Read Online Grave Decisions (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 7) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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straightened.
“I can tell you right now that I don’t like this guy, Sunshine,” Olivia said, shaking her head. “He’s got ‘fraud’ written all over him. These are synthetic boots, by the way. They’re not real.”
Maddie couldn’t answer, but she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as her mother circled Cooper and shot him a series of disgusted looks. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Maddie asked, trying to regain her train of thought.
“Your mother loves you from the great beyond,” Cooper said.
“Oh, he’s such a tool,” Olivia said, making a face. “The next thing he’ll tell you is the killer’s name has an ‘S’ in it and somehow the key to catching him is water. Just wait.”
“I would like you to work on this case with me, Maddie Graves,” Cooper said. “I’ve already ascertained important clues, but I think we can put our considerable talents together and come up with a killer before the police officers in this town even have their morning doughnuts.”
Maddie was offended. “The police officers in this town work hard and I don’t appreciate your saying things like that.”
“Of course,” Cooper said, waving off Maddie’s concerns. “You think you love one of the detectives. That was insensitive of me.”
“I do love Nick,” Maddie countered, pushing herself to her feet. “I have no interest in working with you on anything either, so you can just … go.” Maddie made small shooing motions with her hands. “Take your fan club and solve the case on your own. I’m not interested in joining forces with you.”
“Is that because you’re worried what will happen when our minds join? Are you worried that will make our hearts join, too?”
Now it was Marla’s turn to make a face. “You don’t want that to happen. She’s crazy and needy.”
“And you’re loud and obnoxious,” Maddie snapped, the words out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying.
“That was very good, Sunshine,” Olivia said. “You need to stand up for yourself more often. Marla gets off on preying on the weak. Don’t let her get to you.”
Maddie desperately wanted to talk to her mother, but Cooper and his gaggle of gigglers wouldn’t give her the chance if they remained. “I’m not joining anything with you, Mr. Ashton, because I don’t trust you,” she said. “I don’t believe you’re psychic, and even if you were, this is a job for the police. You shouldn’t get involved.”
“She’s just worried about you showing up her precious Nick,” Cassidy said, wrinkling her nose. “She knows you’re way ahead on this one and she’s afraid Nick will look like an idiot.”
“Even more of an idiot than when he picked Maddie over Cassidy,” Marla added.
Maddie fought the urge to roll her eyes. This situation couldn’t get any more out of control if someone added an elephant in a tutu. “Listen, I’m flattered by the offer,” Maddie said, pushing past Cooper and moving through the tent flap and toward the fairgrounds. “I’m not interested, though. If you want to solve this case on your own, more power to you. I’m here to tell fortunes, not solve crimes.”
Maddie sucked in a breath when she hit the outside air, thankful to be out of the suffocating environment so she could figure a way out of her predicament. Olivia’s expression was sympathetic as she mimed brushing Maddie’s hair and Marla and Cassidy’s faces were murderous as they followed her outside.
“I already have leads, Maddie Graves,” Cooper said as he joined her outside. “The killer is male. He has a … ‘S’ … in his name.”
Olivia pursed her lips to keep from laughing. “I told you.”
“The murderer will have some tie to water,” Cooper added, causing his fan club to “ooh” and “aah.”
“This is Blackstone Bay,” Maddie pointed out. “The entire area has something to do with water. Saying the killer has something to do with water isn’t exactly what I would
“I can tell you right now that I don’t like this guy, Sunshine,” Olivia said, shaking her head. “He’s got ‘fraud’ written all over him. These are synthetic boots, by the way. They’re not real.”
Maddie couldn’t answer, but she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as her mother circled Cooper and shot him a series of disgusted looks. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Maddie asked, trying to regain her train of thought.
“Your mother loves you from the great beyond,” Cooper said.
“Oh, he’s such a tool,” Olivia said, making a face. “The next thing he’ll tell you is the killer’s name has an ‘S’ in it and somehow the key to catching him is water. Just wait.”
“I would like you to work on this case with me, Maddie Graves,” Cooper said. “I’ve already ascertained important clues, but I think we can put our considerable talents together and come up with a killer before the police officers in this town even have their morning doughnuts.”
Maddie was offended. “The police officers in this town work hard and I don’t appreciate your saying things like that.”
“Of course,” Cooper said, waving off Maddie’s concerns. “You think you love one of the detectives. That was insensitive of me.”
“I do love Nick,” Maddie countered, pushing herself to her feet. “I have no interest in working with you on anything either, so you can just … go.” Maddie made small shooing motions with her hands. “Take your fan club and solve the case on your own. I’m not interested in joining forces with you.”
“Is that because you’re worried what will happen when our minds join? Are you worried that will make our hearts join, too?”
Now it was Marla’s turn to make a face. “You don’t want that to happen. She’s crazy and needy.”
“And you’re loud and obnoxious,” Maddie snapped, the words out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying.
“That was very good, Sunshine,” Olivia said. “You need to stand up for yourself more often. Marla gets off on preying on the weak. Don’t let her get to you.”
Maddie desperately wanted to talk to her mother, but Cooper and his gaggle of gigglers wouldn’t give her the chance if they remained. “I’m not joining anything with you, Mr. Ashton, because I don’t trust you,” she said. “I don’t believe you’re psychic, and even if you were, this is a job for the police. You shouldn’t get involved.”
“She’s just worried about you showing up her precious Nick,” Cassidy said, wrinkling her nose. “She knows you’re way ahead on this one and she’s afraid Nick will look like an idiot.”
“Even more of an idiot than when he picked Maddie over Cassidy,” Marla added.
Maddie fought the urge to roll her eyes. This situation couldn’t get any more out of control if someone added an elephant in a tutu. “Listen, I’m flattered by the offer,” Maddie said, pushing past Cooper and moving through the tent flap and toward the fairgrounds. “I’m not interested, though. If you want to solve this case on your own, more power to you. I’m here to tell fortunes, not solve crimes.”
Maddie sucked in a breath when she hit the outside air, thankful to be out of the suffocating environment so she could figure a way out of her predicament. Olivia’s expression was sympathetic as she mimed brushing Maddie’s hair and Marla and Cassidy’s faces were murderous as they followed her outside.
“I already have leads, Maddie Graves,” Cooper said as he joined her outside. “The killer is male. He has a … ‘S’ … in his name.”
Olivia pursed her lips to keep from laughing. “I told you.”
“The murderer will have some tie to water,” Cooper added, causing his fan club to “ooh” and “aah.”
“This is Blackstone Bay,” Maddie pointed out. “The entire area has something to do with water. Saying the killer has something to do with water isn’t exactly what I would
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