Grave Homecoming (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 1) (19 page)

“We look like idiots.”

“Your hair is poking out of your hat,” Christy said, slumping her shoulders as she peered over the steering wheel of her car. “Your hair is too light. You have to tuck all of it under your hat. They’ll see us if you don’t.”

“How did you manage to find two black-knit hats in your salon?” Maddie asked, shoving her hair under the fabric. “That’s just weird.”

The women were parked outside Blackstone Greenhouse, and they were studying the parking lot with interest and anticipation. They were supposed to be incognito – but it wasn’t going well.

Maddie had insisted on Christy driving – again – but only because she was terrified they would get caught. She didn’t want anyone to report her vehicle at the scene. She knew Nick was on duty, and she’d never be able to live down the shame of her car being sighted at the greenhouse.

“We have brutal winters here,” Christy said, not ruffled in the least. “You need a hat to make sure you don’t get pneumonia.”

“There are cuter hats.”

“Oh, get over it,” Christy said. “I’m not a bank robber. Why do you care?”

“I’m not sure.”

“It’s because you’re too worried about what other people think,” Christy said. “It’s annoying.”

“I’m sorry.”

“See, you’re sitting over there worried I’m thinking bad thoughts about you because you made fun of the hats,” Christy said. “I’m not, by the way. Just suck it up.”

“You’re kind of mean,” Maddie said. “I don’t remember you being mean.”

“I’m not mean,” Christy countered. “I’m just honest.”

“Brutally honest.”

“That’s not a bad thing.”

“I didn’t say it was.”

“You’re so cute sometimes I want to pinch your cheek.” Christy did just that. “You’re like a little doll. You’re never mean to anyone.”

“How is that a bad thing?” Maddie protested.

“It’s not,” Christy said. “You need to learn to stand up for yourself, though.”

“I stand up for myself.”

“No, you don’t,” Christy argued. “You let people walk all over you.”

“I do not.”

“Oh, please,” Christy scoffed. “Do you know what your problem is?”

“I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”

“Your biggest problem is that Nick has always fought your battles,” Christy said. “He’s so protective of you he did you a disservice.”

“Nick is a wonderful man.”

“Of course he is,” Christy said. “That doesn’t mean fighting all of your battles was a good idea. It emotionally crippled you.”

Maddie shifted her head so she was facing the passenger window. “I’m not emotionally crippled.”

“Maddie, Nick insisted on making sure you were safe,” Christy said. “That’s not a bad thing. That’s why every girl in high school was desperate to climb into his pants. You’re just so … scared of fighting with people.”

“I fight with people.”

“No, you don’t,” Christy said. She pointed out the front window. “There’s Joel Tarrington.”

“What do you know about him?”

“He’s married and … boring,” Christy said. “He’s got five kids under the age of ten. He’s always with them. I doubt he has the time to stalk and kill women.”

“I don’t remember him.”

“He moved to town about five years ago,” Christy said. “He’s married to Katie Hubbard.”

“She was a few years ahead of us, right?”

Christy nodded. “Joel is pretty henpecked. On one hand, I think that could mean he’s a volcano ready to erupt. On another, he seems pretty happy being henpecked.”

Maddie studied the man’s slim frame. “He doesn’t look very threatening.”

“He’s not. The three teenagers we’ve seen haven’t looked very threatening either, though.”

“Maybe this was a waste of time.”

“It’s only a waste of time if someone else dies because we weren’t doing our job,” Christy said, her eyes flashing. “Focus on the prize, Maddie. We need to make sure no one else is murdered. If we’re ruling out suspects, we’re doing our job.”

“You’re very task oriented.”

“You have to be when you run your own business,” Christy said. “You’ll find that out once Magicks is open again.”

“It’s open.”

“Barely,” Christy said. “You’ve been more interested in Nick than business.”

“I have not.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” Christy said hurriedly. “You need to settle things with Nick. You’re stuck until you do.”

“They’re settled.”

“Oh, girl, things are so far from settled with Nick you should be looking to build your own little house on the prairie. It’s okay. Things are going to work out.”

“I don’t want to keep having this argument,” Maddie said. “Nick and I are friends.”

“Of course you are.”

“He has a girlfriend.”

“For now.”

“He’s not interested in me romantically,” Maddie pressed.

“He wants you so bad he’s going to give himself a heart attack if he doesn’t make a move soon,” Christy said. “Huh, there’s Michael Corbett. I didn’t know he was working out here.”

Maddie shifted her gaze. “He was a year behind us, right?”

“Right.”

“What do you know about him?”

“Not a lot,” Christy admitted. “He left town after graduation and joined the Army. I don’t think he’s dating anyone. The rumor is that he’s gay, but I don’t know if that’s true. People keep saying it because he doesn’t date, but I think he’s just trying to find himself.”

“He’s attractive,” Maddie said after studying him for a moment.

“He’s very attractive.”

Maddie snickered. “Are you attracted to him?”

Christy faltered. “I … he’s just a nice guy.”

“Oh, you totally have a crush on him,” Maddie teased. “Why don’t you ask him out?”

“Why don’t you ask Nick out?”

Maddie scowled. “Why do you keep doing that?”

“Because I’m not going to rest until you and Nick admit your feelings,” Christy said. “You’re my project now.”

“I am not a project.”

“No, you’re work.”

“I … what the … ? Crap.” The sight of police lights flaring to life behind Christy’s car filled Maddie with dread.

“Someone must have called them and said we were spying,” Christy said, shifting her attention over her shoulder. “Is Nick on duty tonight?”

Maddie nodded.

“Well, this will be fun.”

NICK
climbed out of his police cruiser and frowned. He recognized Christy’s car, and he also recognized the blonde sitting in the passenger seat.
What are they doing?”

Nick strode up to the driver’s side of the car and knocked on the window.

Christy rolled it down and fixed him with an innocent look. “Can I help you, officer?”

“I got a call,” Nick said, fighting the urge to smile. “Someone said there were two grown women out here ogling the teenage boys.”

“Oh, that’s such crap,” Christy said. “We weren’t ogling the teenage boys. They wish we were ogling them.”

“They wish?”

“Cougars are very popular now.”

Nick smirked. “What are you two doing out here?”

“I’m thinking of doing some gardening,” Maddie interjected lamely.

“Try again.”

“I … .” Maddie was lost.

“We’re spying on the workers,” Christy supplied. “Maddie is convinced Sarah Alden’s ghost reacted to Henry because she recognized him. We both agree he’s too weak to take on a healthy woman in her prime, but boffing Maude on a nightly basis is totally in his wheelhouse, so we’re trying to decide if one of his workers is a killer.”

Nick nodded, fighting the mad urge to laugh. “I see. Did you find anyone worth suspecting?”

“No,” Christy said.

Nick leaned down so he could focus on Maddie. “Are you freaking out?”

“No.”

“We’re working on her self-esteem,” Christy said. “I made her look at herself in the mirror at the salon for fifteen minutes earlier. I’m starting to get frustrated with her.”

Nick considered the statement. “What do you mean?”

“Listen, no offense to you, but you’ve fought all of her battles up until this point,” Christy said. “She’s scared. She also thinks she’s unattractive, which freaks me out because she could be a model. It’s great you want to fight for her, but she needs to be able tell people to ‘eff’ off.”

Nick agreed with part of the statement. “She’s sweet.”

“She is,” Christy said. “She’s also an easy target. Marla is going to keep torturing her until Maddie decides she’s ready to fight back.”

“I can handle Marla,” Nick said.

“That’s part of the problem,” Christy countered. “Maddie needs to learn how to fight.” She looked Nick up and down, contemplating. “She needs to learn how to stake her claim.”

Nick faltered. “Her claim on what?”

“What she wants.”

Nick wanted to pretend he didn’t know what Christy was referring to, but it was impossible. “What does she want to claim?”

Christy smirked. “Happily ever after.” She pointed to the greenhouse. “Do any of those guys strike you as sociopaths?”

Nick licked his lips. He was interested in pressing Christy on the first issue, but he knew it was the worst possible time. “No. It’s a mixture of teenagers and guys trying to scratch out a living. None of them seem especially dangerous to me.”

“Me either,” Christy said. “Sarah Alden had to react to Henry for a reason, though.”

“You seem fine with this … ghost thing,” Nick said.

“I always suspected,” Christy said. “I saw her talking to the air in the cemetery when we were in high school. It just made sense.” She looked Nick up and down. “You seem to be adjusting well.”

“She’s the best friend I’ve ever had,” Nick replied, hesitant. “I believe anything she tells me.”

“And things are starting to slip into place for you,” Christy interjected. “You’re looking at your past and realizing what you missed. It’s kind of cute.”

“You guys know I’m sitting right here, don’t you?”

Nick smiled at Maddie, his mind traveling to earlier in the day when he’d woken up next to her. “Christy is right,” he said finally. “You need to work on your self-esteem. I haven’t done you any favors in that department.”

“My self-esteem is fine.”

“No, it isn’t,” Nick argued. “You’re the most beautiful person in the world, and yet you don’t see it. We have time.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling her,” Christy said.

A pair of headlights flashed in the parking lot as a vehicle pulled in. Maddie shifted forward, recognition washing over her face. “That’s Todd’s car.”

“Yeah,” Nick said. “Henry is his uncle. Don’t ever get in that car again, by the way.”

Maddie and Christy exchanged a look, and then Maddie turned to him. “I forgot about that. About Henry being Todd’s uncle, I mean.”

“So?”

“Todd is sexually aggressive,” Maddie said.

Nick stilled. “Did he try to force you to do something?”

“Oh, get over it,” Christy said. “Maddie is pointing out that Todd has ties to Henry, and Sarah Alden freaked out when she saw Henry. Maybe Todd is the one who killed Sarah.”

Nick mulled the suggestion over. He’d always hated Todd – with a passion – but he’d never considered the possibility that Todd could be a murderer. “We can’t jump to conclusions.”

“We also can’t ignore the obvious,” Christy said. “Todd is one of those guys who won’t take no for an answer.”

“Why do you think I didn’t want him around Maddie?”

Christy rolled her eyes. “Because you want Maddie for yourself,” she replied honestly. “That’s neither here nor there, though.”

Nick straightened uncomfortably. “Why would Sarah Alden know both Henry and Todd?”

“Because she came here for some reason,” Maddie mused. “I need to talk to her again.”

“Is there a way you can just make her show up?”

Maddie shook her head. “It has to be her decision.”

“Well, then we’re stuck,” Nick said. “We have no reason to follow him, and we have no reason to question him.”

“His relationship with Maddie makes it doubly difficult for you, doesn’t it?” Christy asked. “You can’t go after him until you have really good information. If you do it now, his lawyer will just argue you have a vendetta because of your feelings for Maddie.”

Nick was uncomfortable. “We don’t have enough to pursue him as a suspect.”

“Good grief,” Christy muttered. “Between the two of you – and your refusal to admit you have feelings for one another – I’m going to develop an ulcer.”

“We’re friends,” Maddie protested.

“We’re friends,” Nick agreed.

“And I’m super model,” Christy said. “I just … I’m going to lock you both in a room and steal all of your clothes. I can only take so much.”