Grave Insight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 2)

by Hart, Lily Harper

“Best friend?” Charles looked dubious.

  “Yes,” Nick said, refusing to even look at him. “Come on, Mad. We haven’t danced in years.”

  Maddie took his extended hand and let him lead her to the dance floor, secretly relieved her knight in shining armor wasn’t looking tarnished in the least this evening.

  Nick wrapped his arms around Maddie’s waist and pulled her close. “So, who is your new friend?”

  “Marla’s date. They came in for a reading together. I have no idea where she is. She was glued to his side earlier.”

  Nick pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. “You really do have abominable luck sometimes.”

  “I do,” Maddie agreed. “How was your day? Did … did you find Cassidy?” She was almost afraid to ask.

  Nick scowled. “I have searched for her everywhere. I swear, she has to have left town or something. If she has, do you think that saves me from having to break up with her? I mean, if I never hear from her again, it’s not really a relationship, is it?”

  “You could always write her a note.”

  “Or an email.”

  “No one breaks up with someone via email.”

  “Some people do.”

  “Not good people,” Maddie said.

  Nick sighed. “You’re right. I’m just … so tired.”

  “It will get better, Nicky,” Maddie said. “It can’t get worse.”

  CASSIDY kept herself hidden in the shadows of the trees on the far side of the town square, her gaze focused squarely on Nick and Maddie as they twirled around the dance floor. They were laughing gaily, not a care in the world, or an eye on anyone around them.

  She’d thought if she hid from Nick he would feel guilty and rethink his decision. She’d thought he would be prostrate with worry while he looked for her. Instead, Nick looked happier fooling around with Maddie than he had ever looked when he was with her.

  “It’s disgraceful,” Marla said, moving up next to Cassidy. “You’re his girlfriend, and yet he’s fawning all over Maddie. It’s so disrespectful.”

  “It is,” Cassidy agreed.

  “You should do something about it.”

  “What?”

  “Make sure Maddie Graves knows that she’s poaching,” Marla said. “Make sure she knows that you’re aware of what she’s doing. Make sure she knows that Nick is yours.”

  “And what if he’s not?” Cassidy asked, her voice pitiful.

  “Don’t give her a choice,” Marla said. “Nick is taken. If you don’t put your foot down, you’ll lose him forever. Maddie Graves needs to be put in her place, and I think you’re just the person to do it.”

  Eleven

  “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I might have some interesting information,” Christy said, sidling up to Nick and Maddie as they swayed on the dance floor.

  Nick shot her a disapproving look. The last thing he wanted to do was move from his current position. “And what would that be?”

  “Cassidy is here.”

  Nick froze, jerking his head around and scanning the crowd. “Where?”

  “I saw her a few minutes ago,” Christy said. “She was kind of hanging back. I don’t think she wanted anyone to see her. She was talking to Marla.”

  “Well, that can’t be good,” Maddie said.

  “No,” Nick agreed. “Still … if she’s here … I need to try and find her. If she disappears again, this could go on for days.”

  “Go,” Maddie said, pulling away.

  Nick immediately missed the feeling of her body against his. “I’ll … wait for me and I’ll walk you home.”

  Maddie’s face was rueful. “We both know you could have a long night ahead of you, and I’m tired. I think I’m going to head straight home.”

  “Are you sure?” Nick was disappointed.

  “Nicky, this could take you all night, and I can’t be involved in it,” Maddie said.

  “I know,” Nick said, running his hand through his hair. “I still wish I could just send her an email.”

  “Classy,” Christy snorted.

  Nick glared at her. “Can I trust you to make sure Maddie makes it safely to her car without unwanted advances from Marla’s friend?”

  “Of course,” Christy said. “I’ll jump in front of him and beat my chest and tell him that if he touches her the local police detective will slap him silly.”

  Despite himself, Nick couldn’t fight the grin as it spread across his face. “Thank you.” He glanced at Maddie one more time. “I’ll either see you tonight or tomorrow. I’m not sure which yet.”

  “Good luck.”

  Nick wanted to touch her. He wanted to kiss her, or at least give her a hug. He did neither. Instead, he gripped her shoulder for a moment and graced her with a small smile. “I’m going to need it.”

  “ARE you sure you don’t want me to walk you to your car?” Christy asked.

  Maddie waved off the offer. “I’ll be fine.” The duo had separated from Nick ten minutes before, and even though Christy was trying to entice Maddie with a few drinks, Maddie was too tired to even consider it. “You should stay here and have some fun.”

  “What fun?” Christy scoffed.

  Maddie pointed toward a table about twenty feet away. “Isn’t that Graham Snow?”

  Christy followed Maddie’s gaze. “Yeah. So what?”

  “He’s been watching you for half the night,” Maddie said. “You should go and dance with him.”

  “Graham Snow is a … .”

  “Good-looking guy,” Maddie finished. “You’re too picky. Besides, no one says you have to marry him. A little dancing might do you good.”

  “So, why don’t you do some dancing?” Christy challenged.

  “I’ve already done some dancing,” Maddie said. “The truth is, I just need some time alone to think.”

  “Because Nick is about to be free?”

  “Because my feet hurt, and I’m exhausted,” Maddie replied.

  Christy waited, her face impatient.

  “And I might want to think about Nick,” Maddie conceded.

  Christy grinned. “Well, as long as you promise to think dirty thoughts, I’ll allow you to leave,” she said. “Just … be careful on your way to the car.”

  “What could possibly happen?” Maddie asked. “It’s Blackstone Bay.”

  “Didn’t two people try to kill you two weeks ago?”

  Maddie scowled. “I see your point. Don’t worry. It’s still relatively early. I’ll be fine.”

  “Just be careful,” Christy said. “If something happens to you, Nick is going to burn this town down – and I’m going to help him.”

  “You say the sweetest things.”

  Maddie separated from Christy and pointed herself in the direction of home. She’d driven to the fair, but the parking lot was packed, and she didn’t want to deal with traffic when she didn’t have to. Her car would be fine in the parking lot overnight, and the evening was pleasant enough for Maddie to walk without working up too much of a sweat.

  Since most of Blackstone Bay’s denizens were down at the fair, even though midnight was approaching, the streets were quiet as Maddie traversed them. She took the opportunity to gaze up at the sky, studying the moon for hints. It was almost full. It felt like time was stalking Maddie – on more than one front – and she didn’t know how to handle any of it.

  The sound of footsteps echoing against pavement caught Maddie’s attention, and she shifted. She’d opted to walk home barefoot. She hadn’t been lying about the heels hurting too much to bear for another minute.

  Maddie stilled her forward momentum and peered into the dark night, trying to zero in on a figure she knew was close. When the figure finally moved from the shadows across the road, Maddie recognized it instantly. Tara Warner. What was she doing out here alone?

  Maddie studied her for a moment, conflicted. The woman’s back was to her, and if she’d noticed Maddie walking on the opposite sidewalk, she wasn’t showing any signs. Sho
uld she follow her? Should she let her go? Should she call Nick for help? Something told Maddie she didn’t have a choice. She had to follow.

  Maddie opened her mouth to yell to the woman. She had no idea what she was going to say, but the odds of someone approaching both Maddie and Tara were slim. Maddie could walk Tara to her destination. Maybe it would be enough to change the woman’s destiny.

  Maddie’s greeting lodged in her throat when she saw another silhouette move about in the murky shadows. This one had detached from the small clump of trees in front of Sally’s Bakery. Maddie hadn’t even sensed another presence – not until it was too late. That was worrisome, but it was also a worry for another night.

  Maddie wasn’t sure what to do, but she knew the scene she’d witnessed a few nights before was about to happen. She couldn’t change the vision then. That didn’t mean she couldn’t change it now.

  The silhouette was behind Tara now, and the distance between the two figures was closing. Maddie took the opportunity to bolt across the street. The dark scarf Christy had secured on her head earlier hid some of her flaxen hair. She was still easy to spot, though, but since she was behind both Tara and her pursuer, she was going unnoticed.

  Maddie’s bare feet padded on the ground as she crossed, and the pavement radiated heat from earlier in the day. Maddie pushed it out of her mind, and once she was on the same sidewalk as Tara, she increased her pace.

  The dark man – and it was a man, Maddie had no doubt – increased his pace as he moved in behind Tara. Maddie was still trailing, and she knew she was out of options when she saw the man’s arm extend toward Tara’s shoulder. Maddie flung one of the shoes she was carrying and it hit him square in the back before bouncing harmlessly to the ground.

  He immediately stopped and swiveled so he was facing Maddie. Since he was wearing a dark hoodie – which was a dead giveaway in this heat – Maddie couldn’t make out any features. Tara was still oblivious.

  “Tara! Run!”

  Tara froze when she heard the yell, pivoting quickly and looking behind her. She gasped when she saw the proximity of the man. “Maddie?”

  “Run!”

  “What the … ?”

  Maddie tossed her other shoe and hit the man in the head. He growled as it bounced off. It hadn’t done any damage, but it felt good to throw it all the same. Instead of turning back to Tara, the man advanced on Maddie.

  “Run!” Maddie repeated, taking a step back.

  “Who is that?” Tara asked.

  “I don’t know,” Maddie said. “I … he was reaching for you.”

  “He’s going after you now.”

  “I noticed.” Maddie took another step backwards, momentarily flapping her arms as she realized she was teetering on the edge of the curb before tumbling over. “Oh, crap.”

  “Maddie!” Tara jumped off of the sidewalk, giving the figure a wide berth as she circled around to help Maddie off the ground. Once side-by-side, Tara supporting half of Maddie’s weight, the two women regarded the figure with fixed gazes. “What should we do?”

  “I have no idea,” Maddie said.

  “Should we run?”

  “I think he should run,” Maddie said, an idea forming. “I called Nick right before I threw my shoes. I told him what was happening. He’s on his way.”

  “Good,” Tara said. “A police officer is exactly what we need.”

  The figure shifted his shoulders, uncertain. Finally, he took a step back and disappeared into the bushes that skirted a nearby house. He’d never said a word.

  Once he was gone, Maddie finally allowed herself the opportunity to breathe.

  “Did you really call Nick?” Tara asked, hopeful.

  “No. You should call the police now, though. We have to report this.”

  “Are you okay?” Tara asked, studying Maddie worriedly.

  Maddie sank back down to the cement and rubbed her ankle. “I think I twisted my ankle.”

  “Well … thanks,” Tara said, pulling her phone out of her purse. “I’m guessing this is what you saw when you read my cards the other day. This is what you didn’t want to tell me, isn’t it?”

  Maddie balked. “I … no … I … .”

  “It’s okay,” Tara said. “I had a feeling you were hiding something. You put yourself in danger to protect me. I’m not going to tell anyone. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Thank you,” Maddie murmured.

  “No. Thank you.”

  “SO, tell me what happened again.” Detective Dale Kreskin wasn’t happy to be torn away from the festivities, even though he’d only had to walk three blocks when the call came in.

  “I was walking home,” Maddie said, still sitting on the pavement and rubbing her ankle. “I saw Tara on the sidewalk. I was about to call out to her, but then I saw some … guy … kind of sneak out of the trees over there.”

  “And what did you do?” Kreskin asked.

  “I just kind of watched him for a second,” Maddie said. “I wasn’t sure if Tara knew him. Then I realized he was wearing a hoodie and his face was covered.”

  “And you found that suspicious?”

  “It’s still eighty-five degrees out,” Maddie pointed out.

  “Okay,” Kreskin said, rubbing his chin. He’d obviously had a few drinks at the fair, which he was trying to hide. “So, what did he do then?”

  “He kind of reached for her.”

  “And what did you do?”

  “I threw my shoes at him.”

  Kreskin pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. “And then what happened?”

  “I fell off the curb.”

  “And then?”

  “I … .”

  “The guy was clearly up to no good,” Tara said. “Who sneaks up on a woman when she’s walking alone after dark?”

  “Are you sure he wasn’t just playing around?”

  “If he was, it wasn’t very funny.”

  “Okay,” Kreskin said, giving in. “What do you think he wanted?”

  Tara shrugged. “Maybe he wanted my purse.”

  “I guess that’s a possibility,” Kreskin conceded. “Did he say anything to either of you?”

  “No.”

  “Did he have a weapon?”

  “No.”

  “I just don’t know what to do with this,” Kreskin said. “There was no actual threat. How do I go after a guy who was walking on the sidewalk, who didn’t say anything, and didn’t try to hurt someone?”

  “Should I have waited for him to slit her throat, or hit her on the head?” Maddie was getting angry.

  “No,” Kreskin said. “You should have done exactly what you did. Well, except for falling off the curb. That was a boneheaded move.”

  Maddie shot him a dark look.

  “I’ll file a report,” Kreskin said. “That’s all I can do.”

  “Well, great,” Tara said.

  Kreskin leaned down and grabbed Maddie under her arms and hoisted her to a standing position. “Come on. I’ll carry you home and make sure Tara gets where she’s supposed to be going. I think you should both take this as a sign that you shouldn’t be wandering around after dark without an escort.”

  Maddie was incredulous. “You’re going to carry me?”

  “It’s two blocks,” Kreskin said. “I’d rather carry you than put up with the absolute fit Winters would pitch if I left you to your own devices. You need to put some ice on that ankle.”

  “My car is only a block away,” Tara said.

  “Then we’ll walk past it on the way,” Kreskin said, picking Maddie up and cradling her in his arms. “You two really know how to ruin a man’s evening.”

  “I’d rather crawl home,” Maddie announced.

  “Yeah, Winters would love that,” Kreskin said. “He’d beat me bloody. Now, shut your mouth. If I have to end my night early, you can at least be quiet.

  “Oh, and when Nick asks about this, you tell him I was a perfect gentleman,” he continued. “If he thinks my hands wa
ndered even a millimeter, he’s going to go nuclear – and no one wants that.”

  “Fine,” Maddie conceded. “Mush. Mush.”

  Kreskin grinned. “I kind of like you. I have no idea why, but I do.”

  “I’m a likable person.”

  “You remind me of Maude,” Kreskin said.

  “That’s the meanest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Maddie replied.

  “You’ll live.”

  Twelve

  “Well, it looks better,” Maude said, studying Maddie’s ankle the next morning with a serious gaze. “The puffiness is gone. Is it still sore?”

  “Kind of,” Maddie admitted. “It’s much better than it was last night, though.”

  “I don’t know what you were thinking, Maddie girl, but that wasn’t one of your smartest moves,” Maude said.

  “What was I supposed to do?”

  “I don’t know,” Maude admitted. “I just know I don’t like the idea of you going up against a strange man in the middle of the night. Something really bad could have happened.”

  “It was either that or let him grab Tara,” Maddie said. “I couldn’t live with that.”

  “I know,” Maude said. “I just … I happen to love you.”

  “Well, that’s good. I happen to love you, too.”

  “You need to take better care of yourself,” Maude said. “If you die now, I’m going to be very ticked off.”

  “Duly noted.”

  Maude’s face relaxed. “What are you going to do today?”

  “I have to go back and read tarot cards because you volunteered me for duty,” Maddie reminded her.

  “Well, you’ll be sitting all day. That will probably be good for you.”

  “I’m only going to do readings for two hours,” Maddie warned. “That’s all I agreed to.”

  “I don’t care,” Maude said. “If I were you, I’d use the ankle as an excuse to make hot men carry me around on satin pillows all day.”

  Maddie snickered. “I’ll consider it.”

  The two women looked up as Christy breezed into the room, her flame-red hair wild from rampant humidity. “Good morning, ladies.”

  “I like how you just let yourself in,” Maddie said. “I should probably hide the key better. Nick just lets himself in, too.”

  “I think you’re safe with Nick,” Christy said, moving toward the counter so she could pour herself a mug of coffee. “So, I hear you took down an assailant with nothing but a pair of shoes last night.”