Maddie didn’t believe her for a second. “Were you pregnant with Mom before you got married?” Her voice was unnaturally screechy.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” Maude averted her eyes. “We’re supposed to be talking about Christy. Don’t be selfish, Maddie.”
Christy snorted, genuinely amused. “Oh, this conversation just keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to hear this story.”
“You’re not the only one,” Maddie grumbled. “Spill, Granny, and keep in mind, I have ways of finding out the truth.”
“And what ways are those?” Maude scoffed.
“I’m engaged to a cop who can pull public records.”
Maude’s smile slipped. “This isn’t my day.”
“Talk!”
“I’M GLAD THINGS WORKED out for you,” Nick offered as the three men circled the huge tractor sitting on George’s lawn. In truth, he was interested in the construction process because he planned serious work on the Victorian he now shared with Maddie. He simply felt he should acknowledge John’s impending life change before focusing on construction.
“I’m glad, too,” John admitted, a sloppy grin washing over his handsome features. “Right up until I proposed, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. I had your voice — and Maddie’s voice, for that matter — nattering in the back of my head. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I was unbearably nervous.”
“Obviously you pulled it off.”
“Yeah. She started crying before I even got the question out. Do you think that’s normal?”
“Maddie shed a few tears when I proposed to her,” Nick noted, trailing his fingers over the tractor as he rounded to the front of the house to stare at the faded facade. “I took her by surprise. It was Christmas and I picked a moment when we were screwing around outside in the snow. She wasn’t expecting it, which I think made it better.”
“I was there for that,” George offered. “I was hiding in the trees, deciding if I should approach the house. Then you guys came outside and I couldn’t move without discovery so I sat there for a long time and watched you play.
“When you finally pulled out the ring, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing,” he continued. “Part of me was angry because I had no idea who you were. Angry at myself, mind you. A man should know who his daughter is dating. The look on her face, though, made me forget all of that. She was so happy that I could feel nothing but happiness for her.”
“You left, though,” Nick pointed out. “You disappeared for another few weeks.”
“I didn’t want to ruin things. She was engaged and I knew my return would wipe away that smile, at least for a little while. That was the last thing I wanted.”
“Fair enough.” Nick held up his hands in capitulation. “Things worked out. You and Maddie seem to be doing well. Heck, things are going well enough that you bought the house next door.”
“It’s not really next door,” George argued. “It’s a good five lots away. That means it’s close, but I’m not on top of you. Besides that, I still have to travel for work. That means I’ll only be in town one or two weeks a month until I retire.”
“And after that Maddie and Nick will probably have kids,” John offered philosophically. “You’ll like how close he is when you need a babysitter.”
“That’s exactly what I was going for,” George teased, sobering a second later. “In truth, I liked the location of the house and thought it was a good investment. Since it burned down, I got the property for a song.”
“What’s the next step?” Nick asked.
“Tomorrow they demolish the house and tow away all the garbage. After that, new construction begins. The house won’t be ready for me to move into until the fall.”
“Well, you must have plans,” Nick prodded. “Why don’t you show us? That will give the girls more time to talk.”
“And Maude more time to calm down or get drunk,” George surmised.
“Pretty much.”
“A tour it is.”
“I GOT A LETTER, TOO,” Christy admitted.
Once talk about the wedding had petered out — and Maude had finished the bottle of champagne and returned to the house to take a nap — Maddie and Christy were free to talk about serious things.
“A letter from the prosecutor’s office?” Maddie couldn’t contain her surprise. “But ... why?”
“I was part of all that,” Christy reminded her. “I was with you when we were staking out the Blackstone Greenhouse. We thought it was Henry at first, remember? The prosecutor is trying to paint a solid timeline to explain how everything went down.”
Maddie wrapped her arms around her knees as she considered the statement. “Nick seems worried.”
“I think he’s worried because he doesn’t want you dwelling on what happened. That was more than a year ago. You guys were in a vastly different place. You’ve grown a lot since then, become more self-assured. I’m sure he doesn’t want you to be swept up in the memories.”
“I don’t think he wants to be swept up in the memories,” Maddie corrected. “He had it worse than me that night.”
“How?” Christy wrinkled her forehead. “You were stalked through the woods by two killers. You thought you were going to die in that lake. How was it easy for you?”
“Once I was in the water, it didn’t hurt anymore. It was like falling asleep except ... Nick. I didn’t want to leave him.”
“Of course you didn’t.” Christy patted Maddie’s arm. “You didn’t die. He arrived in time to take down Todd and Dustin and he saved you. That was the beginning of something new for you guys.”
Maddie’s lips curved. “It really was. I wasn’t expecting things to go the way they did. That was the start, though.”
“Things went exactly how I expected them to.” Christy turned smug. “I thought you guys were a little slow getting to the finish line, quite frankly. I wanted to push you along, maybe dose your drinks with sex dust or something.”
Maddie made a face. “What’s sex dust?”
“Oh, well, do I have a surprise for you.” Christy’s eyes twinkled. “It’s this dust that makes you more creative in bed. I found it on the internet.”
“Which means it’s probably some ridiculous scam.”
“You don’t know. I ... .” She broke off when a hint of movement on the hill caught her attention. John was standing at the edge of George’s property, waving his hands. “What do you think is going on up there?”
“I don’t know.” Maddie slowly got to her feet and shaded her eyes so she could stare into the sun. “Do you think they want us to head up there?”
“That seems to be what they’re indicating.”
Maddie and Christy picked an easy pace for their walk. The heat was unbelievable for a spring day in Michigan and Maddie didn’t want to zap Christy’s strength. She was still suffering from morning sickness on a regular basis, and Maddie didn’t want to risk dehydration. When the two women finally made it to the top of the hill, Maddie had to search for the men. She finally found them at the back of the house, next to the tree line, and their focus was on the woods, not the women.
“What’s going on?” Maddie asked, increasing her pace. “Did something happen? Granny said she was taking a nap in her apartment. Did she somehow manage to sneak up here?”
Nick snagged Maddie’s arm before she could barrel into the trees in search of her mischievous grandmother “It’s not Maude.”
His tone told Maddie things were serious. “What is it?”
“There’s a body,” John volunteered, causing Maddie’s heart to plummet. “It’s a woman and she’s definitely dead.”
“I left my phone at the house,” Nick said. “John’s doesn’t work out here and George’s phone is in his truck, which is in our driveway. Did you remember to bring your phone?”
It took Maddie a few moments for Nick’s words to sink in. “Oh, um ... .” She dug into her pocket until she came up with her cell phone.
“Thank y
ou.” Nick closed his fingers around the phone. “I need you to stay back, okay? You don’t have to see this.”
Maddie turned grim. “Is it someone we know?”
“I can’t be sure. We have to call for a crime scene team. We can’t touch the body; otherwise we might taint the evidence.”
Maddie licked her lips and nodded. “Okay. What do you want me to do?”
Nick knew what he wanted her to do. Go back to the house and wait inside, away from death and the unhappiness that followed. She would never agree to that, though. She might not have discovered the body, but she was in this.
“I need you to stay out of the sun so you don’t get fatigued and to wait until our team gets here. There’s nothing more we can do.”
She held her hands out in defeat and nodded. “Then that’s what I’ll do.”
“Thank you, love. Hopefully we’ll have answers before you know it.”
Three
Nick kept a close watch on Maddie and Christy as they rested in the shade of the dilapidated house that would soon be torn down. She was alert, interested in what he was doing close to the trees, but quiet in her introspection.
“What are you worried about?” George asked, appearing at his elbow.
“I’m worried about her getting involved in this situation,” Nick admitted. “She won’t be able to help herself.”
“That’s hardly new.”
“I know. That doesn’t mean I don’t worry about her.”
“I get that.” George shifted so he could stare at the driveway as several vehicles pulled onto his property. “Who is she? Do you know?”
“I didn’t get a good look at her face. We need to flip her over, but the scene has to be photographed before that.”
“Okay, well ... .” George was at a loss. “What am I supposed to do? It’s my property.”
Nick hadn’t even considered that. “Wow. I’m sorry. Of course you’re worked up.” He snapped his eyes from Maddie and focused on her father. “You obviously didn’t do this.”
“That doesn’t mean I won’t be questioned. The people in this town don’t know me. I’ll be a suspect simply because it’s my property.”
“Yeah, well, we know better.” Nick clapped George’s shoulder in a sign of solidarity. Things weren’t always easy between the two men, but their bond was growing, mostly because they were both adamant that Maddie’s safety and happiness was their first priority. “Honestly, it’s going to be okay. We need to take this one step at a time.”
“You’re the expert.”
DALE KRESKIN, NICK’S PARTNER, was the first to climb the driveway. He didn’t look happy about the turn of events and he made that clear as he approached.
“Can’t you ever have a quiet day off?” he lamented, shaking his head. “I was enjoying a nice afternoon of early-season baseball when I got your call. This is not how I wanted to spend my day.”
“I’m sure it’s not how she wanted to spend her day either,” Nick said dryly, gesturing toward the spot they’d cordoned off in the woods. “Things are worse for her.”
“Yeah, well ... .” Kreskin made a tsking sound with his tongue as he leaned over the high grass and looked at the body. “She looks young.”
“I’m guessing she’s in her twenties,” Nick agreed. “I haven’t touched the body other than to make sure she wasn’t breathing. Given the way her hair is over her face, I couldn’t be sure. The blood was a giveaway, though.”
“No, you had to check.” Sorrow flitted over Kreskin’s features. “The medical examiner is right behind me. As soon as he calls it, we’ll start taking photos and go from there.”
“Right.”
Nick, John, George, and Kreskin made way for the medical examiner’s team, increasing their distance from the body so the tasks of the day could be completed.
“I’ll guess we’ll start with the obvious.” Kreskin dug in his pocket until he found a notebook and focused on George. “When did you find the body?”
“Technically I found the body,” John corrected, taking Kreskin by surprise. He was also a law enforcement representative, but he worked with the Michigan State Police so his department regulations were slightly different. “I wasn’t looking for a body, mind you. We were up here checking out the property because the house is being demolished tomorrow. I happened to see her hair and it caught my attention. I didn’t realize it was a body until I was right on top of it.”
“What were you doing up here?”
“We were having a picnic,” Nick answered, gesturing toward the field where the blanket and basket remained from their abandoned celebration. “John and Christy got engaged. The house is hot and sweaty because we don’t have the air conditioners out yet. We decided to have a picnic to celebrate and then split off to take a look at the house.”
“You’re engaged?” Despite the serious nature of the situation, Kreskin smiled. “I’m glad. It’s about time you got your head out of your behind.”
John scowled. “I didn’t have my head in my behind. I was simply ... whatever.” He wasn’t in the mood to talk about his failings when it came to proposals. Technically, the first time he popped the question, Christy had turned him down flat because he lacked imagination. He made up for that the second time around, and was proud of it.
“What’s the deal with the house, George?” Kreskin asked. “I mean ... you’re not staying here, right?”
George shot a dubious look to the roof, which was missing thanks to a fire weeks before. “No. I’m still at the hotel.”
“How often do you come out here?”
“Not often. There’s no sense in visiting until this house has been demolished and construction has started on the new house. I’ve seen everything here, and the house has been condemned because it’s not safe. I don’t go inside.”
“So, basically you’re saying you spend very little time here,” Kreskin mused. “Still, you have to drop by occasionally. When was the last time you were here?”
“Oh, um ... .” George tapped his chin as he considered the question. “I guess it was two days ago. I was visiting with Maddie — she asked me to help her carry a box of books to the storage closet on the second floor because Nick was at work — and as I was leaving, I drove up the driveway and looked at the house.”
“Did you get out?”
George shook his head. “I sat in the car and just looked at the house. I had the blueprints for the new house and was kind of holding them up so I could picture how things would look.” He raised his hands to demonstrate. “I didn’t walk around or anything.”
“Can you remember the last time you were at the back of the property?”
“I think it was about five days ago,” George replied. “I had a landscaper out so we could talk about what I wanted done. Some of these trees are old and need to go, and it makes sense to take them down now before the construction starts. He’s supposed to be out here after the house is demolished to handle the trees.
“While he was out here, we walked the property line so I could explain a few things,” he continued. “I’m putting a patio on the back, but I don’t expect to get going on that until next summer because the house is a big project by itself. I explained that a lot of the yard will be tore up, but I want him to mow where it isn’t so things don’t get out of hand.”
“So ... basic stuff.”
“Yes.”
“Did you walk past the area where the body is located?”
“Yes. She wasn’t there.”
“Given the heat, I don’t think she could’ve been out here long,” Nick argued. “With the heat and humidity the way it is, a body wouldn’t hold up very long. I think she’s only been out here a few hours.”
“Which brings up the question, why dump her here?” Kreskin queried. “I guess it’s possible that someone might not realize construction is due to gear up, but the equipment should be a dead giveaway and a lot of people are talking about it in town.”
“Maybe the dumpsit
e was a choice,” John suggested. “Maybe whoever killed her felt remorse and wanted her found quickly.”
“A possibility.” Kreskin pursed his lips. “For some reason, this scene reminds me of Sarah Alden. Do you remember when we found her? The bodies aren’t positioned exactly the same way, but the blond hair jarred something in my memory … and the blood.”
Nick stiffened. “I hadn’t really thought about that.”
“Who is Sarah Alden?” George asked.
“She was a local woman who was murdered a little over a year ago,” Kreskin replied. “I’ve been thinking about her all day because I received notification about testifying against her killer.”
“We got those notifications, too,” Nick said, his heart rate picking up a notch as he went back to staring at the medical examiner’s team. “Maddie is nervous about testifying.”
“She needs to testify.” Kreskin was firm. “She was the only one out there when they confessed. If she doesn’t testify, the entire case might fall apart. You can’t let that happen.”
Nick sent his partner a quelling look. “She’s going to testify. Chill out.”
“I’m sorry.” Kreskin held up his hands in capitulation. “I know that sounded as if I was about to jump all over her.”
“I just hate thinking about it,” Nick admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “She almost died that night.”
“I’m glad I missed it,” George supplied. “It sounds like it was rough.”
“Nick showed up in time,” Kreskin offered. “He swam out and dragged her back to shore. He breathed oxygen into her lungs himself. He refused to pass out until he got her to the hospital. I remember thinking that night that things were about to change for the two of them. I’m glad to know I was right.”
Nick shook his head. “I think we both knew things were going to change the second we laid eyes on each other again. We just weren’t ready to admit it.”
“Well, you can admit it now. You got everything you ever wanted.”
“And still we have to go back and revisit the past,” Nick muttered as the medical examiner straightened and nodded to signify they’d certified the death. “We need to find answers on this woman. Kreskin might be overreaching when tying this murder to Sarah Alden’s death, but I don’t like how close the body dump was to my house ... and Maddie.”
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