“Blackstone Bay is small, but people are usually in bed by midnight,” Nick pointed out. “We’ll obviously look for witnesses, but we need to prepare ourselves that they might not exist. Our first order of business is to find out if Mike’s ghost is hanging around. We’ll take it from there.”
Maddie nodded as she watched Nick shrug into his coat. “I’m on it.”
“Do you want to know what I find funny about this situation?” John asked.
“Not even remotely,” Nick answered.
“I’m going to tell you anyway,” John said, smirking. “I find it interesting that you need your girlfriend to do your job. When did that happen?”
Instead of being bothered, Nick merely shrugged as he grabbed Maddie’s mitten-covered hand. “As long as we solve it, why does it matter? Plus, well, I’m fine using Maddie’s ability to get ahead. That means I get more time to spend with her.”
“Ha, ha.” Maddie’s eyes lit with mirth as she taunted John, enjoying the way Nick smiled at her.
“You guys suck,” John muttered, annoyed his verbal blow didn’t land with the force he intended. “You’re so cute I can’t even tease you because you don’t care. That’s not fair.”
“Something tells me you’ll live,” Maddie said, patting his shoulder with her free hand. “On a side note, what did you get Christy for Christmas? A first Christmas gift can set the tone of a relationship for years to come.”
John scowled as he moved away from her and strode to the door. “Women are such busybodies.”
“It’s only going to get worse,” Nick called to his back. “Soon you will find that you want to take Christy on cases with you just so you can spend time together. You’ll be just as whipped as me.”
John made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat as he strode out the door.
“That was mean,” Maddie noted.
“That’s a brother’s prerogative. It’s fine.”
“Okay. Do you want to buy me some hot chocolate?”
“I want to buy you the world, Mad,” Nick replied, his eyes soft. “We’ll start with hot chocolate, though.”
“OH, I USED to dream about this stuff when I was in the city.” Maddie inhaled deeply, pressing her eyes shut as the heady aroma invaded her olfactory senses. “Starbucks has holiday flavors, but it’s not the same.”
Nick smiled as he watched her sip the candy cane hot chocolate, enjoying the way her face lit up as happy memories from their childhood ran through her head. They’d always loved candy cane hot chocolate and made a point to overload on it as often as possible during the holiday season.
Nick sipped his own drink and sighed. “I forgot how good it tasted.”
Maddie’s eyes sprung open. “How could you forget? You get it every year.”
Nick pursed his lips and shook his head. “I haven’t had it since the last time I had it with you.”
“Why not?”
“Because it wasn’t the same without you.” Nick had no idea why he was embarrassed, but he turned his head swiftly when he felt his cheeks begin to burn. He made a big show about watching the townspeople enjoy the opening of the winter wonderland, but he keenly felt Maddie’s presence as she shifted closer. “Don’t make a big deal about this.”
Maddie ignored the order. “I’m sorry.”
Nick shook his head and heaved out a heavy sigh before turning his attention to her lovely face. “Don’t be sorry. I don’t want you to be sorry. You can’t keep apologizing for what happened. It’s over, Mad. It’s done. We need to put it behind us.”
“Yes, but you went ten years without your favorite drink because of me.”
She was so serious that Nick couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “My favorite drink is sweet tea. I do love the candy cane hot chocolate, but only because it’s a novelty. It’s okay, Mad. Stop punishing yourself for leaving. You’re back. We’re good. Heck, we’re better than good.”
Maddie nodded, her expression solemn as she sipped the hot chocolate and rested her head against his shoulder. “I’m still sorry.”
“If you keep that up I’m going to spank you when we’re alone tonight,” Nick warned.
Maddie arched a challenging eyebrow. “Spank?”
“You might like it. I know I will.”
Maddie giggled, the sound warming his heart. “And here I thought you were going to put me on your ‘naughty’ list.”
“I might do that, too. If you’re not careful, you’re going to get a big lump of coal in your stocking.”
“I don’t care about gifts,” Maddie said, linking her arm with his. “I just care about spending Christmas with you. I haven’t had a good Christmas in ten years, Nicky. I was alone for seven of the last ten. The three that I wasn’t alone involved visits from Mom and Granny. This year is going to be magical no matter what because we’re together.”
Nick’s heart ached at the thought of Maddie spending Christmas alone. “Why were you alone?” The question escaped before he had a chance to think better about asking it. The last thing he wanted was a melancholy discussion on a happy night.
Maddie shrugged as she averted her gaze. “Mom always wanted me to come home, but I was afraid.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew if I saw you I would start crying and maybe I would never stop.”
“Oh, Mad.” Nick slipped his arm around her waist as he tugged her to him, burying his face in her mane of blond hair as he swayed back and forth. “Have you ever considered that if you came home even one of those years we might’ve made up then?”
“Yes. It makes me feel even guiltier. I have this pit in my stomach when I think about the harm I did to … well, everyone.”
“Maddie, I need you to let this go,” Nick murmured, stroking the back of her head. “I want this to be the best Christmas ever. That’s not going to happen if you keep letting guilt get in the way.”
“I know.” Maddie closed her eyes and let him hold her a minute before tilting her chin and smiling. The brilliant blue of her eyes smacked Nick in the face as love washed over him. “It’s going to be a good Christmas, right?”
“It’s going to be the best Christmas,” Nick promised, dropping a kiss on her upturned mouth before gathering her empty cup and tossing it in a nearby trash receptacle. “How about I make a deal with you? How does that sound?”
“I’m listening.”
“How about we check out the area where Mike died to see if you can find a ghost and then we go home and take one of those really hot baths you like? As much as I love a festival, this one is going to be running for days so we have plenty of time to enjoy it. I want to be alone with you.”
Maddie’s smile was sweet. “I think you just want to see if you can get me on your ‘naughty’ list.”
“That, too.”
“It sounds good,” Maddie said, rolling to the balls of her feet and smacking a loud kiss against his lips. “Can we get more hot chocolate for the walk home?”
Nick nodded. “We can get whatever you want.”
“Then let’s do it,” Maddie said, slipping her hand in his. “I want to spend some time alone with you, too.”
Nick tried to push thoughts of Maddie’s misplaced guilt out of his mind as they made the trek. It wasn’t easy. He’d forgiven her for their time apart, but a piece of his soul still pined for the time they’d lost together. He believed his admonishment, though. They had to put this behind them. They couldn’t keep dwelling on things they couldn’t change.
Nick stood close to Maddie when they reached the spot where Mike’s body was found. The festival workers did a good job cleaning up after the medical examiner left. There wasn’t even an inkling of a disturbance to ruin the winter wonderland ambiance.
Nick kept his hand on the back of Maddie’s neck as she glanced around, her face pensive as she chewed on her bottom lip.
“I don’t see him,” Maddie said after a beat. “That doesn’t mean he didn’t remain behind, but he’s not here right now.”
“It’s not the end of the world, Mad,” Nick said. “You can look again tomorrow. Let’s get our hot chocolate and go home.”
“Okay.” Maddie moved to head back toward the refreshment area, but Nick stilled her by grabbing her wrist.
“Maddie, I’m going to love you forever,” Nick whispered. “We’re together now. That’s the most important thing. Don’t let whatever it is you’re feeling ruin our first Christmas together as a couple. Please.”
Maddie’s eyes were earnest as she shifted them toward Nick. “That’s the last thing I want.”
“Good.” Nick pressed a series of kisses to her face, starting at her forehead and moving to both cheeks before finally ending at her mouth. “I love you, Maddie. You’re my whole heart.”
“I love you, too.” Maddie wrapped her arms around Nick’s waist and basked in his warmth for a full minute before separating. “Now let’s get our hot chocolate and take that bath. I bought a candy cane-scented bath bomb so we can smell like Christmas when we’re done.”
Nick chuckled. “That sounds like a plan.”
THE STRANGER stepped out of the trees to the right of the path as he watched Nick and Maddie go, his expression unreadable.
They were in love. That much was obvious. He had no idea who the man was, but Maddie was clearly in love with him. The way her face lit up every single time he opened his mouth … or looked in her direction … or even walked into a room was breathtaking and sweet. If he was any judge of character, the stranger believed the man reciprocated the feelings.
For some reason, that made him feel … better. He had no idea why, though, because the presence of a strong man in Maddie’s life would only make his task more difficult.
How in the heck am I supposed to do this?
5
Five
“How was your night?”
Maddie didn’t realize until she was setting up her festival booth the next morning that she hadn’t hung around long enough to see Christy and John together. She was curious about their relationship, but she preferred it when the effervescent redhead volunteered information because she wasn’t big on prying.
“It was nice,” Christy replied, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. “John is in town. He thinks he’ll probably be here all week.”
“I know. I saw him at the department yesterday. Since they’re down seasonal workers, they needed help on the Mike Robinson case.”
“Yeah, that’s weird, right?” Christy marginally sobered. “Who kills Santa Claus with a candy cane?”
“Someone who is clearly not in the holiday spirit.”
Christy couldn’t stop herself from snickering. “You have an odd sense of humor sometimes.”
“Look who’s talking.”
“Yes, but I’ve always had this sense of humor,” Christy pointed out. “Your sense of humor is still developing.”
Maddie wasn’t sure, but she was almost positive she should be insulted by the comment. “I’ve always had a sense of humor.”
“That wasn’t a dig,” Christy cautioned, holding up a hand in a placating manner. “I know you’ve always been funny. You’ve just been wary to show it until now because you’re shy. Nick is bringing you out of your shell.”
“I’m not all that shy.”
“You’re incredibly shy, but you’re getting better,” Christy clarified. “As for my night, it was great. I had candy cane hot chocolate with John and we walked around looking at the lights. It was fun. He’s a … charming guy.”
Maddie wasn’t sure how to read the statement. “All of the Winters men are charming,” she said after a beat. “John is definitely charming. He’s also a big pain in the butt when he wants to be.”
“Yeah, he told me that he tried to get in a few digs on Nick. Apparently Nick didn’t fall for them. I think that upset John more than you guys.”
“Probably.” Maddie blew at her bangs as she regarded her tent. She didn’t naturally think of Christmas as a time to read tarot cards and give hints about people’s futures, but her mother erected a stand every year and Maddie was determined to carry on the tradition. “What do you think?”
Christy followed Maddie’s gaze around the tent. Instead of the usual purples and oranges Maddie favored when decorating, the tent was illuminated with red and green lights and she’d even found her mother’s Christmas tablecloth. “It looks great. Olivia would be proud.”
Maddie’s chest warmed. “Do you think so?”
“I think your mother was always proud of you.”
“I hope so,” Maddie said, straightening. “I haven’t seen her in almost two weeks. I hope that means she’s merely building up her strength so she can hang around more when Christmas hits. She’s still getting used to the ghost ropes.”
“It’s weird that we’re even having this conversation, but I’ve learned to embrace your quirks,” Christy teased. “I’m glad you’ll be able to spend Christmas with your mother, even if it’s not in the manner in which you would like.”
“I’m glad, too,” Maddie said. “Now that Granny can feel Mom touching her when she exerts a lot of effort, it’s going to be a magical holiday. I can feel it.”
“This is when that nonstop optimism of yours really comes in handy,” Christy noted. “Most people love the holidays until they happen and then they remember why they don’t spend more time with their families. A lot of people fight over the holidays. That won’t happen to you, though.”
“Definitely not,” Maddie agreed. “Nick hid Granny’s gift at the station so she can’t find it, although I did catch her looking around the guest room this morning. She claims she was looking for an old tablecloth, but I’m on to her.”
Christy giggled. “Your grandmother is a pip. She makes me laugh.”
“She makes everyone who doesn’t live with her laugh.”
“Oh, she makes you and Nick laugh, too,” Christy chided. “You love having her around. I’m sure she’s a lot of work, but she’s still hilarious.”
“Yeah, well she’s got herself worked up because she thinks Harriet is trying to ruin the winter wonderland so she’s pretty much focused on that right now,” Maddie said. “I actually prefer it when she’s obsessed with Harriet because it means she can’t obsess about me. Her mind can only handle one obsession at a time.
“What about you?” she continued, changing course. “Have you decided what you’re going to get John for Christmas yet?”
“No, and it’s starting to freak me out,” Christy admitted. “What do you get the guy you’re kind of dating? I don’t want to go too big because it might chase him away. I also don’t want to go too small because he might get offended.”
“I believe John is always the one spouting the mantra that size doesn’t matter,” Maddie teased. “Just follow your heart. It’s good and solid. I doubt it will lead you astray.”
“Oh, that was almost poetic.”
“I do my best,” Maddie said. “I think we’re done here, though. Do you want to get some hot chocolate and walk around the festival with me? I’m hoping to find someone who has dirt on Mike Robinson. It’s Christmas and this is a tragedy, but I’m hoping John and Nick can solve it before the big day because I don’t want it to weigh them down when they should be reveling.”
Christy cocked an amused eyebrow. “Reveling?”
“That’s a word.”
“A weird word.”
“Oh, well, stuff it,” Maddie said, shooting her friend a dark look. “I’m going to put you on my naughty list if you’re not careful.”
“I don’t think that’s nearly as much fun as when Nick put you on his naughty list last night. Oh, you didn’t think I knew about that, did you? Blackstone Bay is a small town. There are eavesdropping elves everywhere.”
Maddie thought she should feel embarrassed by the realization that people knew what she was doing the previous evening, but she couldn’t seem to muster the energy. “I’m back on the nice list, in case you’re wond
ering.”
Christy giggled. “I had a feeling that was the case, but it’s nice that your sense of humor is making another appearance. Let’s get that hot chocolate and then ask about Mike. I have absolutely no idea who he was dating these days, although I think it’s a distinct possibility he ran out of women to hit on.”
“Did he really date that much?”
“Let’s just say that this particular Santa was running out of room on his list – whether it was naughty or nice – and leave it at that. I don’t like speaking ill of the dead, but Mike unwrapped his present for anyone who would look in his direction … whether they wanted to see it or not.”
“Eww.”
“Eww is right. Mike was a nice guy, but he was a total pervert.”
“SO I UNDERSTAND you were Mrs. Claus to Mike’s Santa,” Nick said, fixing Laura Brennan with a friendly look as she smoothed the front of her frock next to the Santa’s workshop display. “I don’t suppose you noticed anything off about him, did you?”
Laura shrugged, noncommittal. “I guess that depends on how you define the word ‘off.’” She had attitude and clearly wasn’t thrilled about being questioned by the police. She found any number of people and displays to garner her attention as she stared at a fixed point over Nick’s right shoulder.
“Listen, I know that Mike had a … um … certain reputation. Did he hit on you?”
“Mike hit on everybody.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
Laura heaved out a heavy sigh as she made a face. “Yes, he hit on me. He asked if I wanted to go back to his place and see his north pole up close and personal.”
Nick was a police officer, and he prided himself on being professional, but he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. “Oh, well, that sounds … delightful.”
“Then I’m telling the story wrong,” Laura said dryly. “It was pretty freaking far from delightful. In fact, it was fairly insulting. I’m married. I’m going to be a grandmother in three months. He just wouldn’t take no for an answer, though.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize Susie was pregnant,” Nick said, smiling. “Tell her congratulations from me.”
Grave Holiday (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 9) Page 4
