Grave Decisions (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 7) (10 page)

Jesse shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“No, thanks for the information,” Maddie said, her eyes drifting to the spot at the far side of the fairgrounds. She recognized the blond head as it bobbed aimlessly in the early morning mist. She knew she wasn’t looking at a human, but the spirit left behind appeared sad and lost. “I should get going and set up my booth. Thank you for your time.”

“Don’t mention it,” Jesse said, offering Maddie a small smile. “If you decide to break up with your boyfriend, I would love to buy you a cup of coffee.”

“Oh, that’s sweet,” Maddie said. “We’ll never break up, though. We’re in it for the long haul.”

M
addie was
careful to make sure no one followed her as she picked her way around the empty fairgrounds. It was early, so the festival wasn’t open yet, and the normal faces usually littering the booths and midway throughout set-up preparations were absent. Maddie assumed it was because they heard about the murder and wanted to see for themselves if it was true, but she had no way of knowing if her assumption was correct.

Because the ground was still warm and the air dropped to much cooler temperatures at night, the morning was foggy. Maddie tried to shrug off the fear coursing through her as she walked toward the most remote part of the fairgrounds. Nick wouldn’t be happy when she told him what happened, but she couldn’t risk missing the dead woman’s ghost.

When Maddie arrived at the spot she last saw the spirit she found it empty. She swiveled quickly, narrowing her eyes as she searched the eerie grounds, and almost jumped out of her skin when she found a pair of blue eyes watching her when she made a complete turn.

“Hello,” Maddie said, keeping her voice low but friendly as she tried to rein in her fluttery heartbeat. “Do you know where you are?”

The woman was confused. “Do you know where I am?”

“You’re at the Blackstone Bay Fall Festival,” Maddie explained. “Does that sound familiar to you?”

“I don’t know,” the woman said, fearfully glancing around. “I think I was here last night, but everything is jumbled in my head now. Can you help me get home?”

Maddie’s heart rolled. This wasn’t the first time she’d come across a confused ghost. Most people pass on if they die of natural causes. If they suffer from a long illness, they have time to accept their imminent death – and in some cases, even embrace it. There are worse things than dying, and suffering is one of them. In other cases, like a stroke or sudden onset heart attack, the brain has a way of telling you you’re dying so you’re aware of what’s happening to you.

Murder and accidents are a different story.

Some murder victims hang on because they want someone to pay for killing them. Others are ripped violently from their lives so they have no choice but to cling to the last thing they remember. Accident victims are often the same. They can’t accept that their life was snuffed out so quickly – with no warning attached – so they remain behind because they don’t know what else to do.

It was victims like the one in front of Maddie now, though, who were the most difficult to deal with. Whoever this woman was – and Maddie didn’t recognize her now that she was up close and personal – there was a good chance she didn’t know she was dead.

“What’s your name?” Maddie asked, adopting a kind approach. “Do you know your name?”

“It’s Cathy Winchester.”

“Hi, Cathy,” Maddie said, pressing her hand to the spot above her heart. “I’m Maddie Graves. I live here in Blackstone Bay. Do you live her, too?”

Maddie hoped if she took a roundabout way to the truth Cathy would be able to see what happened to her without Maddie forcing horrific realizations upon her. If Cathy didn’t get there on her own, well, then Maddie was going to have some tough choices in front of her.

“I live in Elk Rapids,” Cathy replied, her eyes darting in eighty different directions as she looked over the empty fairgrounds. “Did I pass out here? Is that what happened?”

“Did you drink last night?”

“I had a beer,” Cathy said, racking her brain. “I honestly only remember having one beer. I was supposed to meet some friends here and I walked over to look at the fountain in the center of the town square hoping I would catch them before they entered the festival … but I’m not sure I ever saw them.”

Maddie licked her lips. “Okay, that’s good,” she said. “You went to the fountain. Did you drop a coin in? Did you make a wish?”

“I’m not two,” Cathy said, making a face.

“I’m not two either and I still drop a coin in whenever I go past it,” Maddie said. “My mother always gave me a penny to make a wish when I was little, and as I got older it became a habit. My boyfriend still laughs when I do it.”

“Well, I guess that’s okay,” Cathy hedged. “I didn’t make a wish, though. That doesn’t sound anything like me. Do you think someone drugged my drink? I’ve heard about that happening on television. Holy crap! I’ll bet I was roofied. We have to go to the hospital to make sure I wasn’t … raped.”

The word was distasteful on Cathy’s tongue and she had to force it out.

“Cathy, I don’t think going to the hospital is going to help you,” Maddie said quietly. “I … you’re kind of beyond medical help.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Cathy demanded, knitting her eyebrows together. “Are you saying I’m not worth going to the hospital? What is it with this town anyway? You’re the first person who even stopped to talk to me even though I yelled at three other people. They totally ignored me, though.”

“They didn’t ignore you, Cathy,” Maddie clarified. “They just couldn’t … see you.”

Maddie wanted to haul the words back in her mouth the moment she uttered them, but it was too late. Cathy’s confused features twisted as she tried to comprehend what Maddie told her.

“What do you mean they can’t see me?” Cathy asked, her voice harsh and unnatural. “How does that work? Are you saying I’m a ghost or something?”

Maddie fought to hold back her tears as she regarded the frightened young woman. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”

“Oh, no,” Cathy said, her hand flying to her mouth. “That can’t be right. That’s not possible. I’m not … dead.”

“You are dead, Cathy,” Maddie said, taking an uncertain step forward. “The police are over with your body right now. Did you wake up in an alley? The one behind the bank, perhaps?”

“I … yes,” Cathy said, her voice cracking as emotion overtook her. “I thought I saw someone on the ground, but my head was fuzzy and I convinced myself it was a dream. Are you telling me that wasn’t a dream?”

“It was a nightmare, but it was a real nightmare,” Maddie said. “I’m so sorry.”

“But … what happened to me?” Cathy asked, disbelief and worry flitting across her pleasing features. “How did I die?”

“I don’t know all of the specifics, but I know you were stabbed,” Maddie said. “Do you remember seeing anyone when you went to the fountain? Perhaps someone was following you.”

“I don’t remember anything,” Cathy said, dejected. “I just remember going to the fountain to wait for my friends … and then I woke up in that alley. I remember thinking I should’ve been cold, but I wasn’t. I guess that should’ve been my first clue, huh?” Cathy laughed hollowly. “Wow. I’m dead. I guess that loan I took out for grad school was a waste of money.”

“Is that what you do for a living?” Maddie asked. “Are you in grad school?”

“I work at an accounting firm and go to school three days a week,” Cathy replied, her eyes distant as they scanned the area without really focusing on anything. “My parents didn’t want me to go back to school because they said it was a waste of money. I knew I could make more if I finished, though. I guess it doesn’t matter now.”

“If it was important to you, it matters,” Maddie replied simply.

“My poor parents,” Cathy said. “How are they supposed to take this?”

“I don’t know.” Maddie opted for honesty. “Grief is a funny thing. You can’t always guess how people are going to react. I’m sure your parents will be upset, but they’ll have each other and maybe they’ll get through it okay.”

“I don’t know what I want more,” Cathy admitted. “I don’t want them to forget me, but I don’t want them sad either.”

“They’ll never forget you,” Maddie said. “That’s impossible. Pain doesn’t disappear. Time merely makes it easier to live with.”

“That was almost profound.”

Maddie jumped when she heard the new voice, swiveling quickly. She was ready to run if someone attacked, but the person she saw standing in the space behind her made her want to hit someone, not flee.

“Cooper,” Maddie said, blowing out a frustrated sigh. “What are you doing here? The fairgrounds are closed.”

“What are you doing here?” Cooper challenged, his eyes busy as they darted from one location to the next. “Who were you talking to?”

“I’m here early because I run a booth and I have to set up,” Maddie replied. “You don’t have a reason to be here, so you should go. I’ll report you to the authorities for trespassing if you don’t.”

Cooper chuckled, the sound empty and devoid of mirth in the still morning. “Don’t you mean you’ll call your boyfriend and he’ll drop everything to run to your rescue?”

Maddie shrugged. “It might not be him,” she replied. “John and Dale don’t like you either.”

“Yes, the police presence in this town is completely predictable, isn’t it?” Cooper challenged. “It’s almost as if they’re scared of me. I think it’s because they know I’ll do a better job of solving this case than they will.”

“And I think it’s because they know you’re a fraud and don’t want you getting in their way,” Maddie shot back.

“Who is he?” Cathy asked, moving out from the tree she hopped behind when Cooper made his presence known. “He’s kind of hot. Is he single?”

There was no way Maddie could answer without making Cooper suspicious so she ignored the ghost.

“You’re a funny girl, Maddie Graves,” Cooper said, walking in a wide circle and forcing Maddie to follow his actions so she didn’t get caught in a compromising situation with her back to a potential enemy. “A lot of people in this town believe you’re psychic and can see and talk to ghosts. What do you think about that?”

Cathy’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow,” she intoned. “I didn’t even think of that. That’s kind of neat … and freaky. Have you seen a lot of ghosts?”

Maddie was irritated. It just figured Cathy would get chatty at the exact moment she couldn’t engage with her. Since she was a new spirit, Maddie knew her energy would wane and she would disappear soon. Cooper might be ruining her only chance to talk with a murder victim.

“I think that this is a small town and gossip is one of the things we do best,” Maddie replied, tugging on her limited patience. Yelling and screaming at Cooper was going to get her nowhere. “I think you’ve purposely surrounded yourself with two vipers in an attempt to get the lowdown on people so they’ll be impressed when you pretend you can psychically read their minds.”

Cooper made a face that would’ve been comical under different circumstances. “Is that a fact?”

“I’m not an idiot,” Maddie said. “You use your looks and fame to seek out needy women in every town you visit. You want people who know secrets. Marla and Cassidy know a lot of secrets. Unfortunately for you, though, very few people trust them so whatever else they’re feeding you consists of lies and innuendo. I have a feeling you’ve already figured that out yourself, though, haven’t you?”

Cooper smirked. On anyone else the expression would’ve been charming. Because Maddie knew he wasn’t a man to be trusted, the half smile gave him something of a sinister look. “I can’t help but notice you evade every question I throw at you,” he said. “That’s a defense mechanism. Did your mother teach you that? I hear she was psychic, too.”

“Is that true?” Cathy asked. Maddie couldn’t help but notice the ghost was fading. “Where am I going?”

Maddie wanted to tell her it would be all right and she would return after she rested, but it was already too late. The young woman was gone.

“What are you looking at?” Cooper asked, glancing over his shoulder. “Did you see something?”

“Just a fraud,” Maddie said, locking gazes with Cooper in an attempt to show him she wasn’t afraid of him. “You should leave this town now, Cooper. There’s nothing but ruin and ridicule for you here.”

“And why is that?” Cooper pressed. “Are you a real psychic? Are you going to somehow prove me wrong? Are we in competition?”

“I don’t want anything to do with you,” Maddie replied, shaking her head. “You’re nothing but a scourge on humanity. I know why you’re here. I know you want to bolster your self-image. I have no idea if you put that body in the maze so you could find it or just got lucky, but I know you’re not psychic.”

“Because you are?”

“Because I can spot a liar from a long way off,” Maddie replied, refusing to sink to Cooper’s level. “You need to leave my friend Christy alone. She’s blinded by your book … and maybe your looks a little, too … but she’ll figure out what you are eventually. I won’t let you hurt her before that happens.”

Cooper snorted. “And how do you think I will hurt her?”

“I don’t know,” Maddie admitted. “I know you’re not a good person, though. That’s written all over your face whenever you think no one is looking and you let your guard down.”

“Are you sure you’re not psychically reading me to figure all of that out?” Cooper was intent on getting Maddie to admit what she was. Maddie was equally intent to keep him powerless where she was concerned.

“Stay away from Christy,” Maddie repeated. “If something happens to her, Nick and John will go after you. They’ll have to beat me to it, though. I don’t care what you do with Marla and Cassidy. Quite frankly, they’ve got whatever embarrassment you can throw at them coming.

“Christy is a different story, though,” she continued. “She’s a good person. She’s sweet and she helps people whenever she can. You’re taking advantage of her. Eventually she’ll figure it out. If you hurt her, though, I’ll help her figure it out.”

“Is that a threat?” Cooper asked.

“It’s a promise,” Maddie replied, sucking in a breath before turning on her heel and flouncing back toward her tent. She wanted to glance over her shoulder to make sure he wasn’t following, her inner danger alarm warning her to be wary, but Olivia picked that moment to pop into existence and fall into step with her daughter.

“Very good, Maddie,” Olivia encouraged her daughter. “You’re fine. He’s not following you. Keep putting one foot in front of the other until you get to your tent. You’re doing fine.”

“I’m so glad to see you, Mom,” Maddie whispered. “Thank you for coming.”

“I’m always looking out for you, Sunshine,” Olivia said. “That’s a mother’s job, and I’m not ready to quit my job yet.”

“Good, because I’m not ready to let you go.”