Grave Holiday (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 9) Read online

  “I’ll do that,” Laura said, returning the smile. “As for Mike, I’m not sure what to tell you. I wasn’t thrilled about him getting the Santa gig. He was a total pervert, after all, and Santa isn’t supposed to be perverted. He’s never hit on kids or teenagers, though, and people seem to like him. After I put him in his place, he pretty much backed off. He was more interested in the elves and the gingerbread squad after that.”

  Nick rolled his neck until it cracked. “Did he hit on them?”

  “Isn’t that what I just said?”

  “You didn’t come out and overtly say it,” Nick pointed out.

  “Fine. Then I’ll say it.” Laura was obviously cranky, her eyes red-rimmed and expressing exhaustion. “He hit on everyone. He hit on the elves. He hit on the gingerbread girls. He hit on the snow woman ice dancers. He hit on the candy cane cuties. He didn’t care who they were or what they looked like. He just kept hitting on people until somebody said yes. It was like he was target practicing with buckshot. He aimed at the target and sprayed everyone in the general vicinity. That’s how he operated.”

  “Okay,” Nick said, pressing his lips together. “I … thank you for your time.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  “SO WHAT can you tell me about Mike Robinson?”

  John offered Angela Conklin and Daisy Walker wide smiles as he tried to refrain from staring at their costumes. As the head elf, Angela’s skirt caused his mind to drift. She was in her forties but still quite the looker. As a teenager and one of the gingerbread coffee wenches, Daisy was a cute little thing, but she was also illegal. John had no interest in flirting with either of them – er, well, mostly – and he was focused on his task.

  “He was a total pervert,” Angela replied.

  “I thought he was kind of nice,” Daisy countered. “He was always complimenting me on my coffee.”

  Angela sent Daisy a piteous look. “Oh, honey, he wasn’t complimenting your coffee. He was trying to see if he could get a gander up your skirt.”

  Daisy’s cheeks colored at the words. “I … don’t think that’s right. He was always nice to me. He didn’t hit on me.”

  “You’re too young to realize that’s what he was doing.”

  “Wait a second,” John instructed, holding up his hands. “Are you saying Mike hit on underage girls? My impression of him was that he hit on anything that moved as long as it was legal. He didn’t seem to have a lot of standards, but he did follow that one rule. I always figured it was because he didn’t want to go to jail.”

  “I didn’t know him well,” Angela replied. She said the words forcefully, but John didn’t miss the furtive way she looked to her left before steadying her gaze. “As far as I can tell he hit on everybody, though. Age didn’t matter.”

  “Okay.” John shifted his eyes to Daisy. “Are you sure he didn’t hit on you?”

  “I swear he didn’t,” Daisy answered, her eyes as wide as saucers. “I think I would know if he did. He always asked how I was doing – I mean, over the past three days as we got our instructions and did setup because I didn’t know him before then – and he never touched me or anything. He always asked for coffee and then said he was willing to supply the cream.”

  John internally cringed. Clearly Daisy was too young and naïve to realize what Mike was suggesting. “How old are you again?”

  “Seventeen.”

  John chewed on his bottom lip as he darted his gaze to Angela. She looked disgusted but put together. “Okay, um, did either of you see anyone hanging around the winter wonderland when you were leaving the night before last?”

  “The place was packed,” Angela answered. “Half the town was here because everyone is volunteering in some sort of capacity.”

  “Yeah, but how about someone who wasn’t supposed to be here?” John prodded. “Did you see anyone who looked out of place?”

  Angela tilted her head to the side and gave it some serious thought. “I honestly didn’t. I wasn’t looking, though. What happened to Mike is terrible, but I’m honestly not surprised. It was only a matter of time before he slept with the wrong woman.”

  John didn’t say it, but he was thinking the same thing. “Thank you so much for your time.”

  “HOW WELL did you know Mike Robinson?” Maddie cautiously extended her hand to pet one of the reindeer as the animal wrangler, Wanda Hodges, looked on.

  “As well as anyone, I guess,” Wanda replied, her voice low and gravelly. “He asked me if I wanted to go for a ride in Santa’s sleigh. He said he would provide the jingle balls – that was the way he phrased it, mind you – and I could make his chestnuts feel as if they were roasting on an open fire.”

  Maddie made a horrified face as Christy barked out a laugh.

  “Well, you have to admire his style,” Christy said, sobering when Maddie shot her a dirty look. “What? That was kind of funny.”

  “It was a little funny,” Wanda conceded. “He seemed like a nice guy. He was interesting to talk to. He hit on every single woman he saw, though. He couldn’t seem to stop himself.”

  “Did you see him here the night before last?” Maddie asked.

  “He was here.” Wanda rubbed the back of her neck as she searched her memory. “I saw him by the punch bowl with Daisy Walker for a bit. He was doing the ‘adding cream to her coffee’ bit again.”

  “Oh, gross,” Maddie muttered. “Daisy is like sixteen, right?”

  “She’s seventeen,” Christy volunteered. “That doesn’t make it much better, but … that’s so gross. Even I’m grossed out by that one.”

  “Mike didn’t seem to care who was grossed out by what,” Wanda said. “I found him amusing, but people have always said that I think like a guy. I know a lot of other people were offended. He actually asked Harriet Proctor if she wanted to share his cookies with him. He said he would provide the frosting … and the sprinkles … and his own personal candy cane if she would provide the … um … warm milk.”

  “Harriet is like eighty,” Christy said, wrinkling her nose.

  “And mean,” Maddie added.

  “And yet Mike never seemed to care,” Wanda said. “He was a funny guy who had some issues. Despite that, I would honestly tell you if I knew something. I feel bad for the way that he died. It somehow taints Christmas. It makes me feel sad.”

  “It makes me never want to look at chestnuts ever again,” Christy said, following Maddie toward the front of the festival as they waved goodbye to Wanda. She brightened considerably when she saw John and Nick heading in their direction. “How do I look?”

  Maddie didn’t bother to hide her smirk. “Like you want to warm his chestnuts.”

  “Don’t ever say that again … and thank you.” Christy was all smiles as John approached. “Did you get anywhere?”

  “I have no idea,” John replied. “I think Angela Conklin was sleeping with Mike, although she didn’t want to admit it. She wouldn’t make eye contact. I’m also terrified that Daisy Walker might’ve had a dalliance with him, too. I’m extremely uncomfortable pressing her on the issue, though, given her age.”

  “We were just with Wanda Hodges and she said that Mike was hitting on Daisy the night he died,” Maddie offered. “Now that you mention it, though, Wanda wasn’t great with the eye contact. You don’t think that means she slept with Mike, too, do you?”

  “If she did, you can add her to the list we’re going to have to start the second we get back to the department,” Nick replied, tugging a strand of Maddie’s hair behind her ear. “I’m a little suspicious that Mike slept with Laura Brennan, too.”

  “She’s married,” Maddie said dumbly.

  “She pointed that out … and that she’s about to become a grandmother,” Nick said. “She also was kind of evasive and standoffish. I’m not sure what to believe.”

  “Could Mike possibly have been sleeping with all of them?” Maddie had trouble wrapping her head around the scenario.

  “If anyone could, it was Mike,” Christy a
nswered. “And we just found those four in a few hours. What if there’s more?”

  It was a terrifying thought and Nick couldn’t help but worry about the growing suspect list as he slipped an arm around Maddie’s shoulders. “I think we should go to lunch and break this down. We need to find a way to rule people out instead of ruling them in. If we keep at it like this, we’re going to be adding endless suspects instead of whittling them down.”

  “Lunch sounds good to me,” Maddie said. “I’m starving.”

  “That’s because you had to work hard to get off the ‘naughty’ list last night,” Nick teased, earning twin groans of disgust from Christy and John. He ignored them. “I clearly need to feed my girl in case she has an accidental lapse back to the wrong list.”

  Maddie’s smile was serene. “That sounds like a plan to me.”

  6

  Six

  “What do you think?”

  Maddie stood next to Nick and sipped a fresh cup of hot chocolate as she watched John and Christy cavort near the overgrown mistletoe display. They seemed to be playing a game, neither one of them wanting to be the first to step under the tacky spread as they practically dared the other to be the braver force, but they clearly enjoyed each other’s company.

  “I think you’re pretty.”

  Maddie’s eyes drifted to Nick as she wrinkled her nose. “I was talking about John and Christy.”

  “I know. I was thinking about your face, though.” Nick tossed his empty cup in the nearby trash receptacle and ran his finger down Maddie’s cheek. “You’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. You always have been.”

  “You didn’t think that when I was awkward and my legs were too long for my body.”

  “When was that?”

  “Middle school.”

  “Ah, right.” Nick’s smile was mischievous. “You had an awkward period. I almost forget because you’re so pretty now.”

  “Christy and I were just talking about how charming Winters men are while we set up my tent earlier,” Maddie said. “I guess you’re proving that now, huh?”

  “I’m just telling the truth.”

  “Charm, charm, charm.”

  “Is it working?” Nick snagged Maddie around the waist and drew her to him. He didn’t know if it was the season – he’d always loved the way they decked out the town – or the fact that he was going to propose, but he couldn’t seem to get enough of his blonde these days. “Do you want to see if we can both get on the naughty list?”

  Maddie bit her lip as she glanced around. The town square bustled with activity and yet no one offered them a sideward glance. “We’re in public.”

  Nick chuckled. “I wasn’t suggesting anything lewd,” he said. “I thought we could go home and take a nap, though.”

  “A nap?”

  “It’s been a long and tiring day, love. I think we both need a nap. The cold can take something out of you if you don’t take frequent breaks to warm yourself.”

  “And there’s that charm again,” Maddie said, tapping his strong chin. “We just warmed up in the diner.”

  Nick wasn’t about to be dissuaded. “Yes, but we weren’t alone so I couldn’t get nearly as warm as I wanted to get.”

  “And how warm is that?”

  Nick moved his mouth closer to Maddie’s, his breath hot and humid as it brushed her lips. “Pretty warm, Mad.” He pressed his lips to hers, enjoying the way she melted against him. He wrapped his arms around her slim back and tugged her close, losing himself in the moment until the unmistakable sound of a woman clearing her throat assailed his ears. He was reluctant to pull away, but when he did he internally chastised himself because Marla Proctor stood five feet away staring, and she didn’t look happy. Marla definitely wasn’t worth giving up a kiss with his girl. “What do you want?”

  Marla, her features resembling an angry Chihuahua, made a face that would’ve been humorous under different circumstances. “Aren’t you on duty?”

  Nick glanced over his shoulder before shifting back. He didn’t release Maddie even though she was working overtime to wipe her mouth and beat back the blush climbing her cheeks. “Are you talking to me?”

  “Who else would I be talking to?”

  “I can think of at least five hundred people I would rather you talk to,” Nick said, allowing Maddie to straighten but not move away from him. “In fact, if there’s a list of people who want to talk to you, I’m pretty sure Maddie and I would be on the bottom.”

  “Now there’s a list I never want to be on,” Maddie muttered. Marla was her high school nemesis, and the unfriendly woman went out of her way to torture Blackstone Bay’s resident psychic every chance she got.

  “Don’t worry, Mad,” Nick said. “You’re on all my lists. We’ll ignore Marla’s lists.”

  “Ha, ha,” Marla intoned, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. “I don’t have to take this abuse.”

  “Then leave,” Nick suggested. “No one is keeping you here. Heck, no one wants you here.” He turned his attention back to Maddie. “Where were we, love?”

  Maddie opened her mouth to answer, but she didn’t get a chance because Marla was clearly in a mood.

  “I’m talking to you,” Marla said, snapping her fingers in front of Nick’s face to get his attention. “Are you even listening to me?”

  “Not unless forced to by a higher power.”

  Maddie giggled, earning a hostile look from Marla. “What do you want, Marla?” she asked finally. “You generally avoid us unless you want to cause mischief … and we’re not in the mood for mischief.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Nick said, rubbing his nose against Maddie’s cheek. He got a thrill when he saw Marla’s already dark expression turn almost black. “I’m definitely in the mood for mischief. Why do you think I suggested that nap?”

  “You two are just … so very lame,” Marla said, rolling her neck until it cracked. “Do you have any idea how gross you are?”

  “We’re well aware,” Nick replied. “We’re happy with our level of grossness. No one invited you to comment, and we really don’t care what you think.”

  “That much is obvious.”

  Even though he enjoyed messing with her, Nick’s patience was wearing thin. “What do you want, Marla?” he challenged. “We’re trying to enjoy our afternoon and you’re being a righteous pain. Either tell me what you want or leave. I don’t care which. Er, actually, if you would leave, I would greatly prefer that.”

  Marla made a big show of ignoring Nick’s tone, which told Maddie she had no intention of going anywhere. “Actually, I just have a question,” she sniffed. “Do you have time to answer one question?”

  Nick wasn’t thrilled at the prospect. “I guess.”

  “What’s the deal with your brother?”

  Maddie sucked in a breath as Nick knit his eyebrows together.

  “Why are you asking about John?” Maddie asked, instantly alert.

  “No one is talking to you,” Marla shot back. “I’m talking to Nick.”

  “Why are you asking about John?” Nick repeated, earning a vigorous eye roll for the question.

  “I heard he’s living here full time even though he still works out of the Grayling office.” Marla plucked at imaginary lint on the front of her sweater in a clear attempt to draw Nick’s eyes to her breasts. He easily refrained from glancing in that direction. “I think he’s quite handsome. Not as handsome of you, of course, but since you’ve been tempted by an evil seductress I fear you’re a lost cause.”

  “I’m definitely a lost cause,” Nick said. “Even if I wasn’t hopelessly devoted to my Maddie, though, I would never give you a shot. I don’t find the idea of listing herpes on future health care insurance applications to be all that appealing.”

  Maddie snorted out a delighted laugh before collecting herself. Marla wasn’t nearly as amused with the insult as she was.

  “Don’t push me, Nick,” Marla warned. “I asked you a simple question. What’s the dea
l with your brother? Is he dating someone?”

  “He is,” Maddie answered. “He’s dating Christy. He’s not interested in you.”

  Marla snorted. “Christy?” She glanced over her shoulder, her gaze falling on Christy and John as they laughed near the mistletoe. “They don’t look like they’re dating. In fact, John looks as if he’d rather be anywhere but where he is.”

  That wasn’t the picture Maddie saw at all. She refused to get down in the dirt to sling mud with Marla, though. “Well, they’re dating. You don’t have a shot, so you might want to move along.”

  “Again, nobody was talking to you,” Marla sniffed, her eyes predatory as they locked with Nick’s conflicted orbs. “Is your brother single or not?”

  “I don’t make decisions for my brother when it comes to dating,” Nick replied. “You’ll have to ask him where he stands on the dating front.”

  Marla’s smile was more “cat that ate the canary” than “I’m a sweet and nice person” and Maddie couldn’t help but cringe when she saw it.

  “I’ll definitely do that,” Marla said, turning on her heel. “In fact, I’m looking forward to it.”

  “MADDIE, where are you going?” Nick felt like an idiot as he chased the furious blonde away from the winter wonderland. The second Marla flounced off toward John and Christy, Maddie took off in the other direction, leaving her boyfriend flabbergasted. “Why are you so angry?”

  “Why do you think?” Maddie snapped, annoyed. She didn’t bother looking over her shoulder. “Why don’t you take a wild guess.”

  Nick managed to grab Maddie’s arm and spin her so she was facing him. He almost wished he hadn’t when he saw the furious expression on her face. She never looked at him that way. The grimace made his heart drop to his stomach … and sit there like a box of heavy stones.

  “Mad, what’s wrong?” Nick asked, flustered. “What did I do?”

  “What did you do?” Maddie was dumbfounded. Could he really not know? “You just waved a red cape in front of Marla by telling her that your brother makes his own decisions about dating and now she’s snorting like a bull about to charge.”

  “Okay, but … he does,” Nick said. “I’m not my brother’s keeper.”