Grave Seas
A Maddie Graves and Rowan Gray Mystery
Lily Harper Hart
HarperHart Publications
Copyright © 2019 by Lily Harper Hart
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Contents
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. Eight
9. Nine
10. Ten
11. Eleven
12. Twelve
13. Thirteen
14. Fourteen
15. Fifteen
16. Sixteen
17. Seventeen
18. Eighteen
19. Nineteen
20. Twenty
Mail List
Acknowledgments
Books by Lily Harper Hart
One
“Look at that view.”
Maddie Graves — check that, Maddie Graves-Winters — was agog as she stared out the window of the honeymoon suite at the ritzy hotel her new husband Nick Winters had selected as lodging for the night before they left on their honeymoon cruise.
They’d been married exactly four days and were still in the gushy “no, I love you more” phase of their relationship.
“Pretty, huh?” Nick asked the question from the bed, where he reclined with his head against the pillows and a remote control in his hand as he checked the national news. As much as he was enjoying his honeymoon, he was feeling disconnected for some reason ... and he wasn’t exactly sure why.
“It’s very pretty.”
Her honey blond hair pulled back in a loose bun, Maddie’s gaze was intense and full of scrutiny as she turned back to Nick. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Hmm? Wherever you want is fine,” he responded absently.
Maddie frowned. “Wherever I want for what?”
“That’s fine.”
Irritation bubbled up as she pounced on the bed, bouncing hard enough that she jolted him into looking at her. His eyes were wide as he took in the annoyance lining her face. “What, love? I’m not doing anything.”
Maddie rolled her eyes in dramatic fashion. “You’re not doing anything, huh?”
“No. I’m minding my own business. I’m not sure why you’re mad ... .”
“Who says I’m mad?”
Nick wasn’t an idiot. He’d known Maddie for practically his entire life. They’d grown up together, claimed best friend status, and then had a terrible falling out when she moved away after high school. When she returned, the secret she’d tried so hard to hide on display, they hadn’t been able to resist one another. The second time around had been even more magical despite the fact that Nick had to absorb the information that Maddie could see and talk to ghosts. It was a lot for him to take in, but now he was used to their new life ... and wouldn’t change it for anything. That didn’t mean he liked the expression on her face.
“Mad, this is our honeymoon.” He adopted a pragmatic tone. “You can’t be angry on our honeymoon. In your eyes, I’m still the best man in the world.”
“You’re always going to be the best man in the world to me,” she countered. “That doesn’t mean I enjoy being ignored.” She playfully flicked the tender spot between his eyebrows and grinned when he frowned. “Pay some attention to your new wife.”
“Oh, I’ll pay you some attention.” He grabbed her around the waist and wrestled her to the bed, enjoying the way she gasped and giggled as he relentlessly tickled her. “Beg for mercy, Mad. That’s the only way you’re getting out of this.”
“I’m not begging.” Maddie said the words but there was doubt reflected in her eyes. “I just ... stop it.” She struggled against Nick’s prying fingers. “I mean it. That hurts, Nicky.”
Nick immediately drew back his hand and frowned. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“I know.” She was instantly contrite. “I just don’t like being tickled.”
He furrowed his brow. “Since when?”
“Since you’re the one who should be tickled.” She launched herself in the air, tackling him to the mattress. He was laughing so hard by the time they landed that he could barely breathe.
“Fine. I give up, Mad.” He raised his hands over his head in defeat. “You win.”
Her grin was adorable enough that it caused Nick’s stomach to flutter. “What do I get for winning?”
“What do you want?” Nick’s fingers were gentle as he slipped a strand of hair behind her ear. He enjoyed her proximity, liked the way she loomed over him, loved that her body spray was coconut and made him think of piña coladas.
“I want a nice dinner.”
“I’m fairly certain I can arrange that.” He slipped his arms around her waist and tugged her down so she could rest her head on his chest. They fit together, as if they were always meant to cuddle like this. Even though he knew he somehow overcame it, Nick could barely remember his life before she came back into it. What they had now was so strong, so life-affirming, that he wondered how he managed to survive before he had her.
“Are you enjoying your honeymoon so far?” he asked on a whisper, his lips dangerously close to Maddie’s ear, enough so that chills ran down her spine.
“Yes.” She rested her hand on the spot above his heart. “Are you?”
“I’m with you, Mad, and you’re rarely dressed unless we’re switching hotels. What’s not to love about that?”
She lightly slapped his shoulder. “That’s kind of a perverted thing to say.”
“I’m fine with that. If I can’t be perverted on my honeymoon, when can I be perverted?”
“Good point.” She rolled so she was sitting on top of him, straddling him in the power position. Some of her flaxen hair came loose as she stared down at him. “Did I mention how happy I am to be your wife?”
Nick smiled indulgently as he linked his fingers with hers, taking a moment to enjoy the way her engagement and wedding rings glinted under the light. “I’m extremely happy you’re my wife, too.” He lifted his head to kiss her, but she pulled back before their lips could meet. “What?” The single-word question came out whinier than he intended.
“You were supposed to say that you’re happy you’re my husband,” she argued.
“I did.”
“No, you said you were happy I was your wife. There’s a difference.”
Nick couldn’t see how, but the last thing he wanted was to argue about something insignificant. “I’m so happy to be your husband that I’m about to burst.” He grabbed her hips and rolled her, delighting in the way she giggled. Their honeymoon had been light, a way for them to put away the bad things they’d gone through over the past year. He wanted to keep it that way.
He planted a long, slow kiss on her and was leaning into the emotions bubbling up inside of him when she pinched his side, causing him to yelp.
“Geez, Mad.” He flopped to a sitting position and ruefully rubbed the spot in question. “You’re being brutal today.”
“I’m sorry.” She meant it. “I have every intention of romancing the crap out of you later.”
His grin was back. “I thought I was romancing the crap out of you.”
“Let’s compromise and say we’re romancing each other, huh?”
He nodded without hesita
tion. “I can stomach that.”
“Good.” She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I’m hungry, though, and there’s a beautiful beach out there. We’re going to be on a cruise ship starting tomorrow — and I’m really excited about that — but I love the beach, too.”
He brushed his thumb over her cheek as he considered the words. “You know I’m probably not going to be able to catch a turtle for you here, right?”
She laughed. They spent their summers in the lake behind the house they shared catching turtles and collecting Petoskey stones. It was their little shared routine. “I know. I just thought we could get piña coladas and sit close to the water. They even have the ones served right in the coconut shells at the little beach bar down that way. It’s a tiki bar and it looks fabulous.”
He moved his thumb to her plump bottom lip. “I think I can handle piña coladas and the beach. You don’t have to twist my arm.”
“There’s what looks to be a really cool restaurant a little farther down on the beach, too,” she added. “I’m guessing seafood, but I love seafood so I’m fine with that.”
“I’m fine with that, too.” He snapped her body against his and kissed her deeply. “Piña coladas and crab legs it is. Besides, I love watching you eat the crab. You’re adorable in that little bib they provide.”
Maddie’s gaze turned withering. “I don’t wear the bib.”
“You’ve worn the bib.”
“Like once.”
He kissed her again. “Like every time and I’m fine with it. You’re too cute to be embarrassed about.”
“That’s good to know,” she said dryly, shaking her head. “What time do we have to be at the ship again tomorrow?”
“Not until ten. We leave at noon, so that gives us plenty of time to check in and drop our stuff in the room before heading to the deck. Why?”
“I was just thinking a moonlight stroll on the beach before I drag you back here to do honeymoon things might be in order, too.”
He wanted to tease her. She was so earnest, though, he couldn’t. “I love doing honeymoon things with you. I think we can fit everything in before tomorrow.”
“I’m a little nervous,” Maddie admitted. “I’ve never been on a cruise before.”
“Me either. Just think of it as one of many new adventures we’re going to share together.”
“Good idea.”
“I’m full of them.”
ROWAN GRAY SAT ON THE BEACH NEXT to the small inlet that led to her favorite seafood restaurant and stared at her left hand. Technically she’d come to the beach to build a sandcastle — one of her favorite activities — and wait for her fiancé Quinn Davenport, but she found herself daydreaming instead.
Her life had taken such a fantastical turn.
Within three weeks’ time she’d discovered why a covert group called the Phoenix Society had been tracking her, watched as her father publicly came back from the dead (long story), and had gotten engaged to the man of her dreams. It was all so surreal ... and she couldn’t remember ever having been happier.
“Sorry I’m late,” a voice called out from the growing darkness.
Rowan didn’t have to strain to see who was joining her. She would recognize that voice anywhere, including in her dreams. “That’s okay. I’ve just been sitting here ... staring.”
Quinn, his short-cropped hair dark and shining under the muted light, pulled up short when he saw the big pile of loose sand. “Oh, no. Did getting engaged to me kill your creativity?” His eyes twinkled with delight as he dropped to his knees and kissed her. “By the way, did I mention that I love the idea of you being my wife?”
Rowan felt as if she was a perpetual smile machine these days, and that was fully on display this evening as she leaned in to rest her forehead against his. She couldn’t believe how things had worked out. There was a time she thought they might never be truly happy because they were always on the run. That had changed ... for the better. “I love the idea of you being my husband, too.”
“Oh, I really love that idea,” he teased, tugging her closer to him so he could place sloppy kisses along the back of her neck. “Seriously, though, what’s with the castle? You’re usually elbow deep in one of these things by the time I get here. I was so late tonight I thought you would be finished.”
Quinn understood that building the castles was like a form of meditation for Rowan. They were one of the ways she opted to unwind. He found the habit cute and often enjoyed indulging himself with her. Apparently that was not on the agenda for tonight.
“I’m afraid to tell you what distracted me,” she hedged.
His expression didn’t change, but his heart rate picked up a notch. “What’s wrong?” He was instantly alert.
The look she shot him was full of amusement more than anything else. “Nothing is wrong. You don’t have to jump to that conclusion any longer. I mean ... I get why you do. I find myself doing the same thing. It’s not necessary, though.”
He forced himself to relax. “Right. You’re safe now. It takes some getting used to.”
“It does. I mean ... we were almost killed by a group of fanatics who wanted to get their hands on me because I can take photos that predict death. My father pretended to be dead to protect me and then came back with another name. Now he’s back living life under his own name and is at the center of a media firestorm because in his time away he became a famous author. It’s a lot to take in.”
“And yet it’s better than the uncertainty we were living under,” Quinn noted. “Speaking of that ... do you want to talk about the letter that was delivered this morning?”
She stilled, surprised. “You read that?”
“We’re moving into new quarters together,” he reminded her. “I’ve been taking a load of your stuff to the new room on my various breaks all day. We’ll be finished tomorrow morning and officially in our new digs. You left the letter sitting on top of the table. I thought it might be a note for me.”
“Oh.” Her voice grew small. “I didn’t think about that.”
He shifted so she sat on his lap and pushed her auburn hair away from her neck so he could rest his chin on her shoulder. He wanted to give himself a few moments to figure out the right thing to say. “Once I opened it I couldn’t stop myself from reading,” he admitted. “I probably should’ve put it back, but when I saw Spencer’s name ... .” He trailed off.
It turned out, in addition to being the head of the Phoenix Society, Leon Spencer was also Rowan’s uncle. He’d been obsessed with the psychic powers his sister — her mother — displayed after an experiment he set up on the sly. Her mother died when Rowan was a young teenager and she thought her father had followed suit when she was eighteen. Instead, her life had been upended by a series of events she had no control over and now her uncle was facing charges in a Florida jail.
“He wants to see me,” Rowan volunteered quietly. “He says he wants to explain things.”
“Do you want to give him that opportunity?”
“Not particularly.”
“Then ignore the letter.” Quinn was firm. “You don’t owe that man anything. He’s the reason you lost your father for ten years in the first place. He’s the reason your parents had to go into hiding.”
“That’s true.” Rowan pursed her lips and blew out a sigh. “I also got a call from my grandfather. How weird is that to say out loud? I’ve never really had a grandfather.”
On this point, Quinn was more unsure. “What did he have to say?”
“He wants to meet me. He says he’s been trying to be patient and he understands this is a lot to take in, but he wants to meet me in person. He says the phone calls aren’t enough.”
“Well ... I don’t think it’s fair for him to pressure you,” Quinn supplied after a moment’s consideration. “That being said, I can kind of see his point. You’re the only grandchild he has and he didn’t know you existed. You’re an adult now, but it’s not too late for him to be part of your life.
You said you were going to give him a chance.”
“I know. It just sort of makes me nervous.”
“Yeah, well ... I have news.” He decided to change the subject to something happier and kissed her neck as she turned a set of curious eyes to him.
“Oh, yeah? What? Did you get out of your contract early so you can join Fred right away?”
Quinn wasn’t expecting that question. “No, in fact, I’ve managed to extend my contract so now it exactly matches your contract.”
Despite herself, Rowan was pleased. “Really?”
“Yes.” He poked her side. “Don’t ever play poker, by the way, Ro. You have a terrible face for it. Every emotion you feel is written all over it. As for The Bounding Storm, you’re stuck with me until your contract expires. We have a new room — a suite — thanks to me. I expect to be rewarded for that later.”
Rowan rolled her eyes. “You’re kind of full of yourself.”
“I am, but I think you like that I’m full of myself.” He tickled her until she squealed and then wrapped his arms tightly around her. “The good news I was referring to is that your uncle – your other uncle, the one I like – really is selling us his beach house. Now that it’s no longer necessary for him and your father to be in hiding, he wants to hand over the keys and sign the papers so the transfer is official.”
Rowan was taken aback. “That was quick. I wasn’t really expecting him to move that fast. I thought it would take a few months. I mean ... I know he promised us the house, but I thought he would need a place to live a bit longer.” She furrowed her brow. “Did he say where he was going?”
Quinn didn’t need to be a mind reader to understand what was worrying her. “He did. He bought a penthouse in that big building down the strip. It seems he loves the area but doesn’t want to take care of any property so he paid a premium to get into a building where they do all the yardwork and upkeep for him.”
Grave Seas: A Maddie Graves and Rowan Gray Mystery Page 1
