Grave Destiny

by Lily Harper Hart

  “But what about taking her … .” Maddie broke off before finishing the sentence. She was going to suggest taking the girl home with them, but she realized right away what a ridiculous idea it truly was.

  Nick was happy when he saw the resigned realization slip across her face. “You’re going to have to work with me, Maddie. It’s going to take both of us.”

  “What if it traumatizes her, though?”

  Nick was afraid it was going to traumatize all of them, but he’d steeled himself for this and refused to back down. “We can only do our very best.” He reached out a hand toward the girl. “Honey, I need you to trust me. This really is in your best interests. I promise.”

  He gathered up his courage and put his hand on her arm. She started screaming immediately, thrashing about so hard she knocked Maddie in the face with her elbow. Nick jumped in to restrain her as Maddie fought back tears, but the girl didn’t stop screaming until after she was loaded in the car, a feat that took all of Nick’s strength and determination.

  Even then, the accusatory glare she lobbed in his direction as Sharon drove away with her in the backseat was something Nick knew he would not soon forget. When Maddie dissolved in tears, he was certain that it would be something she would carry with her for a very long time.

  Four

  Nick was frustrated by Maddie’s reaction to the removal of the girl.

  She stood a good thirty feet away, her arms folded over her chest, and stared at the house as the firefighters worked inside to make sure the immediate danger was over. She didn’t as much as look in Nick’s direction.

  “Something tells me you’re in the doghouse,” Kreskin teased, moving to Nick’s side and causing him to scowl.

  “Something tells me you’re right. There was nothing else I could do, though. I mean …what did she expect?”

  “You’re preaching to the choir, son.” Kreskin was amused despite the serious situation. “I think you did the exact right thing.”

  Nick dejectedly scuffed the toe of his shoe against the gravel. “Maddie doesn’t think that.”

  “Maddie is still traumatized from that girl being ripped away from her,” Kreskin argued. “I think my ears are still ringing from the crying … and Maddie was louder than the girl in that respect.”

  “Ugh.” Nick rubbed his forehead. “I have to go over there. It’s getting dark and her clothes are wet. She can’t stay out here.”

  Kreskin gave Nick a considering look. “You’re a brave man. There isn’t enough money in the world to make me go over there given the look on her face.”

  Nick secretly agreed with him. “There’s nothing she can do here. I’m sending her home.” His shoulders were squared as he approached Maddie, internally cringing when her expression turned darker as he approached. “Love, I think you should head home.”

  “I don’t want to head home.” Maddie was firm. “I want to watch what’s going on here.”

  “I know that but … .”

  “I want to see.” Maddie’s sea-blue eyes flashed with anger. “Are you really going to cut me out of this on top of everything else?”

  Nick’s temper got the better of him. “I have no intention of cutting you out. As for the girl, you’re going to realize I was right about that once you’ve calmed down. I know you’re upset about the screaming … .”

  “And the fingernails cutting into my flesh as you ripped her away from me,” Maddie snapped, raising her arm so he could see the discolorations on her skin.

  Nick’s heart rolled at the sight. “Mad, I’m sorry.” He was instantly contrite as he carefully looked over her arm, pressing a kiss to her palm before continuing. “She needs help that we can’t give. I’m sorry for how it went down but … we didn’t have a choice.”

  Maddie’s eyes pricked with unshed tears. “I know. I’m sorry. It was just … hard.”

  “I know.” Nick pulled her in for a hug, smoothing her hair as he rocked back and forth. “We’ll check on her as soon as we can. We won’t forget about her. I promise you that.”

  Maddie’s sniffle was pitiful. “Okay.”

  “Okay,” Nick agreed, kissing her forehead. “As for the rest, I’m not cutting you out. You’re damp, though, from the water they sprayed on the house. I want you to go home and take a hot bath. I’ll be there as soon as I can to update you on what we find inside.”

  Maddie balked. “Why can’t I stay with you?”

  “You know why.” Nick refused to back down. “I have to focus on going through that house and I can’t if I’m worried about you. I would really appreciate it if you would go home so I know you’re safe. I promise I’ll share information as soon as I get it.”

  Maddie’s expression reflected resignation and overt sadness, causing a small tear in Nick’s heart.

  “Fine.” Maddie rubbed the tender spot between her eyebrows. “I’ll go home. I’m not going to like it, though.”

  “Fair enough.”

  MADDIE FOUND MAUDE and two of her fellow Pink Ladies in the kitchen when she got home. They were brewing tea and cackling like wicked witches looking for a dog and planning for a tornado. Under normal circumstances, Maddie would’ve found their antics funny. She was far too exhausted to deal with them today, though.

  “What are you guys even doing here?”

  Maude jolted at the sound of her granddaughter’s voice, swiveling quickly and giving Maddie a hard stare. “You look terrible. What happened to you?”

  “I thought you said she was out playing with Nick,” Rosemary Stevens, one of Maude’s oldest friends, said in what she thought was a whisper. “He’s the one who probably did that to her hair.”

  “Ha, ha.” Maddie didn’t bother hiding her eye roll as she shuffled into the room and grabbed the teapot from the stove. “You didn’t put the bourbon right in the water, did you?”

  Maude made a face. “Of course not. You can’t put the bourbon in first. It will boil away and that’s a waste of good bourbon.”

  “Great.” Maddie poured herself a cup of tea and sat at the end of the table, making a face when she realized the third woman in the room – Joni Mason – was licking her spoon and staring at the wall rather than paying attention to the conversation. “What’s up with her?”

  Maude barely spared Joni a glance. “She’s fine. She’s contemplating the meaning of life.”

  Maddie had no idea what to make of the statement. “Is she drunk?”

  Maude shrugged. “Who knows what she is. She’s just … Joni.”

  “Just Joni,” Rosemary repeated on a giggle.

  “You’re all clearly drunk,” Maddie groused, shaking her head. “What are you even doing here? I thought you were spending the night someplace else.”

  “I am, but I needed to pick up toilet paper.” Maude was completely guileless. “We don’t have enough for our plan. If you’re worried about us driving drunk, don’t. I’m not drunk. I haven’t even had a single drink. That’s for after we start enacting our plan.”

  “Oh, well, as long as you’re being safe.” Maddie dragged a restless hand through her hair, the events of the afternoon finally catching up with her.

  Maude didn’t miss her granddaughter’s weary expression and she took pause. “What’s wrong, Maddie girl? When I left you, I was convinced you and Nick were going to spend the rest of the day saying ‘no, you’re prettier’ over a picnic. What happened?”

  “We never even got to the picnic.” Maddie jerked her head to the east as something occurred to her. “In fact, we left everything in the clearing. Ugh. It’s probably going to attract scavengers.”

  “So the raccoons will be well fed.” Maude was blasé. “It hardly matters. You can go back tomorrow. What happened to interrupt your picnic?”

  Maddie told Maude about the fire, leaving nothing out. When she got to the part of the story about rescuing the girl from the basement, all three women were focused and listening.

  “It was horrible, Granny.” Maddie fought back tears. “She was di
rty and she didn’t speak. She clung to me as if I were a lifeline. Then the CPS woman showed up and dragged her away. She was screaming … and clawing … and I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life.”

  Maude stared hard at Maddie. “Wow. That’s quite the story.”

  “That’s all you have to say?” Maddie was incredulous. “I thought you would be as upset as me.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Maude rubbed her forehead. “I just … that’s unbelievable.”

  “WE FOUND SOMETHING.”

  Rob met Nick in the living room of Mildred’s house and pointed toward a door at the far wall. Nick followed his finger with his gaze and held his hands palms out. “What are you showing me?”

  “We found the basement and there’s something you should see,” Rob replied grimly. “This way.”

  Nick exchanged a weighted look with Kreskin before following him through the door. The electricity was out so Rob used a flashlight, making sure to carefully illuminate the rickety steps so no one would accidentally take a header down the narrow staircase.

  “What is it?” Kreskin asked, eager to break the silence.

  “You have to see it to believe it.” Rob moved through a dingy room once they hit the bottom floor, stopping in front of another door and lifting his flashlight beam until it landed on a padlock, which happened to be located outside rather than inside. “Do you see this?”

  Nick’s heart dropped to his stomach. “That girl, whoever she is, was locked down here against her will.”

  “I would definitely agree with that,” Rob said. “She couldn’t have gotten out if she wanted to.”

  Kreskin was horrified. “Mildred did this? But … why? Why would she possibly want to lock away that girl?”

  “I have no idea,” Nick replied, giving the lock a tug and frowning when it didn’t give. “We need to find out, though. More importantly, we need to figure out who that girl is and what she was doing here.”

  “I’m guessing we need to start with this room.” Kreskin was resigned. “We need to open it.”

  Rob pulled out a crowbar. “I’m on it. Stand back.”

  “WHAT DO YOU know about Mildred?” Maddie asked as she dunked her teabag in the hot water. “I mean … you guys were the same age, right?”

  Maude made an exaggerated face. “I’ll have you know that Mildred was three years older than me. She was old. I’m not old.”

  Maddie merely nodded. “Right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “She didn’t hang around with us much,” Maude admitted, sobering. “She was kind of a loner.”

  “She was more than a loner,” Rosemary countered. “She was actually a very unfriendly person, to the point where she told us she thought we were silly and should focus on something other than making Harriet a very unhappy woman.”

  “As if that’s not important,” Maude scoffed. “Making Harriet lose her marbles is definitely more interesting than anything Mildred was doing.”

  “What do you know about her family, though?” Maddie persisted. “I mean … did she have children?”

  “Well, that’s a good question.” Maude scratched the top of her head. “I think she might’ve had a son. I need to give it some thought, though. You have to understand, she’s been alone in that house for a really long time. Her husband died a good twenty years ago. I didn’t pay her much attention because she didn’t like me.”

  “I believe her exact comment is that you were silly,” Rosemary offered helpfully. “You didn’t like that at all.”

  “I still don’t like it,” Maude said pointedly, cajoling a small smile out of Maddie. “Don’t forget that. I’m definitely not silly.”

  Rosemary sobered. “No. You’re not.”

  “I don’t understand how Mildred could have a child in that house and no one ever noticed,” Maddie persisted. “How is that even possible?”

  Maude shrugged. “I don’t know. She was unlikable so nobody ever stopped in. Even the Meals on Wheels people said she was too mean to feed. I think they were hoping she would starve to death.”

  Maddie pinned her grandmother with a hard look. “That is mean and nasty and I don’t like it. Mildred is dead. They found her body.”

  “And that’s a tragedy,” Maude fired back. “No one deserves to die that way. The thing is, are you still going to be feeling sorry for her if you find out she did something to that kid you’ve already attached yourself to?”

  Maddie balked. “I’m not attached to her.”

  “You are. I see it on your face. You’re angry at Nick for helping that woman drag her away and your dreams are going to be a dark place until you figure out a way to help. I know you, Maddie.”

  Unfortunately, Maddie recognized that was true. Her grandmother knew her better than almost anyone. Nick was the lone exception. “I understand Nick had a job to do. I’m not angry at him.” Maddie said the words, but she wasn’t sure if she meant them. “He did what he had to do.”

  “Keep saying that over and over and maybe you’ll believe it by the time he gets home.” Maude slowly got to her feet and rapped on the table to get Joni’s attention. “We should get going. We have a schedule to keep.” Her eyes were serious when she turned back to Maddie. “I’ll ask around tonight, see what everyone knows about Mildred. Just because I didn’t care to be friendly with her, that doesn’t mean everyone else felt the same.”

  Maddie nodded in thanks. “Great. That’s good.”

  “As for you, I think you need to calm yourself before Nick gets home. You’re going to be upset if you fight. You know that.”

  Maddie did know that. “I’m going to take a bath and relax. I promise.”

  “Good girl. Keep me updated if you find any good information.”

  “You’ll be my first call.”

  NICK FOUND MADDIE curled up in the window-seat bed Olivia fashioned for them when they were children when he got home. It was almost midnight and he was exhausted.

  He wanted a shower. What he wanted more than that was Maddie. The sight of her angelic face as she slumbered soothed some of his frayed nerves.

  He left her long enough to clean up, standing underneath the pounding water until he felt human again. Maddie was awake when he returned to the main floor, her eyes glittering under the limited light.

  “I’m sorry, Mad.” Nick lifted the blanket and climbed into the window seat with her, ignoring the look she gave him when he nudged her over. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “It’s fine. I wasn’t really asleep.”

  Maddie’s response was stiff, but Nick ignored it, sliding his arm under her waist and tugging until her head landed on his chest. If she wanted to be angry, that was her right. Nick wasn’t about to make it easy on her, though.

  “I’m pretty sure you were asleep,” Nick countered. “You were snoring and drooling when I came in.”

  “I don’t snore!”

  “At least you’re owning up to the drooling. That’s progress.”

  Maddie glowered at him, causing Nick to smile. “I don’t drool either.”

  “Has anyone ever told you how cute you are when you pretend to be angry?” Nick asked, hoping his natural charm would erode her fury. “I think you could be the cutest angry woman ever.”

  Maddie rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re trying to do.”

  “Love you?”

  “Ugh. I hate it when you do that. It makes it impossible to stay mad.”

  “That’s what I was going for.” Nick tucked her in tight at his side, resting his cheek against her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her. “I know you’re upset about what happened earlier. I can’t change that. I did what I thought was right.”

  “I know. I’m not angry. Er, well, not really angry.”

  “So, basically you’re saying you’re not Hulk angry, right?”

  “Ugh.” Maddie lightly slapped his chest. “Her face is going to haunt me, Nicky.”

  “I know, love. I’m so sorry.
” He kissed her forehead. “She had to go with the people who could help her, though. We’re not those people. I’m sorry.”

  “What you’re saying makes sense in my head. My heart still hurts, though.”

  “I know. That’s because you’re the sweetest woman in the world.”

  “You don’t need to keep saying things like that. I’m no longer angry with you.”

  “Good to know.”

  They lapsed into comfortable silence for a moment. Nick was eager for Maddie to get some sleep. Heck, he was eager to join her. They had something to discuss first, though.

  “Mad, I don’t really want to get into this now – mostly because I’m not sure what it all means – but that girl was locked in the basement room,” Nick said quietly. “Mildred had a padlock on the outside. She couldn’t have gotten out no matter what.”

  Maddie’s heart skipped a beat. “What does that mean?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Who is she?”

  “I don’t know.” Nick clasped Maddie tighter, thankful for her warmth. “The room was neat and tidy, not filthy or anything. There was a bed, a nightstand, and some books. There was a tray so it looked as if Mildred was feeding her.”

  “She was still locked in.”

  “I know. I’m going to get answers, Mad. There’s nothing more I can do tonight, though. I just thought you should know.”

  “Well, now I know.” Maddie brushed a quick kiss against Nick’s strong jaw. “You’re going to have nightmares because of it, aren’t you?”

  “I hope not.”

  “I think I might, too.”

  Nick hated the resignation in her voice. “How about we focus on each other and do our best to keep out the nightmares?”

  That was easier said than done, Maddie knew, but she was eager to give it a try. “Sure. Tell me how cute I am when I’m angry again. I think that will help.”

  Nick chuckled as he gave in to his fatigue. “You’re the absolute prettiest woman in the world. All other women pale compared to you.”

  “That’s a good start.”