Grave Homecoming (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 1) Page 4

  “Oh, well, great,” Maddie said, confused. “It’s really nice to meet you.”

  Christy licked her lips. “She’s also Nick Winters’ girlfriend.”

  Maddie wasn’t sure, but she felt as if her heart had just exploded. “Oh, well … .”

  “I know you and Nick were close in school,” Cassidy said, her face guileless. “There’s just this weird … hype … around Blackstone Bay where you two are concerned.”

  Maddie felt like she was caught in quicksand. “I’m not sure what to say to that.”

  “Oh, I’m making you uncomfortable,” Cassidy said, running her hand over her peaches-and-cream cheek worriedly. “I’m so sorry. This is not the way I wanted to meet you.”

  Maddie searched Christy’s face for answers. Finding none, she turned to Cassidy. “You wanted to meet me?” This was all so … surreal.

  “Of course,” Cassidy said. “You knew my Nick when he was a small boy. I want to know all of the stories.”

  “Your … Nick?” Maddie almost choked on the words.

  “We’ve been together for six months now,” Cassidy said. “He’s just so … wonderful.”

  “He’s a good guy,” Maddie said, lowering her gaze.

  “He tells me such fun stories,” Cassidy enthused. “You’re in all of them.”

  “We spent a lot of time together as kids,” Maddie hedged.

  Cassidy clapped her hands together excitedly. “I know. We should all go to lunch together.”

  Maddie’s eyebrows flew up her forehead. “What?”

  “You need to get your hair finished,” Cassidy said, running her hand down the back of her own hair. “I do, too. We can’t talk properly. We need to go to lunch when we’re finished up here. I have so many questions I want to ask.”

  “I don’t know … .”

  “Christy will come, too, won’t you?”

  Christy looked caught. “I’d love to,” she said, patting Maddie’s shoulder in a comforting manner. “We’ll all go to lunch together.”

  Maddie wasn’t convinced. Christy fixed her with a hard look. “It will be good for you.”

  Maddie forced a tight smile onto her face. “It sounds … great.”

  “Yay!”

  Five

  “Oh, this is so exciting.”

  Maddie was having trouble finding the energy to agree with Cassidy’s enthusiastic take on the situation. Instead of answering, she settled into one of the open chairs at Ruby’s Diner and glanced around. “This place is exactly how I remember it.”

  “Yeah, there’s not a lot about Blackstone Bay that changes,” Christy agreed, taking the spot next to her and shifting on the vinyl chair to make herself comfortable. “It’s like being caught in a time warp.”

  “It’s almost easier,” Maddie said.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because, if everything had changed, then it would be like the town moved on without me,” Maddie admitted. “Wait … that sounded really narcissistic, didn’t it?”

  “I think it makes sense,” Christy said. “It’s hard to leave home, but it’s even harder to come back.”

  “Especially when you never thought you would,” Maddie murmured, her gaze landing on the booth in the back corner of the diner. That was “her” spot. Well, technically, that was “their” spot. That’s where she and Nick met every day after school to have an afternoon snack. That’s the spot where they had lemonade in the summer. That’s the spot … .

  “So, tell me what Nick was like when you were kids.”

  Cassidy’s voice broke Maddie out of her reverie. “Um, I don’t know,” she said. “He was normal. He liked to do … boy things. He liked to chase frogs and turtles down at Willow Lake, and play football and basketball.”

  “He still does that,” Cassidy said. “Go down to Willow Lake, I mean.”

  Maddie felt as if her tongue was lodged in her throat. “Do you go down to the lake with him?”

  If Cassidy registered Maddie’s discomfort, she didn’t let on. “Oh, no, that’s his private spot. He says that’s where he likes to go and think. I’m betting it was like that when you were kids, right? Did he think down there by himself every day?”

  “Um … sure,” Maddie said carefully.

  Christy rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, that’s where you two always went together.” She realized what she’d said too late, but she didn’t retract the statement. “Sorry, Cassidy.”

  “Why are you sorry?” Cassidy’s pretty face was filled with confusion.

  “It’s just that everyone in town knew that Willow Lake was Nick and Maddie’s spot,” Christy explained. “We had bets on what they were doing down there. When we were little, we figured they were drawing up their plans for world domination.”

  Cassidy giggled.

  “When they were older, we were convinced that’s where they went to do it,” Christy said.

  “Christy!” Maddie was mortified.

  “Hey, you two spent far too much time together for nothing to be going on,” Christy said. “Whenever the hottest guy and prettiest girl in school spend all of their time together, you just know something is going on. Spill.”

  Maddie’s face was mottled with color. “There was nothing going on.” She shot an apologetic look in Cassidy’s direction. “Christy was always really dramatic.”

  “It’s fine,” Cassidy said, her face unreadable. “I wanted to hear the stories.”

  “You’re saying that all of the times you and Nick went down there – the night before you left for college included – nothing happened?” Christy’s eyes were narrowed with suspicion. “I don’t believe you.”

  “How do you know we were down at the lake before I left for college?” Maddie was flabbergasted. “Did you spy on us?”

  “No,” Christy said, waving Maddie’s accusation off with her perfectly manicured hand. “Everyone knew where you two were, Maddie. Every girl in that school had a crush on Nick – and he pretty much ignored all of them. They kept walking outside of his house to get him to notice them, but he never even acknowledged them. You were the only one he ever cared about. Even when he took Anna Lipscomb to prom, he didn’t pay any attention to her.”

  “So, you two dated?” Cassidy asked, her voice taking on a slight edge.

  “We didn’t date,” Maddie said. “We were just friends. Nick was not interested in me that way. Trust me. Christy just likes … telling stories.”

  “And what is Christy telling stories about?”

  Maddie froze when she heard Nick’s voice, cool dread washing over her.

  “Nick,” Cassidy squealed, jumping up from the table and throwing her arms around his broad shoulders. “I didn’t know you were going to be here. Look, I found Maddie. She was at the beauty parlor.”

  Nick smiled tightly as he awkwardly patted Cassidy’s back. He was clearly uncomfortable. “I see. You met at the beauty parlor and all decided to … go to lunch together?”

  “Cassidy insisted,” Christy said, attempting to deflect Nick’s ire from Maddie. “She thinks Maddie is a shiny new toy to play with.”

  Cassidy smirked. “She does kind of look like a human Barbie doll.”

  Nick locked eyes with Maddie. “I guess she does.”

  “You should join us,” Cassidy said, yanking on his hand and drawing him toward the open chair next to Maddie. “We were just talking about you guys.”

  “What guys?” Nick asked, worried. He took the seat anyway. Cassidy wasn’t giving him much of a choice.

  “You and Maddie,” Cassidy said. “You were a lot closer than you let on, by the way. I’ll bet that’s because she’s so pretty, and you didn’t want me to be jealous.”

  “I … um … what stories have you been telling her exactly?” Nick asked, his tone accusatory.

  “I didn’t tell her anything,” Maddie protested. “I promise.”

  “Maddie didn’t tell me anything,” Cassidy said, wrinkling her ski-slope nose in Nick’s direction. “Why ar
e you so angry?”

  “If Maddie didn’t tell you anything, who did?”

  Christy raised her hand, blasé. “I just told her what everyone in town was thinking when we were teenagers.”

  “Which was?”

  “Apparently everyone in town thought you and Maddie were down at Willow Lake having sex,” Cassidy said, giggling. “It’s weird, though. You told me that you always went to Willow Lake alone because you like to think.”

  Nick pursed his lips. “I … well … I do.”

  “But you were always there with Maddie when you were kids,” Cassidy pressed.

  “We were just hunting for frogs,” Maddie supplied, trying to help. She felt horrible for putting Nick in this position. “And turtles sometimes.”

  “I didn’t like the turtles,” Nick said. “They bit. I only caught them because you were infatuated with them.”

  “I liked their painted shells,” Maddie explained.

  “So, you caught them for her?” Cassidy asked. “That’s so nice. Was she scared to catch them herself?”

  Nick took a sip from his water glass. “Maddie wasn’t scared of catching them,” he said. “She wasn’t scared of animals. She baited her own hooks, and she caught her own fish. She even cleaned them herself.”

  “Oh, then why did you catch them for her?” Cassidy asked. She wasn’t letting this go.

  Nick was at a loss.

  “They were too quick for me,” Maddie said.

  “Oh,” Cassidy said, nodding. “That’s really sweet.”

  Nick rubbed his hand over his forehead and brushed his dark hair out of his face. “We should probably order.”

  “You need a haircut,” Christy said. “You should come in and let me trim it up.”

  “It’s fine,” Nick said. “I think you’ve done more than enough.”

  Christy snorted. “I haven’t done anything but tell the truth.”

  Nick didn’t have a chance to respond, because the restaurant’s owner, Ruby, arrived at the corner of the table just then with a weary expression and a notebook. She looked exactly the same. It was like stepping back in time. “Everyone ready to order?”

  “Yes,” Nick said. “I’ll have a cheeseburger with mustard, pickles and onions. Put extra pickles on the side, please.”

  “You really shouldn’t eat so much red meat,” Cassidy chastised him.

  “I’ll consider it,” Nick replied, refusing to look up from the paper placemat in front of him.

  “I’ll have a side salad with lemon juice,” Cassidy said. “No cheese or croutons. Oh, and no bacon bits.”

  Ruby rolled her eyes and shifted her gaze to Christy. “Do you want your usual?”

  “A burrito sounds good,” Christy said. “Don’t skimp on the sour cream.”

  “That’s a lot of processed food,” Cassidy said.

  Christy ignored her.

  Ruby lifted here eyes to Maddie, doing a double take when she realized who she was staring at. “Well, well, well,” she said. “If it isn’t Maddie Graves.”

  “Hi, Ruby,” Maddie said, the smile on her face genuine for the first time that afternoon. “It’s really good to see you.”

  “Well, girl, you grew up just how I pictured you would,” Ruby said, studying her for a moment.

  Maddie didn’t know how to take that.

  “In fact, you both grew up just how I pictured you,” Ruby said, tapping her pen against the side of Nick’s head. “You’re like those people who pose for advertising photos.” Ruby clucked appreciatively. “It’s good to see you two together again. I never did get used to seeing Nick here without you attached to his hip.”

  Maddie opened her mouth to protest, but Ruby didn’t give her a chance.

  “So, do you want your regular? If I remember right, you always got a cheeseburger with ketchup and pickles – and then Nick here would always give you his extra pickles because they were your favorite.”

  “That sounds great,” Maddie said, mostly because she was at a loss for anything else to say.

  Once Ruby was gone, a pall settled over the table. Cassidy was the one who finally broke it. “So, I’m confused,” she said. “Did you two date or not?”

  “I told you we didn’t,” Nick said, scowling. “We were just friends.”

  “Except everyone in town seems to think you were more than that,” Cassidy said. “There has to be a reason.”

  “I thought for sure you two would get married,” Christy said, her gaze bouncing between Nick and Maddie curiously. “It was like you were soul mates.”

  “Soul mates?” Nick arched an eyebrow. “Do you believe in things like that?”

  “I do,” Christy said, her voice softening. “I still do.”

  “I do, too,” Cassidy said, smiling brightly. She patted Nick’s hand. “It’s a really romantic thought.”

  Maddie’s gaze lingered on Cassidy’s hand as she rubbed her fingers on top of his knuckles. Nick’s eyes followed, and he uncomfortably withdrew his hand and placed it on his lap.

  “I think soul mates are a figment of people’s imagination,” he said.

  “That’s cynical,” Cassidy said, hurt fitting through her heavy-lidded eyes. Maddie realized the woman thought Nick was her soul mate, so his pointed comments about soul mates were crushing her. She had no way of knowing that Nick was saying the words to hurt Maddie.

  “It’s the truth,” Nick said, his dark eyes boring holes into Maddie’s heart. “People aren’t destined for each other. People find each other by luck, and then they build a relationship. It’s work. It’s not something you just luck into.”

  “But … .” Cassidy wasn’t convinced.

  Maddie pressed her lips together. “I agree with Nick,” she said. “No matter how much you try to convince yourself that there’s only one person for you, that’s not reality.”

  “Oh, good grief,” Christy muttered. “It’s like being in high school drama class all over again.”

  Maddie shook her head, Christy’s words sinking in. “You know what? I’m sorry. I forgot I have a previous engagement.” She got to her feet and dug into her purse for some money. “Give my apologies to Ruby, and tell her I’ll stop in when I have more time.”

  “Where are you going?” Cassidy asked.

  “I have to … Granny needs me at home,” Maddie said, making up a lie on the spot. “She’s been having a hard time since my mother … died.” Maddie’s voice was raspy as she choked on the last word. “We … um … both have.”

  “You should eat something,” Cassidy said. “You’re far too thin. You probably haven’t had a decent meal since your mother died. If you keep running yourself down, you’ll never find the strength to pick yourself back up. I saw that on Dr. Phil.”

  “Well, then you know it’s good advice,” Maddie said.

  “I’ll stop by and see you,” Christy said. “I’ll give you a little time to … get over this.”

  “There’s nothing to get over,” Maddie said hurriedly. “I … I’m fine.”

  “Maddie,” Nick got to his feet to stop her, but Maddie was already striding toward the front door of the diner. “Maddie!”

  Maddie felt as if she was being smothered. Even stepping outside the diner and gulping in huge mouthfuls of fresh air didn’t relieve the pressure in her chest. She was drowning. That’s what it felt like.

  She was so lightheaded, Maddie had to lean against the brick diner exterior to keep her balance. The sound of the bell above the door jangling behind her caused her to jump. She risked a glance over her shoulder, half expecting to find Nick standing there with an angry expression on his face. When the spot was empty, signifying someone had entered the establishment, Maddie pushed herself around the corner of the building and into the alleyway that separated Ruby’s Diner from Walker Hardware.

  Maddie pressed her eyes shut and tried to regain her equilibrium. Coming home was so much worse than she thought it would be. No, that’s not true. Coming home had been a mixed bag. Olivia was
here, and Maude needed her, and seeing Christy had even been a nice surprise. What had her reeling was Nick.

  She knew it would be difficult to see him. She just hadn’t expected so much anger, or resentment, or … Cassidy. Who names their daughter Cassidy anyway? Did her parents know she would grow up to look like a peaches-and-cream angel? Did God design her into a perfect little package just to torture her?

  Maddie was having a hard time disliking Cassidy, even though everything about the woman bugged her. She was just too … nice. If she was a bitch, like Marla, things would be so much easier. Hating Cassidy was a waste of energy. It was like hating a puppy. Who hates a puppy?

  Still, Maddie wouldn’t mind locking her up in a kennel and conveniently losing the key. Oh, that was an awful thing to think. I don’t have any claim on Nick. Maddie kept telling herself that, even though her heart didn’t seem to believe it.

  When Maddie finally managed to wrench her eyes open and look around, she realized she wasn’t alone in the alley. Unfortunately, the young woman standing a few feet away from her happened to be dead.

  “Oh, no,” Maddie muttered. It was happening again.

  The woman didn’t speak. Everything about her was immovable, from her strawberry blonde hair down to the bottom hem of her flowery dress.

  Maddie took a step forward. “Are you lost? Do you need help?” She kept her voice low, not wanting to risk a passerby hearing. “Do you know your name?”

  The woman didn’t speak. Instead, she finally lifted her arm and pointed. Maddie followed the arch of her finger with her eyes, curious. When she registered what the woman was pointing at, the bottom fell out of her world. Again.

  It really was happening again. The female entity was pointing at her own body, which was spread eagle on the ground and covered with blood. Maddie opened her mouth to yell, but no sound would come out.

  “That’s me,” the woman said. “I’m Sarah Alden, and that’s me. I can see me. Does this mean I’m dead? If I’m dead, why can you see me?”

  Suddenly, Maddie’s world was spinning, and her mind was screaming for … Nick!

  Six

  “Do you think she’s okay?”

  Cassidy’s eyes were trained on the door Maddie had just fled through, concern etched on her face.