really thinking about anything, or remembering anything. I’m aware that life is going on without me. Of course, it felt like life was going on without me even when I was alive.”
Sympathy for the woman bubbled up, although Maddie wasn’t exactly sure why. She was clearly sad, but until she opened up, there was nothing Maddie could do to help her. “You know, if you tell me how you died, I might be able to help you move on.”
“To where?”
‘The other side,” Maddie said. “I’m not sure what’s waiting for you, but it has to be better than what you’re living with here.”
Rose considered the offer. “I’m not sure … I don’t … .” She squared her shoulders, almost as if she’d been trying to decide how to answer, and finally made up her mind. “I was murdered.”
Maddie opened her mouth to reply, a hundred different questions fighting for top billing on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t get a chance to ask any of them because the sound of the mausoleum door swinging shut assailed her ears instead.
That was when Maddie realized she’d made a terrible mistake. It seemed the only light in the room was filtering in through a small window at the top of the building – and the door, which had been propped open, cut off the bulk of the light when it slammed shut.
Now Maddie found herself plunged into virtual darkness, and she was trying really hard not to panic.
That’s when she heard a noise in the corner of the mausoleum and realized she wasn’t alone.
“Omigod!”
Eleven
“Who’s in here?”
No one answered, but Maddie could distinctly hear the sound of something scraping against the floor along the far wall of the mausoleum.
“Rose?”
“Be careful, Maddie Graves.” Rose’s voice was barely a whisper. “Death is here.”
Maddie swallowed hard, trying to tamp down the panic as it invaded her soul. “What does that mean?”
“I’m not the only presence that stayed behind,” Rose said. “There’s something else. There’s something worse.”
“And it’s here now?”
“It’s here and it’s coming for you.”
“Crap,” Maddie muttered, extending her hands and moving toward the area where she believed she would find the door. “Nicky!”
“I STILL think you should describe what Maddie looks like naked for me,” Brian said. “You did beat me up because I wanted to ask her out when we were in high school.”
Nick scorched him with a look. “You do not want to go there.”
“Come on,” Brian pleaded. “She’s stinking hot, man. She looks like she could be a model. I mean … did you see her legs in that dress last night?”
“I see her legs every night.”
“Now you’re just rubbing it in.”
“Brian, the only reason I’m not beating you up again is because there are too many witnesses,” Nick warned. “Stop talking about Maddie being naked.”
“Just for clarification, I don’t think he’s asking to see Maddie naked,” Aaron said.
Max raised his hand. “I am.”
Aaron wagged a finger in his face. “Don’t make things worse,” he said. “I think Brian just wants you to describe what you get to cuddle up next to every night. You don’t have to go into great detail … .”
“Yes, he does,” Max said.
“Seriously, you’re not helping us here,” Aaron said. “Just … give us a hint, man. How great is her body?”
Nick knew that smiling was akin to encouraging them, but every time he thought of Maddie naked he couldn’t help but grin. When he realized what he as doing, he forced a frown onto his face. “You guys make me sick. You’re talking about the woman I love like she’s a piece of meat.”
“Oh, you’re such a goner,” Aaron said. “Why don’t you just propose now and get it over with?”
“Because we want to live together and have fun dating first,” Nick said. “Don’t worry, we’re going to get married. It’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when, and the when is … .” Nick broke off
Sympathy for the woman bubbled up, although Maddie wasn’t exactly sure why. She was clearly sad, but until she opened up, there was nothing Maddie could do to help her. “You know, if you tell me how you died, I might be able to help you move on.”
“To where?”
‘The other side,” Maddie said. “I’m not sure what’s waiting for you, but it has to be better than what you’re living with here.”
Rose considered the offer. “I’m not sure … I don’t … .” She squared her shoulders, almost as if she’d been trying to decide how to answer, and finally made up her mind. “I was murdered.”
Maddie opened her mouth to reply, a hundred different questions fighting for top billing on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t get a chance to ask any of them because the sound of the mausoleum door swinging shut assailed her ears instead.
That was when Maddie realized she’d made a terrible mistake. It seemed the only light in the room was filtering in through a small window at the top of the building – and the door, which had been propped open, cut off the bulk of the light when it slammed shut.
Now Maddie found herself plunged into virtual darkness, and she was trying really hard not to panic.
That’s when she heard a noise in the corner of the mausoleum and realized she wasn’t alone.
“Omigod!”
Eleven
“Who’s in here?”
No one answered, but Maddie could distinctly hear the sound of something scraping against the floor along the far wall of the mausoleum.
“Rose?”
“Be careful, Maddie Graves.” Rose’s voice was barely a whisper. “Death is here.”
Maddie swallowed hard, trying to tamp down the panic as it invaded her soul. “What does that mean?”
“I’m not the only presence that stayed behind,” Rose said. “There’s something else. There’s something worse.”
“And it’s here now?”
“It’s here and it’s coming for you.”
“Crap,” Maddie muttered, extending her hands and moving toward the area where she believed she would find the door. “Nicky!”
“I STILL think you should describe what Maddie looks like naked for me,” Brian said. “You did beat me up because I wanted to ask her out when we were in high school.”
Nick scorched him with a look. “You do not want to go there.”
“Come on,” Brian pleaded. “She’s stinking hot, man. She looks like she could be a model. I mean … did you see her legs in that dress last night?”
“I see her legs every night.”
“Now you’re just rubbing it in.”
“Brian, the only reason I’m not beating you up again is because there are too many witnesses,” Nick warned. “Stop talking about Maddie being naked.”
“Just for clarification, I don’t think he’s asking to see Maddie naked,” Aaron said.
Max raised his hand. “I am.”
Aaron wagged a finger in his face. “Don’t make things worse,” he said. “I think Brian just wants you to describe what you get to cuddle up next to every night. You don’t have to go into great detail … .”
“Yes, he does,” Max said.
“Seriously, you’re not helping us here,” Aaron said. “Just … give us a hint, man. How great is her body?”
Nick knew that smiling was akin to encouraging them, but every time he thought of Maddie naked he couldn’t help but grin. When he realized what he as doing, he forced a frown onto his face. “You guys make me sick. You’re talking about the woman I love like she’s a piece of meat.”
“Oh, you’re such a goner,” Aaron said. “Why don’t you just propose now and get it over with?”
“Because we want to live together and have fun dating first,” Nick said. “Don’t worry, we’re going to get married. It’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when, and the when is … .” Nick broke off
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