“And now?”
“Now I have Nick, who is more than a friend, and things are different.” Maddie’s smile was small but heartfelt. “Things are better. That doesn’t mean I don’t struggle from time to time.”
“You’re allowed to feel what you feel,” Hannah noted. “We all make mistakes when we’re young, things we’d like to take back. I pledged my life to a man who cheated on me. I made excuses for him. I didn’t even know my grandmother because my mother died when I was a kid and I never made the effort. She died before I had a chance to get to know her, and it’s one of the things I regret most.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Briefly, Maddie’s eyes drifted to the corner behind the bar, and then she focused her full attention on Hannah. “My grandmother was always involved in my life. I lost my mother not too long ago ... although I still feel her presence at times.”
Hannah snorted. “I feel my grandmother’s presence, too.”
“I’m sure you do.” Maddie licked her lips, debating, and then plowed forward. “I spent years trying to pretend I wasn’t different. I wanted to hide in a world where everything was normal and I didn’t stand out.”
“And now?”
Maddie shrugged and let loose a low chuckle. “And now I want to find a way to be myself without turning into someone like Velma.”
“She was awful,” Hannah agreed. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you have what it takes to turn into Velma. You’re not a self-promoter. To be fair, I don’t know that you’re really psychic either. I mean ... how do you prove something like that?”
“That’s a fair question.” Maddie’s eyes were back on the spot behind the bar. “What was your grandmother’s name?”
“Hmm?” The question caught Hannah off guard. “Um, Abigail Jenkins. Why?”
“Because she’s standing behind the bar watching us. She seems amused by the conversation and keeps making faces.”
Hannah shot up in her chair, her cheeks flushing with color. Slowly, she swiveled to look in the direction Maddie indicated. When she turned back, her eyes were lit with mirth. “Maybe she should be more careful showing herself when there are so many psychics crawling the grounds.”
Maddie matched her smile. “This isn’t the first time you’ve seen her.”
“No. She hangs around all the time.” Hannah cocked her head. “This isn’t the first time you’ve seen a ghost either.”
“No. I’ve seen them my entire life. Er, well, as long as I can remember. My mother could see ghosts, too.”
Hannah thought back to something Maddie had said earlier in their conversation. “You said you could feel your mother’s spirit sometimes. Is she a ghost, too?”
Maddie nodded, some of the emotions that had been clenching her insides easing. “She says she’s staying until my grandmother passes. Then they’re going to cross over together. Thankfully, even though she’s older, my grandmother still has a lot of energy. It’s basically like raising a teenager with all the mischief she finds. I guess that’s good practice for Nick and me.”
“She sounds fun.” Hannah absently scratched the side of her nose. “I don’t know if I expected all the psychics to be frauds, but I’m happy to know that at least you are the real deal.”
“I’m glad to have someone to talk to, too.”
“What else can you do?”
“What else can you do?”
Hannah’s grin was mischievous. “Do you want to compare notes?”
“Why not? I’m not doing anything else.”
7
Seven
“I guess everybody has done some bonding,” Hannah noted as Nick, Boone, and Cooper made their way into the saloon an hour later. The three men seemed remarkably relaxed given the circumstances, their heads bent together as they laughed and exchanged gregarious comments.
Nick pulled up short when he realized the saloon was empty, his eyes immediately scanning the tables. Relief washed over him like a soothing wave when he caught sight of Maddie. “I thought maybe you took off with the others.” He immediately rushed to her side, frowning when he saw she was drinking ginger ale. “Are you sick again?”
Maddie offered him a rueful smile. “My tummy is a little topsy-turvy,” she confirmed. “It’s okay, though. I’m pretty sure it’s because I was nervous about telling Hannah what I could do. It turns out she can do a few things herself. Once the nerves are completely gone, I’ll be fine.”
Nick didn’t look convinced. “You told her what you can do? All of it?”
Maddie bobbed her head. “She can do a lot of the same things, although she says she’s a witch. Do you think I’m a witch?”
“There’s no way I’m answering that question.” Nick pressed his lips to her forehead, gauging her temperature. Just like before, she wasn’t warm. Still, he was starting to get worried about the frequent stomach bugs she’d been dealing with over the past couple of weeks. “When we get home, you’re going to the doctor, by the way. You’ve gone from never getting sick to having almost constant stomach issues. Enough is enough.”
Maddie jutted out her lower lip. “Nicky, I’m perfectly fine. You have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s easy for you to say. The reality is different. You’re going to the doctor when we get home.”
“It’s nerves.”
“Well, then the doctor can tell us that.” He stroked his hand over her hair and then settled in the chair next to her. “So, Cooper and Boone let me look over the scene. They also shared the fact that Velma had her own enemies list ... like, literally.”
Maddie frowned. “She kept a list of her enemies. How long can something like that possibly be?”
“For someone like you, who only has one name that would qualify, not long,” Nick replied. “Apparently Velma was more active in that department.”
“How many names?”
“A lot,” Boone replied, grabbing a chair from the other side of the table and settling. “We’re going to be able to rule out some, but others ... .” He tilted his head. “It’s going to be a long slog. We think your husband might be able to help us some, though.”
“Oh, yeah?” Maddie wasn’t sure what to make of that. “You’re not deputizing him, are you?”
Boone chuckled. “No. I don’t have the authority to do that. I do like the idea of having some help on the situation, though.”
“I don’t want to ask a stupid question or anything, but how do you know we’re not the killers?” Maddie queried.
“Call it a hunch,” Cooper replied, moving behind the bar so he could press a firm kiss to Hannah’s mouth, his gaze serious. “Not that I’m one to talk given the fact that I just included an outsider without checking with you, but do you really think you should be telling strangers what you can do?”
Hannah shrugged, unbothered. She’d been expecting some pushback. “She can see Abigail.”
“Ah.” Cooper smirked. “Well, I guess that’s enough proof, huh?”
Nick furrowed his brow. “Who is Abigail?”
“My grandmother,” Hannah replied. “She left Casper Creek to me. I never met her in life, but I have gotten to know her in death because her ghost hangs around.” Something occurred to her and she turned sheepish. “I guess that sounds ridiculous to you.”
Nick exchanged a quick look with Maddie and shook his head. “Not so much,” he countered. “Olivia — that’s Maddie’s mother — is still around.”
“Can you see her?” Hannah asked, intrigued.
“I’ve seen shadows,” Nick replied. “I can never quite see her how I want to see her. She’s been practicing, though, and sometimes I can feel her when she brushes my hair.”
Cooper made a face. “Your dead mother-in-law brushes your hair? That’s weird.”
Nick snickered. “She was like a second mother to me growing up. Maddie and I were best friends long before we got married. When Maddie wasn’t at my house when we were kids, I was at Maddie’s house. Olivia and I were tight. E
ven when Maddie was gone because she moved south, I spent time with Olivia.”
Maddie smiled as she rested her hand on top of Nick’s and squeezed his fingers. “He can hear her sometimes.”
Nick returned the smile. “I can. She’s led me to Maddie a time or two.”
“Led you to Maddie?” Cooper couldn’t hide his confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“When Maddie first returned to Blackstone Bay, one of our former classmates stalked her.” Nick never moved his eyes from Maddie’s face. “He chased her to the lake in the middle of winter. She had no choice but to try to escape from him in the freezing water. She almost died.”
“Nicky saved me,” Maddie volunteered. “He pulled me out of the water and brought me back to life.”
“Let’s not go crazy,” Nick chided, shaking his head. “You saved yourself. I just dragged you out of the water.”
“And gave me mouth-to-mouth.”
“That wasn’t difficult.” His smile was charming. “Anyway, I didn’t know she was in trouble until I heard a voice in my head. It was Olivia’s ... and she told me where I needed to go to save Maddie. That’s when I truly knew that my life was about to change.”
“That sounds intense,” Cooper acknowledged. “I’m glad we can all be open together, though, especially since we’re going to steal your husband to help us question some of the people who were out here at the time of Velma’s murder, Maddie. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”
“It doesn’t.” Maddie’s smile was broad. Honestly, she was thrilled at the notion that Nick would have something to do. “Where are you guys going to start?”
“Questioning the other psychics,” Boone replied. “Where are they?”
“Tyler took them on a nature hike,” Hannah replied. “I don’t think they’ll be gone much longer.” She cocked her head, considering. “Do you think one of the people out here today is the guilty party?”
Cooper held out his hands and shrugged. “If it was me and I was trying to cover my actions, I wouldn’t land in town long enough to kill someone and then flee. I would hang around and pretend like an innocent party so as not to draw attention to myself. That’s just me, though.”
“It makes sense.” Hannah nodded, her mind busy. “You’ll keep me updated on anything you find, right?”
“You’ll be the first to know,” Cooper reassured her, tilting up her chin so he could give her a kiss. “I assume you’ll be here.”
“For another two hours,” Hannah confirmed.
“What about you, Mad?” Nick queried. “What are you going to do?”
“I have to video conference with Granny to make sure she hasn’t burned the house down and then I’m not sure,” Maddie replied. “I’ll let you know when I know.”
“Fair enough.” Nick bobbed his head. “Make sure Maude knows that nobody will be able to bail her out of jail for at least three days if she gets caught terrorizing Harriet. Dale said he refused to be responsible for her while we’re gone and Christy and John are busy dealing with an incoming baby so ... Maude is on her own.”
Maddie involuntarily shuddered at the scene he was painting. “That’s a terrifying thought, huh?”
“Without a doubt.”
SINCE THE SALOON WAS EMPTY, MADDIE got out her tablet to FaceTime with Maude. Hannah gave her blessing, mostly because she was curious to see the woman she kept hearing about in action.
It took six rings for Maude to pick up.
“I’m not a child,” was the older woman’s greeting, her face twisted into a scowl as it took up the entirety of the tablet screen.
“You don’t have to be so close, Granny,” Maddie chided gently.
Behind the bar, where she was drying glasses, Hannah smirked. She had a clear view of the tablet and she could tell already that she was going to like Maddie’s grandmother. The woman had a certain presence, even from thousands of miles away.
“I know how to use the stupid thing!” Despite the words, Maude leaned back so Maddie could get a better look at her. “Are you happy? I’m not in jail or anything.”
“I am happy about that,” Maddie offered agreeably. “You don’t look like you have any bruises or anything either.”
Maude made a protesting sound. “When have I ever come back with bruises?”
“Two months ago you and Eva came back from some late-night excursion with bruises on your cheeks because a branch hit you in the face while spying on Harriet. You were drunk on bourbon and forgot where you were.”
Maude was incredulous. “How do you even know about that? I told you that Eva had a condition where she involuntarily struck people when excited.” Realizing she’d owned up to a misdeed wasn’t a deterrent to Maude. “That’s exactly what happened, by the way.”
“Shawna Torkelson lives next door to Harriet,” Maddie reminded her calmly. “She was watching out the window that night and saw everything that happened.”
“Oh, so she was spying on us? I think I know who I’m going to be visiting later.”
“You leave Shawna alone.” Maddie wagged her finger for emphasis. “She has three children under the age of five. She can’t have the television on because it wakes them. She says you serve as her entertainment.”
Rather than be offended, Maude brightened considerably. “I’m always happy to service the neighbors. Wait ... that might’ve come out wrong. Not in a dirty way or anything.”
“I figured that much myself,” Maddie said dryly, scanning over Maude’s shoulder to see if she could find any contraband in plain sight. “You’re doing okay without us, right? You haven’t gotten in any trouble, have you? Dale’s not waiting on the other side of the front door to take you into custody, is he?”
“Ugh. Stop being such a worrier, Maddie.” Maude wasn’t in the mood to be scolded by her granddaughter. “I’m perfectly fine. I haven’t done anything against the law.”
Maddie made a face. She didn’t believe that for a second. “Granny, who do you think you’re snowing?”
“It’s true.” Suddenly, Maude was the picture of innocence. “Do you see these wrists?” She held them up by way of proof. “There are no shackles. That means I haven’t broken the law.”
“You just haven’t been caught.”
“It’s the same thing.”
Despite herself, Maddie smiled. “I just wanted to check on you. I know you have other people dropping in and I’m getting reports, but I like seeing you with my own eyes.”
“You don’t have to worry about me.” Maude was firm. “I’m a dynamo when it comes to not getting caught. Besides, when it comes down to it, you know Dale isn’t going to arrest me. He hates Harriet and finds it funny when I torture her.”
Because that was true, Maddie opted to turn the conversation in another direction. “Things have changed here a bit. As of now, Nick and I plan to stick it out. I’m not quite sure if that will last, though, which means we could be home earlier than expected.”
Now it was Maude’s turn to frown. “Did something happen? Are those other psychics being mean to you? What good did growing up in a house with me, a woman who knows how to dish out retribution better than anybody else, do you if you can’t stand up for yourself?”
“It’s not the other psychics.” Maddie launched into the tale, truncating it a bit to save time. When she was finished, she forced a reassuring smile for her grandmother’s benefit. “We’re fine. We just don’t know how things are going to shake out right now.”
“Wow.” Maude’s expression was blank for a long beat and then she shook her head. “It sounds to me as if you need some help.”
“We have help. We’re working with the local sheriff and a few other people. You have nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried. I know you’re fine. I can obviously see you with my own eyes. What I meant was that you obviously need me. I’m awesome at solving murders, in case you’ve forgotten.”
Maddie’s nose involuntarily wrinkled. “When have you ever solved a mu
rder?”
“Um, I’ve solved like a zillion of them.”
“You have not.”
“I have so.”
“You have not.”
“Yes, I have.” Maude shot up a finger before Maddie could speak again. “I may be old, but my memory is perfect. I know how many murders I’ve solved.”
Rather than argue, Maddie simply nodded. “Fine. You’re an investigative machine. Are you happy?”
“Not particularly, but that will do for now. I’m just saying that you would be better off if I was there with you.”
“Well, since that’s not an option, we’ll have to suffer without your presence. I really just called to make sure you’re okay.”
“And are you satisfied?”
“For now, but I’ll be calling again tomorrow ... and you’d better be in a good mood when I call. I’ll get a complex otherwise.”
“That was a manipulative thing to say, Maddie girl. I’m proud.”
“Thank you. I learned from the best.”
INTERVIEWING THE PSYCHICS WASN’T AN EASY task. Ultimately, Nick, Cooper, and Boone opted to pull them away from the crowd in groups of three. They struck out in the information department until they corralled Leslie Newman, Wendy Mortimer, and Donna Porter. They were full of information. Unfortunately for the men questioning them, that information was the sort of gossip that would be difficult to confirm.
“I’m not saying I know it was her for sure,” Donna cautioned. Her brown hair was pulled back in a severe bun and it made her sharp features more pronounced, reminding Cooper of a bird. “I’m just saying that the woman clearly wasn’t part of our group.”
Since he was open for any lead, Boone smiled indulgently. “And you saw her right before Velma was killed?”
Donna nodded solemnly. “I did. I know it was about that time because I remember thinking how weird-looking the woman was. Then I saw some of the others grouping together and it was obvious something had happened. I moved to join them and then looked back at the parking lot. The woman was gone.”
True Grit Spirit: A Maddie Graves and Hannah Hickok Mystery Page 7