Grave Homecoming (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 1)

by Hart, Lily Harper

  “She told me that sleeping with Dustin to keep him as a boyfriend was a bad idea,” Jen admitted, her face twisting. “I had no idea that it would be this bad of an idea.”

  “Did she tell you anything else?”

  “Just that life would be better after high school.”

  “Uh-huh.” Nick ran his tongue over his teeth. Something about this situation – other than the obvious – was irritating him. “Do you have anything you want to add to this conversation, Ms. Graves?”

  “I was just worried about her,” Maddie said, her voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t want her to get hurt.”

  “I wouldn’t hurt her,” Dustin said.

  “You’ve got ‘tool’ written all over you,” Christy said.

  “You’re mean,” Dustin grumbled.

  “That doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

  Nick pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen,” he said. “Dustin, you’re going to take Jen home, and I mean immediately home. I’m going to be checking in exactly ten minutes, and if she’s not there, you’re going to jail.”

  “But … .”

  Nick wagged his finger in Dustin’s face to cut off the argument. “Don’t make me arrest you now.” He turned to Jen. “Ms. Graves is right, you do not want to sleep with him. You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

  “You all suck,” Dustin muttered.

  Nick glanced at Christy. “You need to stop harassing teenagers at Kissing Point,” he said before shifting his attention to Maddie. “And you need to … .”

  “Get kissed?” Christy suggested.

  Nick swallowed hard. “Can I trust you to get Maddie back home without another detour?”

  Christy snapped her feet together and saluted. “Yes, sir.”

  Nick fought the mad urge to laugh. This whole evening was … surreal. “Just … go home. I don’t want to see you two up here again. You’re too old.”

  “Oh, shut it,” Christy said. She grabbed Maddie’s arm and started dragging her across the bluff. “This night just blows.”

  Once they got back to Christy’s car, Maddie fixed Christy with an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Oh, it’s fine,” Christy said, waving off Maddie’s words.

  The two women watched Nick climb back into his work cruiser and drive away. Once he was gone, Christy focused on Maddie intently.

  “So, do you want to tell me how long you’ve been psychic?”

  MADDIE was positive her throat was closing up. There could be no other explanation for the huge ball that was lodged in her windpipe and preventing oxygen from making its way to her lungs.

  “Do you need a moment?” Christy asked, leaning her back against her car as she watched Maddie worriedly. “You’re not going to pass out, are you?”

  Maddie shook her head, but the effort was enough to knock her off balance. She sank to the ground to keep herself from tumbling headfirst into it.

  Christy plopped down next to her and ran a soothing hand over her back. “Don’t freak out,” she said. “I kind of had suspicions in high school. Tonight just sealed the deal for me.”

  Maddie finally found her voice. “How did you know?”

  “You were a quiet kid, Maddie,” Christy said. “You weren’t invisible, though. I saw you in the cemetery one day. It was right after Mark Garvey died when I first figured it out. You were standing in front of his grave.”

  Maddie’s face colored. “How do you know I wasn’t talking to myself?”

  “I considered it,” Christy said. “Your mother ran a magic shop, though. It made more sense that you were psychic.”

  “But … .”

  Christy cut her off. “There’s nothing wrong with it. It doesn’t scare me. I don’t think you’re a bad person.”

  “I’m a freak,” Maddie muttered. No one outside of her own family – except Kincaid – had ever known her secret.

  “You’re not a freak,” Christy said. “You’re just different. I don’t see why you’re making such a big deal about this. I think it’s really cool. I’m totally taking you to the casino over in Traverse City.”

  Christy’s jocularity jolted Maddie out of self-pity mode. “That’s not really how it works.”

  “So, how does it work?”

  “I … sometimes I just know things,” Maddie said. “Sometimes I know things because of dreams, and sometimes I see them when I’m awake.”

  “Is that how you found the body?”

  “No. That was an accident. That’s how I saw the body’s ghost, though. That’s how I knew her name before the police released it.”

  “The police still haven’t released it,” Christy said. “Who was it?”

  “Her name was Sarah Alden.”

  Christy searched her memory. “That doesn’t sound familiar to me. Was she from here?”

  Maddie shrugged. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to her yet,” she said. “Tonight was the first time, and I was more interested in finding Jennifer than talking to her. She says she has holes in her memory. It will take some time for those to firm up.”

  “Wow,” Christy said. “How many ghosts have you talked to?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Give me an estimate.”

  “A hundred.”

  “That is so cool,” Christy said, her mind working. “We should totally hold a séance. Do you think we could talk to a celebrity ghost?”

  “No,” Maddie said. She grabbed Christy’s arm and squeezed it tightly. “You can’t tell anyone. If people know … .”

  “Don’t worry, Maddie,” Christy said, jerking her arm away and rubbing it ruefully. “Your secret is safe with me. I haven’t told anyone before now.”

  “You didn’t know until now.”

  “I knew,” Christy said. “I just kept it to myself.”

  Maddie sighed, forcing herself to relax. “Thank you.”

  “It’s going to be okay, Maddie,” Christy said. “I promise. You’re overreacting.”

  “My mom always told me it had to remain a secret.”

  “I understand,” Christy said. “Blackstone Bay is a small town. I don’t think the people would react as poorly as you seem to think they would, though. What does Nick think?”

  Maddie stilled.

  “Oh, you haven’t told him?” Christy was beside herself. “How did you hide it?”

  “I just never told him,” Maddie said. “I didn’t want to lose him.”

  “And you think that telling him the truth would make you lose him?”

  “Of course,” Maddie said, her voice rising. “If he knew … .”

  “He would just love you more,” Christy said.

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “I’m deadly serious,” Christy said. “You built a wall between the two of you because you were scared to tell him the truth. If you tear down that wall, there will be nothing standing between you. Don’t you want that?”

  More than anything, Maddie thought. “He’ll never look at me the same way again.”

  “Probably not,” Christy agreed. “That doesn’t mean he won’t look at you in a better way. It’s your secret, though. You can tell him when you’re ready.”

  “I’ll never be ready.”

  “Never say never, Maddie Graves,” Christy said, laughing as she got to her feet and brushed off the seat of her pants. She extended her hand and helped Maddie to a standing position. “I happen to be a little psychic myself, and I can clearly see that you and Nick are on a crash course toward one another. How you handle it is up to you.”

  Sixteen

  By the next afternoon, Maddie had almost managed to convince herself that Christy would keep her secret. She had no doubt the effervescent redhead had every intention of keeping things to herself, but Christy was gossipy by nature. There was no way Maddie could be sure. She just had to have faith.

  When the bell over the door at Magicks jangled, Maddie almost expected Christy to be standing
there with half the town – some of them with pitchforks and torches – so Todd’s arrival threw her for an obvious loop.

  “Hello,” Todd said, smiling brightly.

  “Hi.” Maddie felt like a deer caught in headlights. He’d called her three different times since their disastrous date, and Maddie had conveniently dodged each call. She had no idea why he was here now. He couldn’t possibly want a repeat of that torturous experience.

  “You’ve been a little hard to reach,” Todd said, wandering around the store so he could take in the ambiance and kitschy trinkets. “I figured, if I wanted to talk to you, it would have to be face to face.”

  “I … I’ve been really busy.”

  “I heard,” Todd said. “Are you spending all of your nights up at Kissing Point with Christy Ford these days? Is that why you’re dodging my calls?”

  Maddie’s face colored. “We were just out for a drive.”

  “At Kissing Point?”

  “I’d never been there before.” Maddie felt like an idiot.

  “That’s because you spent all of your time with Nick Winters in high school,” Todd said. “He has no idea how to please a woman.”

  Maddie balked. “I really wish you wouldn’t talk about Nick like that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he’s my friend,” Maddie said. “I don’t like it when people talk badly about my friends.”

  “And he’s just your friend, right?”

  “I’ve already answered that question.”

  “You have,” Todd agreed. “That was before he interrupted our date and tried to dump his girlfriend on me so he could take you home, though.”

  Maddie had no idea how to respond to that. “Is that why you’re here?”

  “I’m here for you,” Todd said. “I thought we should try dating again.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “Oh, I’m serious,” Todd said. “I feel I was at a disadvantage at the restaurant. After Winters’ little show, it was impossible for me to measure up. I’d like a chance to wow you on my own terms.”

  “And how are you going to wow me?”

  “When is your lunch break?” Todd asked.

  Maddie glanced at the clock on the wall. “Fifteen minutes.”

  Todd sat down in one of the open wingback chairs next to the front window and plastered a bright smile on his face. “Wow. What great timing.”

  “For what?”

  “I’ll show you in fifteen minutes.”

  “But … .”

  “Finish your work,” Todd said. “I don’t want any distractions. I have a surprise for you.”

  Maddie sucked in her cheeks. She didn’t like the look on his face. It was almost … animalistic. She was legitimately worried the surprise he wanted to show her was in his pants. “I … .”

  “You can’t say no,” Todd said. “I deserve a second chance after the first one blew up in my face because of your … friend.”

  Maddie sighed. “Fine. Fifteen minutes.”

  “WHEN you said you had a surprise, I didn’t realize it was on my front lawn.” Maddie studied the blanket and picnic basket Todd had laid out under the large elm dubiously. “Are you really taking me on a picnic?”

  “I was under the impression that you liked picnics,” Todd said, settling on the blanket and patting the spot next to him. “Didn’t you and Winters spend your teenage years having picnics in the woods?”

  Maddie frowned. Todd was obsessed with Nick. Part of her understood it. He was trying to ascertain if Nick was competition. The problem was Todd always looked at Nick as competition – no matter what they were competing for. Maddie had trouble believing she was anything more than just another trophy for his shelf, something to lord over Nick.

  Of course, that wasn’t the only problem. Despite how handsome he was, Maddie wasn’t even remotely attracted to Todd. She had to find a way to let him down without making it seem like she was calling his manhood into question. That would only make him redouble his efforts. She was sure of that. “Your obsession with Nick worries me,” Maddie admitted.

  “Excuse me? I am not obsessed with Winters.”

  “You bring him up constantly.”

  “Maybe that’s because he’s always in my face.”

  Maddie sighed. Arguing the point wasn’t going to make her case. She needed time to think of another plan. “What’s in the basket?”

  Todd shot her a lazy smile. “Open it.”

  Maddie indulged him. “Is this chicken salad?”

  “It is. You like chicken salad, don’t you?”

  “It’s good,” Maddie said. “Is this from Ruby’s?”

  “I only buy the best for my dates.”

  Maddie couldn’t figure out how Todd equated smugness with charm, but he clearly did. “Well, let’s eat,” Maddie said. “I only have an hour before I have to open the store again, and I’m sure you have to get back to the dealership.”

  “I’m the boss,” Todd countered. “I employ people to make sure the dealership runs smoothly.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’re invaluable to the operation,” Maddie said, feeding into his ego. “You can’t become the boss if you’re not, can you?”

  “You’re a smart woman,” Todd said. “When you add your intelligence to your smoking-hot body, you’re the perfect package.”

  After mentally rolling her eyes so hard she almost tipped over, Maddie forced a tight smile onto her face. “So, tell me, how is it that you’re not married yet?” An idea was starting to form, and she wanted to test the boundaries of it.

  “I’m not really ready for marriage,” Todd said, digging into his sandwich enthusiastically. “I like to practice for it, though.”

  His wink was so disgusting Maddie momentarily wondered if she would be capable of hiding his body if she choked him with the sandwich he was inhaling. After giving up on the idea – Maude wasn’t strong enough to help her drag Todd through the woods without anyone noticing, and the wheelbarrow was broken – Maddie continued with the next step of her plan. “But you must want children,” she said.

  “Not really.”

  “Oh, come on,” Maddie said. “I want at least five of them.”

  Todd coughed, clearing his throat. “Five?”

  “Yeah,” Maddie said brightly. “I’m going to have to get going soon. I’m going to be thirty in two years.”

  “So, you’re saying … .”

  “My biological clock is ticking away,” Maddie said. “Tick. Tick. Tick.” She rubbed his hand suggestively. “I’ll bet a car dealership could easily support five kids.”

  “I … are you being serious?”

  “Of course,” Maddie said. “I’ve always dreamed of a big family.”

  “And what about Winters?” Todd asked. “Does he want a big family, too?”

  “You’ll have to ask him,” Maddie said. “We never really talked about it. I don’t see how it matters. It’s not like I plan on having kids with him.” It was a calculated risk.

  “Are you just saying that to placate me?”

  “Nope. It’s the truth.”

  Todd narrowed his eyes. “Do you really want five children?”

  “Absolutely,” Maddie said. “This sandwich is great, by the way. We should plan another dinner.”

  Todd balked. “I’m not sure … I’m really busy this week.”

  “Oh, come on,” Maddie said. “I thought you wanted a real date?”

  “I do,” Todd replied hurriedly. “I just think … I’ll look at my calendar and get back to you.”

  Maddie smirked. “That sounds great.” Mission accomplished.

  “SO, what did that jackass want?”

  Maude was sitting in one of the chairs and staring out the window when Maddie returned to the store.

  “Oh, he wanted to mark his territory,” Maddie said. “He wants to make sure word gets around that we’re dating.”

  Maude snorted. “He wants to make sure that word gets around to Nick that you�
�re dating.”

  “Yeah, I got that feeling, too,” Maddie said. “I don’t think he’s interested in me. He’s just interested in getting a dig in at Nick.”

  “I’ve always hated Todd Winthrop,” Maude said. “He always thought he was such a … lothario.”

  “Lothario?”

  “You know, a ladies’ man.”

  “He still thinks that,” Maddie said.

  “So, why did you agree to have a picnic with him?”

  “Because he wouldn’t leave.”

  “He’s such a douche.”

  “Granny,” Maddie scolded. “You shouldn’t say things like that.”

  “Am I wrong?”

  “No.”

  “Are you going to go out with him again?” Maude asked.

  “Why? Do you think I should?”

  Maude bit her lip, considering. “Maybe.”

  “You just said … .”

  “Yes, but the more you go out with Todd, the more Nick will freak out,” Maude explained. “Nick will break a lot quicker if Todd is in the picture.”

  Maddie faltered. “What are you talking about?”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Maude said. “This little-girl thing you’re running doesn’t work on me.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Maddie said stubbornly.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Maude said. “You want Nick to be jealous. Admit it.”

  Maddie pressed her lips together and mulled the statement over. Was that true? “I don’t want Nick to be jealous,” Maddie said finally. “I want Nick to be … happy.”

  “No, you want Nick to be happy with you,” Maude corrected. “Let’s stop playing games here. You didn’t just come home for me.”

  “Granny, I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Maddie girl,” Maude said. “You still came home for Nick.”

  “Nick has a girlfriend.”

  “Oh, you’re like a broken record. Do you want to know what I think?”

  “Not really.”

  Maude ignored her. “I think you’re relieved Nick has a girlfriend right now. You know he doesn’t have real feelings for her, so you’re safe trying to figure things out without losing him.”

  “That is just … ridiculous.”