Grave Missteps

by Lily Harper Hart

  “That’s what I always say,” Marla lamented as she took a seat on the small wicker couch. “It’s annoying, isn’t it?”

  Harriet ignored her granddaughter and remained focused on Maddie. “Why are you here? I assumed it was about Maude, but now I’m starting to think otherwise.”

  “I’m definitely here for a reason besides Granny,” Maddie admitted, opting to sit in an uncomfortably rigid chair across from Harriet. “I’m here to ask you about Mildred Wilkins.”

  “I told her you weren’t friends with Mildred because I would know about that,” Marla volunteered. “She wouldn’t believe me.”

  “She wouldn’t believe you because it’s not true.” Harriet pursed her lips as Marla openly gaped. “I wondered if I would get a visit. I wasn’t sure if anyone remembered that there was a time – however brief – where Mildred had my ear.”

  “I didn’t know about it until someone mentioned it,” Maddie hedged. “The thing is, my understanding is that Mildred might have been pregnant. She would’ve been around forty at the time and friends with you. Can you confirm that?”

  “Why would you care if Mildred was pregnant?” Marla asked.

  “Because they’re trying to figure out who that girl they found belongs to,” Harriet barked, annoyed. “That must mean you still haven’t identified her.”

  “We know her name,” Maddie countered. “It’s Angel, in case you’re wondering. Communication isn’t exactly easy because she’s deaf but she claims Mildred was her grandmother. We can’t find a child on record for Mildred. However, someone swears up and down that Mildred appeared to be pregnant at one point about forty years ago. Do you know anything about that?”

  Harriet calmly sipped iced tea and stared out the porch window for a long beat before answering. “The girl is deaf?”

  Maddie knew she would have to give information to get information. She wasn’t especially happy about it, but she didn’t have a lot of options. “She is. She’s going to be tested because we believe she can hear some sounds and might be able to be fitted for hearing aids. She can also read lips. I believe she can speak, but so far she’s opted to communicate through sign language. It’s slow going when asking questions.”

  “I see.” Harriet tapped a wrinkled finger against her bottom lip. “Am I right in assuming that you believe Mildred gave birth and this child is really somehow her granddaughter?”

  The question caught Maddie off guard. “I’m not sure what I believe,” she admitted after some quiet contemplation. “I know that girl needs help. She’s going to need a permanent placement and if she has a mother out there … well … we need to find her.”

  Harriet let loose a long-suffering sigh. “I don’t want to help you on principle.”

  “You are going to help me, though, aren’t you?” Maddie was certain that was true, although she had no idea why.

  “I am.” Harriet bobbed her head. “I’m doing it for the girl. Heck, maybe I’m even doing it for Mildred, although things didn’t end well between us.”

  “Did she have a baby?”

  Harriet shook her head. “She was faking being pregnant.”

  That wasn’t the answer Maddie was expecting. “W-what? I don’t understand.”

  “I’m not sure I do either.” Harriet was resigned. “I just know that Mildred and I became friends because we both disliked Maude a great deal. We bonded because of it. I would never say we were especially close. We got along fairly well, though.”

  “And she faked a pregnancy?”

  “She did.” Harriet almost looked amused at the memory. “She told me she was going to do it. She said she didn’t want me to talk about it because people would be more likely to remember she was pregnant if she acted like it wasn’t a big deal, or maybe even that she was hiding it. That was all part of the plan.”

  What Harriet was saying made absolutely no sense to Maddie. “Are you sure she wasn’t trying to fool you?”

  “She stuffed her stomach with a pillow,” Harriet replied. “I watched her do it practically every single day for two months.”

  “But … why?”

  “She wouldn’t say. I honestly don’t know why she wanted people to think she was pregnant. That’s one of the reasons we fell out.”

  “Because you thought it was stupid to lie?”

  “Because I wanted to know what Mildred was going to tell people when the time for her to give birth had come and gone,” Harriet corrected. “I knew she had a plan and was doing something but, for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out the endgame. That drove me crazy.”

  “I can see that.” Maddie honestly understood Harriet’s frustration. “What happened then?”

  “Nothing.” Harriet was matter of fact. “We had a fight because she wouldn’t tell me what was going on. She basically cut me out of her life and never spoke to me again. She maintained the pregnancy ruse another month afterward and then she was suddenly thin again.

  “I heard people in town ask what was going on with her – whether she had a baby or lost it – but I always said I didn’t know because that was essentially the truth,” she continued. “I always wondered if she was crazy and theorized about what she was plotting, but I never got proper answers to my questions. It looks like you’re digging for the same answers now.”

  “Yeah.” Maddie had no idea what to make of the story. “I don’t understand why she would fake being pregnant.”

  “Join the club.”

  NICK WAS BURIED IN paperwork when he heard someone clear his throat near the door to his office. Even though he was annoyed at being bothered, Nick flicked his eyes in that direction and almost fell out of his chair when he recognized the man standing there. It was Steven Wilkins.

  “I didn’t know you were coming to town.” Nick scrambled to get to his feet. “We were going to call to give you an update – I swear it – but I guess things fell through the cracks.”

  Steven looked more amused than offended. “That’s okay.” He held his hands up in a placating manner. “I don’t want to bother you. I know you’re busy and you’re trying to put all this together. I got a call from the local funeral home, though. As Mildred’s only relative, apparently I’m the one who needs to make decisions about her funeral.”

  Nick hadn’t even thought of that. “Oh, wow. That’s got to be rough.” He gestured toward one of the open chairs across from his desk. “Have a seat.”

  “Thank you.” Steven was obviously uncomfortable as he glanced around the small office. “I figured I should at least head over here to talk to the funeral home director. I don’t know what insight I can offer – or if I should even be involved – but apparently there’s no one else.”

  “There really is no one else,” Nick confirmed. “We haven’t found anyone on Mildred’s family tree. I mean … you’re it.”

  Steven furrowed his brow. “That can’t be right. I remember going to family reunions when I was a kid. I didn’t have any cousins or anything – it was just Mildred and my father in their immediate family – but there were a lot of other relatives at the reunions. My father and Mildred had a lot of second cousins and the like.”

  “I’ll look into that.” Nick forced a smile that didn’t make it all the way to his eyes. “You look tired.”

  Steven’s smile was rueful. “So do you. I’m guessing you’re tired because you’re investigating my aunt’s murder, though, and I’m merely tired of racking my brain for things that might be able to help you. I haven’t been able to forget what you said.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “About the girl.” Steven tapped his fingers on his knee as he jostled his foot, a restless gesture that Nick recognized as frustration. “I had nightmares last night. I kept picturing a little girl – and I have no idea what this one looks like so I made up a face in my head – and she was trapped and screaming as she tried to get out of the house. It was horrible.”

  “It wasn’t quite that bad,” Nick countered. “There was smoke in her roo
m – I’m not going to lie about that – but she wasn’t near the flames. Whoever set the fire clearly didn’t know what he was doing because only the second floor was seriously damaged.”

  “That’s good, right? That helps you.”

  “It does,” Nick confirmed. “More importantly, general ineptness saved the girl and we have to be thankful for that.”

  “Can’t you just ask her who she is?”

  “We’ve been working on it.” Nick wasn’t sure how much information he should share with Steven. Ultimately, he decided holding back probably wasn’t a good idea. “She’s deaf.”

  “Deaf?” Steven’s eyebrows hopped. “As in … she can’t hear or speak?”

  Nick nodded. “We’re still trying to ascertain if she can speak, but she hasn’t yet so that leads me to believe she’s incapable.”

  “Oh, wow.” Steven’s expression twisted. “That has to be even harder for you than I realized. You have a witness who can’t communicate. Cripes. She just sits there and stares at a wall while you need answers about Mildred’s death. That has to be so frustrating.”

  “I didn’t say she couldn’t communicate,” Nick clarified. “She’s deaf, but she knows sign language. We have an interpreter staying with her at all times and that allows for conversation. It was a rough first night, but it’s gotten markedly better since then.”

  “Oh, really?” Steven brightened. “She’s talking to people? That’s good. What is she saying?”

  “Oh, well, I can’t go into that too much,” Nick hedged. “I know it’s difficult and you want answers – I can say without reservation that we all want that – but I have to protect the girl’s privacy.”

  “I understand.” Steven instantly turned contrite. “It’s just … I feel responsible for her.”

  “You shouldn’t. This situation isn’t your doing.”

  “No, but I’ve somehow been put in charge of my aunt’s funeral,” Steven explained. “I wasn’t expecting that. For some reason, it was easier to put the situation out of my head until that happened. Then I got a call and … well … here I am.”

  “You don’t have to take this on,” Nick pointed out. “You didn’t know her. You can back away and let whatever plans Mildred made stand.”

  “Except I don’t know if she made plans. That’s why I at least decided to drive over and have a meeting with the funeral director. I knew I would feel guilty if I didn’t and … well, I don’t especially like feeling guilty.”

  “No one does,” Nick conceded. “The thing is, you didn’t know her and this isn’t your responsibility. I understand wanting to do what you can because the guilt will eat you alive otherwise, but this seriously isn’t your responsibility.”

  “Whether it is or not, I feel like it’s my responsibility,” Steven argued. “I need to do this. I won’t be able to live with myself otherwise.”

  Nick considered pushing the issue further, but he knew it was a lost cause. If he were in the exact same position, he understood he would act the same way. “Well, let me know if you need anything. I don’t know how much help I can offer.”

  “I’m actually thinking about staying here for at least a night,” Steven admitted. “Can you point me toward a decent – and reasonable – hotel?”

  “Oh, sure.” Nick brightened. “The best one is right downtown. It’s off-season so it won’t be too expensive. It’s about two blocks that way.” He pointed for emphasis. “You can’t miss it.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Also, if you’re looking for dinner, there’s a great diner on the main drag,” Nick added. “My fiancée and I eat there several times a week. The food is really good. Like … comfort food, if you know what I mean.”

  “I know exactly what you mean.” Steven smiled. “I think I know where I will be eating dinner tonight.”

  “Have you been to the funeral home yet?”

  “That’s my next stop. I saw the police station and wanted to stop and see you. I thought maybe you would allow me to see the girl. I don’t know why I want to see her but … I guess I simply want to make sure she’s okay.”

  “I wish I could, but I can’t. She’s under the care of CPS right now.”

  “Ah, right. I just thought maybe I might be able to recognize her or something, at least pick up on similarities if she belongs to other people in the family.”

  Nick was intrigued despite himself. “I never thought about that. It’s a good idea, though. I’ll bring it up to my contact with the state and see if we can arrange something.”

  Steven smiled. “Anything I can do to help. That’s the most important thing to me. I want to be sure she ends up in a good place.”

  “We all want that. Trust me.”

  13

  Thirteen

  After another long day, Maddie and Nick opted for dinner at the diner. Maude was busy with her friends, casting a disdainful look over her shoulder when Nick asked her what they were plotting and then securely fastening her door rather than answering.

  Maddie didn’t care what her grandmother was up to. She figured plotting kept Maude young and she was all for that. She was also eager for someone else to do the cooking and after-dinner cleanup so she jumped when Nick suggested they head back to town. She had a lot of information to share – him, too – and it was easier to seclude themselves in their favorite booth than root through the refrigerator for something to cook.

  “You guys are back again, huh?” Ruby smiled as she placed glasses of water in front of them. “Do you know what you want, or do you need more time?”

  “I think we’re going to need more time,” Nick replied, inclining his head toward the door when the overhead bell jangled.

  Maddie shifted her eyes in that direction and audibly gasped when she saw John and Christy standing there. They were doing their best not to look at one another and Maddie could practically feel the annoyance wafting off her friend. “That doesn’t look good.”

  “It definitely doesn’t,” Nick agreed, raising his hand to get his brother’s attention. “Let’s see if we can help them fix it, huh?”

  Maddie wasn’t sure that was possible, but she readily agreed. “I didn’t call Christy today because I was afraid she would yell at me.” She moved to shuffle to one side so Christy and John could sit next to each other on the other end of the booth, but Christy stopped her from doing that by sliding in next to Maddie and forcing John to take the spot on the other side of Nick. That essentially meant Christy and John were separated from one another, but whenever one of them raised their eyes they would have no choice but to make eye contact.

  Reading the heavy tone between the couple, Nick cleared his throat as he slung an arm over Maddie’s shoulders and winked at Ruby. “Well, this is a nice surprise.”

  “Yes, it’s positively lovely,” Christy drawled, rolling her eyes.

  Ruby licked her lips as she glanced between faces. “What can I get you to drink?”

  “I’ll have iced tea,” Maddie replied immediately.

  “That sounds good to me, too,” Nick said.

  “Make it three.” John was morose as he snagged a menu from the center of the table. “If you have any bourbon in the back, throw a big shot of that in for taste, too, if you can manage.”

  Ruby’s eyes twinkled as she turned to Christy. “And for you, honey?”

  “Just water.” Christy’s voice was strained. “Apparently, now that I’m pregnant, I can’t drink anything with caffeine.” She focused on Maddie. “Did you know that was a thing? I certainly didn’t. How am I supposed to go without caffeine for the next eight months?”

  Maddie was unsure how to answer the question. “Oh, well, I was a nurse,” she said. “I had to study things like that. I think you can have a glass of tea here or there. You simply can’t have a pot of coffee to start each day.”

  Christy’s eyes narrowed until they were nothing but glittery slits. “So, basically you’re saying I can’t do what I love.”

  “Oh, well … .” Maddi
e broke off and chewed on her bottom lip.

  Since he had Damsel in Distress Syndrome, Nick gave Maddie’s shoulder a squeeze and opted to jump in and rescue her. “How did your appointment go earlier? What did you find out?”

  “I found out that I can’t have caffeine,” Christy groused, staring hard at her menu.

  “I see.” Nick flicked his eyes to John. “What did you find out?”

  John seemed more open to discussion, but he was clearly floundering because he constantly shifted as he tried to get comfortable in the booth. “She’s six weeks along,” John offered. “The baby is healthy, although Christy needs to take iron supplements and get a good night’s sleep. Other than that, we just know that she’s definitely pregnant and we’ll be looking at a Christmas baby.”

  Maddie brightened considerably. “Really? That might be fun.”

  “Oh, sure.” Christy sounded downright evil. “There’s nothing better than a baby born at Christmas. That won’t make the season uncomfortable or anything. I mean … I can barely walk on the ice as it is.”

  “Well … .” Maddie had no idea what to say to cheer up Christy. She’d never seen her friend this down. “It’s still a baby. You have to be at least a little happy about that.”

  Nick was almost afraid to hear Christy’s response, but when the energetic redhead raised her eyes he saw something else living in the depths of her tortured orbs. He was almost certain it was fear.

  “I am kind of happy about having a baby,” Christy hedged, making sure to avoid John’s pointed stare as she folded her hands in her lap. “I’ve had some time to think about it and I’m not as upset as I was. Sure, I still have to get used to it, but it’s not the end of the world.”

  “I never thought it was.” Maddie patted her knee. “I’ll help you. We can start planning a nursery. We can buy clothes. Oh, are you going to find out the sex of the baby beforehand?”

  “We haven’t decided yet.” Christy finally shifted her gaze so she could pin John with a dark look. “We have a lot of things to discuss.”