him. She couldn't go back to that empty life at college. She would miss him too much. Her heart already constricted at the thought of going away from Max. He claimed to be hers so she should also give herself to him. That was the best thing to do. She would keep in touch with her friends but she would stay forever with Max.
"Ok, so when are we returning?" She asked when she finally came back to her senses.
"In an hour, the helicopter will arrive to take us back. Let's wrap up everything here. My housekeeper will take care of the rest," he informed and Carol got up to go to the bedroom and pack their stuff up.
Max was disappointed that he would have to return so soon. Maybe he wasn't destined for so much happiness. She would go back to her college soon with her friends and he would die of heartache after she was gone.
Heaving a sigh, he helped pack up his stuff. He called his housekeeper who lived near the property and looked after the villa and the island for him.
They left in silence in an hour when the helicopter arrived. All excitement and wish to live had been drained out of Max's body and he just functioned like an automaton. They loaded the luggage onto the helicopter in silence and climbed aboard. The silence was too much to bear for Carol. She couldn't understand why Max was behaving like he was already dead inside. They were just returning to their home after a vacation right? It wasn't the end of everything.
After a two hour ride they alighted from the helicopter at the heliport and loaded their luggage onto a waiting car. Max drove them home. After a ten minute drive in silence, they reached home.
Max received a call from the police stating that they would be arriving in twenty minutes to his house for a testimony from Carol herself. Max agreed and they went inside the house to wait for the officers to arrive.
"How did they know we've arrived?" Asked Carol.
"My PA informed them as they were harassing the employees with their interrogations," informed Max. Carol felt sad for the troubles that he was facing because of her. She had to clarify with her friends that she was fine.
Max handed Carol her mobile phone, his face devoid of any expression. He didn't even look her in the eye. "Thanks," she said with a smile. Now she could easily inform her friends that she was back in Vegas and everything was fine.
"You can call your friends here," he said, as he stared at his own mobile phone.
"Yeah, I will," she said with a smile.
Max did not look up. His heart was breaking. His happiness would vanish with her departure. Now she would call her friends and they would come to take her back to Huntsville. He would again have to return to his wretched life. He couldn't sit with her anymore. He got up and went to the bar to get a drink for himself. He had to wash the constriction of his throat down before he broke down in front of her.
He had just taken two gulps of his drink when the doorbell rang. He rushed to the reception room to find that Carol had opened the door already. As he went into the room, two officers came inside.
They smiled at Carol and Max came forward to introduce himself. "I'm Maxwell Stephens and this is my wife Carol Spearman, " he said with a polite smile. The officers nodded towards Carol in acknowledgement as they shook hands with Max.
"I'm Undersheriff Joe McCartney and this is Assistant sheriff Paul Robinson of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department," one of them introduced.
Max ushered them to take a seat, "Yes, tell me what can I do for you, officers, " he asked courteously.
"We have an FIR as well as an abduction charge against your name Mr Stephens. The charges have been filed a few days back by Miss Spearman's friends. It states that you have abducted Miss Spearman and kept her forcefully with you against her will. Abduction is a punishable offence Mr Stephens. Being a reputable citizen, hope you are well aware of it," said the Undersheriff.
Max was quiet for a moment but Carol couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want him to face any punishment. "Sorry to interrupt you, officer. Since the charges are associated with me, I would like to say a few words here," she said.
All eyes turned towards her, "Go ahead, Miss Spearman, " said the Undersheriff.
