Ghostly Graves: A Harper Harlow and Maddie Graves Mystery

by Hart, Lily Harper

  “We don’t have a time of death yet. We would simply like to be able to rule you out and move on with our list.”

  “I was at the day spa over in Sterling Heights for a few hours in the afternoon. I was home by five o’clock, though. I had a few glasses of wine, watched some television, and passed out before eight.”

  “You passed out?” Jared cocked an eyebrow. “From the wine?”

  Cady’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t give me grief. It’s been a pisser of a year. If I want to self-medicate with wine, as long as I’m not driving, what is it to you?”

  She had a point, and given how easily the conversation could careen off the rails, Jared merely nodded. “Fair enough. That should be it for now. If we need more information later, we’ll be in touch.”

  THEIR NEXT STOP WAS DARREN’S HOUSE. Jared was barely out of the cruiser when a petite blonde in a belly shirt and short shorts hopped down from the front porch and greeted him with a perky smile.

  “Hi.”

  “Um ... hi.” Jared returned the smile because it seemed like the thing to do. “Do you live here?”

  “Yeah. I’m Pammy. Technically my name is Pamela, but that’s an old lady name so I go by Pammy.” She extended her hand. “Are you here to see my Darry? He’s inside watching SportsCenter, but we’re going to head out to the beach soon. He just needs to check his games from last night.”

  “Okay.” Jared slid a look toward Mel, confused. “Is Darren your brother?”

  Pammy snorted in delight. “No. You’re so funny.” She lightly punched Jared’s arm. “How did you get to be so funny?”

  “He moonlights as a clown in his free time,” Mel volunteered. “We need to speak to your Darry if it’s at all possible.”

  “Are you on the basketball team with him?”

  “No.”

  “Do you golf with him?”

  “No.”

  “Are you one of the guys he bets with down at the bar?”

  Mel was quickly growing tired of the questions. “Not last time I checked. I’m with the police department.”

  “Whoa.” Pammy bobbed her head, clearly impressed. “Which police department?”

  And clearly slow, Jared told himself as he tried to refrain from snapping at her. “The Whisper Cove Police Department. We need to talk to Darren.”

  “Okay, but he didn’t do anything. He was with me all last night ... and I mean all night.”

  “How do you know we’re here to ask him something that will require an alibi?” Mel queried.

  “Because I watch television and know things.” Pammy’s gaze drifted back to Jared. “You’re a lot hotter than the cops I see on television. Like that dude on NCIS, you’re way hotter ... and younger.” She looked momentarily thoughtful. “Do cops make a lot of money?”

  “No,” Mel and Jared replied in unison.

  “Oh, well.” Pammy offered up the same sort of shrug a teenager would and pulled open the door. “Darry, some cops are here to see you,” she sang out.

  “Cops?” a gruff voice from the interior of the house barked out. “Why would cops be here?”

  When Jared rounded the corner from the hallway he found a befuddled man sitting on the sofa.

  Darren Barton did not look like the sort of man who ended up with a girl like Pammy, Jared decided. He was about thirty pounds overweight, pale to the point of being transparent, and he was balding at the crown of his head.

  “What do you want?” he blurted out by way of greeting.

  “We’re here to talk to you about your ex-wife,” Mel replied.

  “Oh, she’s mean,” Pammy intoned, her eyes going wide. “Whatever you think she did, she did it. She threatened to smother me with her boobs a few weeks ago and I think she’s totally capable of doing it.”

  “I think she’s likely capable, too,” Jared said on a grin. Even though he found Pammy vapid, and likely empty-headed, there was something amusing about her. “We just came from talking to her.”

  Darren was much more reserved than Pammy and he looked genuinely confused. “I don’t understand. You think Cady broke the law?”

  “Do you think that’s out of the question?” Mel queried.

  “I guess it depends on what you think she did.” Darren looked more resigned than upset. “I mean ... she reminds me of all those women you see on television, the ones melting down on camera and asking to see the manager. She’d totally do that. Last time I checked, though, that wasn’t against the law.”

  “No,” Mel agreed. “We’re actually here because Dr. Jeff Morton was found dead at the cemetery last evening. His death is being ruled a homicide, and when looking into Dr. Morton’s patient files, your ex-wife was mentioned right away as someone with an axe to grind against the good doctor.”

  “Oh.” Darren bobbed his head, understanding dawning. “I can see that. She hates that dude with a fiery passion. She blames him for the divorce.”

  “Do you blame him for the divorce?” Jared asked.

  “No.” Darren blew out a sigh. “I never should’ve married Cady.”

  “She’s mean,” Pammy repeated.

  Darren ignored her and barreled forward. Apparently he was good at tuning her out. “We weren’t a good match. She’s not a bad person.”

  “Yes, she is,” Pammy insisted.

  “She’s not,” Darren countered. “She’s just a little high strung. She’s also high-maintenance as all get out. I tried to make the marriage work, but she wore me down.”

  “Did she get the surgery in an attempt to save the marriage?” Jared asked. That was his assumption, but he wanted it confirmed for him.

  “She tells stories,” Darren explained. “She pretends that our marriage was in great shape and that the surgery somehow ruined everything. That’s not true. I was restless and trying to figure a way out of the marriage when she came up with the surgery idea.

  “I told her not to do it, and when she showed me the pictures of what she wanted I was appalled,” he continued. “She looks like a freaking blow-up doll, for crying out loud. I stayed with her through her recovery, but I already had one foot out the door before the surgery. She just needs something to blame and the surgery makes an enticing target.”

  “I see.” Jared scratched the side of his nose, considering. He would’ve preferred Darren be the only one present for the next question, but it was clear Pammy had no intention of leaving. “Was your current girlfriend one of the reasons your marriage failed?”

  Darren’s eyebrows drew together, as if he didn’t quite understand, and then his expression cleared and he vehemently shook his head. “No. Is that what she told you? Absolutely not. I didn’t meet Pammy until three months ago.”

  “It was love at first sight,” Pammy cooed as she batted her eyelashes at Darren.

  “You definitely made an impression, darling,” Darren agreed. “As for Cady, I didn’t want out of the marriage because I found someone else. I wanted out because I could no longer deal with her. She’s just ... too much. I mean, you met her. Sometimes a man just wants an hour to himself. She would never just let me be. She was always harping on me to lose weight or get a tan.”

  “And my Darry Bear is perfect so I have no idea why she would want that,” Pammy insisted, her lower lip jutting out. “He’s absolutely perfect.”

  It didn’t take a genius to read the situation. Jared recognized Darren as a weak man who got bulldozed by women. He might’ve thought Pammy was a pushover, with her cute smile and big eyes, but eventually she would put her foot to his throat just like Cady. Darren simply couldn’t see it.

  “Can you see Cady killing Dr. Morton?” Mel asked, getting right to the heart of matters.

  “No. She’s not easy to get along with, and I’ll have nightmares about her voice for the rest of my life, but she’s not a killer. She’s just sad. She doesn’t want to admit her own failings. That’s why she blames the surgery for our divorce. She always needs a scapegoat.”

  Mel exhaled heavily and nodded. �
��I get what you’re saying. For the record, you didn’t blame Dr. Morton for your divorce, correct?”

  “Not at all. Technically, I don’t blame anyone for my divorce. I needed freedom and finally got it. I’m a happy man now, despite the fact that I had to pay out half on the divorce. Anything is better than putting up with Cady.”

  “Because she’s mean,” Pammy said in a little girl voice. “So, so mean.”

  “I think that’s all we need.” Mel caught Jared’s eye and inclined his head toward the door. “We won’t take up any more of your time. Thank you for answering our questions.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  7

  Seven

  “Is this it?”

  To Nick, all cribs pretty much looked the same. He considered them comfortable cages essentially, and knew they were necessary. Still, he didn’t really care which one they picked as long as it was safe.

  Maddie, on the other hand, had seriously looked at every crib in the shop. She kept circling back to the original one she saw in the magazine, although she’d yet to pull the trigger and purchase it.

  “This is it,” Maddie confirmed, rubbing her hands over the wood.

  He watched her expectantly for a beat. When she didn’t speak again, he prodded her. “So, let’s order it.”

  She flashed a tight smile. “It’s really expensive, Nicky.”

  “So you mentioned when we were home … and at the hotel a few hours ago. That’s why we came down here to see it in person.”

  “I know. It’s just ... really expensive.”

  Nick narrowed his eyes and moved to stand at the head of the crib. He checked the price tag hiding behind the decorative pillows. “It’s the same price you told me up north,” he said after a beat. “This is what we were expecting.”

  “I know but ... maybe it’s too much.”

  Nick bit back a sigh. He loved her beyond measure, but she was ridiculous at times, especially when it came to money. He liked that she thought hard about spending money, but this was hardly a frivolous purchase. “Why is it too much?”

  “Because ... it just is.”

  “We’ve talked about this.” He kept his voice even despite the fact that he was annoyed. “A good crib is a must.”

  “There are plenty of good cribs. This is a thousand dollars.”

  “Money we have.”

  “I know, but it’s one piece of furniture and we need a million others. We need a changing table ... and a bassinet ... and a playpen ... and diapers. Do you know how much diapers cost over the long haul?”

  “Way to suck the fun out of everything, Mad.” Nick shook his head as he regarded the crib. It looked fancy, but it also said “convertible,” and that had caught his eye. “Am I reading this correctly? Can this crib turn into a first bed for our baby in a few years?”

  Maddie nodded, her hand moving up and down the smooth wood. “Yeah. It’s a nice bed, too. I’ve seen the photos.”

  “So ... why is this an issue? We’re going to save money down the line because we don’t need to buy another bed.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Nick let loose an annoyed sigh and gestured for the man behind the counter to join them. “Can you give me the specifics on this?”

  Clyde Trenton nodded happily. He’d owned the Baby Whispers store for more than twenty years and nobody knew the business better than him. That’s why people from all over the state came to Whisper Cove to shop ... including the rather agitated duo he’d been watching peruse his store for the past thirty minutes. “Absolutely. What do you need to know?”

  “It says convertible,” Nick pressed. “That means it turns into a regular bed at some point, right?”

  “It does.” Clyde pulled out the schematic from under the pillow. “Look here. This side is higher, you see, and looks like a headboard in a way. That’s because it turns into a headboard. It’s a very nice first bed for a toddler when it’s time. Here are some photos?”

  Nick took the brochure and flipped through it. “And the furniture. I notice that all matches.” He gestured toward the homey setup they were standing in the middle of. “All of this can be used by a toddler, too, right?”

  Clyde nodded. “Yup. It’s a basic dresser. You’ll be the ones getting in and out of it at the start. Then, when the child is more self-sufficient, he or she will be doing it.”

  “Right.” Nick rubbed his chin. “I think the set is nice, Mad.”

  “It comes in multiple colors, too,” Clyde noted, flipping a page in the brochure. “Some parents don’t like the heavy pinks for girls, but this one is a much nicer pastel. It almost looks like a rose gold color.”

  “We don’t know if we’re having a boy or girl,” Nick replied, his eyes drifting to Maddie, who couldn’t stop staring at the crib. She wanted it so badly. He could tell by the look on her face. She would rarely come out and ask for material things, though. That’s simply not who she was.

  “There are lovely neutral colors, too,” Clyde offered. “There’s a simple naked wood, or the gray you see right here. That’s actually the most popular color. There’s a muted blue.”

  “Which color do you like, Mad?” Nick prodded, drawing her eyes to him. “And, before you say we don’t need it again and drive me crazy, we’re getting it. It’s what you want. It’s what I want you to have. We’ll get the entire set. We have more than enough money.”

  “Yeah.” Maddie ran her hand over the railing a final time and then sighed. “I want the Giggle Grey with the Silly Slate bedding to match.”

  It took everything Nick had to keep from laughing. “Giggle Grey?”

  “The colors are supposed to be themed,” Clyde explained. “Wait right here and let me grab an order sheet. Look around for anything else you might need. If you want to set up a baby registry here, we can also do that.”

  “We’re not local,” Nick explained. “We live up in Blackstone Bay.”

  “Understood. We can ship, though, and there are a lot of smaller pieces that go with this set, including a diaper trash receptacle that is just to die for.”

  “I’m thinking there’s going to be a time I wish for death rather than change another diaper,” Nick agreed. “I think the baby registry is a good thing. Anything that’s not purchased on the registry we can order over the phone, right?”

  Clyde bobbed his head. “Absolutely.”

  “Then get the registry thing, too. Thank you.” As soon as Clyde was gone, Nick turned to Maddie. “It’s not a big deal. We’re hardly going to go broke. In case you’ve forgotten, I come from a loaded family. I guarantee my mother buys everything on the registry herself.”

  Maddie frowned. “That doesn’t seem fair.”

  “She likes to shop, and there’s little she loves more than spoiling grand babies. You’ve seen her with her other grandkids. Ours is going to be no different. In fact, I’m guessing that she’s going to get in a shopping war with your father to see who can buy the most stuff. She’s already annoyed that George basically lives next door. She thinks that means he’ll see the baby more and be loved more in the process.”

  Maddie snorted as she shook her head. “That’s just like your mother.”

  “She’s also convinced the baby will like Maude better because she’s more fun.”

  “She was a great grandmother,” Maddie agreed.

  “She was. Heck, she still is.” Nick slung his arm around her shoulders. “She used to take us on adventures. We thought it was harmless fun at the time, even when she had us toilet paper Harriet’s front yard because they were at war. She’ll do the same with our baby.”

  “I’m not letting her teach our baby how to toilet paper houses.”

  “You’re such a spoilsport.” Nick pressed a kiss to her temple. “I have a lot of money. We don’t talk about it a lot because we’re not the sort of people who fixate on money, but we’re sitting pretty when it comes to funds. We’re going to have no trouble sending our kids to college one day, and most people can
’t say that. I need you not to worry.”

  Maddie bit back a sigh, although it was difficult. “I know you’re right. I just remember what it was like when I was a kid and we were always worried about money. There were times my mother was convinced we were going to lose the house.”

  “You didn’t, though. We live in that house. We’re okay. I need you not to obsess about this stuff. You’re going to give me an ulcer if you do.”

  “Okay.” Maddie touched the crib again and then wiggled her hips. “It’s really cool, right?”

  “It’s amazingly cool,” Nick agreed. “It’s so much more fun than chasing information on a dead plastic surgeon.”

  Clyde, who happened to be returning with a scanner and notebook, lifted his chin. “Are you talking about Dr. Morton? Isn’t that a shame? My wife and I heard about it when we were eating breakfast this morning.”

  “Did you know him?” Nick queried, accepting the scanner, which happened to look like a price gun at a local supermarket. “What do I do with this?”

  “I’m going to set it up so it logs what you want right in your registry. Just give me a second. You’ll be able to double-check the registry before you go.”

  “Oh, fun.” Nick pointed the scanner at Maddie’s forehead. “I know exactly what I want.”

  “Ha, ha.” Maddie snagged the scanner from him and focused on Clyde. “I actually used to work with Dr. Morton years ago over at Detroit Mercy Hospital. We weren’t there together a long time, but he seemed like a nice enough man.”

  “He was, as far as I can tell,” Clyde agreed, removing an electronic tablet from the stack of items he carried and logging into the system. “Sarah — that’s my wife — went to him for a cleanse a few months ago. That’s what she calls this.” He moved his fingers to the sides of his eyes to smooth out the wrinkles. “She refuses to call it what it really is.”

  “And what is that?” a cold voice asked from behind the counter.

  Nick recognized the sound of savagery when he heard it and instinctively moved closer to Maddie when the petite woman with the ugly frown strolled out from behind the counter.