Grave Decisions (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 7) by Lily Harper Hart
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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else. I’ve made things worse. Don’t bother denying it.”
“I am not embarrassed, Maddie,” Nick said, his voice firm. “You scared the dickens out of me, though. Do you remember when your mom used to say that to us? I never understood what she meant. I do now.
“The world is a harsh place sometimes, Mad, but I’ll never be embarrassed by you,” he continued. “I can survive a lot, but I can’t survive losing you.”
Maddie tightened her grip on Nick and closed her eyes as he rubbed her back and held her close. “I love you, Nicky.”
“You have no idea how much I love you, Maddie,” Nick said. “I want you to take those sleeping pills tonight, though. I know you don’t want to, but you need some rest.”
“What if she dies while I’m asleep?”
“Then it will already be too late anyway, Mad,” Nick said. “I need you at your best tomorrow if you’re going to help me. We’re a team, Maddie Graves, for better or for worse. You’re stuck with me for life. You need your rest to take on a new day, though, and I need to know you’re not going to wake up screaming.”
“Okay,” Maddie said, resigned as she rested her head on the spot above his heart. Sometimes she thought it beat specifically for her. What she didn’t realize was Nick always thought that.
“Relax for a little bit, love,” Nick said. “Close your eyes. Tomorrow is a new day, and we’re going to have a whole new set of problems. That’s the way life works. It never stops moving forward.”
“ Y OU TWO look like hell ,” Maude said, sipping her mug of coffee as she studied Maddie and Nick from across the dining room table the next morning. “What happened now?”
“You mean you didn’t hear about me passing out in the funhouse?” Maddie challenged, flopping her eggs on top of her hash browns so she could mash everything together. “I would’ve thought that was the talk of the fair.”
“Are you okay?” Maude’s eyes flashed with concern. “I heard about someone passing out in the funhouse. I didn’t realize it was you.”
“Maddie saw something in the mirrors and it overwhelmed her,” Nick explained. “She thinks another woman is going to be murdered.”
“But we don’t know who?” Maude enjoyed hijinks and shenanigans, but when the stakes were high, she had an unlikely pragmatic streak.
“Maddie didn’t recognize her,” Nick said. “It doesn’t help matters that Cooper Asshat is running around making a scene every five minutes and Marla and Cassidy are acting as his minions.”
“And Christy,” Maddie murmured, pushing her breakfast around her plate instead of eating it.
“I told you Christy would come around when she’s ready, Mad,” Nick said. “Eat that breakfast. You’re not leaving this house until you do, and it’s going to be gross if it gets cold.”
Maddie let loose with a long-suffering sigh. “Yes, dear.”
Despite her dour mood, Nick couldn’t help but smile. “Even when you pout you’re cute.”
“Now I wish I could pass out,” Maude said, shaking her head. “What are you going to do about this woman?”
“There’s nothing we can do without more to go on,” Nick replied. “Maddie is going to keep her eyes open at the festival today. I’ll be sticking close, too.”
“You can’t put your job on hold to babysit me all afternoon,” Maddie said, forcing herself to swallow and finding the food tasted good despite her sour stomach. “That’s not fair to you.”
“Well, life isn’t fair, Mad,” Nick said. “Our best shot of finding the next victim is for you to see her again. We need someone close to you in case that happens. That’s the way of the world.”
“You should listen to him, Maddie girl,” Maude said. “He’s smarter than he looks.”
Nick scowled. “Have I ever told you what a joy you are?”
“Not nearly enough,” Maude replied, unruffled.
“Where have you been lately?” Maddie asked, shifting her attention from her plate to
“I am not embarrassed, Maddie,” Nick said, his voice firm. “You scared the dickens out of me, though. Do you remember when your mom used to say that to us? I never understood what she meant. I do now.
“The world is a harsh place sometimes, Mad, but I’ll never be embarrassed by you,” he continued. “I can survive a lot, but I can’t survive losing you.”
Maddie tightened her grip on Nick and closed her eyes as he rubbed her back and held her close. “I love you, Nicky.”
“You have no idea how much I love you, Maddie,” Nick said. “I want you to take those sleeping pills tonight, though. I know you don’t want to, but you need some rest.”
“What if she dies while I’m asleep?”
“Then it will already be too late anyway, Mad,” Nick said. “I need you at your best tomorrow if you’re going to help me. We’re a team, Maddie Graves, for better or for worse. You’re stuck with me for life. You need your rest to take on a new day, though, and I need to know you’re not going to wake up screaming.”
“Okay,” Maddie said, resigned as she rested her head on the spot above his heart. Sometimes she thought it beat specifically for her. What she didn’t realize was Nick always thought that.
“Relax for a little bit, love,” Nick said. “Close your eyes. Tomorrow is a new day, and we’re going to have a whole new set of problems. That’s the way life works. It never stops moving forward.”
“ Y OU TWO look like hell ,” Maude said, sipping her mug of coffee as she studied Maddie and Nick from across the dining room table the next morning. “What happened now?”
“You mean you didn’t hear about me passing out in the funhouse?” Maddie challenged, flopping her eggs on top of her hash browns so she could mash everything together. “I would’ve thought that was the talk of the fair.”
“Are you okay?” Maude’s eyes flashed with concern. “I heard about someone passing out in the funhouse. I didn’t realize it was you.”
“Maddie saw something in the mirrors and it overwhelmed her,” Nick explained. “She thinks another woman is going to be murdered.”
“But we don’t know who?” Maude enjoyed hijinks and shenanigans, but when the stakes were high, she had an unlikely pragmatic streak.
“Maddie didn’t recognize her,” Nick said. “It doesn’t help matters that Cooper Asshat is running around making a scene every five minutes and Marla and Cassidy are acting as his minions.”
“And Christy,” Maddie murmured, pushing her breakfast around her plate instead of eating it.
“I told you Christy would come around when she’s ready, Mad,” Nick said. “Eat that breakfast. You’re not leaving this house until you do, and it’s going to be gross if it gets cold.”
Maddie let loose with a long-suffering sigh. “Yes, dear.”
Despite her dour mood, Nick couldn’t help but smile. “Even when you pout you’re cute.”
“Now I wish I could pass out,” Maude said, shaking her head. “What are you going to do about this woman?”
“There’s nothing we can do without more to go on,” Nick replied. “Maddie is going to keep her eyes open at the festival today. I’ll be sticking close, too.”
“You can’t put your job on hold to babysit me all afternoon,” Maddie said, forcing herself to swallow and finding the food tasted good despite her sour stomach. “That’s not fair to you.”
“Well, life isn’t fair, Mad,” Nick said. “Our best shot of finding the next victim is for you to see her again. We need someone close to you in case that happens. That’s the way of the world.”
“You should listen to him, Maddie girl,” Maude said. “He’s smarter than he looks.”
Nick scowled. “Have I ever told you what a joy you are?”
“Not nearly enough,” Maude replied, unruffled.
“Where have you been lately?” Maddie asked, shifting her attention from her plate to
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