“You’re certain she saw the same ghost you did?”
“I am.”
“Is the ghost still here?”
Maddie craned her neck. “I don’t see him, but that doesn’t mean he’s gone anywhere. He could just be lying low.”
“Well, he’s a concern for another time. For now, it’s probably best that you don’t mention the ghost led you to the body. I want to feel this guy out more before we volunteer that sort of information.”
“I can live with that.”
“I’M GOING OVER TO INTERVIEW THEM,” Jared announced to Mel when the older detective appeared on the scene, gesturing toward the benches at the front of the cemetery. “Not only did they find the body, but the woman knew the victim.”
Harper, who had spent the better part of ten minutes returning money to tour guests and glaring holes into Zander, felt the need to stand up for Maddie upon her return. “Does she look like she broke off a piece of fence and stabbed a guy to death?”
“No,” Jared replied. “That wouldn’t be my first instinct. She doesn’t look like she has the upper body strength to pull it off. He, on the other hand, could definitely do it, though.”
“Except all he cares about is her,” Harper argued. “I mean ... look at them.” She found she was touched watching Nick dote on Maddie. “They’re clearly devoted to one another and only focused on her pregnancy. She’s more worked up about having to wear maternity clothes than what happened to Dr. Morton.”
“Yeah, what’s the big deal with maternity clothes?”
“They’re ugly,” Zander replied, rejoining the others. “I think we’re okay with the brochure. I promised Mike a free regular tour as soon as we could arrange one, but he seemed fine with everything that went down.”
“I don’t know whether to be relieved or annoyed by that,” Harper mused. “Either way, I guess it’s good for us.”
“It’s great for us.”
“I’m glad for both of you,” Jared offered. “I don’t want you guys to lose out. There are more important things right now, though. That’s why I have to grill a pregnant woman while her imposing husband debates if he wants to rip my arms off.”
“You sound worried,” Harper teased. “Do you want me to go with you to protect you?”
“It might not be a bad idea. You, however, need to stay here,” he instructed Zander.
“Like I care what you think,” Zander muttered. “It’s fine. I prefer spending time with my favorite uncle anyway. You still love me, right, Uncle Mel?”
“Sometimes I wish I could muzzle you,” Mel replied. “I guess I love you, though.”
Harper fell into step with Jared as they crossed the cemetery. She was bothered by the body discovery, but something else was bothering her more. “Jack was here,” she said in a low voice. “Right before Maddie practically tripped over the body, he was here and trying to get me to look in the bushes.”
“I don’t know what that means,” Jared replied blankly.
“Jack. He’s the ghost we met who knew my grandfather. You remember him.”
“I do remember him. I could never forget. I’m trying to figure out what that has to do with our dead guy.”
“I think Maddie saw him. That’s why she crossed into the bushes in the first place. She was focused on him.”
Jared was taken aback. “Are you sure?”
“I’m pretty sure. I mean ... I can’t say I’m a hundred percent sure, but I think the odds are good.”
“I can’t ask her about a ghost.”
“No, but ... maybe she’ll volunteer the information.”
“Would you volunteer the information in her place?”
“No. I wish I could talk to her about it.”
“Well, you can’t ... at least right now. For now, we have to play this one by the book.”
“You have no idea how boring that sounds.”
“You’ll survive.”
THE INTERVIEW TOOK TWENTY MINUTES. Maddie laid out her relationship with Dr. Morton, which was minor, and then walked Jared through her day in Whisper Cove.
“We got here around noon,” Nick volunteered. “We checked into the hotel, argued about Maddie being able to zip her shorts, and then went shopping. That’s literally been our entire day.”
“You didn’t need to tell them about the zipper,” Maddie hissed, causing Harper to smile.
“It’s fine,” Jared reassured them. “I’m just going to need to confirm with someone that you were in Blackstone Bay last night. That should cover our bases.”
“I can put you in touch with my partner,” Nick volunteered. “I would say to check with Maddie’s grandmother. She lives with us. She was out messing around with her band of senior citizen mayhem makers, though. She was out long after we were in bed.”
“Which makes us sound like old fogies,” Maddie noted.
Nick grinned at her. “Love, you fall asleep before ten every night now. I’m not complaining, mind you, because there’s little I love more than listening to you snore while trying to watch SportsCenter in bed. I think it’s allowed when you’re pregnant, though.”
“Definitely,” Zander agreed, joining the crowd.
“I thought you were bugging Mel,” Jared groused.
“I missed my Harper too much.” Zander slung an arm around her shoulders. “Are we about done here? I’m starving.”
“I should really get some food in Maddie, too,” Nick said. “We’ve told you everything we know.”
“You’re not leaving town right away, are you?” Jared pressed.
“We’re here for a few days,” Nick reassured him. “I want to order everything we possibly can for the nursery. The goal is to have the room completely put together a full month before the baby comes.”
“Then I think we’re good.”
Nick smiled in thanks as he pulled Maddie up. “Come on. Let’s get something solid into you, huh?”
“Sure.” Maddie gave Zander, Jared, and Harper a small wave. “It was nice to meet you. I wish it had been under different circumstances.”
“It was nice to meet you, too,” Harper enthused. “I wish your tour hadn’t been ruined.”
“Me, too.” Maddie was rueful as she trudged toward the sidewalk. “Still, you can’t say it wasn’t an interesting evening.”
“Definitely not.”
The small group remaining behind fell into amiable silence. Zander, of course, was the first to break it.
“See you later, alligator,” he called out to the expectant mother as she departed.
Maddie couldn’t help herself. “In a while, crocodile.”
Zander’s grin grew so wide it almost took over his face. “You’re awesome, girlfriend. Rock out with your—”
Harper slapped her hand over Zander’s face before he could finish the statement. “You’re done.”
And, because he was, he merely shrugged and pushed her hand away. “You’re always ruining my fun, Harp. What’s up with that?”
4
Four
The restaurant was busy when they entered so Nick and Maddie had to wait for a table. Given that she was so flushed, the owner Jason Thurman insisted on getting Maddie a glass of water and clearing a place for her on the bench by the door. Embarrassed but grateful, Maddie sipped her water and studied the restaurant’s atmosphere.
“It’s really pretty,” she noted. “I bet the view is fantastic during the day.”
“We can come back.” Nick did his best to hide his concern over her pink cheeks ... and failed miserably. “Tell me what hurts, Mad.”
“What?” Her eyes were full of confusion when she turned them on him. “Nothing hurts. Why would you think that?”
“Because you’re sweating and it looks like you’re exerting effort just to sit here.”
The observation had Maddie frowning. “I feel as if I should be insulted by that statement, but I’m not entirely sure why.”
“There was no insult intended. You’re just ... hot.�
� He pressed his hand to her forehead. “Maybe we should go back to the hotel and order room service.”
“They cut off room service at seven o’clock. I know because I read it in that big binder they put by the bed. It’s a small town, Nicky. The hotel doesn’t keep resort hours.”
He scowled. “Then I’ll take you back to the hotel, get you in bed, and run out to pick up takeout. I don’t care if I have to go to a different town.”
It was a sweet gesture, but it bothered Maddie to no end. “Ugh. You’re such a wife.”
He made a face. “That is not the way to get me to stop worrying.”
“Then how do I do it?” She met his gaze evenly. “I’m fine, Nicky. I’m just a little ... sweaty. Your offspring apparently likes to make me feel like I’ve run a marathon after a short walk.”
“How come it’s my offspring when you feel sick and your offspring when you feel energized?”
“I’m just playing the odds.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek, briefly resting his temple against hers. “Hopefully we won’t have to wait very long.”
“That would be nice,” Maddie agreed. “I’m kind of hungry, which feels wrong given what happened tonight, but your offspring is insatiable.”
He chuckled lightly. “I’m pretty sure the kid gets his or her appetite thing from both of us.”
FROM HIS SPOT BEHIND THE HOSTESS STAND, Jason watched the couple interact with more than a little worry. The woman, who he was guessing was pregnant, looked uncomfortable and flushed. Her husband was clearly worried. That meant Jason wanted to get them settled at a table as soon as possible.
“Give them the table we have reserved for Harper’s group,” Jason instructed Darcy, the woman serving as hostess for the evening.
“What about the other group?” Darcy asked blankly.
“They can wait. It won’t kill them.”
“Zander doesn’t like to wait.”
Jason’s scowl was pronounced. He was familiar with Zander’s attitude and was in no mood to put up with it tonight. “If Zander doesn’t like it, he can go someplace else to eat.”
“Oh, right, because that will go over well.” Darcy rolled her eyes and collected two menus. “You’re going to have to be the one to tell them they don’t have a table. Zander scares me.”
“Zander scares Freddy Krueger,” Jason agreed. “I ... .” He broke off when the door swung open to allow Harper, Zander, Jared, and Zander’s fiancé Shawn Donovan entrance. “And speak of the devil.”
“I don’t speak of the devil,” Zander shot back, his smile smug. “I’m a good boy.”
“Not tonight you’re not,” Harper said on an eye roll. “You’ll have to excuse him, Jason. He’s being Zander.”
“We’re all used to him being Zander,” Jason said. He hesitated a beat and then pushed forward. “I was about to give your table away.”
“We’re not late,” Jared countered, checking the clock on the wall. “We’re actually five minutes early.”
“Yes, but I’m a little worried about that woman.” He gestured toward Maddie, who was in the middle of getting a neck rub from Nick. “Her face is red and I’m afraid she’s going to pass out or something.”
“She does look a little red,” Jared conceded. “She’s probably just worked up over what happened in the cemetery.”
Jason furrowed his brow. “What happened in the cemetery?”
“We found a body,” Harper replied. “Actually, she found a body. They were on our tour and she veered off through some bushes and found a dead guy.”
“A doctor,” Zander volunteered. “Apparently he’s a famous plastic surgeon or something. She actually knew him, which was all sorts of weird.”
“Wait ... she knew him?” Jason found he was having trouble keeping up with the conversation.
“She did.” Harper bobbed her head in confirmation. “Apparently she lived down here a few years ago and worked as a nurse in a hospital. He was a co-worker.”
“And now she reads tarot cards at festivals for a living,” Jared muttered.
Harper’s gaze was dark when it landed on her fiancé. “And your future wife leads tours in cemeteries to talk to ghosts. Is that an equally deplorable thing in your mind? They’re pretty even to me.”
Sensing he’d stepped in it — big time — Jared held up his hands in a placating manner. “Whatever you think I’ve done, I’m sorry.”
Harper had to bite back her temper. “You’re not sorry if you don’t know what you’ve done.”
“Fine. Then tell me what I’ve done.”
“You’re giving that poor woman grief for reading tarot cards,” Harper shot back. “How does that hurt you? Why do you care what she does?”
“I’m just saying that she went from being a nurse to telling fortunes,” Jared supplied. “It’s a weird career track. You, for example, went to college, but you always knew you wanted to start your own business. She started on the opposite side of the road from her chosen career path. Actually, it’s more like the other side of the state.”
“I get what you’re saying.” And, because she did, Harper forced herself to calm down. “I just don’t want you judging her because of what she does for a living.”
“Did I say I was going to judge her?”
“No.”
“Then what is it?” Jared folded his arms over his chest and pinned her with a serious look. “I want to know what’s bothering you.”
“I ... .” Harper wasn’t certain how to respond. “I can’t help looking at them and seeing us,” she admitted finally. “I mean ... can’t you see the similarities?”
Jared was taken aback. “I ... um ... not really.” He rubbed his cheek. “How are they like us?”
“He’s a detective.”
“That means he’s like me.”
“She reads fortunes ... and, even though you told me to keep it to myself, I guarantee she can see ghosts. I saw her reacting to Jack. He’s the one who led her into the bushes in the first place. We’re not just similar but practically clones.”
Jared was used to Harper’s emotions dictating a situation. She was obviously worked up now and there would be no talking her down unless he could come up with a way to make things better for Maddie and Nick.
“Can you give us a table big enough for all of us?” Jared asked Jason on a sigh.
Jason’s lips quirked. He liked Jared — actually, he liked him a great deal — but he also enjoyed messing with him. “You’re such a sweetie,” he drawled, his grin widening in conjunction with Jared’s growing glare. “I mean, look at you bending over backwards to placate your woman. It’s a sight to behold.”
“Don’t make me beat you up,” Jared warned. “This is a strategic move. We’ll be able to talk to them a bit over dinner and it won’t look like we’re interrogating them.”
“I think I can make something work,” Jason said, his eyes twinkling. “Give me a second.” He started toward the dining room and then stilled. “You really are going to make a fabulous wife for Harper.”
“Yuk it up,” Jared warned. “I’m not above locking you and Zander in a room together to see who comes out. I can only deal with one pain in my ass at a time.”
“I’ll be the one who comes out,” Zander said. “You’re stuck with me forever. You might as well get used to it.”
Because Jason thought there was a chance both men were telling the truth, he steeled himself to get with the program. “Give me five minutes and I’ll have your table ready.”
“Thank you,” Jared drawled. “You’ll make a fabulous wife for someone down the road. Not Harper or anything, but someone, eventually.”
Jason scowled. That was the problem with hanging with people who knew your backstory. They often felt comfortable using it against you. “I’m on it. Five minutes and you’ll be able to order drinks.”
“Thank you for being so cooperative,” Jared drawled. “Have a lovely evening.”
MADDIE AND NICK INITIALLY BE
GGED OFF when Harper invited them to sit with her group. After Harper made it clear that they wouldn’t take no for an answer, the six of them settled at a window table and awkwardly tried to find something to talk about.
Zander, of course, got right to the heart of matters.
“Harper says you can see ghosts, Maddie,” he said. “How long have you been able to do that?”
Maddie’s sea-blue eyes went wide and Nick shifted uncomfortably on his chair. “Oh, um ... .”
“Way to go, Zander,” Jared muttered, shaking his head. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re the worst conversationalist in the world?”
“Nope.” Zander was seemingly unbothered by the dark looks his group was shooting at him. He kept his gaze on Maddie. “You’re really cute, by the way. You make those maternity shorts work like nobody’s business.”
Even though she was caught off guard, Maddie found the compliment did wonders for her ego and a smile crossed her lips, unbidden. “Thank you.” She lowered her gaze to the table, uncertain what to say about the ghost situation.
“You’ll have to excuse Maddie,” Nick said. “She’s ... bad ... at taking compliments. Most of the time she gets embarrassed when I give them to her and we’ve known each other since kindergarten.”
“You’ve been together since kindergarten?” Harper found she was delighted at the prospect. “Zander and I have been together since kindergarten, too.”
Nick hesitated, unsure. “I thought you were with Jared.”
“Oh, I am.” Harper chuckled, unbothered. “Zander is my friend soulmate and Jared is my love soulmate.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t listen to her.” Zander shook his head. “I’m her love soulmate, too. I just can’t give her absolutely everything she needs. I’m limited in one basic area. Wait, that came out wrong. I’m not limited in that area. I just can’t give a woman what she needs, only a man. Wait, that came out wrong, too.”
“Then maybe you should stop talking,” Jared suggested.
“I agree.” Shawn shot his fiancé a fond look but shook his head when Zander looked ready to open his mouth again. “I think the next five minutes should be a time of quiet contemplation for you.”
Ghostly Graves: A Harper Harlow and Maddie Graves Mystery Page 4
