Grave Insight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 2) (14 page)

Maddie was blushing furiously. “Nicky.”

“Oh, grow up, Maddie,” Maude said. “You finally have everything you’ve ever wanted. Why don’t you just relax and enjoy it?”

“I agree,” Nick said. “Bathing suits are optional today.”

Maude cuffed him on the back of the head. “Don’t get fresh.”

“You just said … .”

“I didn’t say you could do it in front of me,” Maude protested. “I’m her grandmother.”

“Fine,” Nick said, rubbing his head. “You’re kind of mean today.”

Maude smiled. “And you two are kind of happy. It’s about time.”

“It is,” Nick agreed, smiling at Maddie. “It definitely is.”

“Faster.”

Nick arched an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“You have to move faster,” Maddie said, refusing to back down. “You’re never going to catch that turtle if you’re going to be that slow.”

“Listen, missy, I know how to catch a turtle.” Nick cupped his hands in the water and splashed Maddie playfully. They were standing in the shallows of Willow Lake, and as usual, Nick was trying to catch her a turtle. Since this was their first day as an official couple, he was determined to nab one. Unfortunately, he was having a terrible run of luck.

The temperature was still scorching, and the duo wasn’t alone. Luckily for them, the two families and handful of teenagers who were visiting the lake opted to park in the lot across the watery expanse – so their little stretch of beach and water was mostly quiet.

Maddie had insisted on wearing a bathing suit, which turned out to be fortuitous. Most of the time, they had the lake to themselves. It was still open to the public, so it’s not like Nick could ban visitors – as much as he wanted to. He was going to have to engage in his lake fantasy after dark, and later in the week, when they were assured of some alone time.

“You have to catch a turtle today,” Maddie said.

“Why?” Nick crossed his arms over his sun-bronzed chest.

“Because I need to name it.”

“What are you going to name it?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“If you name it Nick, we’re breaking up.”

Maddie put her hands on her narrow hips. “You know very well I already have a Nick turtle.”

Nick waited a moment, and then he focused back on his task. “Don’t you dare move, Maddie.” He plunged his fingers into the water and then raised his hands triumphantly, the struggling red-eared slider scratching at his hands as he gripped it tightly. “Hah!”

Maddie clapped her hands excitedly, her braids bouncing up and down. “Yay!” As much as Nick liked her hair loose, he hadn’t put up much of an argument when she wanted to braid her long locks before their lake outing. She’d explained about snarls, and how it would be painful to brush out later, and he’d relented. She was kind of cute with the twin braids anyway. He was constantly fighting the urge to tug on them so he could hold her still for a kiss.

He handed the turtle to an eager Maddie, and then watched as she ran her fingers over the painted shell. The turtle was angry, and he kept lashing out in an attempt to bite Maddie, but she was adept in her evasion. “Who’s pretty?”

Nick pressed his lips together. “You think the turtle is pretty?”

“I think he’s beautiful,” Maddie said, petting him one more time and then lowering him back to the water. “Farewell, Mick.”

Nick furrowed his brow. “Mick? Like Mick Jagger?”

Maddie shook her head.

Nick thought about it a moment, and then grinned. “You combined our names. You turned us into a celebrity couple.”

“No, I didn’t,” Maddie said evasively.

“Yes, you did.”

She tried to skate around him when he reached for her, but he snagged her around the waist and twirled her around. “Admit it!”

“Fine. I named him after us.”

Nick lowered her back to the ground but continued to hold her flush against his body. “And this is why I love you.”

Maddie held up her hand, her fingers clasped around something. Nick took the Petoskey stone without question. He hadn’t even seen her pick it up.

“For luck,” Maddie whispered, rubbing her nose against his cheek.

“Oh, my Maddie,” Nick sighed, kissing her deeply. “I’m already the luckiest man in the world.”

The duo sank into their kiss, and they were well on their way to some mindless groping when the sound of someone clearing their throat on the shore caught their attention. Nick reluctantly pulled away, jerking slightly when he saw who was looking at them. “Kreskin.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Kreskin said, eyeing the couple ruefully. “You’ll never know how sorry I am.”

“I thought we traded shifts,” Nick said.

“We did. There’s been a … development.”

Nick waited.

“We found a body this morning,” Kreskin said.

“Where?”

“She was on the edge of the fairgrounds,” Kreskin said. “She was under the same trees where Maddie was … approached … the other night.”

Nick stiffened and pulled Maddie closer. “Who?”

“Tara Warner.”

Maddie gasped, causing Nick to press his lips to the side of her face. “Shit. Give us a minute to pack up our stuff.”

“I’m sorry,” Kreskin said. “I didn’t want to bother you, but I figured you’d want to know.”

“No, you did the right thing,” Nick said, pushing Maddie in front of him as they climbed out of the water.

Maddie immediately moved to the blanket where they’d set up their picnic and started pulling her clothes on while Nick waited beside Kreskin. “How did she die?” Nick asked.

“She was strangled.”

“No one saw anything?”

“As far as I can tell, the last time anyone saw her was last night at the fair,” Kreskin replied. “She was having fun near the dance floor.”

“Was she alone?”

“She was with a group of women.”

“Anyone I know?” Nick asked worriedly.

“Cassidy was there.”

Nick sighed. “Well, at least we know she didn’t actually kill her,” he said.

“That’s about all we know,” Kreskin said. “The state police collected evidence this morning. I’ve been trying to find you. No one was at your house, or Maddie’s house, and you weren’t answering your phone.”

Nick glanced around. “Sorry. It’s in my shoe. I didn’t hear it.”

“I think you had your hands full with something else.”

“Yeah,” Nick said. “I certainly did. How did you find us?”

“I saw Maude downtown,” Kreskin said. “By the way, she and Irma are dressed in camouflage to do something … weird.”

“They’re stalking Edna. She wants to be a Pink Lady. They’re harmless.”

“Maude told me where you were, but only after I explained how important it was to find you,” Kreskin said. “She didn’t want to tell me.”

“It’s fine,” Nick said. “I want to solve this sooner rather than later. The longer we wait, the more danger Maddie is in.”

“Do you want to drop her off back at the house?”

Nick shook his head. “We’ll go back to the house long enough so you can sit downstairs while she showers and changes her clothes. I’ll run out to my house and do the same, and pack enough so I don’t have to leave her again. Then we’ll all go to the scene.”

“It will probably be pretty late by then. They’re not shutting down the fair.”

“I don’t care,” Nick said. “I don’t want her alone. That means she’s coming with me.”

“Is she okay with that?”

Nick met Maddie’s worried gaze behind Kreskin’s back. “Yes. She needs to be with me. She won’t complain.”

“Okay, man. Let’s go.”

“SO,
break down the scene,” Nick said.

It was two hours later, and he was standing next to Kreskin in the same spot he’d found Maddie on the ground two nights before. Maddie was hanging back, not far enough away to worry Nick, but not close enough to infringe on their investigation either.

“She was found here,” Kreskin said, pointing. “She was on her back, and her … skirt was hiked up above her waist. Her panties were gone, and she either wasn’t wearing any, or whoever was here took them as a souvenir.”

“Was she raped?” Maddie asked, horrified.

“Fluids were found,” Kreskin said carefully. “They’re being rushed through the crime lab.”

Maddie pressed her eyes shut to block out the image. “Oh.”

“Mad, don’t think about it,” Nick instructed.

“Why doesn’t she go to the fair?” Kreskin suggested. “We’ll only be a few minutes, and then you two can enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“No,” Nick said immediately. “She’s staying with me. I won’t risk her leaving my side.”

“Okay,” Kreskin said, holding up his hands. “I’m sorry I suggested it.”

“I’m not angry,” Nick said. “I just want her with me.”

“I get it,” Kreskin said. “You just got her. You don’t want to lose her.”

“I won’t ever lose her,” Nick said. “Ever.” He sucked in a steadying breath. “So, give me a timeline. When was she last seen at the fair?”

“Well, she was there when the Blackstone Boys were on the stage playing, and they were on between nine and ten.”

Maddie wrinkled her nose. “The Blackstone Boys?”

“Leonard Sparks and his brothers have a band,” Nick replied.

“They used to call themselves the Sparkly Boys, but then someone explained that probably wasn’t a very manly name,” Kreskin added.

Maddie forced a small smile onto her face, if only for Kreskin’s benefit. “Oh.”

“Anyway, she was at a table with several other women, including Cassidy and Marla Proctor,” Kreskin said. “Just so you know, and I had to put it in the report so it’s out there for public consumption, they were apparently plotting Maddie’s downfall.”

Nick stiffened. “Meaning?”

“It was nothing big,” Kreskin said. “I believe there was some chatter about taking an ad out in the newspaper warning women to lock up their men. They were going to use a photograph of Maddie with it.”

Nick scowled. “I’ll talk to Beverly. She’s been the editor at the newspaper for twenty years. She won’t allow them to do anything of the sort.”

“I know,” Kreskin said. “I just thought you should know that they’re plotting. I’m sure it will all be juvenile, but with Marla as the ringleader … .”

“I hated that witch in high school,” Nick grumbled. “I really hate her now.” He cast a reassuring look in Maddie’s direction. “It’s going to be okay, Mad. She’s just bitter.”

“I know.”

“Come here.” Nick gestured for Maddie to come to him. When she was near, he pulled her into his arms and rested his head against her shoulder. “It’s going to be all right.”

“I’m hardly worried about Marla when Tara is … .”

“I know,” Nick said, brushing her hair down. “So, no one by the beer tent saw Tara slip into the trees?”

“No,” Kreskin said. “Of course, the people hanging there aren’t reliable witnesses. Most of the people staying close to the beer tent are the hardcore partiers. They wouldn’t have noticed if aliens landed and probed them.”

Maddie shifted in Nick’s arms, surprised. “Wow. You’re kind of funny.”

“Sorry,” Kreskin said. “This isn’t a time to be funny. I just … it kind of slipped out.”

Maddie patted his arm. “I understand. You’re a good man. Don’t worry. I see it, so other people see it, too.”

Kreskin smirked. “I see what Winters sees in you. If you weren’t attached to his hip, I might make a play for you myself.”

“You’re married,” Nick pointed out.

“Yeah, but she’s something special.” Kreskin winked at Maddie.

“She is,” Nick agreed. “She’s
my
something special. She could never fall for the likes of you.”

Kreskin grinned. It was weak, but heartfelt. “It’s good you finally put him out of his misery and agreed to date him, Maddie,” he said. “I don’t know how long I could put up with his mopey face.”

“His mopey face?”

“It’s like Dopey, only sad.”

Maddie nodded sagely. “I call it his puppy-dog face.”

“Do you let him lick your face and cuddle up next to you when he gives you the look?”

“All right,” Nick said, breaking up their banter. “We’re at a murder scene.”

Maddie instantly sobered. “I’m sorry.”

Nick rubbed her shoulders absent-mindedly. “When was Tara’s body discovered?”

“Not until the cleaning crew came in this morning,” Kreskin said. “One of the guys came over here to … relieve himself … and he’s the one who found her.”

“What’s her time of death?”

“All we know is between nine and midnight right now. It’s a big window.”

“Yeah,” Nick agreed. “Well, why don’t you go and get some sleep – or spend some time with your wife – or do whatever it is you want to do.”

“What are you going to do?” Kreskin asked.

“I’m going to spend a few more minutes here, and then I’m going to buy my girl some junk food and then take her home and put her to bed. I might take her into the funhouse. We were supposed to do it the other night, but other things came up.”

Kreskin looked surprised. “The funhouse? You don’t strike me as a funhouse kind of guy.”

“He claims the best memory of his life was in the funhouse,” Maddie said dryly, moving away from Nick so she could look around the scene.

Kreskin arched an eyebrow.

“When we were seventeen, we were in the funhouse and Maddie got scared,” Nick explained. “She threw herself in my arms and it was the first time I realized how big her boobs had gotten.”