Grave Homecoming (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 1) (20 page)

Maddie and Nick were both mortified.

“It’s like babysitting without getting paid,” Christy continued. “It’s just … you two both need to grow up.”

Nick wanted to argue, but her point was clear. He couldn’t argue with her, because he knew she was right. “I’ll run a search on Todd,” he said, straightening.

“Well, it’s something,” Christy said. “You two are still morons.”

After watching the action at Blackstone Greenhouse for another ten minutes, Nick instructed Maddie to climb into the cruiser so he could taxi her home. Maddie was worried he was going to lecture her, so she was reticent to ride with him, but Christy didn’t give her a lot of options.

“Maybe he’ll teach you how to steam up the windows,” Christy suggested. “I think you’re long past learning what that’s supposed to be like.”

Maddie shot her a look as she slipped into the passenger seat of Nick’s cruiser. “You’re not funny.”

“I think she’s funny,” Nick said as he slid into his own seat and started the car.

“I know why the windows were steamed up.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“She acts like I’m ten.”

“That’s because she can’t believe anyone could be as cute and innocent as you are,” Nick teased.

Maddie’s face flushed. “I’m surprised you’re not yelling at me.”

“Why would I yell at you?”

“Because we were out spying on the guys at Blackstone Greenhouse. I figured that would tick you off.”

Nick tilted his head to the side, considering. “Do I yell at you a lot?”

Maddie faltered. “No.”

“So, why did you think I would yell at you now?”

“I don’t know,” Maddie hedged. “We were trying to ascertain if a murderer was working out here. That doesn’t particularly seem smart.”

“If you had decided one of them was a murderer, what would you have done?” Nick’s face was unreadable as he navigated through the Blackstone Bay streets.

“Called you.”

“Maddie, the only time I’m going to be angry with you is if you lie or purposely put yourself in danger,” Nick said. “From what I can tell, you and Christy were sitting in a car and gossiping. It’s not like you can really tell who a murderer is just by looking at him.”

“I think it’s Todd.”

Nick smirked. “I think you want it to be Todd. If it’s Todd, you won’t have to keep coming up with excuses to turn him down.”

“I don’t need excuses,” Maddie replied. “He makes my skin crawl.”

“Good,” Nick said. “I don’t like him being around you.”

“Because he’s a jerk?”

“That’s one of the reasons, yes,” Nick said.

“What’s the other?”

Nick ignored the question. “Let’s look at this from an unbiased point of view,” he said. “What would Todd’s motive be?”

“I think he hates women.”

“Why?”

“He obviously thinks he’s above them,” Maddie said. “He talks about women like they’re nothing more than commodities, or things to barter.”

“Be more specific.”

“Well, when we were out on our date … .”

Nick scowled.

“He kept trying to get me to drink wine, even though I told him it went to my head and made me feel fuzzy,” Maddie said. “He seemed to like that, though.”

“Of course he did,” Nick said. “If he got you drunk, you would’ve been more pliable.”

“It wasn’t just that,” Maddie said. “He kept insisting I eat lobster because it was the most expensive thing on the menu. He kept talking about buying me the most expensive meal – even though I don’t even really like lobster.”

“Maybe he just wanted you to be beholden to him,” Nick suggested. “Isn’t there some dating myth out there that if you order the most expensive thing on the menu you have to put out?”

Maddie shrugged. “I haven’t done a lot of dating. I’m not up on the rules.”

“You didn’t date a lot … when you were away?” Nick was curious, despite himself.

“No.”

“How come?”

“Because I just don’t connect well with others,” Maddie replied, her gaze focused outside the window. “The doctors at the hospital kept asking me out, but all they wanted to do was talk about themselves. I didn’t trust them enough to talk about myself, so nothing really ever went anywhere.”

“Well, you’re better than them anyway, Mad,” Nick said. “And I don’t think you have problems connecting with people. We’re connected, and you’ve connected with Christy. You just need to stop fixating on the way things should be, and start focusing on how you want them to be.”

“How did you suddenly get so wise?” Maddie asked.

“I’ve always been wise,” Nick said. “You just weren’t around to see me mature into a genius.”

“Ah, well, at least I know now.”

Nick grinned as he pulled into Maddie’s driveway. He stopped her from exiting the cruiser with a small touch, and a serious expression. “Listen, Mad. I’m not saying you’re wrong about Todd,” he said. “I’ve always hated that guy. That’s why I want to think it’s him. I’m worried that I’m blinding myself to the real culprit, though.”

“So, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I want you to be careful,” Nick said. “No running around at night by yourself, okay? I don’t care if you have a ghost with you or not.”

Maddie opened her mouth to argue.

“Don’t, Mad,” Nick said. “I’m not joking. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you. I want you to promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I promise,” Maddie murmured.

“I’m going to run a check on Todd and the workers out at the greenhouse,” Nick said. “I think you might be on to something.”

“How are you going to explain that?”

“What do you mean?”

“We have absolutely nothing to explain our actions,” Maddie said. “We have a ghost in a pantry who had a bad reaction to the old man who is sleeping with my grandmother.”

Nick chuckled. “Yeah, they’re kind of a cute couple.”

“You’re not funny.”

“I’m a little funny,” Nick said. “If Sarah had a bad reaction to Henry, there has to be a reason why.”

“You’re taking a whole lot on faith here,” Maddie pointed out. “You’re basing all of your actions on the fact that I say I can see ghosts. Have you asked yourself if I’m telling the truth? Have you asked yourself if I’m crazy?”

“No,” Nick said. “I trust you, Mad. I believe in you. I know you’re … struggling … with having faith in me right now, but it’s going to be okay.”

“I have faith in you,” Maddie protested.

“In the back of your mind, you still think I’m going to run away from you,” Nick countered. “I saw the look on your face last night when you found me in the window seat. You thought I’d snuck out. I’m not going to sneak out, and I’m not going to abandon you. The sooner you realize that, the better we’ll all be.”

“I do believe,” Maddie said, biting her lip.

Nick ran his hand down the back of her head, the need to comfort her overwhelming him. “I think you want to believe,” he said. “You’ll get to the other part. Don’t worry. Now, go in the house and lock the doors.”

“You don’t think Todd would follow me here, do you?”

“I don’t want you to convince yourself that it’s Todd until we actually know it’s Todd,” Nick said. “If you do that, you aren’t going to be paying proper attention to your surroundings. So, as far as you’re concerned, Todd is innocent. Got it?”

Maddie nodded. “Got it.”

“Okay,” Nick said. “Go in the house and lock the doors. Oh, and you might want to have a conversation with Maude about her bed buddy. Try to dissuade her from having him over until this thing is solved, okay?”

“Oh, yeah, that will be easy,” Maddie grumbled.

Nick smiled. “If Sarah pops back up, call me on my cellphone.”

“Okay.”

“Maddie … .”

Maddie was halfway out of the car but she bent back down so she could see his face.

“If you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to call,” Nick said. “I’ll come to you no matter what.”

“You always do.” She shut the door.

“And I always will,” Nick muttered. He waited until she was safely inside of the house before he drove away. He had some thinking to do, and despite what he’d told Maddie, he was intrigued with the idea of Todd as a suspect.

“GRANNY?”

“How many times have I told you not to call me that?”

Maddie found Maude nursing a cup of tea in the kitchen. “What should I call you?”

“Goddess Divine.”

“Well, maybe on your birthday.” Maddie sat down at the table and poured her own cup of tea. She raised her eyebrows when Maude slipped a bottle of bourbon out of her robe pocket and passed it across the table. “Ah, I see you weren’t just drinking tea.”

“I’m trying to relax before bed.”

“And will you be sleeping alone tonight?”

“Will you?” Maude challenged.

“Granny, nothing happened,” Maddie said, her cheeks coloring. “We just fell asleep.”

“And then cuddled up like two bugs in a rug.”

“I’ve never understood that expression.”

“It’s a stupid one,” Maude agreed.

“I need you to do something for me,” Maddie said. “I need you to put the brakes on your relationship with Henry, at least for a few days.”

“I’m an adult, Maddie girl,” Maude said. “I can see who I want.”

“I know that,” Maddie said. “It’s just … Sarah Alden was in the pantry this morning.”

“Who is Sarah Alden?”

“She’s the woman whose body I found the other day.”

“Oh,” Maude said, her eyes thoughtful. “I heard you talking. I figured you were just talking to your mother.”

“No,” Maddie said. “It was Sarah, and she had a bad reaction to Henry.”

“What do you mean?”

Maddie described the incident.

“You don’t really think Henry is capable of killing a young woman in her prime, do you?” Maude asked. “He’s so out of shape he can’t even be on top. His knees are shot.”

“Thank you for that visual.”

“I’m just saying that Henry is not capable of hurting anyone,” Maude said.

“I tend to agree with you,” Maddie replied. “What if Sarah recognized Henry because he was close to the person who did kill her, though?”

“Like someone out at the greenhouse?”

Maddie shrugged. “We went out there to have a look around tonight,” she said. “Christy doesn’t think anyone working there is capable of murder.”

“What do you think?”

“I think I’d forgotten that Todd was Henry’s nephew.”

Maude stilled. “I kind of forgot that, too. Was he out there tonight?”

“He was,” Maddie said. “He pulled up when the greenhouse was closing, and he went inside. He was still there when we left.”

“Todd doesn’t strike me as the type of man who does a lot of gardening,” Maude mused. “I’m pretty sure he lives in one of those townhouses across Jefferson. He wouldn’t even be responsible for doing his own yard work.”

“Maybe he was just visiting his uncle?”

“Maybe,” Maude said. “Henry never mentions him, though. I’ve never gotten the impression they were very close.”

“Well, I just want you to be careful,” Maddie said. “Nick is running a background check on Todd and everyone else out at the greenhouse.”

“What if none of them are responsible?”

“I don’t know,” Maddie admitted. “We just have to wait for Sarah to show up again. I think she’s remembering. She’s the only one who can fill in the details.”

Maude patted the top of the table. “Hand me my bourbon.”

“I think you’ve had enough.”

“Hey, if I’m not going to be getting any, I need to get my jollies somewhere.”

Maddie frowned. “That is … .” She didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence. Suddenly, all of the lights in the house blinked out and plunged Maddie and Maude into darkness – and unseen danger.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Maddie said, her eyes narrowing as she tried to peer into the dark. “Maybe a fuse blew.”

“That wouldn’t explain the lights in the whole house going out.”

Maddie’s skin was tingling, which meant danger. Unfortunately, she was the one in danger this time. “We have to get out of here.”

“Do you think someone is in the house?”

“Where is the circuit breaker?”

“In the garage.”

“I think someone is in the garage,” Maddie said. “I think they’ll be in the house soon.” She moved around the table so she could touch her grandmother. “We need to get out of this house. If we stay, we’ll be trapped.”

“You need to run, Maddie girl,” Maude said. “I’ll just slow you down.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“You have to.”

“I won’t.” Maddie gripped Maude’s hand and started to feel around the back wall. “We’ll go out through the back and circle around to the front. My car is in the driveway. I still have the keys in my pocket.”

“You won’t make it if you insist on taking me.”

“We’re either both leaving, or we’re both staying,” Maddie said, her voice firm. “Which way is it going to be?”

Maude sighed. “We’re both going. When this is over, though, I’m going to beat you upside your head.”

“I can’t wait.”

NICK
studied his computer screen wearily. It was like he was going around in circles. He’d run a search on every employee at the greenhouse, and there were no red flags in any of the files.

When he’d ran Henry’s name, however, something worrisome popped up. It appeared Henry hadn’t always been a simple greenhouse operator. In his twenties, he’d been arrested for stalking a women – even though they didn’t call it stalking back then. The woman in question, Helen Glass, claimed Henry kept showing up outside of her classes at a mid-Michigan community college, and he’d also taken to showing up at her home. He made unwanted romantic overtures, and when Helen balked, Henry allegedly became more and more aggressive – even appearing in her bedroom one night. That’s when he was arrested.

Henry was eventually convicted on misdemeanor nuisance charges and sent to the Bay County Jail for sixty days. By the time he was released, Helen Glass had moved. Since that was before information was readily available online, she’d been able to disappear, and Henry had limited options for following.

Still, Nick reasoned, stalking a woman when you’re in your twenties is vastly different than killing one when you’re in your seventies. He was convinced Henry didn’t have the physical stamina to take a healthy woman in her twenties on. The autopsy report on Sarah Alden showed possible signs of sexual assault, but if someone raped her, they wore a condom and did no visible damage. She’d been strangled into unconsciousness at one point, and then stabbed four times in the torso. That seemed like a lot of work for an older man with knee problems.

Nick leaned back in his chair and rolled his neck. He considered calling Maddie to check on her, something in his stomach tightened when he thought of her. It wasn’t the usual butterflies that flitted to and fro when he pictured heart-shaped face, though. This was something different. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

The sound of his office door opening jolted him, and when he glanced up, he was fully expecting to see Maddie for some reason. She’d been invading his thoughts all night. The woman standing there was not the one he anticipated, and he couldn’t hide the feeling of disappointment as it washed over him.

“What are you doing here?”

“IT’S
too dark out here to see anything,” Maude whispered, rubbing her knee ruefully after accidentally banging it into the siding.

Maddie had managed to get her grandmother out of the house, and they’d skirted the exterior wall until they reached the west side. Maddie could see the front driveway now, and her car was only fifty feet away. There was still an open expanse to traverse, and Maddie and Maude would be vulnerable when they tried to cross. That was Maddie’s biggest concern. They had no way of no knowing where the intruder was. They had no way of knowing if he’d heard them escape and followed. They were essentially stuck.

“What are we waiting for?” Maude asked, antsy.

“I don’t like how quiet it is out here.”

“Would you prefer to hear the sounds of someone creeping through the bushes in our direction with a knife?”

Maddie shuddered. “Thank you for that visual.”

“I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, you’re doing a great job of it.” Maddie stepped away from the house and looked in both directions. The wind had picked up, and it was starting to rustle the leaves in the nearby trees, causing the boughs to shift and cast eerie shadows on the ground.

“Where is your cellphone?” Maude asked.

“It’s on the table by the front door.”

“Well, that’s a great place for it.”

“Where is yours?” Maddie challenged.

“In my purse.” Maddie waited. “Which is on my bed.”

“Do you really want to start pointing fingers here?” Despite herself, Maddie found comfort in Maude’s crankiness.

“We can’t just stand here, Maddie,” Maude pressed. “You have to make a choice.”

Maddie nodded, sighing. “Let’s start for the car.”

Maddie and Maude clasped hands before emerging. Maddie continued to scan every direction as she pushed Maude in front of her. The most important thing was getting Maude to the car.

They were within twenty feet when a figure detached from the east side of the house. It was too dark to make out any features, but Maddie’s lungs momentarily ceased working when she saw the silhouette.

“Granny, you have to drive to the police station,” Maddie hissed.

“What?” Maude was confused.

Maddie pulled the keys from her pocket and pressed them into Maude’s hand. “You have to get to Nick.”

“What are you talking about?”

Maddie took a step away from her grandmother, never letting her eyes drift from the still figure in front of the garage. “I’m going to lead him away from you, Granny.”

When Maude finally saw what Maddie was looking at, she was appalled. “You most certainly are not.”

“We don’t have a choice, Granny,” Maddie said. “He can cut us off before we reach the car. He’s going to have to make a choice, and I’m guessing he’s going to go after me instead of you.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Just … something inside of me,” Maddie said, taking another step away. “Go straight to Nick and tell him what happened. He’ll know how to find me.”

“You’re going to run into the woods, aren’t you?” Maude was resigned.

“Yes.”

“You could trip, Maddie,” Maude argued. “If you trip, he’ll catch you.”

“I know the woods, Granny,” Maddie said. “I’ll be fine. He could trip, too. I have a better chance of hiding out there than he does of finding me.”

“Maddie … please come with me.”

“I need you to be safe, Granny,” Maddie said, taking another step back in the direction they’d come from. “You’re all I have left.”

“And you’re all I have left.”

Maddie couldn’t risk a look at her grandmother. She couldn’t take her eyes off the figure. It was starting to move in her direction, and while Maddie still couldn’t make out any features, the shadow was clearly male. Broad shoulders and strong thighs gave him away. “Go now, Granny.”

“Maddie … .”

“Go!”

Maddie turned on her heel and booked back around the side of the house. She glanced over her shoulder once, long enough to make sure the man was following her and not focused on Maude. When she saw him round the corner at a run, Maddie increased her pace and plunged into the woods behind the house. She could only hope Maude would make it to Nick. She couldn’t help her now.

“THAT’S
not a very nice way to greet your girlfriend,” Cassidy said, her face reflecting hurt. “Especially when she brought you a special dinner because you were working so late.”

Nick tempered his attitude. Why did she just keep showing up? That was a stupid question. He knew why. She felt him slipping away. She didn’t realize he’d already been gone for weeks.

“I’m sorry,” Nick said, his tone level. “I’m just really busy. I wasn’t expecting anyone to come here tonight.”

“Then why did you look excited when I opened the door and then disappointed when you realized it was me?”

“I wasn’t excited,” Nick said. “I was … surprised.”

“I think you thought it was Maddie,” Cassidy said firmly.

“I actually knew it wasn’t Maddie,” Nick replied. “I dropped her off at her house about an hour ago.” He had no idea why he said it. Part of him was hoping Cassidy would take the admission as an attack and dump him. The truth was, he always tried to antagonize the women he dated into dumping him. That way he didn’t feel like an ass when he was ready for the relationship to end. He’d been pushing Cassidy toward that same outcome for weeks – long before Maddie returned – but she refused to pull the trigger and end things. Nick was slowly coming to realize he was going to have to be the bad guy.

“You were with Maddie tonight?” Cassidy’s voice was shrill. “I thought you were working?”

“I am working,” Nick said. “I got a call that there was a strange car out at Blackstone Greenhouse. When I got there, it was Christy and Maddie. I needed to talk to Maddie, so I took her home.”

“And last night? Where were you last night?”

Nick furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

“You never went home.”

“Are you spying on me?” Nick was angry. He knew he’d created the situation, and he was steadfastly making it worse, but the idea that Cassidy thought she had the right to watch his house was beyond annoying.

“I went out there to see if we could spend some time together,” Cassidy said, her lower lip jutting out. “You never came home.”

“I fell asleep at Maddie’s house,” Nick said, refusing to lie. “We had a long day, and then we ordered some pizza. I was exhausted, and I fell asleep.”

“Well, at least you’re finally admitting you’re sleeping with Maddie,” Cassidy spat.

“I didn’t sleep with Maddie.” Well, technically he had slept with her. He knew that Cassidy was referring to sex, though. “We fell asleep.”

“In her bed?”

“No, in the window seat. We used to read there all the time, and that’s what we were doing when I fell asleep.” Nick had no idea why he was explaining his actions. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He was doing it so Cassidy wouldn’t spread rumors about Maddie when the end finally came. It didn’t escape his attention that he was more worried about how his breakup with Cassidy would hurt Maddie than how it would wound Cassidy.

“We can’t keep doing this,” Cassidy said, running a hand through her long waves as she shifted.

Finally
, Nick thought.
She’s going to dump me.

“I think we should go to couples’ counseling.”

Nick’s mouth dropped open. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I understand what you’re saying.”

“I love you, Nick,” Cassidy said. She waited for a response, but Nick didn’t give her one. That didn’t stop her from plowing forward. “I think we need to talk about our issues in a formal setting, and with a professional.”

“I don’t have any issues,” Nick said. “You clearly do, but I don’t.”

“All you have are issues,” Cassidy said. “You know, when I started dating you, people warned me off.”

“Maybe you should’ve listened to them.”

“People told me you were pining for the great lost love of your life,” Cassidy continued. “They said you were stuck in time because of some woman named Maddie Graves.”

“Leave Maddie out of this,” Nick snapped.

“I can’t,” Cassidy said. “I think her return has … confused you. The Nick I know is sweet and caring. The Nick I know cares for me – even if he won’t say it. The Nick I know would never be led around by a woman, and yet that’s exactly what you’re letting Maddie do to you.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nick said, tension building in his shoulders as he fought to keep from flying off the handle.

“Well, I still think we need to talk out our issues,” Cassidy said. “I want you to agree to counseling.”

The time was here. Nick knew he couldn’t let this go on a second longer. He searched his mind for a way to let her down easily, but everything he mulled sounded mean. Maybe there was no way around that? He opened his mouth to speak, but the cracked office door suddenly flew open to allow Maude entrance.

She was gasping for breath, and her face was clouded with color. Nick jumped to his feet. “What’s wrong?”

“We’re in the middle of something here, Maude,” Cassidy said, petulant. “I’m sure whatever drama you’ve whipped up with Harriet can be postponed for a few minutes.”

Maude ignored her as she fought to catch her breath. “It’s Maddie.”