Grave Insight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 2) by Lily Harper Hart Page B

paper.
    “You said the world was coming to an end,” Maddie said dryly, considering the coffee pot for a moment before moving over to the refrigerator and snagging a bottle of water. “I was just wondering if the zombie apocalypse was finally here.”
    “Your sense of humor rears up at the oddest of times,” Maude said, wrinkling her nose.
    “So I’ve been told,” Maddie said. “Irma, it’s nice to see you.”
    Irma didn’t bother looking up from the sheet of paper. “I’m glad you came home. It’s about time.”
    Sometimes Maddie thought Irma and Maude shared a personality. When they were in the same room, that personality was amplified times ten. “I agree,” Maddie said, pasting a smile on her face. “Do you two want breakfast?”
    “We don’t have time to eat,” Maude said. “Didn’t you hear me? The world is coming to an end.”
    Maddie rolled her eyes. “Okay. I’m all ears. What’s wrong now?”
    “Brace yourself.”
    Maddie made a face. “I’m braced.”
    “Edna Proctor wants to be a Pink Lady.”
    Maddie was confused. She knew who Edna Proctor was. In addition to being Maude’s lifelong nemesis – there was even a rumor about Edna trying to seduce Maddie’s late grandfather – Edna was also Marla Proctor’s grandmother. “Is that a euphemism for something?”
    “Of course not,” Maude said, irked. “She wants to be a Pink Lady.”
    “I don’t understand what that means,” Maddie admitted.
    “It means that she’s applied for membership to our group.”
    Maddie searched her memory. “Oh, you mean the Red Hat Society? I thought that was the name of your group.”
    “We changed it five years ago,” Maude snapped. “Keep up.”
    “I’m sorry.” Maddie held her hands up in mock surrender. “What’s it called now?”
    “The Pink Lady Society.”
    “Ah. Fun. Why did you change the name?”
    “Because we found out that there was another Red Hat Society,” Maude said. “Did you know that?”
    Maddie smirked. “I might have heard something about it.”
    “Well, we didn’t know,” Maude said. “Do you know what those women do?”
    “I think they wear red hats and purple dresses … and drink tea. Is that right?”
    “Yeah. Tea.” Maude’s voice was positively dripping with disdain.
    Maddie waited.
    “Tea!”
    “What’s wrong with that? You like tea.”
    “I do,” Maude said. “I also like bourbon in it. It seems the proper Red Hat Society ladies frown on putting bourbon in your tea. They threatened to go after us if we didn’t change our name. Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?”
    Maddie swallowed the mad urge to laugh. “I guess not. So, now you’re a Pink Lady? That sounds fun.”
    “It was until Edna Proctor petitioned our board for membership.”
    “You have a board?”
    “Of course we have a board,” Maude said. “We’re a very important group.”
    “So, just vote against her,” Maddie suggested.
    “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Maude said, angry.
    “There’s no reason to be sarcastic,” Maddie chided.
    “I’m sorry,” Maude replied primly. “You just don’t understand the ramifications if Edna becomes a Pink Lady.”
    “Zombie apocalypse?” Maddie was starting to enjoy herself.
    “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Maude asked wearily.
    As a matter of fact, she did. “Okay. I’m going. Be good you two. If you get arrested, I won’t be able to bail you out until this afternoon.”
    “That’s fine,” Maude said. “It’s Thursday. They have turkey in the jail on Thursdays.”
    Maddie didn’t want to know how her grandmother knew that. “Just … be good.”

Eight
    Tara Warner’s pretty features were welcoming when the bell over the flower shop door jangled. When she saw Maddie standing there, though, her smile started to slip.
    “Ms. Graves, what a surprise.”
    “Call me Maddie.”
    “Maddie.” Tara’s face was conflicted. “I … do you need some flowers?”
    Maddie internally chastised herself