“I don’t see why you would be angry.” Maddie adopted a pragmatic tone. “It happened to me and he never laid a finger on me. In fact, the prosecutor called this afternoon and told me the judge looked at the footage and decided Todd was a threat and now he has to be shackled in court. He was very excited about it, so I’m guessing it’s a good thing.”
“Henry was less excited,” Nick noted, leaning back in his chair. “You still should have called, Mad. I don’t like hearing things like that from other people.”
“You were busy ... with a missing girl who happened to work at the greenhouse. I knew you had a missing girl because you told me. You failed to mention she worked at the greenhouse. Should I be upset that you kept me in the dark about that?”
Nick scowled. “No.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the prince of boyfriends ... er, fiancés ... and I should be treated as royalty.”
Maddie snickered. “That was kind of a cute response so I’ll give you a pass.”
Nick wanted to shelve his suspicion at her refusal to engage in a fight — he didn’t need the added stress, after all — but he couldn’t quite manage the feat. “I should’ve called you,” he conceded. “You should’ve called me, too. I guess that makes us even, huh?”
“Kind of,” Maddie hedged, averting her eyes.
“I knew it.” Nick shook his head, his waning fury returning with a vengeance. “You did something else, didn’t you?”
“I don’t think I like your tone.”
“And you can’t make eye contact when you think you’re going to get in trouble,” Nick shot back. “You’ve been that way since you were a kid. Do you remember that time you stole your mother’s shoes to wear to that dance and you ruined them? She knew it was you before she even started the questioning because you couldn’t make eye contact for two straight days.”
Maddie wasn’t thrilled about being reminded of that particular event. “Yes, well ... that’s not why I’m avoiding eye contact today.”
“Oh, really? And why are you avoiding eye contact?”
“Because you’re so handsome that I’m afraid I’ll forget my manners and jump you if I’m not careful.”
Nick snorted. “That was weak.”
“It’s true.”
“Uh-huh.” Nick poked her side. “Spill. I want to know what you’re keeping from me. Whatever it is must be a doozy if it’s worse than what happened in court.”
“I’m not sure it’s worse than what happened in court,” Maddie hedged. “It’s simply ... different.”
“Different how?”
“Well ... um ... .”
“Maddie.” Nick’s voice was stern. “I want you to tell me what’s going on right now. I’m not kidding.”
“Fine.” Maddie blew out a sigh and abandoned her sandwich on the plate. “When I got home this afternoon, I was a little edgy. It wasn’t that I was afraid of what Todd did as much as annoyed. I needed some air — and I wasn’t in the mood to continue packing up the shop — so I went for a walk in the woods.”
Nick’s mouth dropped open. “We talked about this. It’s not safe for you to be wandering around the woods on your own. I can’t believe you did that.”
Maddie didn’t bother to hide her eye roll. “That’s not the part of the story you’re going to dislike.”
“There’s more?”
Maddie nodded.
“Oh, man. My father told me the reason women live longer than men was because women give men high blood pressure, but I didn’t believe him.”
Maddie ignored the dig. “I ran into my mother while we were out there. We hashed a few things out. She promised to stop holding the fact that I’m giving George a chance against me and I promised that she would always be my favorite parent.”
“Well, that sounds good.”
“Then, when we were out there, she heard something. She told me to head back to the house.”
The hair on the back of Nick’s neck stood on end. “Was someone out there?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Harris Bishop.”
Nick rubbed his forehead as he processed the news. “Did he chase you? Did he try to say something? Was he interested if you’re going to testify against his brother?”
“We didn’t speak.”
“But ... how do you know he was out there?”
“I saw him on the way back. When I was in the yard, I felt a pair of eyes on me. I don’t know how. I just felt it. When I turned, I saw him. He was in the shade and close to a tree. I’m not sure if he realized I saw him or not.”
“And then what?”
“And then nothing. He stayed under the tree and I went back to the house. Mom kept an eye on him so I didn’t have to give away the fact that I was aware he was there. As soon as I hit the side of the house and was out of sight, I raced to the front and let myself in. Then I checked all the doors and windows.”
Nick was speechless.
“I stayed in the house and Mom went back to the woods after a bit. She said Harris wasn’t in the same spot as before, but he was still out there. He was watching the house.”
“Do you think he’s still out there?” A wild notion to storm through the dark landscape to find Harris tore through Nick’s mind. “Do you think Olivia could lead me to him?”
“He’s gone ... and you’re not going out there in the dark. That’s ridiculous.”
“How do you know he’s gone?”
“Because Mom followed him around for a bit,” Maddie replied. “He didn’t get too close to the house. He never even crossed the property line. He simply sat in the trees and watched the house.”
“That must mean he’s to blame for all of this,” Nick said. “He’s planning to take you out so his brother will look innocent.”
“That’s certainly a possibility. I’m not ruling it out.”
“What other possibility is there?”
“Maybe he’s watching the house for another reason.”
“Which is?”
“Maybe he’s trying to make sure whoever killed Shelby won’t have an easy shot of doing the same to me.”
“You think he’s trying to protect you?” Nick was incredulous. “That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, Maddie. Why would he care what happens to you? He doesn’t seem overly tight with his brother, but if Dustin gets off on a technicality he can go back to taking care of their mother and Harris can move away again. I think he was definitely happier when he lived down south.”
“Possibly. Or possibly he’s simply trying to be a good man. I didn’t get a bad vibe from him.”
“No offense, Mad, but you don’t always get a bad vibe from the people who try to kill you.”
“I guess that’s true.” Maddie turned morose. “I don’t know that I believe he’s trying to kill me, though. I simply don’t feel it. Something feels wrong about that theory.”
“Well, I don’t care either way. It’s creepy that he’s in the woods. Tomorrow morning, I’m going to take a look for myself.”
“Okay.”
Nick grabbed his sandwich with both hands and stared at her. “You’re not going back into the woods either until this is over with. I want you to promise me.”
“Fine. I promise.”
Nick waited for her to expand. When she didn’t, he sighed. “I’ll give some thought to your theory that he might be protecting you. I’m not saying I believe it, but I’ll think about it.”
Maddie brightened considerably. “That’s all I ask.”
Nick’s lips curved down. “You’re getting better at pouting to get your way. It’s a little annoying.”
“I’ll think about that to balance the scales.”
“You do that.”
Sixteen
True to his word, Nick was up with the sun. He dressed in jogging pants and sneakers, tugged on a T-shirt and hoodie, and headed straight for the woods. He had his gun with him and insisted Maddie remain in the house.
“What’s going on out here?” A bleary-eyed Maude asked as she shuffled into the kitchen. She still wore her clothes from the evening before — which meant she crashed hard — and the entire ensemble was made up of black clothing items.
“What’s going on with you?” Maddie asked, tearing her eyes from the window and focusing on her grandmother. “Did you do something illegal last night?”
“I think you’re going to have to be more specific.” Maude poured herself a mug of coffee, conveniently showing her back to Maddie so she didn’t have to make eye contact.
“Okay, let’s try a different tack,” Maddie suggested, picking a spot at the table where she had a clear view of the woods. “What did you do last night?”
“I hung with the Pink Ladies.”
“And what did you guys do as a group?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
Maddie furrowed her brow. “May I ask why you can’t tell me that?”
“Because the Pink Ladies is a secret group. We took an oath when we were sworn in. That means our activities are secret.”
“I see.” Maddie tilted her head to the side, considering. “When did that ‘secret oath’ thing come into being?”
“It’s always been that way.”
“Two weeks ago you spent an hour telling me about how Claudine Matthews enlisted half your group to spy on her soon-to-be ex-husband. You explained — in great detail, mind you — how you hid in the bushes, toilet-papered his house, and threw water balloons at his new girlfriend.”
Maude made an exaggerated face as she sat next to Maddie. “I don’t believe I told you that.”
“Lying? That’s so beneath you, Granny.”
“It’s not lying. I’m an old woman. It’s common for women my age to have gaps in their memory. How is a real medical problem the same thing as lying?”
Maddie hated to admit it, but Maude had her there. Of course, she knew better than believing Maude’s sordid tale. “You remember exactly what happened that night. You took video and showed it to me.”
“I believe you’re mistaken.” Maude was firm. “Where is your other half? Did he get called away or something? You two are usually so disgustingly sweet over breakfast that I can’t bear to look at you without getting a toothache. That’s the reason I’ve lost so much weight on my diet.”
To Maddie, Maude looked exactly the same. Still, she’d found arguing with her grandmother when the woman dug her heels in to be a fruitless endeavor. It was almost always followed by a raging headache ... and she was in no mood for that.
“Fine. Keep your secrets.” Maddie sipped her coffee and went back to watching the trees. “You haven’t seen anyone hanging close to the house over the past few days, have you?”
“Nick.”
“Not Nick. He lives here.”
“Are you talking about George?” Maude’s eyes sparked with interest. “Is he banned from our lives again? Just say the word and I’ll take care of him. By the time I’m done he won’t want to move next door.”
Irritation bubbling up, Maddie fixed her grandmother with a harsh look. “Stay away from Dad. I want him to move next door. I think this is going to work out well for everybody.”
“Not for me.”
“You’re going to get over it.” Maddie was firm as she leaned closer to Maude, making sure the woman didn’t have a chance to look anywhere but her eyes. “I’m not kidding, Granny. It’s important to me that this works out. I know you dislike him because you think you’re being loyal to my mother, but Mom and I had a long talk yesterday and she’s going to lay off Dad.”
Maude didn’t look convinced. “That sounds nothing like the woman I raised. She was never a quitter.”
“Well, it sounds exactly like the woman who raised me. She was always willing to give people a second chance.”
Maude made a harrumphing sound and rolled her eyes.
“Now, I’m not going to say things are going to be smooth or easy, but it’s important to me that you put forth an honest effort with Dad,” Maddie persisted. “You’re my grandmother and I love you. He’s my father and I really want to get to know him.
“Nick and I will be married in a few weeks,” she continued. “Once that happens — not right away but someday — we’ll have kids. I want them to know you and my father. I don’t want them to lose out because you can’t let something go.”
Maude’s expression softened, although only marginally. “I’ll think about it.”
“You do that.”
Nick returned to the house three minutes after the conversation ceased. He headed straight to the coffee pot, barely raising an eyebrow at Maude’s outfit as he took a long drink of the caffeinated goodness. “There’s no one out there that I can find,” he announced.
Maude straightened in her chair. “Wait ... were you in the woods looking for someone?”
Nick nodded. “Maddie saw Harris Bishop hanging around yesterday. He didn’t approach her — or the house — but he was out there. Do you know what that means?”
“That he’s a Peeping Harris?” Maude shook her head, disgusted. “Don’t worry. I’ll get my Pink Ladies on the case. We’ll handle him.”
Nick scowled. “I don’t want your Pink Ladies on any case ... and don’t think I haven’t noticed what you’re wearing and what that probably means. I want you to stay out of trouble. In fact, it might be better if you stay in the house and don’t leave.”
Maude immediately started squawking. “You have got to be kidding me. This is a free country, buddy. I’m allowed to do what I want, when I want.”
Nick was in no mood for Maude’s antics. “I’m not kidding and I mean it.” He leaned down so he was at eye-level with his future grandmother-in-law. “Your safety is very important to me. If Harris Bishop is hanging around the trees, that can’t be a good thing. His brother is going on trial in a few weeks for attacking Maddie. I doubt very much he was picking morels in the woods and just happened to stroll by our place.”
Instead of immediately responding, Maude sent a questioning look to Maddie.
“He’s been nothing but pleasant when I’ve interacted with him so far,” Maddie volunteered. “He hasn’t acted aggressive — or made me think he’s dangerous — and I’m not sure he’s here for nefarious reasons.”
“Don’t use the word ‘nefarious,’” Nick chided. “That makes it sound as if you’re playing a game. This is pretty far from a game.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll pick a meaner word.”
“Oh, don’t take that tone with me.” Nick made a grumbling sound deep in his throat as he eased a hip against the counter. “I know you think I’m being ridiculous, but I don’t like this, Maddie. One girl who worked at the greenhouse is dead. Another is missing. Harris works at the greenhouse. His brother tried to kill you. Taken separately, none of those things points to a killer. When you put them all together, though ... .”
Maddie didn’t want to admit Nick was right. “Why would he risk being seen in the woods if he’s a killer? Why wouldn’t he have run right away after Mom and I saw him yesterday if he was guilty? That makes me think he’s doing something else out there.”
“You said you couldn’t be sure he realized you saw him,” Nick pointed out. “He might have figured that you would’ve said something if you realized he was there. You played it smart and went back to the house without confronting him. Not everyone would’ve reacted that way.”
“That’s true.” Maddie gnawed on her bottom lip. “I don’t know what to tell you, Nicky. Something feels off about the situation. I don’t think we’re seeing the full picture.”
“I would agree there.” Nick drained the rest of his coffee. “I think we’re pretty far from figuring out exactly what’s going on here. I think it’s entirely possible that Harris is trying to cast doubt on Dusti
n’s guilt by killing other girls, though. What better way to do it?”
“But he said that he knew what his brother did was wrong.”
“Which could’ve been an act.”
“I guess.” Maddie rubbed her forehead, rueful. “I wish people would just wear black or white clothes so we could always tell if they were good or evil.”
As if on cue, Nick and Maddie turned their heads to Maude in unison.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” Maude complained, her eyes flashing with annoyance. “It’s not my fault that you’re laboring under the delusion I’m a good person when we all know I’m bad to the bone.”
Maddie offered up an exaggerated eye roll. “I can see where this conversation is going. You’re not getting a motorcycle.”
“Like I want a motorcycle.”
“You’re not getting one.”
“I know.” Maude sipped her coffee, the picture of innocence. “What do you think about a scooter?”
“Oh, geez.” Maddie slapped her hand to her forehead as Nick’s attention shifted to his phone. It was on the counter and beeped to alert of an incoming text message. “You’re not getting a scooter either, Granny.”
“I can get a scooter if I want. I’m thinking it should be pink.”
“You’re not getting a scooter. I’m putting my foot down.”
“Oh, well, if you’re putting your foot down.”
Nick cleared his throat to stop the petty bickering, drawing Maddie’s attention to him as he studied his phone screen. His grim countenance told her something bad had happened.
“Did they find Chelsea White? Is she dead?”
Nick shook his head, catching Maddie off guard. “This has nothing to do with Chelsea.”
“What’s wrong? Has another girl gone missing?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” Nick’s eyes flashed dark as he looked up from the phone screen and scorched Maude with a dark look. “It seems someone — multiple someones probably — coated Harriet Proctor’s car with rotten fish last night. The outside of the car was completely covered. Someone even had the bright idea to stick some fish in the tailpipe as well. The culprits managed to get inside and hang what looks to be multiple rotten smelt from the rearview mirror, too.”
Grave Destiny Page 35