Grave Homecoming (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 1)

by Hart, Lily Harper

  “I know … but … .”

  “Are you telling me you and Nick never once steamed up a window?” Christy asked. “Not once?”

  “How many times do I have to tell you … ?”

  “You were just friends, I know,” Christy finished. “Still, there was all that sexual tension between the two of you.”

  “There was no sexual tension.”

  “Oh, you’re so … Little House on the Prairie.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you need to be felt up in a car,” Christy replied, not backing down. “I’ll make sure Nick is aware of your needs.”

  “Don’t you dare mention this to him!”

  “I still don’t know what we’re doing here,” Christy admitted.

  “I needed to find Jennifer.”

  “Because she’s in danger?”

  Maddie bit her bottom lip. “Yes.”

  “And how do you know that?”

  “I … I just do.”

  “Okay,” Christy said, not pressing the issue. “We need to figure out which car is Dustin’s.”

  “You don’t know?”

  Christy shook her head. “I’m up on the teen gossip. I don’t know what they’re driving. I barely know what I’m driving.”

  “Well … how do we figure out who is in each car?”

  Christy shrugged. “There’s only one way I know.” She stalked up to the first vehicle – a rundown Ford Escort – and banged on the window. “Excuse me.”

  When no one immediately answered, Christy rolled her eyes and banged again.

  “Is it them?” Maddie asked, refusing to move closer to the Escort. She was mortified to be doing this, but she didn’t see a way around it.

  “I can hear you in there whispering,” Christy said, tapping on the window with rampant enthusiasm. “I’m not going to tell your parents. I just need to know who is in here.”

  Finally, the window lowered. “What do you want?”

  “Oh, Hannah Nelson and Aidan Graham,” Christy said, studying the occupants for a second. “I didn’t know you two were dating.”

  “Do we get an award?” The voice coming out of the car was male.

  “Nope,” Christy said. “I’m actually looking for Jennifer Stilton and Dustin Bishop. Are they in one of these cars?”

  “Why the hell would I tell you?”

  “Well, Aidan, if you don’t, I’ll tell your mom that you were up here feeling up Hannah when you were supposed to be playing basketball at open gym at the high school,” Christy said. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to be doing? That’s what your mom told me when she was in the salon yesterday.”

  “I was not feeling her up!”

  “Just tell me if Dustin and Jennifer are up here,” Christy said. “I’ll leave you alone.”

  “I have no idea,” Aidan shot back. “You must be some sick pervert or something if you’re up here getting off on watching teenagers make out.”

  “I thought you weren’t doing anything,” Christy challenged, hands on hips as she bent down to get a better look inside of the car. “You’d better brush your hair before you go home, Hannah. It’s clear you haven’t been at the library.”

  “I … we were just wrestling.”

  Maddie snickered.

  “Well, it looks like Aidan was winning,” Christy said. “So, you really don’t know which car is Dustin’s?”

  “No.”

  “Fine,” Christy said, straightening. “Oh, and Hannah, your shirt is on inside out.” Christy rejoined Maddie behind the cars. “I guess we’d better move on to the next one.”

  “You’re going to do that again?” Maddie was flabbergasted.

  “Do you have another idea?”

  “No.”

  “Do you want to tell me what’s really going on?”

  “I … can’t.”

  “Then we have to do what we have to do,” Christy said, moving to the next car to repeat the process. “Open up in the name of the law!”

  The window rolled down.

  “Oh, David Johnson and Cara Porter,” Christy said. “I thought you two broke up.”

  Maddie tuned the rest of the conversation out. She had no idea how Christy was up on all the teen happenings, but it was fairly amazing. Maddie scanned the four remaining vehicles for a hint, and when a flash of movement at the far end of the bluff caught her attention, she moved toward it.

  Even though it was dark, the ambient light from the town filtered up the hill and allowed Maddie to differentiate between the shadows at the tree line. One of the shadows was different. It was human. Kind of.

  Maddie sucked in a breath when she realized what she was looking at. “Sarah,” she murmured.

  “Cara, it’s very important that you understand that you don’t have to sleep with a boy to keep him interested.” Christy was in the middle of a diatribe, and Maddie didn’t want to interrupt her, so she started moving toward Sarah on her own. “Twenty seconds of loving from a boy – and I’m being generous – is not worth giving up your self-esteem. If he broke up with you because you wouldn’t sleep with him, that means he’s a jerk.”

  Maddie skirted the cars until she was hidden beneath the overhanging boughs of the towering pine trees. She’d lost sight of Sarah, but she had a feeling she was still there. “Sarah?”

  “You’re the woman who found me in the alley.”

  Maddie heard the raspy voice before she registered Sarah’s filmy countenance again. She’d moved a few feet back, which Maddie was thankful for. “Why are you out here?”

  “He’s watching.”

  Maddie stilled, dread washing over her. “Who is watching?”

  Sarah tilted her head to the side. “He’s looking for someone new.”

  Maddie was having a hard time following Sarah’s train of thought. Could the woman not hear her? Was she still grappling with her new reality? Was she following whoever had hurt her?

  Since her interaction with ghosts wasn’t limited, Maddie had learned a few tricks over the years. She needed to get Sarah to focus.

  “Do you know what happened to you?”

  Sarah shifted her gaze from the cars and let it settle on Maddie. The stark sadness reflected on the woman’s face was heartbreaking. “I died.” She was matter-of-fact.

  “Do you know how?”

  “I was stabbed.”

  “Do you remember who did it?” Ghosts are never the same. Some know exactly how they died. Others need time to come to grips with the tragedy, so they refuse to remember. The worst ones are those who can’t remember the actual death, and yet they’re still bitter anyway. Maddie had no idea what category Sarah would fall into.

  “My memory has … holes.”

  “That’s understandable,” Maddie said, her tone calm. “I’m sure it was traumatic.”

  Sarah barked out a hoarse laugh. “Isn’t death always traumatic?”

  “If you’re not expecting it, yes,” Maddie said. “I think some people welcome death.”

  “That’s because they weren’t ripped out of a life they weren’t done living yet.” Sarah was definitely bitter.

  Maddie chose her next words carefully. “What can you remember about the time right before you died?”

  “Nothing,” Sarah said. “I … it’s hard to keep track of things now. It’s like I know I’m supposed to be doing something, but I just can’t remember what.”

  Maddie pursed her lips. “Why are you out here tonight?”

  Sarah’s face pinched as she concentrated. “I can’t … I’m not sure. Why are you out here?”

  Maddie saw no sense in lying. “I’m trying to find a teenage girl,” she said. “I gave her a tarot card reading this afternoon, and I’m afraid something bad is going to happen to her.”

  Sarah’s face brightened. “Are you a psychic?”

  “I … yes. Kind of.” Maddie wasn’t sure how to explain the “peculiarity.”

  “It’s too bad I couldn’t have met you
before I met … him.”

  “Who?” Maddie pressed.

  “I can’t quite remember,” Sarah admitted. “I know he’s dangerous. I just can’t remember who he is.”

  “You said he was watching.”

  “He is.”

  Maddie scanned the cars again. “Is he in one of these cars?”

  Sarah shook her head … confused. “I don’t know.”

  “I have to find Jennifer,” Maddie said. “It’s really important. She’s with a boy named Dustin. Do you know what car they’re in?”

  “No.”

  Maddie swallowed her sigh. “Well, I have to find her. Find me at my house. It’s the big one on Park Street at the north edge of town. We can talk more then.”

  Sarah couldn’t be Maddie’s priority right now, and while she didn’t want to abandon the tortured soul, she had more pressing matters to deal with. Maddie swiveled back to the cars, pulling up short when she saw Christy standing a few feet away watching her.

  “What are you doing?”

  Maddie’s cheeks were burning as she tried to come up with a suitable explanation. “I … .”

  Christy arched an eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you need more time to think of a lie?”

  Maddie considered the question. “That would be great. Thanks. Have you checked this car?” She pointed to the nearest one.

  “No. I was just about to when I realized you were missing.”

  “I wasn’t missing,” Maddie said. “I was just … exploring.”

  “The woods?”

  “I … yes. Come on. We have to find Jennifer. She’s in trouble.”

  “Did the trees tell you that?” Christy asked.

  Maddie ignored the question and strode up to the car. She squared her shoulders. If Christy could find the courage to interrupt pawing teenagers, there was no reason she couldn’t do the same. She rapped on the window. “Open up please.”

  Christy watched with mild interest.

  When nothing happened, Maddie knocked on the window again. “Can you please roll the window down?”

  “Go away.” A boy had issued the admonishment, but Maddie didn’t know if it was the boy she was looking for.

  Maddie glanced at Christy, sending a mental plea for help as she considered her options. Christy remained still.

  “I just need to know if Jennifer Stilton is in this car,” Maddie said.

  The teenagers inside whispered for a few seconds. Then the male voice answered. “There’s no Jennifer Stilton here. Try the library.”

  “Oh, okay,” Maddie said, biting the inside of her cheek as she considered her options. “Maybe we should check the library?”

  “Oh, good grief,” Christy said. She stalked to the window of the car and started pounding on it. “Open up right now or I’ll call your mothers.” Christy scorched Maddie with a look. “You need to get some balls.”

  “I’m sorry,” Maddie muttered. “I’ve never done this before.”

  “Do you think I’ve done this before?”

  “You seem like you have.”

  “Well, I haven’t,” Christy said. She pounded on the window again. “I will start this car on fire if you don’t roll this window down.”

  Maddie was impressed with Christy’s moxie.

  “I’m calling the police.” The boy in the car was doing all the talking. That made Maddie think they’d found the right couple.

  “Go ahead,” Christy said. “I think it’s a good idea.”

  Her response must have surprised the boy, because Maddie could hear him whispering again. “Listen, you crazy bitch, I’m not joking with you,” he said after a moment. “I’m calling the police.”

  “Good,” Christy said. “I’m sure the police would love to talk to your parents about what you’re doing up here, Dustin.”

  The window dropped. Maddie didn’t recognize the boy, but Christy clearly did.

  “What do you want?”

  “I want to talk to Jennifer,” Christy said, not missing a beat.

  “She’s busy.”

  “Oh, please,” Christy scoffed. “I’m sure she’ll let you put your hand up her shirt again in a few minutes.” Christy hunkered down and stared through the window. “Jennifer, could you come out here please?”

  “What did I do?”

  “You didn’t do anything,” Christy said. “My friend just wants to talk to you.”

  Maddie watched as Jennifer peered around Christy and focused on her. “You’re the woman from the magic shop.”

  Maddie nodded.

  “Why are you here?”

  “I … .”

  “Just get out of the car,” Christy ordered. “I’m really annoyed with this whole thing. I need a stiff drink.”

  “Then go away,” Dustin suggested.

  “Don’t be obnoxious,” Christy warned.

  “I’ve had it,” Dustin said. He turned the key in the ignition and the car’s engine roared to life. “I’m not listening to one more second of this.”

  Christy reached into the car and slapped his hand away from the gearshift. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  “Don’t make me hurt you,” he shot back.

  “Just … stop it!”

  “You stop it!”

  “Get out of that car right now!”

  “Get out of my face right now!”

  “What is going on?” Jennifer wailed.

  The situation was spiraling, and Maddie had no idea how to fix it. Unfortunately, things got worse when the familiar red and blue associated with a police light started flashing in the night sky.

  “Oh, no,” Maddie muttered, dropping her face into her hands.

  “You’re in trouble now, lady!”

  “Oh, no, you’re in trouble you little … .”

  Fifteen

  When Christy started grappling with Dustin over the keys, Maddie thought her night couldn’t get any worse. When she saw Nick climb out of the police cruiser and start scanning the assembled Kissing Point visitors – she knew she’d never get over the embarrassment of what was going to come.

  “What’s going on here?” Nick hadn’t seen her yet, Maddie realized. She wondered – briefly – if she had time to flee into the woods.

  “There are two crazy women peeking in everyone’s windows.” The girl from the first car was pointing in their direction.

  “I am not crazy, Hannah,” Christy snapped. “I’m on a mission of mercy.”

  Nick shifted his attention to the far side of the bluff, doing a double take when he recognized Maddie. “What the … ?”

  “I want to make a citizen’s arrest,” Christy announced.

  Nick pulled himself together and strode in the direction of Dustin’s car. “Why?”

  “Because this little … butthead … is annoying me.”

  “You’re a butthead,” Dustin shot back.

  Nick briefly met Maddie’s gaze as he moved around her. “Does anyone want to tell me what’s going on here?”

  “This crazy bitch … .”

  “Choose your words, Dustin,” Nick warned.

  “This crazy … old lady … .”

  “Choose different words, Dustin,” Christy snapped.

  “This crazy … .”

  “Okay, you’re cut off,” Nick said. He turned to Christy. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on here?”

  “I just wanted to talk to Jennifer for a second,” Christy sniffed.

  “Why?”

  Christy exchanged a worried look with Maddie. “Um … .”

  Nick shifted his attention to the fidgeting blonde at his side. “Why are you out here?”

  “I’ve never seen it before,” Maddie offered lamely. “We were just going for a drive and Christy wanted to show me the bluff.”

  Nick pursed his lips. “Christy wanted to bring you to Kissing Point?”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “I think the better question is: why didn’t you ever take her to Kissing Point
?” Christy said. “The poor girl had no idea why the windows were so steamy. You’ve clearly been falling down on the job.”

  Nick’s face flushed. “W-w-what?” He glanced at Maddie. “Did you tell her that?”

  “She didn’t have to,” Christy said. “It’s obvious she needs some loving. You should get moving on that.”

  Nick’s heart flopped. He had no idea what Christy was talking about, but part of him was interested in continuing the conversation. One look at Dustin’s animated face told him that was a terrible idea – at least for now. “Can someone please explain to me what was going on right before I showed up?”

  “I can.” Dustin lifted his hand.

  “Can you do it without being insulting?”

  Dustin nodded.

  “Go.”

  “Jen and I were just sitting up here talking when Ms. Ford started banging on my window.”

  “Were you talking about if her bra unfastened in the front or the back?” Christy asked.

  “Thank you, Christy,” Nick snapped. “Go on, Dustin.”

  “She demanded to talk to Jen,” Dustin said. “She was acting weird, and I was afraid she would hurt Jen. When I tried to leave, she tried to take my keys from me – and then she called me a butthead.”

  “I only called you a butthead after you called me a bitch,” Christy countered.

  “Why did you two want to talk to Jennifer?” Nick asked. “Jennifer, can you please get out of the car and step around back? Thanks.”

  Jennifer’s long hair was tousled when she finally joined the crowd. Maddie couldn’t help but notice that Dustin remained seated in the driver’s seat, and she had a sneaking suspicion he was still trying to decide if he could make a hasty escape.

  “Were you wrestling, too?” Christy asked as she looked Jennifer up and down.

  “Who was wrestling?” Nick asked.

  “Hannah and Aidan.” Christy pointed to the far end of the bluff. Most of the cars had emptied, and the curious occupants were now watching the spectacle next to Dustin’s car. “Aidan was winning.”

  Nick smirked. “I’m sure he was. So, Jen, can you think of any reason Ms. Ford and Ms. Graves would want to talk to you?”

  Jen rubbed her forehead nervously. “Well, I was in Magicks earlier today,” she said. “I got a tarot card reading.”

  Nick faltered, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. “Really?” His face was unreadable as he looked at Maddie. “What did she tell you about your reading?”