“It’s okay,” Maddie reassured him quickly. “I think men are stupid a lot of the time. No harm, no foul.”
“Men are stupid,” Tyler agreed, his eyes lighting with wicked amusement as he regarded his friend. “Since when are you on the ‘women are stupid’ bandwagon? Last time I checked, you were so enamored with the owner of Casper Creek that I had zero chance of prying you two apart with a crowbar.”
The look Cooper shot Tyler was withering. “Hannah isn’t stupid. It’s that other woman who makes me want to find a hole to hide in.”
“And what woman is that?”
“I don’t know. Velma Sanders, or something close to that.”
Maddie straightened, surprised. “The psychic?”
Nick slid his eyes to his wife. “Do you know her?”
“I know of her,” Maddie replied. “She’s got a pretty good reputation in certain circles. I believe she’s found a few missing kids ... and she once told a murderer he was going to die soon during a reading and it caused him to turn himself in and give cops a full confession so they could help grieving loved ones before the killer passed on.”
Nick and Cooper made twin faces of disbelief.
“No offense, Mad, but that sounds like some sort of urban myth to me,” Nick argued.
“Me, too.” Cooper shot her a rueful smile. “I say that as a man who likes most women, although not in whatever creepy way you’re probably imagining.” He shook his head, dumbfounded. “Wow. I’m all kinds of stupid today or something.”
“Yes, it’s lovely to see,” Tyler drawled, amusement sparking in his eyes. “Since I’m usually the one who sticks my foot in my mouth, I’m happy to see it.”
“That’s because you’re a moron,” Cooper muttered under his breath. He held out his hands in a placating manner as he regarded Maddie. “I really am sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean to be so rude. I just ... was having a bad moment.”
“It’s okay,” Maddie insisted. “We all have bad moments. I’ve had my fair share. Isn’t that right, Nicky?”
“You’re perfect in every way,” Nick countered, grinning when Maddie shot him a dark look. “You’ll never get me to say otherwise.”
“Oh, you guys are so cute,” Tyler drawled. “You’re both tall and look as if you could model in your spare time. You give each other adorable little looks and touches at every turn. Let me guess, you’re newlyweds.”
Maddie’s eyebrows hopped. “How did you know that?”
Tyler snickered. “Just call it a wild guess.” He winked at Maddie’s confused face and then inclined his head toward the saloon. “It sounds like you guys just got here. Since your first official act was helping me save the goats from the dog, your first round is on me.”
“Oh, that’s really not necessary,” Maddie countered hurriedly. “We can buy our own drinks.”
“You can after I buy you a round,” Cooper countered, nodding at Tyler as he gestured toward the fence. “If you helped Tyler wrangle Jinx, then you’ve definitely earned it. Besides, the fact that you know a little something about Velma has me curious. I wouldn’t mind picking your brain.”
Maddie exchanged a quick look with Nick and then nodded. “Sure. That sounds like a fair trade-off.”
“I’m glad you agree.”
3
Three
The saloon was bustling with activity. Maddie didn’t consider herself much of a drinker, but the way Nick’s eyes lit up when he saw the interior was enough to have her debating what sort of drink she wanted to try.
“This is ... fun.” Nick absently rubbed his hand over Maddie’s back. They were a tactile couple, always touching one another, and that wasn’t about to change as they embarked on this sprawling new adventure. “Where do you want to sit, Mad?”
“Wherever.” Maddie grinned as he read the menu. He seemed completely enamored, which lifted some of the weight she’d been carrying. When he initially floated the idea of them going on the trip together, she’d been convinced he would be bored. For now at least, he appeared to be gung-ho regarding their surroundings. “You can pick.”
He slid his eyes to her and grinned. “Then I want that booth.” He pointed toward a circular bench that would allow them to sit side-by-side rather than across from one another. “It will be like being in Ruby’s diner.”
Maddie snorted. Their favorite diner at home had a booth that allowed them to sit the same way. Nick always claimed it before anyone else could. “I think that’s a fine idea.”
Cooper walked with them to the table and sat, making sure to give them a wide berth as they snuggled together at the center. He seemed conflicted as he watched them look over the menu. On one hand, they were a ridiculously cute couple. The way they laughed and whispered was adorable, and the fire was obviously still there because they flirted constantly. On the other hand, though, the woman had recognized Velma Sanders’ name. That made her intriguing in Cooper’s book, and maybe a little dangerous, too.
“What do you recommend?” Nick queried, fixing the security chief with a friendly smile. “I mean ... do you have a specialty here or anything?”
“Well, the sarsaparilla is a real crowd pleaser,” Cooper offered. “There’s no alcohol in that, though. If you want something with a bit of a buzz, I recommend going with the IPA. It’s sourced locally and I’ve never heard a single complaint about it.”
“That sounds good to me,” Nick enthused. “What about you, Mad? Do you want the IPA, too?”
“I want the sarsaparilla.”
Nick frowned. “We’re on vacation, Mad. You’re allowed to have a drink in the middle of the day. Nobody is going to give you grief over it.”
“I know.” For some reason, she felt defensive. “It’s not that. It’s just ... I’m kind of a lightweight. You’re the one who always points that out.”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t a fan of you getting tipsy at a summer festival after one beer,” Nick pointed out. “You get handsy when you’re tipsy.”
Maddie shot him a pointed look, scandalized. “I don’t get handsy. Stop telling strangers that.”
Nick’s smile was indulgent as he slid it back to Cooper. “She’s kind of a prude.”
Cooper returned the smile. “You don’t seem to mind.”
“No,” Nick agreed. “I find it entertaining. When we were eight and the strap on her bathing suit broke — mind you, there was nothing to cover up at that point — she totally freaked out and refused to swim in the lake for two weeks until her mother finally managed to get to Traverse City and buy her a new bathing suit.”
Maddie narrowed her eyes. “I can’t believe you just brought up that story.”
“It’s okay, Mad.” Nick slung his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I loved you even then. It didn’t matter that you didn’t have anything to cover up.”
Maddie’s mouth dropped open. “Nicky!”
Cooper chuckled at their antics, the easygoing way they interacted with one another serving as a calming balm. “I take it you two have been together for a long time.”
“Actually, not all that long,” Nick countered. “We grew up together but were only friends through graduation.” His eyes briefly clouded as they flicked back to Maddie. “Then she went to school someplace else and we were apart for ten years. After that she returned to town and ... it was on. She took one look at me and couldn’t resist my charm.”
Even though she was horrified by the story, Maddie couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “That’s not exactly how I remember things.”
“That’s because you have a terrible memory.” Nick was matter-of-fact. “You can go with my memory. It’s totally tip-top. That’s why I’m a detective and make the big bucks.”
Cooper stirred, intrigued. “You’re a police officer.”
“In Michigan,” Nick confirmed. “We’re on vacation this week, though, so I don’t even want to think about work.”
“No. I don’t blame you there.” Cooper’s attention switched to
Maddie. “Your husband said you went to school in a different part of the state. What do you do, Mrs. Winters?”
“Maddie,” she corrected automatically, wiggling a bit when Nick slid her a sidelong look. “When you say ‘Mrs. Winters’ I look over my shoulder for my mother-in-law.” Realizing the comment could be misconstrued, Maddie quickly leapt forward to clarify. “Who is a wonderful woman I happen to love dearly. She was like a second mother to me growing up.”
Nick chuckled as he shook his head and rubbed his chin. “You are so graceful with words sometimes, Mad.”
Maddie glared at him. “I was just saying that I love my mother-in-law. I don’t see how there’s anything wrong with that.”
“Of course there’s not.” Nick brushed a kiss against her temple.
“As for work, I hire out my time as a psychic in Northern Lower Michigan now,” she offered. It felt weird to say — especially since her mother had been adamant that she keep certain things to herself over the years — but she was no longer ashamed of her abilities. She was proud ... if still a little leery. “I used to own a magic shop, but it was in the house Nick and I share and we decided it would be best to close that business and retake the space.”
“You decided,” Nick countered.
“I don’t hear you complaining now that you can sit on an actual couch and watch your hockey games.”
Nick smirked. “Fair point.”
“We want to start a family eventually,” Maddie explained for Cooper’s benefit. “We don’t think it’s smart to have a store inside our house. My mother did when I was a kid but ... those were different times.”
Cooper nodded in understanding. “I get it.” He ran his tongue over his teeth, debating, and then decided to go for it. “How do you know Velma Sanders?”
“I know of her,” Maddie corrected quickly. “I’ve never met her.”
“What do you know about her?” Cooper lifted a finger to a passing waitress. “I need two sarsaparilla and one IPA.” He waited until the waitress was clear of the table to continue. “I just mean ... have you heard anything specific about her?”
Maddie considered herself a good judge of character. She sensed Cooper wasn’t a man digging for dirt as much as a man looking to act as a shield. She’d seen the same reaction from Nick a time or two, so she knew exactly what she was dealing with. “What’s bothering you about her?”
Cooper opened his mouth to answer and then snapped it shut when a loud voice started making demands at the front of the room.
“Oh, well, this simply won’t do. The vibes in here are all wrong.”
Cooper let loose a long sigh and briefly shut his eyes before opening them again. “Speaking of the she-devil, there she is now.”
Even though she knew it was rude — there was nothing Maddie hated more than being on display — she couldn’t stop herself from staring at the regal woman standing in front of the swinging doors. She wore a pastel pink suit blazer and open-toed shoes and her sable hair was pulled back in a loose bun, secured with some sort of tie that dripped various gemstones.
“What’s going on?” A blonde in a bartender uniform stepped forward to offer assistance. “Can I help you with something?”
Cooper made a strangled sound in the base of his throat and looked as if he was about to stand. He never made it to his feet, though.
“Yes, I’m Velma Sanders.” The woman extended her hand, as if to offer it to the blonde, but then she retracted it. “I need to speak to whoever is in charge. This space simply won’t do. I need something ... bigger.”
“I am in charge,” the other woman offered. “I own this place. Hannah Hickok.” She held out her hand and didn’t pull it back. “What can I do for you ... that doesn’t involve construction because that’s simply not going to happen?”
Velma’s eyes narrowed as she regarded Hannah with fresh interest. “You own this place?”
“I do.”
“But ... you’re a bartender.”
“We’re short on staff,” Hannah countered. “We all pitch in where we can. What can I do for you, Mrs. Sanders?”
“It’s Ms. Sanders, not Mrs. I never could come up with a reason to hitch my wagon to another person ... and let him drag down my spiritual energy.”
“Okay.” Hannah dragged out the single word. She wasn’t exactly moved by the story. “What can I do for you, Ms. Sanders?”
“Yes, well ... I don’t like this place.” She gestured around the saloon. “It sucks the energy out of the property, and since we have a variety of different events planned in the days going forward, it’s not going to do anybody any good to have a black hole such as this in existence.”
Hannah’s expression never changed — something Maddie marveled at — but there was a crackle of energy around her.
“Uh-oh,” Cooper muttered, finally getting to his feet. He cleared his throat to garner the attention of everybody involved. “Maybe we should take this outside, huh?”
Hannah furrowed her brow when she saw him. “I didn’t realize you were in here. I ... you usually stop and say hello.”
“I’m sorry.” Cooper shot her a flirty smile. “I was with guests.” He gestured toward Maddie and Nick. “I happened upon them helping Tyler with a few out-of-control animals and offered to buy them a drink for their efforts.”
Hannah turned sheepish. “Jinx?”
“He might’ve been a contributing factor.” Cooper smirked. “It’s not a big deal. He likes the hose and the goats hate it. He might’ve been terrorizing them a little bit. It’s not as if they won’t pay him back. They always pay him back.”
“You’ve got a point there.” Hannah glanced over Cooper’s shoulder and met Maddie’s eyes. The connection was almost immediate. It was as if the atmosphere between them sparkled ... although not in a sexual way. It was something else entirely. “Who are you?” She blurted out the question before she thought better of it.
Maddie wriggled on her seat. She was obviously as surprised at the shift in the room temperature as Hannah. She was out of her element, though, and didn’t know how to react. “Um ... Maddie.”
“Maddie Winters,” Cooper volunteered. “She’s here for the psychic stuff.”
“Oh.” Hannah wasn’t certain what she was supposed to say.
Because she was uncomfortable with the silence, Maddie filled it with the most inane statement she could muster. “It’s Maddie Graves-Winters. I kept my maiden name and hyphenated.”
Nick’s hand automatically went to her back as he bit back a smile. “That’s a very smart clarification, Mad.”
Maddie shot her husband a dirty look. “I was just saying ... in case anybody decides to repeat it during introductions or anything.”
“It wasn’t a slap or anything,” Nick offered quickly.
“Whatever.” Maddie dragged a restless hand through her hair. She hated feeling out of her element. “Um ... I really like your town, by the way. It’s cool.”
Hannah’s smile was legitimate. She appreciated how awkward Maddie obviously felt. “Thank you. I’m a big fan as well. In fact ... .” Before she could finish, Velma interrupted the conversation with the most obnoxious throat-clearing sound Hannah had ever heard.
“You guys can finish this ... whatever it is ... on your own time,” she announced. “We’re here to talk about my needs right now, and I’m saying this saloon is all wrong for what we have planned.”
Hannah knew a little bit about customer service. She was good at her job, had a pleasing personality, and people genuinely liked her. She was already at the end of her rope with Velma, though, and she wasn’t even certain how it had happened because she’d barely spent any time with the woman.
“And what do you expect us to do about your dislike of the saloon?” Hannah asked blandly. “I’m pretty sure it was here before you.”
“Yes, but it’s messing up the vibes,” Velma persisted. “I think ... is there a way ... .” She hemmed and hawed around the subject for a few beats and t
hen straightened her shoulders. “I think we should tear down the building.”
Whatever she was expecting, that wasn’t it. Hannah was practically floored by the suggestion. “Excuse me?”
Sensing trouble, Cooper extended his hand and shuffled closer. He made sure to keep Hannah to his right in case she decided that attacking the troublesome psychic was a better solution than offering up competent customer service. “I’m sure Ms. Sanders didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
“Oh, I meant it.” Velma wrinkled her nose as she studied the open rafters of the saloon. “Alcohol can have a negative effect on psychic vibes. I think this place is a detriment to what we have planned.”
Cooper immediately started shaking his head. “Well, then don’t drink any alcohol.”
“Can you guarantee other guests won’t do the same?”
“No, and it’s not my job to police people.” Cooper found he was suddenly fired up. “It’s not your job to police them either. This is an open event. If you don’t like the saloon, then my suggestion is to stay out of it.”
Velma was obviously miffed. “Well ... that’s just rude.”
“No, it’s simply the way things work. The saloon isn’t going anywhere. You don’t have to be part of any group outings that involve the saloon. It’s pretty simple.”
Velma flicked her attention to Hannah, perhaps gauging if the woman was going to step in and argue. When it became apparent Cooper and Hannah were in lockstep together, she held up her hands. “Fine. It was just a suggestion.”
“No problem.” Hannah’s expression was blasé. “You made your suggestion and it has been vetoed. No harm, no foul.”
“Yes, well ... .” Velma plastered a fake smile on her face. There was nothing even remotely friendly about it. In fact, she looked downright annoyed not to be kowtowed to. She didn’t say another word, though, and instead turned on her heel and disappeared through the swinging doors.
“That was ... fun,” Cooper commented, his hand automatically going to Hannah’s back.
“She’s supposed to be important to the event, right?” Now that the verbal spat was behind them, Hannah was starting to rethink her stance. Not about demolishing the saloon on a whim, of course, but she’d been more abrupt than might have been warranted. “Maybe I should talk to the organizer.”
True Grit Spirit: A Maddie Graves and Hannah Hickok Mystery Page 3