Grave Decisions (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 7) by Lily Harper Hart Page A

girl,” she said, patting her hand. “That must have been terrible. I still don’t understand how the fake psychic found a real body, though.”
    “Neither do I,” Nick admitted. “With that in mind, though, I’m telling you the same thing I told Maddie: Don’t go near him. If he tries to isolate you, kick him … or scream … or have your Pink Ladies beat him down with purses.”
    “Why would he go after me?” Maude asked, pouring herself a mug of coffee. “I’m not psychic. I think he’s obsessed with Maddie because he’s heard rumors she is. He probably boned up on the town and residents before arriving. How would I fit in his plan?”
    Nick risked a glance at Maddie and saw a puzzled expression on her face. She clearly hadn’t considered that particular possibility.
    “If he wants to get close to Maddie, he has few options to do it,” Nick explained. “He knows he can’t use me. That essentially means he’s got you or Christy. Christy is going to let him follow her anywhere, which ticks me off, but I expect more than that from you.”
    “He’s of absolutely no interest to me,” Maude said. “I’ll keep an eye on him, though, just in case he tries to get fresh.”
    Maddie pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “That sounds like a good idea, Granny.”
    “Maddie, if you see Cooper down at the festival today, I want you to text me,” Nick ordered. “I don’t want you following him or anything, but I do want to know what he’s up to. Right now, he’s our only suspect because he found the body.”
    “What if it isn’t him?” Maude asked.
    “Then there’s a sick individual out there with murder on the brain and I don’t want any of the women in my life taking chances,” Nick said, winking at Maude. “Do you understand?”
    Maude offered Nick a saucy salute. “Sir! Yes, sir!”
    “Yeah, it’s cuter when Maddie does it,” Nick said, although the smile he shared with Maude was heartfelt. “I need you both to look after yourselves today. I think news of what happened last night is going to spread, and when it does, Cooper Ashton is going to look like a magical hero.”
    “When we know he’s really a big zero,” Maude said.
    Nick grinned. “You really are my favorite sometimes,” he said, shaking his head.
    “I don’t know how to feel about that,” Maddie teased.
    “Oh, don’t worry, Maddie,” Nick crooned. “No one could ever take your place in my heart.”
    “Okay, that will be enough of that,” Maude said. “My stomach is already on the fritz because of all the drinking. You two are gross enough to gag a buzzard.”
    “And on that note … .” Nick leaned over and offered Maddie a kiss. “Keep me in the loop today, love. I wouldn’t recover if something happened to you.”
    “That goes double for me.”

6
    Six
    “ I brought the chairs from your car, Maddie.”
    Christy appeared in the open tent flap, taking Maddie by surprise as she knelt on the floor and plugged a small space heater into the outlet strip at the back of the tent.
    “Thanks,” Maddie said, straightening. “You didn’t have to do that.”
    “I saw them in your car and knew you would need them,” Christy said, positioning the chairs around Maddie’s small bistro table. “You look cute, by the way. Is that one of your mother’s outfits?”
    Maddie glanced down at her ankle-length purple skirt and flowing white blouse. She wasn’t one for dressing up, but people had a better time at festivals when she did. Her mother had an entire closet full of costumes, so Maddie took advantage of the rare times it was appropriate to dress up – and the fall festival was definitely one of those times. The outfits also made her feel closer to her mother, who was still around in spirit but not body. While Olivia Graves still popped in for visits from time to time, it wasn’t the same as having her mother alive.
    “It is one of Mom’s outfits,” Maddie confirmed. “I asked her if she would