11
Eleven
“I found out who bought the lighthouse,” Christy said, walking into the back room of her salon and watching as Maddie pressed her reddened face to the fan in the hopes of getting some relief from the stuffy atmosphere. “What are you doing?”
“It’s hot in here.”
“The air conditioning doesn’t hit this room,” Christy said. “Come out to the main salon. It’s cooler out there.”
“I can’t do that when I’m trying to investigate something on the down low,” Maddie protested. “I’m trying to be stealthy.”
“You’re an idiot sometimes,” Christy muttered. “You’re going to love what I managed to find out for you, though.”
“I’m all ears.”
“So, I’m friends with Victoria Jackson and she’s the head real estate agent in the area,” Christy supplied. “She said that the lighthouse has technically been on the market for years, but no one expected it to move because the upkeep is extensive and someone would have to pile huge amounts of money into it to fix it up.”
“That makes sense.”
“She has no idea why the sign popped up out of the blue like it did – although she does have a theory, and it has to do with the body being found and people being desperate to unload it because of death cooties – but she also knew who bought it,” Christy said.
“You’re really dramatic sometimes,” Maddie pointed out. “It’s more fun when I’m not dying of heat exhaustion.”
Christy wrinkled her nose. “You should be nicer to the woman who just went out of her way to do you a favor.”
“You’re right,” Maddie said, instantly contrite. “What did you find?”
“David Bennet bought the building.”
Maddie stilled, surprised. “Seriously?”
“I knew you would find that interesting,” Christy said. “Apparently he walked into the real estate office yesterday afternoon and said he wanted to buy the building. He made an offer to the state and it was accepted in less than an hour. They were desperate to unload it and took a huge hit, but it’s not like anyone else was going to buy it.”
“Why would he buy that building unless … ?”
“He had something to hide,” Christy finished. “I’m right there with you. I can’t think of one other reason for him to buy that building – especially when the land beneath the building still belongs to the town.
“On that front, by the way, Victoria also had some information,” she continued. “She says that the state’s lease has to be enforced for however long the lighthouse is standing. So, David can own the lighthouse as long as he keeps the original structure and not have to pay the town a cent for the land it sits on. I don’t think they’re going to like that because it’s a prime piece of real estate, but we’ll have to wait and see how it shakes out.”
“I need to talk to him,” Maddie said.
“I think you should let Nick talk to him instead.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m going to let Nick talk to him,” Maddie said. “I want to do it first.”
“Are you sure that’s safe? He might be a murderer.” Christy didn’t look convinced.
“He’s working at the library in the middle of town,” Maddie reminded her. “I’m not going anywhere alone with him. There should be plenty of people around.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“I’ll be fine,” Maddie said. “I’m dying to know why he bought that property. Did I tell you we saw him last night? Not only is he dating Cassidy, but he also refers to her as his ‘girlfriend.’ Nick and I were in the water out by the lake and they walked by and made fun of us for skinny-dipping. They seemed happy to be with each other, which is good, but it was still a weird situation.”
“I think my head just imploded,” Christy said, grabbing the arm of Maddie’s chair. “That was so much information in a short amount of time I think … yup … that’s an aneurysm.”
Maddie made a face. “I went skinny-dipping. Deal with it.”
“You go skinny-dipping all of the time,” Christy countered, grinning. “This time you did it in a much more public place. I’m so proud of you.” She pinched Maddie’s cheek and shook it. “You’re coming out of your shell, Maddie Graves. You’re like one of those turtles Nick is always catching for you.”
Maddie had never considered the comparison, but it was apt. “We had a good time.”
“I’m happy for you,” Christy said. “Now go back to the part where Cassidy is dating David. After we saw them at the library yesterday, I figured they were together. I’m more interested in how it happened. Do you know how they hooked up?”
“David told Nick that he had a crush on her but didn’t do anything about it because she was dating Nick,” Maddie explained. “After Cassidy and Nick broke up, David ran into her and they got to talking and he asked her out.”
“Was this before or after Andrea Johnson went missing?”
“After, but he told Nick that he assumed she took off like everyone else kept saying,” Maddie replied. “This little move makes it seem like something else was going on, doesn’t it?”
“You realize Cassidy is going to pitch a righteous fit if you put her boyfriend in jail, right?” Christy asked, her pragmatic side taking over. “She’s going to think you did it on purpose.”
“I’d rather have her hate me than end up dead.”
“That’s true,” Christy said. “Wow. This town gets better and better with each passing day. First Maude and Harriet decide to be beauty queens, then you go skinny-dipping in public, and now Cassidy might be dating a murderer. It’s like we live in a soap opera.”
Maddie couldn’t share in her friend’s enthusiasm. “It’s not going to be so funny if Cassidy gets hurt again.”
“You can’t fix everything for her,” Christy said. “You can only do what you can do. You’re a strong woman, Maddie. You’re not omnipotent, though. Try to remember that.”
MADDIE was nervous as she approached David twenty minutes later. His back was to her as he studied a set of blueprints resting on the hood of his truck. She was almost upon him when he finally lifted his chin.
“Hey, Maddie,” he said, smirking. “How are you today? Are you feeling … refreshed?”
Maddie stilled, David’s pleasing tone throwing her. “I … what do you mean?”
David furrowed his brow. “I thought you were coming over here to beg me to keep my mouth shut about what you and Nick were doing in the lake last night,” he said. “Something tells me I’m wrong.”
“Oh,” Maddie said, visibly relaxing. “I don’t care who you tell about that.” She was surprised to find herself saying the words, but she realized she meant them. “We were just fooling around.”
“I know,” David said, grinning. “We saw the clothes on the beach.”
“I’m sorry if we … bothered you,” Maddie said. “We weren’t expecting to see anyone out there.”
“Why would that have bothered me?” David asked. “We were just surprised when we heard you in the water. We almost walked right past you, but then we heard the giggling.”
“Sorry.”
“Nick was the one we heard giggling,” David clarified.
Maddie couldn’t stop herself from chuckling. “We were … talking … about a few things.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” David deadpanned. “I often talk about things with a woman when we’re naked in the lake after dark.”
Something occurred to Maddie. “Cassidy wasn’t upset, was she?”
David tilted his head to the side, considering. “I don’t think so,” he said finally. “It wasn’t the most comfortable way for everyone to run into each other. It was funny enough that we could brush it off, though.”
“You and Cassidy seem happy together. I’m glad.”
“I’m sure you are,” David said. “That makes things easier for you and Nick.”
Maddie frowned. “That’s not what I meant,” she said. “If you
think I’m proud of the way Nick and I handled that whole thing … .”
David held his hands up in a placating manner. “I don’t want to get involved with that, Maddie,” he said. “I really like Cassidy, and I never doubted you and Nick were going to end up together. Can we just … leave that alone?”
“Absolutely,” Maddie said, nodding. “I actually didn’t come over here to talk to you about that. I almost forgot about it.”
David raised a challenging eyebrow.
“Okay, I didn’t forget about it,” Maddie said. “It’s just … I had something else on my mind.”
“What? Do you have a problem with the construction they’re doing on your house? I thought that was almost finished.”
“It is,” Maddie replied hurriedly. “We should be able to move into the master bedroom next week. We’re just waiting for the sink we ordered from Restoration Hardware.”
“So, what’s on your mind?” David prodded.
Maddie ran her tongue over her teeth as she considered how to answer. Finally, she dove in. There was no way to sugarcoat the question. “Why did you buy the lighthouse?”
Whatever question David was expecting, that wasn’t it. He widened his eyes and glanced around, as if making sure no one else was listening, and then lowered his head before speaking. “How did you know I bought the lighthouse?”
“I went up there for a walk this afternoon,” Maddie said. “I saw the sign. I was curious who would buy a lighthouse so soon after a body was discovered, so I asked a friend to make a call and she told me you were the new owner.”
“Does Nick know?”
“Not yet,” Maddie replied. “I’m going to tell him when I get home tonight. That’s not something you can keep secret in a town this size, David.”
“I know that,” David shot back. “It’s just … I kind of forgot the lighthouse was even up there. Once I found out Andrea’s body was discovered inside, I walked up there to take a look. That building has a lot of potential and I figured I could get a good deal on it. I made an offer – one I fully expected them to counter on – and instead they accepted it. Things moved a lot faster than I thought they would.”
“Why would you want that building?”
“I know why you think I want that building, and you couldn’t be more wrong,” David said. “That place has a great lake view and the building can be saved and turned into a magnificent show house. I want to live there eventually.”
“You want to live in the space where your girlfriend died?” Maddie was horrified.
“The interior would need to be completely gutted,” David said. “You would be surprised at how many places people have died inside. Didn’t your mother die in your house?”
Maddie took an inadvertent step backward. “That’s completely different,” she argued. “My mother died of natural causes. Andrea Johnson was stabbed in the chest and covered up with garbage. Whoever killed her left her there to rot.”
“And that’s tragic,” David said. “It’s still a great investment. I think I can turn that place into the home I’ve always dreamed about.”
“Some people might think what you’re doing is ghoulish.”
“Do you think that, Maddie?” David’s voice was chilly, his jaw set.
“Yes,” Maddie replied, opting not to lie. “I don’t know what’s really going on here, but I hope it’s not what I think is happening. I’m going to tell Nick what I discovered. You should know that I’m going to do it right away.”
“I would expect nothing less,” David said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Maddie met his gaze one last time and then left, casting the occasional glance over her shoulder to make sure he didn’t follow. David didn’t leave his spot, and he didn’t stop staring as she walked away. Maddie was almost to the next street when Cassidy stepped into her path in the middle of the town square, and she didn’t look happy.
“What were you just talking to David about?”
Maddie opened her mouth to answer and then snapped it shut. She had no idea how much she should tell Cassidy. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “It didn’t … end … how I thought it would.”
“Is this about us discovering you in the lake last night?”
“No.”
“Then what is it about?”
“You need to be careful, Cassidy,” Maddie said, choosing her words carefully. “You know David’s last girlfriend ended up dead in the lighthouse, right? He could be a suspect.”
“I can’t believe you,” Cassidy charged, shaking her head. “Isn’t it bad enough that you already took one boyfriend from me? Are you really trying to take another?”
“What are you talking about?” Maddie was confused.
“I know why you were over there with David,” Cassidy said. “You were flirting with him. You’re trying to steal him from me.”
“That isn’t true,” Maddie protested. “I’m in love with Nick. What would I possibly want with David?”
“I know what I saw,” Cassidy said, wagging a finger in Maddie’s face. “Don’t try to come between us. I won’t put up with you messing with my life a second time. You’ve been warned.”
Maddie watched Cassidy flounce off, dumbfounded.
What was that supposed to mean?
12
Twelve
“The coroner says that the blade used to kill Andrea Johnson could belong to at least three different models, and all of them can be bought at any store between here and Canada,” Kreskin said, dropping the autopsy file on Nick’s desk as he moved past him. “We’re not going to be able to track down a suspect through the weapon.”
“Have we considered asking the county to borrow their search dogs to search for a weapon up there?” Nick asked.
“That’s a good idea,” Kreskin replied, rubbing his chin. “We might not find anything, especially if someone dumped the knife in the lake, but we might luck out. I’ll give them a call.”
“We need to break this down,” Nick said. “On the surface, it would seem like the husband had the biggest reason to kill his wife. We need to go over their financials and figure out what Andrea would’ve been owed in a divorce.”
“Do you think he killed her because he didn’t want to give her half of his money?”
“I think money is always a motivator when it comes to murder,” Nick answered. “It sounds to me like Andrea was the one who would’ve had primary custody of Chelsea, too. That could play into it.”
“Chelsea is sixteen, though,” Kreskin said. “At most Rick would’ve been looking at a year and a half of child support. He’s the head groundskeeper at the resort. He doesn’t make great money, but he’s not suffering either. Would he really kill his wife rather than pay a year and a half of child support? Something about that doesn’t feel right.”
“Something about this entire thing doesn’t feel right,” Nick said. “When we sat down with Rick, for some reason he sounded sincere. I know we can’t go off feelings, but my gut reaction was that he was telling the truth.”
“He seemed genuinely surprised to find out Andrea was dead,” Kreskin agreed.
“He also seemed relieved,” Nick said. “I think the idea that Andrea might have run off for good without so much as saying goodbye to her daughter weighed heavily on him.”
“Not heavily enough to keep his girlfriend from sharing the bed he used to sleep in with his wife.”
“Yeah, the fact that he’s dating Monica Gardner doesn’t speak well of his decision-making skills,” Nick said. “I don’t know what to think. On one hand, Andrea was dating David Bennet. He never reported her missing. He moved on to Cassidy the first chance he got.”
“Does that bother you?”
Nick knit his eyebrows together. “That David didn’t care enough about Andrea to even look for her? Yeah, it bothers me a little. On the flip side, after five dates, I’m not sure I would’ve treated the situation any differently.”
“Not that,” Kreskin said. “Does i
t bother you that he’s dating your ex-girlfriend?”
“No,” Nick replied. “That makes me feel better because I hate worrying if Cassidy is going to pop up to make trouble for Maddie out of spite. If she’s happy with David, she won’t be fixated on me.”
“I can see that,” Kreskin said. “You’ve wanted Maddie for ten years. You didn’t think you could have her. Still, you must have cared about Cassidy a little.”
“I think Cassidy was a nice girl who didn’t deserve how I treated her,” Nick said. “I didn’t love her. I was incapable of loving her. I didn’t want to hurt her. I also didn’t really … want her.”
“And you feel guilty about that,” Kreskin surmised. “Listen, it’s not my place to tell you how to live your life. You have everything you’ve ever wanted. I know you’re worried Cassidy is going to end up hurt in this, and it’s not love propelling you. Guilt is a strong emotion. Don’t let your worry about Cassidy cloud your judgment.
“You can’t keep apologizing for being happy,” he continued. “I’ve seen you with Maddie. You two are cuter than two kittens in a toilet paper roll. Cassidy is an adult. If she’s made another bad decision, that really isn’t on you. It’s on her.”
“I know that,” Nick said. “Trust me. I wanted to wash my hands of her a long time ago. I wanted her and Marla kicked out of the Denton house when I found out they were there. Maddie was the one who didn’t want to make a scene. Her guilt is worse than mine, and in this situation, she’s the one who didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Things are going to work out the way they’re supposed to work out,” Kreskin said. “You should have faith in that.” He lifted his eyes to the door as it swung open, frowning. “Or you can ignore everything I just told you.”
“What are you talking about?” Nick asked, swiveling. “Oh, crap.”
Cassidy’s expression was murderous as Nick pushed himself up from his desk. He had no idea what was wrong, but he had a feeling things were about to tilt … again.
“I need to talk to you in private,” Cassidy said, her rage bubbling close to the surface.
Grave Discovery Page 9
