True Grit Spirit: A Maddie Graves and Hannah Hickok Mystery

by Lily Harper Hart

  Hannah’s lips quirked. “Our gunfighters are actors. They don’t really shoot at one another.”

  Maude’s smile slipped. “Well, that’s disappointing. What about horses? I totally want to ride a horse.”

  “Well ... I’m certain we can make that happen,” Hannah said after a beat. “Um ... .” She looked to Maddie for help, but the other blonde was spitting mad. “May I ask what propelled you to come here? It’s not that we’re not excited to see you or anything,” she added hurriedly. “I was thrilled with the conversation you held with Maddie earlier. I thought it was hilarious.”

  “Yes, we should have our own sitcom,” Maude agreed. “I would be the headliner and she would be the sidekick. Nick here would be the comic relief.” She jerked her thumb in his direction. “In fact, he could be the Rosco P. Coltrane of our show.”

  Nick’s mouth dropped open. “I am not Rosco.”

  “Who is Rosco?” Alicia queried, confused.

  “It’s from an old show,” Hannah volunteered.

  “The best show ever,” Cooper enthused. “I was infatuated with that show when I was a kid. I wanted to be Bo Duke so bad.”

  “I’m Bo Duke,” Nick countered irritably. “You can be Luke. He’s smarter anyway.”

  “Yes, but Bo is more handsome. I’m clearly the best-looking one here.”

  Nick snorted. “In your dreams.”

  “Hey!” Maddie snapped her fingers in front of Nick’s face to get his attention. “We’re talking about me right now, not the Dukes of Hazzard. Pay attention.”

  Nick snickered at her dominant reaction. “I’m sorry, Mad. This is your show.”

  “Yes, it is.” She pinned her grandmother with a serious expression. “Granny, I have one question for you. If you lie to me, I’m going to be mad forever.” She retrieved the tablet from Cooper and held it up so Maude could see the website clearly. “Did you do this?”

  Rather than react with embarrassment, Maude beamed. “Oh, you found it. I wondered if you ever would. What do you think? I’m behind on the updates. I was considering updating with a fantastical story about your wedding, but I haven’t had a chance to Photoshop anything yet.”

  Maddie was officially furious. “I’m going to kill you.”

  “So ... does that mean you don’t like it?”

  It took everything Hannah had not to burst out laughing. Even though she’d just met the older woman, she absolutely loved Maude. Of course, Maude wasn’t her grandmother, and there was no doubt Maude was a pain in the rear end for those closest to her.

  “Not that I’m not enjoying this conversation, but we really should discuss the seance,” Hannah pressed, focusing on Alicia. “I know you don’t think it’s a good idea, but I happen to believe it is. We’ll close the town to outsiders so nobody but us will be involved. I bet you’ll find that the others will be thrilled to participate.”

  Alicia didn’t look convinced. “Maybe we should ask them first.”

  “Absolutely.” Hannah had no doubt how the vote would go and was already on her feet, moving toward the door with Alicia practically snapping at her heels. “Why don’t you guys get Maude settled — make sure she gets her drink — and I’ll be back in a few minutes. Then we’ll make our plans for tonight.”

  “You sound awfully sure of yourself,” Alicia chided. “How do you know the vote will go your way?”

  “Let’s just call it intuition.”

  Maddie managed to maintain control of her temper until Alicia and Hannah slipped through the swinging doors. Then her wrath could not be contained. “I can’t believe you came here, Granny.” She was close to exploding, even though she knew it wouldn’t matter. Her grandmother didn’t care about angering people. In fact, she fed off attention, even if it was negative.

  “More importantly, you didn’t tell us you planned on traveling,” Nick chided. “What would’ve happened if you got ... confused? What if you would’ve gotten on the wrong plane or landed in a strange city and gotten lost? We wouldn’t even have known where to look for you.”

  “Oh, good grief.” Maude’s eye roll was theatrical. “You two sure know how to suck the fun out of a trip. I planned to tell you when I got here. Oh, and look, that totally worked out.” She beamed at Cooper as he delivered a drink to her. “Personally, I think this is your retribution for going on a vacation without me anyway.”

  “I can’t even.” Maddie slapped her hand to her forehead and stared at the table.

  Nick gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and focused on Maude. “We need to talk about the forum. You can’t keep that up.”

  “Why not?” Maude turned petulant. “Nobody knows it’s Maddie. I made sure not to mention her name.”

  “And yet people have figured it out,” Nick argued pragmatically. “That woman who was just in here, Alicia, she figured it out. That’s how we found out about it in the first place.”

  “Then she needs a good kick in the pants,” Maude replied. “What do you want? It’s not a big deal.”

  “Fine.” Nick was a master at picking his battles and he held his hands up now to cede the initial fight. “We’ll talk about the website later. We need to talk about why you’re here.”

  “I already told you,” Maude said. “I’m here because I’ve always wanted to visit an Old West town.”

  She was a masterful liar, but Nick didn’t believe her. “Why really?”

  Maude worked her jaw as her gaze bounced between Nick and Maddie. “Maybe ... maybe I felt like I should be here,” she said finally. “When I talked to Maddie earlier, she seemed upset. She tried to cover, but I know her. She needs me, so that’s why I’m here.”

  For some reason, the words caused the leading edge of Maddie’s frustration to dull. This time when she focused on her grandmother, she felt nothing but love ... although agitation lurked beneath the surface.

  “That’s very sweet, Granny,” she said after a beat. “This is a dangerous situation, though. We’re not sure what we’re dealing with.”

  “Why do you think I’m here?” Maude was matter-of-fact. “If you’re in danger, then I’m in danger. That’s simply the way of the world. You can’t get rid of me now. I won’t allow it.”

  Maddie sighed. She knew there was nothing she could do. Maude was here. They would have to deal with her. “We’re going to have a big fight when we get back home. You’ve been warned.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  12

  Twelve

  Maude seamlessly ingratiated herself with the Casper Creek group, enthralling Jackie and Danielle so much they invited her to the shop so they could help her with an outfit for the seance. Maddie found she was frustrated with the entire thing, and Nick had to talk her down.

  “Would you prefer they not like her?” he asked as they watched Maude and Jackie whoop it up across the street. The rest of the psychics were making their way to the downtown area so they could start. In the end, Hannah had been right. All the psychics agreed a seance was a great idea, leaving Alicia to stew about perception by herself.

  “Of course not,” Maddie replied, dragging a hand through her hair. Now that her caffeine buzz had long since worn off, the headache Nick promised was present and bolder than she anticipated. “I just ... she’s so good at it.”

  Nick tilted his head, confused. “Good at what?”

  “Making friends.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “And you don’t think you are?”

  “I think I’m more timid than her.”

  “I think you’re perfect.”

  Maddie shook her head as she eyed him. “And I think you might be biased.”

  “I’m fine with that.” He kissed the corner of her mouth, frowning when Maddie began rubbing her stomach. “You’re not sick again, are you? That’s multiple times in the last few weeks, Mad. Heck, that’s multiple times in the last few days.”

  “I’m not sick. I’m ... nervous.”

  “About the seance?”

  Maddie
nodded. “I’ve never done anything like this before. What if I’m not any good at it?”

  “Mad, you’re going to be great.”

  “And, again, I think you’re biased.”

  He slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. “There’s no doubt that I’m your biggest fan. I don’t ever see that changing.”

  “Good. I enjoy being adored.”

  He grinned. “And I enjoy adoring you. That doesn’t mean I’m biased in this particular instance, though. You know what to do. You’ve been practicing. You’ve been reading tarot cards and opening yourself up to visions. This is no different.”

  “Oh, this is way different,” she countered. “When I do those other things, it’s with people who are only there for a good time. These people know the game. They’re going to be judging me.”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Because ... .” Maddie hesitated, unsure what to say.

  “Aha!” Nick poked her side, causing her to squirm. “Mad, you shouldn’t care what these people think about you. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that counts is what you think of yourself, and if you’re anything less than impressed with the things you can do, then you’re an idiot.”

  Now it was her turn to smirk. “That’s a rather strange way to bolster my courage.”

  “You’re already the bravest person I know,” Nick whispered. “This is just ... a new experience. You like new adventures. You told me that yourself.”

  “I did. I’m still worried. What if these other ghosts make a scene?”

  “What if they do? You can’t control that. You can’t even control your grandmother and she’s still with the living.”

  Maddie’s scowl returned with a vengeance as she slid her eyes to Maude, who was being helped into a black cape by Jackie. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

  Nick chuckled at Maddie’s petulant tone. “She’s going to be part of the show,” he reminded her. “This is also a good thing.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “Because she’s going to garner the bulk of the attention, which allows you to check out the other ghosts and watch the psychics for signs of being evil-doers.”

  “And what signs are those?” Maddie was genuinely curious. “It’s not as if they’re going to sit there and twirl villain mustaches while muahaha-ing their way through town.”

  His smile broadened. “Is it any wonder that it’s always been you for me? I mean ... seriously. That could be the cutest thing you’ve ever said.”

  Maddie rolled her eyes, although she secretly basked in his delight. “I’m just nervous. My stomach is doing a weird dance because of it. I’m sure I’ll be okay five minutes in.”

  “I’m sure you will, too.” He kissed the ridge of her ear. “If you need me, I’ll be right here.”

  “I thought you were patrolling the perimeter with Cooper.”

  “I am, but I will be close enough to monitor the situation. There is a killer out here somewhere, Mad. I’m not just going to wander away when you need a bodyguard.”

  “I’m not sure I agree that I need a bodyguard.”

  “You do. I’m an expert on these things.” He made loud kissing noises against her neck, causing her to giggle. “And who loves guarding your body more than me?”

  “Nobody. You’re uniquely suited for the job.”

  “You’ve got that right.”

  They remained together for a few more minutes and then Hannah signaled to Maddie. It was time to put their plan in action. Maddie blew out a sigh and collected herself. “I guess it’s time.”

  “Yeah.” Nick was solemn. He could read his wife’s moods better than she could sometimes. He was worried, but he knew, like with anything else, once Maddie had time to settle she would be fine. “Use Maude,” he intoned in a low voice. “She’ll serve as comic relief and a way for you to deflect attention. Let her be her.”

  “That sounds like a dangerous prospect.”

  “And yet somehow I think you’re going to be okay.”

  Maddie gave him a quick kiss and then moved to the center of town. Hannah joined her, big smiles on both their faces, and Maddie held up her hands to garner the assembled crowd’s attention.

  “Thank you all for joining us,” she announced. “We’re all part of a strange world, one that probably frightened us as children. I know that I was terrified by things I could hear ... and see ... and even feel at a very young age.”

  A low murmur went up through the crowd as people started whispering in agreement. Nick smiled as he watched Maddie take over the crowd. She had a calming presence, even if she didn’t realize it. She was a natural when it came to being a leader, although fear often held her back.

  “She seems okay,” Cooper noted, moving up beside him. “I expected her to be a nervous wreck.”

  “She’s better at this stuff than she realizes,” Nick explained. “She just ... gets in her own head. I wish she could see how great she is.”

  Cooper pursed his lips. “Something tells me, after a few years spent with you telling her every day, it’s going to sink in.”

  “Yeah. I certainly hope so.” Nick inclined his head. “Let’s move to the back. I want to watch Maddie and have a clear view of the other psychics at the same time.”

  “Do you think our killer is here?” Cooper was legitimately curious.

  “I think that if our killer is smart, she’s still here. Nobody left, right? You checked.”

  Cooper nodded. “Yeah. Everyone listed as attending the conference is still registered at the hotel. I also had Boone check for outgoing flights just in case. They’re all still here ... at least as far as I can tell.”

  “So, unless our killer somehow managed to sneak onto the property — and back off again — without anybody noticing, our killer still has to be present.”

  “So, that means we still have a shot to close this.”

  “A shot,” Nick agreed. “We need Maddie and Hannah to come up with that list they promised. Honestly, I think it seems likely that Velma turned up some dirt on one of her peers. Now, that dirt could’ve come in the form of fraud ... or theft ... or something else. It could be any number of things.”

  “Velma strikes me as the sort of person who would gladly strip someone’s livelihood away,” Cooper noted. “She would’ve found joy in hurting others. It wasn’t just that she was on top, but that she had to keep others down while she was at it.”

  “I think that’s a fairly apt conclusion,” Nick agreed. “The thing is, someone was willing to kill to keep a secret. If word leaks out that we’re investigating the psychics as suspects, this individual might be willing to kill again.”

  “I’ve been thinking the same thing myself.” Cooper was deadly serious. “Maddie and Hannah might make appealing targets during tonight’s festivities ... and beyond. We’re going to need to keep an eye on them.”

  “I always keep an eye on Maddie. You can bet I’ll be extra vigilant tonight, though. I think it’s a pretty safe bet that our killer is watching.”

  “And listening.”

  “That means we have to do the same.”

  “So let’s do it.”

  They bumped fists and split so they could watch the show from different angles.

  In the center of things, Maddie had begun to settle. “When Hannah and I first came up with the idea for a seance, it was following a conversation about Velma. Now, I didn’t know her. I’m sure some of you did. I’m also certain that there were probably hard feelings associated with a few of those meetings.”

  That statement drew an appreciative chuckle from some.

  “The simple fact of the matter is that Velma was a human being and nobody deserves to die the way she did,” Maddie continued. “I’m sure there was fear ... and maybe even some regret. If anybody’s spirit decided to linger, though, I would have to believe it would be hers. That’s why I think, with all of us together, we might be able to make contact with her.” />
  “I think that’s a fabulous idea,” a fiery redhead intoned from the front of the group. She was young, probably in her late twenties if Maddie had to guess, and she carried herself with an air of importance. “I would like to volunteer my services for this task. I’ve led hundreds of seances at this point and I believe I’m uniquely qualified.”

  Maddie and Hannah exchanged quick looks. Hannah held out her hands and shrugged, which Maddie took as silent agreement.

  “And you are?” Maddie prodded.

  “Cadence Carpenter.” The young woman’s smile was so wide it almost swallowed her entire face. “I’m the premiere psychic in Nashville.”

  “Is that saying anything?” a voice asked from somewhere in the back of the crowd.

  Cadence jerked her head in that direction, narrowing her eyes, but it was suddenly quiet. “If you don’t think I’m doing a good job you can always relieve me of my duties.”

  Maddie licked her lips and then nodded. Honestly, she didn’t want to be in charge. She preferred the idea of someone else absorbing the responsibility. That would allow her and Hannah to watch from a safe distance.

  “I think that’s a fine idea.” Maddie smiled and stepped to the side. “Since you’re an expert, I can’t think of anyone who would do a better job.”

  “Great.” Cadence’s eyes flashed with importance as she moved to the center of the group, essentially using her diminutive hips to box out Hannah and Maddie. “I’m going to need a few people to help. We’re also going to need candles. It’s going to take us about fifteen minutes to set up.”

  “Everyone is welcome to come into the saloon for a drink while we’re waiting,” Hannah offered. “A little bourbon might loosen everybody up.”

  That earned an appreciative chuckle and people plodded in that direction without complaint, leaving Cadence and two others to set up for the show.

  “Do you think this is a good idea?” Nick asked, snagging Maddie’s elbow as she moved to follow the others inside the saloon. “I mean ... don’t you want to be in control of this?”

  Maddie solemnly shook her head. “No, because I don’t happen to believe that Velma’s soul is hanging around.” She kept her voice low. “We would’ve seen her by now if she was still present. The fact that we haven’t means that it’s likely she passed on. This is all for show. It’s so we can watch the others, how they interact and how they feel about Velma’s death. If I’m leading the seance, I can’t very well watch, can I?”