“And me,” Kreskin added. “A lot of people in this town love Maddie. She’s not alone.”
“I didn’t know that.” George was stubborn. “I’m glad she’s not alone, though. I would hate to think she was ever … lonely.”
“She was lonely all of the time when she was a kid,” Nick fired back, his temper getting the better of him. “She knew she was missing something no matter how hard Olivia tried to fill all of the holes in her life.”
“Son, this probably doesn’t mean anything to you … .” George adopted a soft and pragmatic tone, but Nick was beyond reason.
“I’m not your son!”
“All right.” Kreskin got to his feet and pressed his hand to the spot in the center of Nick’s chest. “Start interviewing the workers.”
Nick balked. “We’re not done here.”
“You are.” Kreskin firmly shook his head, proving he wasn’t in the mood for nonsense when Nick opened his mouth to argue. “Leave us to it, Nick.”
Nick stared at his partner for an extended beat before making a disgusted sound in the back of his throat and turning on his heel. Kreskin watched him leave, not so much as cringing when Nick slammed the door upon exiting.
“He’s full of himself,” George muttered, shaking his head.
“He’s honestly not,” Kreskin countered. “He’s a good man. He happens to love Maddie with his whole heart.”
“So I’ve noticed,” George said dryly. “Apparently they’ve known each other for a long time, huh? He mentioned Olivia. Did he know Olivia?”
“I’m not sure I should be telling you any of this given what you’ve done, but in an effort to save time … Maddie and Nick grew up together,” Kreskin offered, his eyes keen as they locked with George’s unreadable orbs. “They were best friends. Their mothers were good friends. Maddie and Nick were constantly together.”
“I … well … that’s interesting.” George rubbed his chin. “Does that mean she’s settling for him? Was she afraid to be alone after her mother’s death and decided to marry her best friend because he was safe?”
“Not even close,” Kreskin replied, his dislike for George Hunter growing by leaps and bounds. “Do you even know anything about Maddie?”
“I … know she’s a beautiful girl.”
“Yes. Anyone with eyes can see that.”
“I know that she clearly cares for this boy … and her grandmother … and seems a little fragile,” George added.
“Then you know absolutely nothing,” Kreskin shot back. “Maddie left town for college when she was eighteen, leaving Nick behind. She broke her heart and his in the process. They both went to college. They both got jobs. Nick came back here to be a cop. Maddie worked down in Detroit, only returning after Olivia died.”
“I … oh.” Realization dawned on George. “I thought she lived here her entire life. I didn’t realize she lived anywhere else.”
“Yes, well, that’s the sort of information that fathers learn about when they regularly talk to their children,” Kreskin supplied. “I’m going to warn you right now that trying to wedge yourself between Nick and Maddie is going to blow up in your face. They were miserable without one another and everyone in town seems to think they fulfilled some sort of weird destiny when they got together. There’s no breaking them up, if that’s what you’re after.”
“I have no interest in making Maddie miserable,” George said, his voice stilted. “I’m glad that she’s happy. That’s all I want for her.”
Kreskin’s gaze was weighted as he searched George’s face. “I’m not all that worried about what you want for her. I am worried about what you want from her, though.”
“Why would I want something from her?”
“Call it a hunch.” Kreskin ran his tongue over his teeth. “If you hurt her, Nick is only one of the people who will go after you. Think very hard about what you want from this situation, because if Maddie gets hurt in any scenario … .”
“I don’t want to hurt her,” George gritted out. “I simply want to talk to her.”
“You’d better hope that’s true.”
“Yes, well, is that all?” George arched a challenging eyebrow. “I believe I have plans for the day and you’re not included.”
Kreskin snorted, as if he heard a funny joke and George was the one telling it. “We haven’t even started yet. I’m not here to talk about Maddie.”
“You’re not?” George didn’t bother to hide his confusion. “Why are you here?”
“The owner of the Bayside Bed and Breakfast – Fran Livingston – was killed last night. I need to ask you a few questions.”
George swallowed hard, shifting gears smoothly. “I … well … okay.”
Kreskin considered himself a good judge of character and while he wasn’t sure of George’s motivations when it came to Maddie, he was almost positive the man appeared surprised to find out about Fran’s death. That could only bode well for Maddie and what was to come.
“Let’s get started,” Kreskin said. “I need you to account for your time yesterday … starting from eight and going throughout the night. We’ll start from there.”
“That sounds lovely. I can’t wait.”
7
Seven
“You didn’t have to do this.” Maddie shot Nick a rueful smile as he parked in front of the diner later that night. “I could’ve cooked dinner.”
“I’m perfectly fine letting someone else do it for us.” Nick grabbed Maddie’s hand and pressed the palm to his lips. “I just want to spend some time with you. Cooking is optional, but food is not … so I thought the diner would be a nice compromise.”
“I’ve had worse offers.” Maddie beamed as she leaned closer and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Up close, Nick looked weary. He almost never did. Today was a different story. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“About what?”
“Whatever it is that has you twisted up like this,” Maddie replied. “I’m not sure if it’s George Hunter’s return or Fran Livingston’s death that’s made you so unhappy but … I’m here to listen. You know that, right?”
“I do know that,” Nick confirmed, squeezing Maddie’s hand. “You’ve always been a good listener. In fact … do you remember that summer I told you I was going to grow up to be Batman? You agreed to help even though you thought I would make a better Aquaman. I’ve never forgotten that.”
Maddie snorted, legitimately amused. “I only thought you would make a better Aquaman because you swim like a fish and I think riding a seahorse is so much cooler than driving a car shaped like a penis.”
Now it was Nick’s turn to laugh. “That’s pretty funny … and the Batmobile isn’t shaped like a penis.”
“Then you’re not looking at it from the right perspective,” Maddie countered, giggling when he poked her side. “Do you want to talk about what happened this afternoon? I’m ready to listen if you’re ready to talk.”
“I’m not sure, Mad,” Nick admitted. “Part of me is upset about Fran. Her death was brutal … and really violent. We’re not used to something like that here in Blackstone Bay.”
“No, but I’ve seen some awful things throughout the years so I can kind of imagine what you walked into this morning,” Maddie said. “Do you think it was quick?”
“The medical examiner says it probably took her three to five minutes to die,” Nick replied. “That doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but when you’re the one who is dying you probably think otherwise.”
“Yeah.”
“Fran’s kids live down south,” Nick continued. “They won’t be here until late tomorrow so we won’t be able to question them until after that. The good news is that they already supplied alibis and they appear to check out. We have to dig deeper, of course, but there was no cash in the till so robbery doesn’t appear to be a motive. Sarah said they didn’t keep cash in the till.”
“Did you talk to the guests?”
Nick nodded, discomfort rolling
through him. He hadn’t mentioned the fact that George Hunter was staying at the Bayside yet and he wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.
“Are any of them suspicious?”
Nick knew he couldn’t put it off any longer, so he shrugged. “Mad, George Hunter is one of the guests.”
Maddie stilled. “Oh. I … oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Did you talk to him?” Maddie wasn’t sure how much further she should push Nick, but his melancholy mood made more sense given the new information.
“I did, but not for very long,” Nick admitted. “Kreskin kicked me out.”
Maddie widened her eyes. “He kicked you out? Why?”
“Because he thought I was getting a little too … vocal.”
“Were you?”
Nick couldn’t muster the energy to be affronted by the question. “Most women would immediately say that they know the man they love more than anything wouldn’t possibly be at fault in a situation like that.”
Maddie pursed her lips, amused despite herself. “I’m sure whatever you said was justified.”
“He’s just so … full of himself,” Nick complained. “He seems to feel as if he’s got a right to claim you.”
“Claim me?”
“You know what I mean.”
Maddie wasn’t sure she did. “Did he say anything about me?”
Nick recognized her tone even though she worked overtime to act as if she was barely interested in the man who abandoned her mother twenty-nine years before. He reminded himself that Maddie had a right to feel whatever she was feeling and it wasn’t his job to bias her one way or the other. “He simply said that he wanted to talk to you … and then suggested that I wanted to tell you how to live your life.”
Maddie’s mouth dropped open. “He did not.”
“He did.” Nick bobbed his head. “Mad, I don’t want to make excuses for him, but he obviously doesn’t understand how long you and I have been together in our hearts. As far as he’s concerned, he probably believes I’m some studly cop you stumbled across one day not very long ago and you impulsively decided to live your life with me.
“He wasn’t around when we were kids,” Nick continued. “He doesn’t know about the sleepovers – the ones we had before they got really fun, mind you – or the fact that we went trick-or-treating together every year. He doesn’t know about the camping … or the Petoskey stones … or the turtles.”
“He wasn’t present for that so how could he know about it?” Maddie hoped she sounded pragmatic rather than bitter. “If he thinks he can simply waltz in and suddenly become an important part of my life … well … he has another think coming.”
Nick studied Maddie’s striking profile, his heart inadvertently jolting. He could always read her and she was showing signs of weakening. That was her right, of course. His job was to be close when she needed him, and he had no intention of falling down on the job.
“Mad, if you want to get to know him, you can,” Nick offered, lowering his voice. “I will not stand in the way. In fact … I understand it.”
Maddie stared into his eyes, licking her lips as she struggled to make a decision. “I don’t know what to do, Nicky,” she admitted after a few quiet moments. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about what he had to say. I’m afraid, though.”
Nick gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid of a lot of things,” Maddie replied. “What if he’s here because he wants to steal from me … or get me to give him money?”
“You don’t have any money, Mad.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t know that. Maybe he thinks that Mom left me some big inheritance when she died.”
“I guess that’s a possibility,” Nick conceded. “I’m not sure I believe that, though.”
“Okay, what if he’s here because he wants to say something terrible about Mom?” Maddie pressed. “What if he wants to make me believe something about her that I know isn’t true.”
Nick realized they were getting closer to the heart of the matter, but Maddie still wasn’t ready to admit what was really bothering her. He refused to push her on the issue. “Mad, no one knew your mother as well as you did. Also, George Hunter obviously doesn’t know this, but your mother is around and you can talk to her if you have any questions.”
“Huh.” Maddie tilted her head to the side, disbelief washing over her. “You know, that hasn’t even occurred to me. I’ve been so caught up in me … and what I’m feeling … that I forgot the fact that my mother is still hanging around.”
“Yeah? I’m a little bothered by the fact that she hasn’t shown her face yet,” Nick volunteered. “She isn’t always around, but she always knows when you’re in trouble. If this isn’t trouble, I don’t know what is.”
“You have a point.” Maddie gnawed on the side of her thumbnail as she ran the scenario through her head. “Why do you think she isn’t around?”
Nick shrugged. “I don’t know. You make sure to ask her when she shows up.” Nick silently added that he was going to ask her himself when he was sure he was alone and no one could overhear. Olivia Graves might not be able (or willing) to answer him, but she’d have to talk to Maddie eventually.
Maddie nodded before shaking her head. “Can we focus on something else for the rest of the night? I just want to spend time with you and forget about the rest … at least for a little while.”
Nick nodded without hesitation. “Absolutely.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her plump lips. “I love you, Mad.”
“I love you, too.”
The couple jolted when someone pounded on the window, causing Nick to turn aggressive when he thought someone might be attempting to rob them. Instead he found his brother, John Winters, standing with a sloppy grin on his face.
Nick groaned as he shoved open the door and hopped out. “Do you have any manners at all?”
“Not really.” John smirked as Christy moved to his side. They’d been casually dating for a few weeks now, although they weren’t seeing anyone else. Maddie was convinced the relationship was a lot more serious than either Christy or John was willing to let on. “What fun are manners?”
“Whatever.” Nick extended his hand and drew Maddie to his side as he looked his brother up and down. “What are you doing here?”
“The same thing you are,” John replied. “We’re getting dinner, although … I didn’t think you guys ate out all that much. Weren’t you boasting just the other day that Maddie was a sexual and domestic goddess?”
Nick’s cheeks colored as he glared at his brother. “In private. I was boasting in private. That’s what brothers do.”
“Oh, well, you should’ve been clearer when explaining that to me,” John deadpanned. “It went right over my head.”
“I’m going to put a fist right in the middle of your head if you’re not careful,” Nick muttered, trudging toward the restaurant. “As for dinner, no one was in the mood to cook.”
“I want comfort food,” Maddie admitted. “I don’t feel like cooking it myself, though.”
“Hey, I never feel like cooking,” Christy intoned. “John is well aware that I will never be a domestic goddess.”
“That’s okay.” John’s grin was cheeky. “You can put all of your efforts into being a sexual goddess. I’m fine with that.”
Maddie bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as Christy’s cheeks flushed with color. Even Nick looked amused at Christy’s obvious discomfort. The foursome walked to the restaurant in quiet camaraderie, opting for the circular booth in the corner as they grabbed menus and got comfortable.
John waited until Maddie and Nick were settled, both looking at menus, before opening his mouth again.
“So, Maddie, I hear your good-for-nothing father is back in town. How is that going?”
If looks could kill, John would’ve been rendered dead by Christy and Nick at the exact same moment. Instead of
scowling, though, Maddie merely shrugged. “I don’t know how to feel about it.”
“And we agreed to leave it alone for the rest of the night,” Nick growled, his annoyance obvious. “Why would you possibly ask something like that?”
“And to phrase it like that?” Christy added, slapping his knee. “I know I tease you that I enjoy how uncouth you are but … come on. You need to think before you speak every so often. This would be a time when that ability would’ve come in handy.”
John had the grace to look abashed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would be a big deal. I assumed you kicked him out of the house and had a good laugh at it.”
“You assumed we had a good laugh at it?” Nick loved his brother, but there were times he was certain that John was short a sensitivity chip. He never thought before he spoke, which was a bad trait for a Michigan State Police trooper to possess. “Why would you assume that?”
“Because … I mean … he abandoned her.” John cast a desperate look in Christy’s direction, clearly searching for a lifeline. “The fact that he would come back after all of this time and assume that Maddie would just forgive him is ludicrous.”
Nick shook his head as he slid his arm around Maddie’s shoulders. “How about we get two comfort meals and share them?”
“What did you have in mind?” Maddie asked, steadfastly avoiding John’s gaze. She was afraid that if she looked him directly in the eye that she would have an inappropriate reaction … and it wasn’t the one everyone expected.
“I was thinking you could get the fish and chips and I could get the chicken dinner,” Nick replied, not missing a beat. “I’ll get mashed potatoes. You get fries. I’ll get the vegetable. You get coleslaw. We can mix and match.”
Maddie smiled. “That sounds like a plan.”
“Wait … you’re not going to forgive him, are you?” John refused to let the previous conversation dwindle and die, which irritated Nick to no end and embarrassed Christy. Finally, Maddie was the one who took pity on him.
“I have no idea what I’m going to do, John,” she admitted. “I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t know. I honestly don’t know. It hurts my stomach to think about it.”
Grave Haunting (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 10) Page 6
