Grave Homecoming (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 1) (21 page)

“What happened to Maddie?” Nick’s heart flopped. “Is she okay?”

“Someone came to the house,” Maude said. “They cut the power. We tried to get out.”

“Why isn’t she with you?” Nick was furious.

“Because … when we got to the front lawn … he was there.” Maude was beside herself, and tears started spilling down her cheeks.

Nick checked his anger. “I don’t understand why she didn’t come with you.”

“I couldn’t move fast enough,” Maude said. “She led him away to give me a chance to get to the car.”

Nick reached into his desk drawer and pulled out his gun, determined. “Where did she run, Maude?”

“She said you would know where to find her.” Maude was sobbing.

“Willow Lake,” Nick said, striding toward the door. He stopped long enough to give Maude a brief hug. “I’ll find her. I’ll keep her safe.”

“Excuse me, Nick,” Cassidy said. “You and I were having a discussion.”

“Stay here, Maude,” Nick ordered. “I’ll bring Maddie to you as soon as I can. Call Kreskin and tell him what happened. Tell him to bring as many men to the lake as he can.”

Maude nodded.

“I won’t let anyone hurt her,” Nick said. “I promise.”

Maddie raced through the woods, internally thanking her inner intuition that she’d thought to dress in tennis shoes earlier in the evening. This trek would’ve been virtually impossible in sandals or flip-flops.

She knew where she was heading, but she’d decided to take a circular route to get there. Maddie had no doubt her grandmother would make it to Nick. She had to give Nick time to get to the lake. He could drive and be there in five minutes. Unfortunately he would be on the opposite side from where she was. There was only one place to park out there. The thought gave Maddie pause: Should she try to swim across the lake?

The nights were warmer than they had been, but still chilly. Summer was close, and forecasters had even predicted an early hot stretch for the following week, but Willow Lake would be freezing. It never warmed up until mid-summer. Maddie was worried she would get hypothermia from the water. Of course, it was better to risk freezing than to let a madman stab her to death.

Maddie didn’t allow herself time to worry. She figured she could make the decision on risking a swim when she got there. As it was now, she could hear her stalker tumbling through the brush as he tried to keep up. He wasn’t far behind, but Maddie had managed to put some distance between them.

She cut hard to her left and jumped, knowing exactly where the large rock she and Nick used to draw on with chalk was located. She also knew there was a small indentation in the ground there. If she was lucky, the man wouldn’t know and a fall would slow him.

Years of running five miles a day had kept Maddie in shape. She wasn’t worried about running out of fuel, merely about what would happen if she got to the lake before Nick. How long would it take him?

Maddie heard a thud behind her, and she risked a glance over her shoulder. Her  pursuer had tripped when he tried to run around the rock. Maddie turned back, a branch catching her cheek as she focused on the ground in front of her. She would be at the lake within minutes. Then she had a choice in front of her.

NICK
wasn’t sure what to do. If he went to Maddie’s house and tried to follow her on foot, he would be woefully behind. If he drove to the lake and parked, the water would separate them. Still, the lights of his police cruiser might be enough to dissuade whoever was following her.

Nick made his decision quickly, accelerating down the dirt road that led to the lake. He had to see her as soon as possible. Even if he couldn’t touch her, seeing her would most certainly relieve the pressure building in his chest.

SHE’D
made it to the lake, but the darkness on the northern shore told her Nick hadn’t arrived yet. What had she expected? He didn’t have his own personal teleporter. She just had to be patient.

Maddie slipped into a small cluster of trees near the shore to catch her breath. Willow Lake was a lake in name only. It was really more of an exaggerated pond. The distance between the two shores was still significant – especially with water this cold.

“Maddie.”

She froze when she heard the taunting voice. She kept her breathing shallow and pressed against one of the trees, peering around it.
He was here.
His tumble obviously hadn’t done him any discernible harm. He was about fifteen feet away, his back to her, and he was scanning all the foliage next to the lake. Maddie took the opportunity to study him. Under the almost full moon, he wasn’t hard to recognize.

Todd Winthrop.

I knew it, she muttered internally. She was never going to let Nick live this down.

“Oh, Maddie,” Todd crooned. “Come out, come out wherever you are.”

Maddie remained silent.

“Oh, now don’t be like this, Maddie,” Todd said. “Or, should I call you ‘Mad?’ Isn’t that what your beloved Nick calls you?”

Maddie didn’t dare move a muscle.

“I saw you earlier tonight,” Todd said. “You were spying on me out at the greenhouse. If you wanted to see me, all you had to do was ask. I’m more than willing to scratch the itch Nick refuses to attend to.”

Todd waited.

“Oh, come on, Maddie,” Todd said, stalking to the bushes nearest the lake and ripping through them angrily. “I don’t have time to play games with you.”

Maddie had so many questions she was tempted to break the silence. She knew it was a mistake, though.

“How much time do you think you have, Maddie? I’m guessing you have less time than Sarah Alden.”

Maddie shifted silently. It was only a matter of time before Todd checked out the trees. She needed to find a different hiding spot. When she turned, she came face to face with another figure in the dark. This one was equally strong, if not as well built, and when the glittering eyes met hers under the dim light, Maddie inadvertently screamed.

“There you are,” Todd said, turning swiftly.

“I’ve got her.”

Terror washed over Maddie as she recognized the second figure. “Dustin?”

NICK
slammed his cruiser into park on the side of the road. The lights were flashing brightly, but he was not in the lake’s parking lot. Something inside of him rebelled against that. He didn’t know how, but he was sure it would be a mistake. So, instead, he parked as close to the southern shore as possible. He was going to have to brave the dark woods – sections he wasn’t familiar with – and find Maddie that way.

“I’m coming, Mad,” he muttered.

He paused when he heard a slight whispering. If he didn’t know better, he could’ve sworn it sounded like Olivia. She was beckoning to him. Instead of questioning the sensation, he embraced it. If anyone could get him to Maddie in time, it was the mother who loved her more than anything.

“Lead me to her, Olivia,” he said. “Hurry.”

“I DON’T
understand,” Maddie said, ripping her arm away from Dustin and taking a step back.

Dustin didn’t appear too concerned with Maddie’s reaction. It’s not like she had anywhere to go but the water, and as far as he was concerned, she’d never brave escape that way. He didn’t know what Maddie did: Nick was coming.

“What took you so long?” Todd snapped. “Did the grandmother give you problems?”

“I don’t have the grandmother,” Dustin said.

“But … .”

“She was in the car and gone before I could get to her,” Dustin explained. “I thought we were here for this one. I certainly don’t want to play with the old one.”

“Yes, but Maude knows someone was there,” Todd countered. “She saw me in the driveway.”

“Did she recognize you?”

“Not from that distance.”

“So, what does it matter?” Dustin was nonplussed.

“Where do you think Maude drove to?”

“The senior center?”

Todd smacked the back of Dustin’s head irritably. “She went straight to the police department, you moron.”

“So? They don’t even staff that thing at night.”

“Yes, but Winters will move mountains to get to Maddie,” Todd replied. “Think!”

“So, he’s not out here now,” Dustin said. “He can’t possibly know where she ran.”

“That’s all we have going for us right now.”

“What is the deal with you two,” Maddie asked. “Why are you doing this?”

“Oh, you’re asking the wrong questions, Maddie,” Todd said. “What you should be asking is why we didn’t start doing this sooner.”

“How do you even know each other?”

“Dustin does some work out at Uncle Henry’s greenhouse from time to time,” Todd said. “I was out there visiting my cousin one day, and Dustin and I got to talking, and … well … one thing led to another.”

“Oh, really, how does that conversation go? ‘So, do you want to find a woman to murder tonight?’”

Todd chuckled appreciatively. “It took a few beers.”

“So you’re giving alcohol to minors, too? That’s great. You’re a real catch. I can’t believe anyone would ever throw you back.” Maddie knew antagonizing Todd wasn’t in her best interests, but she was so confused she couldn’t wrap her head around Dustin’s appearance.

“Dustin is a good boy,” Todd said. “Just like I was a good boy. That didn’t stop bitches like you from thinking you were too good for me, though, did it?”

Maddie was flummoxed. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, don’t do that,” Todd sneered. “I must’ve asked you out fifty times in high school.”

“You only asked me out to upset Nick,” Maddie protested.

“Are you stupid? As much as I like annoying Winters, I wanted you. Everyone wanted you. You were gawky and geeky in middle school, but you were smoking hot by the time high school hit. Do you really think Nick was why I asked you out?”

Maddie nodded, flustered. “What could you have possibly seen in me?”

“You’re either delusional or blind,” Todd replied. “Do you not know what you look like?”

“I … .” Uncomfortable, Maddie shifted her attention to Dustin. “Why would you do this? You’re the new king. That’s what Christy said. You’re the boy everyone wants, just like … .”

“I was,” Todd finished. “That’s not as much fun as you might think. When you’re the king, you can’t give in to certain … appetites.”

Maddie felt sick.

“Word gets around in a small town,” he continued. “I couldn’t play the games I wanted to play with the girls in Blackstone Bay. That’s why I had to start shopping out of town.”

That explained Sarah Alden’s confusion, Maddie mused. “Did you find Sarah at the greenhouse?”

“Good guess,” Todd said. “She was out there looking for some flowers to plant. She was talking to Uncle Henry, and I saw her across the aisles, and I just knew I had to have her.

“I couldn’t take her right away, of course,” Todd said. “I pointed her out to Dustin, though, and he agreed she was the type of peach who needed to be plucked. So, we formed a plan.”

“And what plan was that?”

“Well, I charmed her, of course,” Todd said. “I talked her up. I told her how great my uncle’s greenhouse was. I made inane chitchat about what plants work in this climate. I never thought Carrie’s ramblings at family events would ever work to my advantage, but they did.

“When it came time for Sarah to leave, I invited her out to dinner,” he said. “She was thrilled to go out with me. I mean, who wouldn’t be? I’m young and successful. I’ve never been married. I own my own business, for crying out loud.”

“Yeah, you’re a catch,” Maddie mumbled.

“I took Sarah out to a nice restaurant on the bay,” Todd said, ignoring Maddie’s sarcasm. “She ordered the lobster.”

Maddie’s stomach rolled.

“She was polite enough to have red wine, though, and that allowed me to slip a little something into her drink,” Todd said. “Nothing much. I don’t like women when they’re passed out. I just wanted her to be more … pliable.”

“That’s why you wanted me to have the wine,” Maddie said.

“It is,” Todd said. “The second I knew you were back in town, I knew I had to have you. You denied me all through high school. There was no way I was going to let you deny me again.”

“Where did you take Sarah after dinner?” Maddie was terrified, and also curious. If she stalled long enough, Nick would find her. He wouldn’t abandon her. She knew that now.

“We took her to Dustin’s place,” Todd said. “His parents were out of town, and he was eager to have some fun of his own.”

Dustin nodded enthusiastically. “She was awesome. You should’ve heard the way she moaned and cried. She loved it.”

“I still don’t understand why you did this, Dustin,” Maddie said. “You’re young. You have the world at your fingertips.”

“Didn’t you hear your friend the other night?” Dustin asked. “That red-headed devil told you exactly why I did this. My grades aren’t good enough to get me into anything other than community college. I’m the football star, but no colleges are recruiting me. In a few years, I’m going to be nothing. I wanted to live now.”

Maddie swallowed hard, her mind buzzing. “Does Henry know about this?”

“My uncle? Are you kidding? He’s too soft,” Todd said. “Apparently he had some
incident
when he was younger and stalked some woman. He claims he was out of control, but I figure that it must run in the family. That’s what I’m going to use as a defense if I ever get caught, by the way.”

“I’m sure you don’t think you’re going to get caught,” Maddie said.

“Oh, I won’t,” Todd said. “Who would ever suspect me?”

“Nick does.”

“No, Nick wants to suspect me,” Todd corrected. “He knows he can never make an accusation against me, though. Our past makes that impossible. People will just think it’s sour grapes. Besides, you and I broke up. What would my motive be?”

“We were never dating,” Maddie countered. “You can’t break up with someone you were never dating.”

“That just looks better for me,” Todd said. He hunkered his tall frame down so he could meet Maddie’s terrified countenance on an even level. “What do you think, Mad? Will Nick kill himself when your body is discovered? He’s been pining away for you for years. I know he’s convinced himself you two will end up together, even if he’s not ready to admit it yet. When I take that away from him, what will he be left with?”