Grave Delight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 3) by Lily Harper Hart Read Free Book Online Page A

drive.”
    “You can’t be serious,” Marla said, tapping her foot on the floor. “I need my hair done now.”
    “Oh, I’m serious,” Christy said. “I want you out of here now … and don’t ever come back.”
    “What? You’re banning me again?”
    “It’s a lifetime ban,” Christy said. “You’re not welcome here.” She glanced at Cassidy, pity washing over her. “When you come back to your senses you can return. As long as you’re going to keep attacking Maddie I can’t allow it, though. You need to stop listening to whatever nonsense Marla is spouting and think for yourself. I think, when you do, you’ll realize that Maddie never took anything from you. She just gave in and embraced what was already hers.”
    “I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Marla screeched.
    “Believe it,” Christy said. “Now get out.”

Six
    “That’s one conversation I never want to have again,” Nick said, keeping his head low as he moved toward his Ford Explorer.
    “It’s never easy telling parents they’ve lost their child,” John agreed, opening the passenger side door and hopping in. “Those two seemed … stoic. It could’ve been worse.”
    “I think they might’ve been in shock.”
    “I think you’re probably right,” John said. “I’m sure there are some emotional breakdowns in their future, and the way the father headed straight for the whiskey was a tipoff that he’s going to deal with it by drinking his dinner tonight.”
    Once both vehicle doors were shut, Nick turned to John with a serious expression on his face. “Are you bothered by the fact that the kid was missing for two weeks and the parents didn’t say anything about it?”
    “I can’t decide,” John said. “From the sounds of it, the kid was kind of wild. The mother said she had a lot of boyfriends and she was known for doing whatever the hell she wanted whenever the hell she wanted to do it.”
    “She was still only sixteen,” Nick pointed out.
    “The parents say they thought she was staying with a friend.”
    “Do you believe them?”
    “Until we know more, I don’t see where we have a lot of choice in the matter,” John said. “I mean, she’s been missing for two weeks, but the coroner thinks she was killed before midnight yesterday. That’s a long time for them to have locked her away.” He glanced at the Explorer’s console. “How about we run down to the marina and ask a few questions and then get a bite to eat there? We can get a drink once we’re done. I’ve got plain clothes to change into in the back.”
    Nick faltered. “I … kind of made plans with Maddie.”
    John rolled his eyes. “Don’t you make plans with Maddie every night?”
    “Yes … but … .”
    “No buts,” John said. “You and I are going out together tonight. If you want to invite Maddie, go nuts. I’d kind of like to see her.”
    “I … .”
    “You can go one night without rolling around naked with your beloved blonde,” John said. “You’re going to have a whole lifetime to do that.”
    “How do you know that?”
    “Because I’ve always known you two would end up together,” John said. “Everyone knew that. One night away from her isn’t going to kill you.”
    Nick wasn’t so sure, but there was no way he could tell his brother the real reason he was so desperate to spend the night with Maddie. “I’ll call her,” he said, resigned. “If she’s upset, though, you’re on your own.”
    “Oh, suck it,” John said. “She’s an adult. I’m sure she can find a way to entertain herself for one night. I’m your brother. We need some bonding time.”
    “Bonding time?”
    “I’m just dying to hear how all of this happened,” John admitted. “I’m not sure Mom has all the gory details correct.”
    “You might be surprised,” Nick said. “She seems up on all the town gossip. She even put money in the pool to see when we would get together.”
    John snorted. “I lost. I was way off. I thought you