Grave Decisions (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 7) (9 page)

She opened her mouth to call for Nick, but it was too late. Her senses were on overload when she blacked out.

“
M
addie
!”

Nick caught Maddie before she could fall backward and hit her head on the hard floor. Her eyes rolled back in her head and Nick’s heart flopped when her dead weight collapsed against him.

“Maddie!”

Nick rolled Maddie to her side in case she was having a seizure and became sick. She murmured something, although Nick couldn’t make out the words.

“Mad, please open your eyes,” Nick begged, his pulse jumping when her eyelids fluttered. “For me, love. Please.”

Maddie forced her eyes open and it took a moment for things to come into focus. Nick was the first thing she latched onto, and he was so pale she worried he was going to pass out. “Nicky?”

“Hey, Mad,” Nick said, his voice cracking. “Are you okay?”

“Um … .” Maddie’s tongue felt thick. “I think so. What happened?”

“I was just about to ask you that,” Nick said, his hands shaking as he clutched her tighter.

“Should I get the paramedics?” The werewolf appeared over Nick’s shoulder, causing Maddie to jolt.

“It’s okay, Steve,” Nick said, offering Maddie a wan smile. “That’s Steve Cook. You remember him, right? We all went to high school together.”

“Hey, Maddie.” Steve’s eyes were warm beneath his makeup.

“I remember you,” Maddie said, forcing a smile. “I don’t remember you having so much facial hair, but I’m sure a shave will clear that right up.”

Nick laughed hollowly as he pulled Maddie to his chest and cradled her. “Crap, Mad. You scared me half to death.”

“I’m sorry,” Maddie whispered. “I … it’s hot in here.”

“It is hot in here,” Steve confirmed. “Everyone has been complaining about that. The heat combined with the twirling probably just caused her to get lightheaded for a second. How do you feel now, Maddie?”

“Stupid,” Maddie said, shaking her head. “I feel … stupid.”

“Yes, well, I would rather you feel stupid than ever do that to me again,” Nick said, blowing out a sigh and rubbing Maddie’s back. “Oh, love, I swear I thought I almost had a heart attack.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Mad, don’t apologize,” Nick said, raising his eyes when he heard the sound of scurrying feet on the hard floor. He scowled when his gaze landed on Cooper, Marla, Cassidy, and Christy. Three members of the group looked amused, with only Christy’s face reflecting worry.

“What happened?” Christy asked, hurrying to Maddie’s side. “Why is she so pale … and on the ground?”

“She got too hot,” Steve explained. “She was twirling in front of the mirrors and I think she made herself dizzy.”

“Oh, that is just priceless,” Marla snickered, rolling her eyes. “Let me guess, she passed out and Nick caught her. He was her knight in shining armor again. Am I right?”

“Almost never,” Nick snapped, securing an arm around Maddie’s waist and helping her to her feet. “No one needs you here, Marla. Go … someplace else. Another state would be preferable.”

Marla’s eyes clouded over briefly. “You can’t talk to me that way.”

“I just did,” Nick shot back. “Don’t come in here and make things worse. Maddie is still weak.”

“It’s probably the spirits,” Cooper intoned, his voice grave. “They’re angry you’re not helping find a murderer, Maddie. This is how they’re punishing you.”

“Yes, that must be it,” Nick deadpanned, shaking his head as he turned to Maddie. “Let’s go home, love. We’ll take that bath I’ve been promising you and then go to bed.”

“Ugh. I may puke you two are so sickeningly sweet,” Marla said.

“Me, too,” Cassidy added. “He was never this way with me.”

“It’s because Maddie has cast some sort of spell over him,” Marla said. “I’m pretty sure she’s a witch.”

“She has cast a spell over me,” Nick agreed. “It’s called love. The reason you two don’t recognize it is because no one could possibly love you because you’re so hateful.”

Marla narrowed her eyes to dangerous slits while Cassidy looked crestfallen.

“Do you want me to help you get her home?” Christy asked, her voice small.

“No,” Nick replied. “I want to get Maddie out of here and away from these … freaks. You would be smart to do the same, though, Christy. These are not good people.”

Christy balked. “I know Marla and Cassidy are rotten, but Cooper really has the gift and he’s going to solve this murder,” she said. “I have faith in him.”

“Well, I hope you come to your senses before it’s too late,” Nick said, shaking his head. “Putting your faith in this man is a waste of time. You’ll see it eventually. I hope it’s sooner rather than later, though.”

“
H
ERE WE
go
, Mad,” Nick said forty minutes later, lowering himself into the large garden bathtub and helping Maddie climb into the steaming water beside him. “There you go.”

Maddie groaned as the water washed over her, resting her head against Nick’s chest and sighing as he massaged her tense shoulders. “I’m sorry, Nicky. I didn’t mean to embarrass you like that.”

Nick stilled. “Why do you think you embarrassed me?”

“Because you had to make excuses for my behavior,” Maddie replied, not missing a beat. “Now everyone thinks I made myself dizzy and passed out.”

“What did happen?” Nick asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. “Did you see something?”

“I saw that woman again,” Maddie admitted, squeezing her eyes shut. “I was twirling in the mirrors. I liked the way my skirt looked. All of a sudden, it wasn’t me staring back. It was her.”

“Okay,” Nick said, internally debating how to proceed. “Tell me exactly what you saw.”

“It was the same reflection, just about a hundred different variations of it,” Maddie answered. “She was holding her hand out, asking for help … and she was screaming. It was so loud I couldn’t block it out. I’m so sorry.”

“Maddie, stop that right now,” Nick ordered, flipping Maddie around so her front was flush against his chest and pressing her head down so he could sink lower in the tub and keep her warm. When they updated the master bathroom in the old Victorian, they purposely picked a tub big enough for both of them. “Don’t apologize. You couldn’t help what happened.”

Nick reached over and hit the button to start the jets, watching as the churning water covered Maddie’s slim back.

“I’m still sorry,” Maddie said. “She’s going to die, Nicky. I know it.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Mad,” Nick said, kissing her forehead. “We don’t have enough information to find her. You didn’t see anything that could give us a location, did you?”

“Just her. It was as if she was in the funhouse with me.”

“It’s okay, Maddie,” Nick murmured into her hair. “We might still have time. You don’t know that we don’t.”

“I feel it.”

Nick knew better than to argue with her instincts. He believed her. He also had no idea how to fix this. “Maddie, I need you to look at me for a minute.”

Maddie reluctantly raised her eyes until they locked with Nick’s chocolate orbs.

“I love you more than anything, Maddie,” Nick said. “You can’t fix everything, though. You’re magic, love, but you’re not infallible. If we can’t get to this woman, that’s not on you. It’s not your fault.”

“Now I’ve embarrassed you, though, on top of everything else. I’ve made things worse. Don’t bother denying it.”

“I am not embarrassed, Maddie,” Nick said, his voice firm. “You scared the dickens out of me, though. Do you remember when your mom used to say that to us? I never understood what she meant. I do now.

“The world is a harsh place sometimes, Mad, but I’ll never be embarrassed by you,” he continued. “I can survive a lot, but I can’t survive losing you.”

Maddie tightened her grip on Nick and closed her eyes as he rubbed her back and held her close. “I love you, Nicky.”

“You have no idea how much I love you, Maddie,” Nick said. “I want you to take those sleeping pills tonight, though. I know you don’t want to, but you need some rest.”

“What if she dies while I’m asleep?”

“Then it will already be too late anyway, Mad,” Nick said. “I need you at your best tomorrow if you’re going to help me. We’re a team, Maddie Graves, for better or for worse. You’re stuck with me for life. You need your rest to take on a new day, though, and I need to know you’re not going to wake up screaming.”

“Okay,” Maddie said, resigned as she rested her head on the spot above his heart. Sometimes she thought it beat specifically for her. What she didn’t realize was Nick always thought that.

“Relax for a little bit, love,” Nick said. “Close your eyes. Tomorrow is a new day, and we’re going to have a whole new set of problems. That’s the way life works. It never stops moving forward.”

“
Y
OU TWO
look like hell
,” Maude said, sipping her mug of coffee as she studied Maddie and Nick from across the dining room table the next morning. “What happened now?”

“You mean you didn’t hear about me passing out in the funhouse?” Maddie challenged, flopping her eggs on top of her hash browns so she could mash everything together. “I would’ve thought that was the talk of the fair.”

“Are you okay?” Maude’s eyes flashed with concern. “I heard about someone passing out in the funhouse. I didn’t realize it was you.”

“Maddie saw something in the mirrors and it overwhelmed her,” Nick explained. “She thinks another woman is going to be murdered.”

“But we don’t know who?” Maude enjoyed hijinks and shenanigans, but when the stakes were high, she had an unlikely pragmatic streak.

“Maddie didn’t recognize her,” Nick said. “It doesn’t help matters that Cooper Asshat is running around making a scene every five minutes and Marla and Cassidy are acting as his minions.”

“And Christy,” Maddie murmured, pushing her breakfast around her plate instead of eating it.

“I told you Christy would come around when she’s ready, Mad,” Nick said. “Eat that breakfast. You’re not leaving this house until you do, and it’s going to be gross if it gets cold.”

Maddie let loose with a long-suffering sigh. “Yes, dear.”

Despite her dour mood, Nick couldn’t help but smile. “Even when you pout you’re cute.”

“Now I wish I could pass out,” Maude said, shaking her head. “What are you going to do about this woman?”

“There’s nothing we can do without more to go on,” Nick replied. “Maddie is going to keep her eyes open at the festival today. I’ll be sticking close, too.”

“You can’t put your job on hold to babysit me all afternoon,” Maddie said, forcing herself to swallow and finding the food tasted good despite her sour stomach. “That’s not fair to you.”

“Well, life isn’t fair, Mad,” Nick said. “Our best shot of finding the next victim is for you to see her again. We need someone close to you in case that happens. That’s the way of the world.”

“You should listen to him, Maddie girl,” Maude said. “He’s smarter than he looks.”

Nick scowled. “Have I ever told you what a joy you are?”

“Not nearly enough,” Maude replied, unruffled.

“Where have you been lately?” Maddie asked, shifting her attention from her plate to her grandmother. “I’ve barely seen you in days.”

“That’s because I’m on a mission from the gods,” Maude replied. “Harriet Proctor needs my foot shoved up her … .”

“Granny,” Maddie cut her off, shooting her a warning look.

“You’re such a prude,” Maude muttered. “I don’t know how someone so prudish could spring from my genes.”

“I think she’s just prudish enough,” Nick replied, rubbing the back of Maddie’s neck to calm her. “She’s perfect. You just can’t handle that perfection skips a couple of generations.”

“You’re good for her ego, so I’m going to let that slide,” Maude said, making a face. “You’re an idiot for love sometimes, though.”

“I can live with that,” Nick said, glancing toward the counter when his cell phone rang. “Finish your breakfast, Mad. We need to get you settled in your tent as soon as possible. That means if you need to change into another cute outfit, you should do it as soon as you’re done eating.”

“I think I might forego that today,” Maddie said.

“Oh, come on,” Nick whined. “I love those skirts. They give me ideas.”

Maude snorted. “You get ideas when you wake up and see her,” she said.

“I can’t deny that,” Nick said, answering his phone.

Maddie took Nick’s distraction as an opportunity to talk to her grandmother alone. “Don’t do anything really wacky right now,” she said. “There’s a lot going on and Nick can’t take being stretched in another direction.”

“I’m pretty sure I should be offended,” Maude sniffed. “I never do anything wacky.”

“What are you planning to do to Harriet?”

“I forget,” Maude replied, averting her gaze. “The older you get, the quicker your memory goes.”

“Uh-huh.” Maddie wasn’t convinced. “Just try to keep it from getting out of control. For me, please.”

“I’ll consider it,” Maude said, turning her eyes to Nick as he walked back from the counter. “Was that good news? I certainly hope so.”

One look at Nick’s face told Maddie that the news he had to share was anything but good.

“You need to get dressed, Mad,” Nick said, licking his lips. “They found another body.”

“
M
ad
, I’m not sure you should see this,” Nick said, cutting Maddie off from the alley behind the bank and fixing her with a somber expression. “It’s pretty bad.”

They left the house together shortly after Nick received the call, Maddie opting to dress down in jeans and a simple T-shirt because she didn’t feel like playing a part given the grim reality being forced upon them. She clutched her hoodie closer to stave off the brisk morning air, but she was resigned and knew she had to see what Nick was trying to so hard to protect her from.

“I have to know if it’s her, Nicky.”

Nick opened his mouth to argue and then snapped it shut. “Focus on her face, Mad,” he instructed, slipping his arm around his beloved blonde’s waist. “Don’t look anywhere else.”

Maddie pressed her lips together and nodded as Nick led her down the alley. Kreskin and John, both overseeing the coroner as he check over the body, glanced at Maddie as she approached but otherwise remained still.

Maddie sucked in a deep breath and did as Nick instructed, only focusing on the woman’s face. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out when she saw the blond hair and pale features, blood pooling beneath both on the pavement. The woman’s blue eyes faced the sky, her mouth open as a silent scream tried to escape. Maddie knew what the scream sounded like, because despite the sleeping pills the previous evening, the scream haunted her dreams.

Maddie gave Nick a curt nod and didn’t put up a fight when he ushered her back down the alleyway and toward the street. John and Kreskin followed, keeping close to Nick and Maddie and forming a circle around Maddie to protect her from onlookers on the other side of the police tape when they got to a safe position.

“Is that the woman you saw?” Kreskin asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry, Maddie,” Kreskin said, patting her shoulder in a lame attempt to offer her solace. “I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry for me,” Maddie said. “Be sorry for her. She’s the one who suffered. She’s the one who … screamed.”

Nick’s expression was pained when he forced Maddie’s attention to him. “Love, please don’t do that to yourself,” he said. “I can’t take it.”

“I know,” Maddie said, shaking herself out of her pity party. “I just … wanted to help her.”

“You did everything you could, Maddie,” John said. “You can’t be expected to do the impossible. Don’t blame yourself for this.”

“I don’t blame myself,” Maddie said, narrowing her eyes as a face in the crowd jumped out at her. “I blame him.”

The three men followed her gaze, all frowning in unison when they caught sight of Cooper and his entourage. To Nick’s shock and dismay, Cooper lifted the police tape and crossed the barrier – bringing his three shadows with him – and strode in their direction.

“Hello, Detectives,” Cooper greeted them coolly. “I need to see the deceased if I’m expected to solve this crime.”

“We don’t need or want your help,” Kreskin replied. “Move your ass to the other side of the police tape or I’ll arrest you.”

Cooper was taken aback. His charm clearly worked better on representatives of the female persuasion. “May I ask why Ms. Graves was allowed to see the body?”

“Because she had material information on the case,” John replied smoothly, his eyes briefly landing on Christy. He knew her from a previous case and things got flirty between them before he was forced to leave town. Now he was clearly at a loss for why she was with Cooper. “Maddie thought she saw the victim at the fair yesterday and we had to ascertain if that was true.”

“Was it?” Cassidy asked. “Did she kill her?”

Nick scowled. “What is the matter with you? How can you even ask something like that?”

“Cooper says that Maddie is hiding something and he thinks it’s the fact that she’s a murderer,” Marla replied, not ashamed in the least to spout the ridiculous theory. “I happen to agree with him. Maddie is definitely evil, so she’s probably a murderer, too.”

“I think I should go,” Maddie said, forcing a smile. “I just … need to get away from this.”

“Mad, don’t let them upset you,” Nick chided. “They’re not worth it.”

“I’m not upset,” Maddie replied. “I just … need some air. I’ll be over at the fairgrounds if you need me.”

Nick wasn’t keen on letting her go. “Don’t wander anywhere by yourself,” he ordered. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. In fact, I’ll be there by lunch no matter what. We’ll eat together.”

Maddie forced a smile for his benefit. “I can’t wait.”

Nick watched her go, a vise closing around his heart as he forced himself not to follow her. She looked lost, a pretty blond figure cutting a lonely swath against the town backdrop as she hurried away. Once he was sure she was out of earshot, he turned his fury on Cooper. “I’ve had just about enough of you.”

“You’re not the only one,” Kreskin said, shaking his head. “You’re not a part of this investigation, Mr. Asshat … er, I mean Ashton.”

Nick fought the urge to snicker. “I think Asshat is more fitting.”

“Me, too,” John said.

“You can’t talk to him that way,” Marla challenged. “He’s a celebrity.”

“I don’t care if he’s the king of England,” Kreskin shot back. “He’s impeding our investigation.”

“I can solve this case,” Cooper argued. “For example … .” He broke off, holding his hand to his forehead. “The newest victim was thirty … or thirty-two … or maybe twenty-four … and she had dark hair and eyes.”

Kreskin and Nick exchanged an incredulous look.

“Well, is he right?” Cassidy asked, rubbing her hands together. “If he is, I think you have to let him in on this case.”

“We don’t have an identity yet on the victim, so we don’t have an age,” Kreskin replied, enjoying his role as spoiler. “He was dead wrong about the other aspects, though.”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Cooper protested. “I meant to say she either had dark hair and eyes … or she didn’t.”

“So you’re willing to go out on a limb and say she was a woman?” John asked. “That’s mighty bold of you.”

Christy scorched John with a harsh look. “You shouldn’t make fun of him. He has the gift.”

“You should steer clear of him because he’s a fraud and he’s trying to interject himself into an investigation he has no business being a part of,” John snapped. “I thought you had more common sense … or at least better taste in men.”

Christy squared her shoulders. “Well, the last man I was interested in left town and didn’t bother calling,” she said, her tone haughty. “I’m not sure I ever had good taste in men.”

John opened his mouth to say something snotty, but Nick shook his head, a silent warning passing between them.

“John isn’t wrong, Christy,” Nick said. “I expect Marla and Cassidy to make fools of themselves falling all over this guy because they think it’s a mark of status to be seen with him. I thought you were different.”

“I don’t care about status,” Christy argued. “I care about protecting this community. Cooper has the gift. He can help you solve this case.”

“What gift?” Nick asked, frustrated.

“He found the first body.”

“Well, he could’ve put it there,” Nick said. “That might explain how he knew where it was.”

“Then wouldn’t he know what the second victim looked like?” Marla challenged. “If he was guilty of one, certainly he would have to be guilty of the other. How do you explain him not knowing what this new victim looked like?”

“Because he’s a fraud and he’s playing all of you for fools,” Nick snapped. “He’s looking for attention and you three are playing into it. This isn’t a game. We have two dead women.”

“I never said it was a game,” Cooper said. “I’m deadly serious about helping you. The spirits will show me the way.”

“Well, the spirits better show you the way back around the tape or I’m arresting you,” Kreskin said. “I’m not kidding. You have two seconds to get over there. Anyone left on this side of the tape after that – and yes, that includes Marla, Cassidy, and Christy, too – will be arrested and thrown in jail. I’ve had enough of this … nonsense.”

“More will die,” Cooper warned, raising his hand ominously to the sky. “Their deaths will be on you.”

“And my foot will be in your rear end if you don’t get out of here,” Kreskin snapped. “I just … is this a town or a freak show?”

M
ADDIE
was lost
in thought as she made her way to the fairgrounds, guilt about not stopping the woman’s death plaguing her. In her head, she knew Nick was right and there was nothing she could do with the limited information she had. In her heart, though, she would always wonder if she could’ve saved her.

Maddie pulled up short when she saw the protesters in front of the town square. They were quiet today – which was a change from the previous two days – but Maddie realized that was probably because they were having their morning coffee while gearing up for another long afternoon of chanting and walking in a circle.

Not one to ignore a helpful coincidence, Maddie moved toward the protesters and scanned the faces for one that looked welcoming. She settled on a young man who looked to be in his mid-twenties and headed in his direction.

“Excuse me.”

The man jerked at the sound of Maddie’s voice, turning swiftly enough that he almost spilled his coffee on the pavement. “You frightened me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Maddie said, holding her hands up in a placating manner. “I was just hoping to talk to you before you started your yelling today.”

The man was attractive in a nerdy sort of way. His hair was uneven and brushed away from his face, and his wire-rimmed glasses hung low on his nose until he pushed them up. He smiled at Maddie, his cheeks coloring. “Yelling, huh? Is that what you think we’re doing?”

“Oh, well … .” Maddie was caught off guard. She couldn’t help but wonder if there was some sort of protester etiquette she accidentally ignored when she approached him. “It sounds a lot like yelling,” she said finally. “I suppose it’s more than that to you, though. I’m sorry.”

The man chuckled. “Don’t be sorry,” he said. “I don’t blame you for thinking this is ridiculous. I only came because my mother made me.”

Maddie stilled, surprised. “Your mother made you? Aren’t you an adult? I mean, you look young, but clearly you’re an adult, right?”

“I am,” the man said, extending his hand. “I’m Jesse Harper.”

Maddie took his hand. “Maddie Graves.”

“That over there is my mother, Connie Harper,” Jesse said, pointing toward an angry looking woman sipping a mug of coffee across the way. “She’s convinced Cooper Ashton is the Devil’s minion and she’s not going to stop following him until he stops claiming he can talk to the dead.”

“That’s … interesting.” Maddie wasn’t sure how to respond. “Does your mother have a personal relationship with Cooper?”

“She does,” Jesse confirmed. “My sister died when we were teenagers and my mother spent a few years desperately depressed because of it. Eventually she paid Cooper a lot of money to communicate with her. After one too many slip-ups, my mother realized Cooper was a fraud and she’s spent the past two years trying to make sure everyone else realizes that, too.”

“I’m sorry about your sister,” Maddie said. “That was probably hard on your mother. It’s not exactly the same thing, but I lost my mother a few months ago. I know it’s tough.”

“My mother never got over it,” Jesse said. “She’s practically bankrupted herself following Cooper around the country. She’s determined not to let anyone else fall prey to his act.”

“Did you meet Cooper when all of this was going on?”

“I wasn’t around for it,” Jesse replied. “I went to college in Virginia and then I went to get my master’s degree afterward. I didn’t realize she was so far off the rails until Christmas this past year. She asked me to join on her crusade, and while it wasn’t exactly something I wanted to do, I’m too worried to leave her alone.”

“That’s too bad,” Maddie said, her heart going out to the man. He was a good son. “Have you ever heard of Cooper being right on anything?”

“Not really,” Jesse said. “I’ve done a little research on psychic charlatans, and most of them seem to do this cold read technique where they manage to glean a few hard facts just by looking at someone. Then, when they get the first few things right, people are more likely to forgive screw-ups later.”

“For example?” Maddie prodded.

“For example Cooper would look at you and say something like you’re going through a tough breakup.”

“Why would he think that?”

“Because you have circles under your eyes, which denotes a rough night, and you’re not wearing a wedding ring,” Jesse said. “Personally, I think it’s a shame a woman like you is single.”

“I’m not single,” Maddie said, hoping her cheeks didn’t look as red as they felt. “I live with my boyfriend. We did have a late night, but not because of any internal problems. He’s a police officer and the recent deaths are … troublesome.”

Jesse arched an eyebrow. “Deaths? As in plural? Has someone else died?”

“Oh, I thought everyone knew already,” Maddie said. “Yeah. They found another body behind the bank.”

“That’s terrible,” Jesse said, shaking his head. “Do they have any leads?”

“I think it’s too soon.”

“But … are they looking at Cooper?” Jesse looked intrigued. “It would make sense because he found the first body. That’s the rumor we heard anyway.”

“I would imagine they’re looking at Cooper, but I can’t tell you if it’s serious or just a passing thing,” Maddie said. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Your boyfriend doesn’t talk about work with you?”

“Not if he can help it,” Maddie replied. “He doesn’t want to give me nightmares.”

“Well, that’s too bad,” Jesse said. “This isn’t the first time death has followed Cooper around, though. I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’ve just heard rumors about other people dying in cities Cooper visits,” Jesse explained. “This isn’t the first time he’s showed up in a town and then had a body drop a few hours later.”

Maddie was stunned. “Has he been looked at as a suspect before?”