Read Grave Insight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 2) for Free Online Page B

I mean … no offense to your daughter, Mrs. Graves, but didn’t it bother her that these two were so … connected?”
    “No,” Maude said, reading between the lines of Cassidy’s inference. “They were good kids. They read a book, and then they went to sleep.”
    “That’s what they told you,” Cassidy said. “How do you know they weren’t doing other things?”
    She was bitter. He’d made her bitter. Nick was ashamed. In his efforts to avoid being the bad guy, he’d been the worst guy. Cassidy was so insecure, she’d turned mean and nasty. Unfortunately, her vitriol was directed in Maddie’s direction.
    “We just knew,” Maude said, her eyes serious. “You have to trust people. Nick and Maddie never once gave us a reason to doubt them.”
    “And you’re being incredibly nasty,” Nick said, focusing on Cassidy. “What is your deal?” He knew what her deal was, but he was hoping being called on her bad behavior would force her to rein it in – at least for a few hours.
    Cassidy’s face contorted. “I … I’m sorry. I have no idea why I said that.”
    Maude opened her mouth to say something, but Maddie shook her head quickly. Now wasn’t the time.
    “So, what are you guys doing over here tonight?” Nick asked, grasping for a topic of conversation that wouldn’t set Cassidy off.
    “We had to buy some air-conditioning units,” Maddie said. “The house is unbearable.”
    “How many did you get?”
    “Four. One for my bedroom, one for Granny’s, one for the kitchen, and one for the store,” Maddie replied.
    “That’s probably a good idea,” Nick said, watching Cassidy out of the corner of his eye.
    “They’re heavy, though,” Maude said. “We had to bribe the kid at the store to put them in our car.”
    “I’ll manage,” Maddie said. “I’ll do them one at a time.”
    “You’re still recovering,” Maude challenged. “The doctor said you have to take it easy.”
    “Granny, I’m fine.”
    “No, she’s right,” Nick said. “After dinner, I’ll stop by the house and help you. It won’t take me very long.”
    “You don’t have to do that, Nicky,” Maddie said. “I know you have a … date.”
    Nick faltered, the meaning behind Maddie’s words washing over him. “Right. I … .”
    “We’ll both come and help,” Cassidy said. “With three of us working, it will take even less time.”
    Nick scowled. “I can drop you off at home first.”
    “No,” Cassidy said, resolute. “This way, we can get the air-conditioning units in place and still have some time to spend together. Isn’t that what you want?”
    Nick was caught. “Um … yeah.”
    This night just kept getting worse and worse.

Six
    “Your house is beautiful,” Cassidy said, looking around the kitchen curiously. “I’ve never seen it, beyond the store, that is.”
    “Oh, did you visit the store when my mother was alive?” The surreal situation Maddie found herself in was making her uncomfortable. Cassidy was being far too nice, and she was far too keen on conversation. Nick’s rigid shoulders told Maddie that he was struggling with the situation himself.
    “I came in a few times,” Cassidy said. “I wanted to meet your mother. Everyone I met in town kept telling me how close you and Nick were. I just wanted to see the store. I heard Nick spent a lot of time here when he was a kid.”
    “He did,” Maude said, glancing between Nick and Maddie worriedly. “He’d eat entire pies by himself.”
    “That’s because Olivia was the best baker ever,” Nick said. “She always knew exactly what pie to make me when I was in a bad mood.”
    Maddie snorted. “You would have eaten any pie she made.”
    “This is true,” Nick said, bending down to hoist an air-conditioning unit out of a box. “Blackberry was my favorite. She would send us out to pick blackberries, and when we brought them back, she would make a big pie for us.
    “Then, a few weeks later, she would always surprise me with homemade