“Without a doubt.”
SINCE THE SALOON WAS EMPTY, MADDIE got out her tablet to FaceTime with Maude. Hannah gave her blessing, mostly because she was curious to see the woman she kept hearing about in action.
It took six rings for Maude to pick up.
“I’m not a child,” was the older woman’s greeting, her face twisted into a scowl as it took up the entirety of the tablet screen.
“You don’t have to be so close, Granny,” Maddie chided gently.
Behind the bar, where she was drying glasses, Hannah smirked. She had a clear view of the tablet and she could tell already that she was going to like Maddie’s grandmother. The woman had a certain presence, even from thousands of miles away.
“I know how to use the stupid thing!” Despite the words, Maude leaned back so Maddie could get a better look at her. “Are you happy? I’m not in jail or anything.”
“I am happy about that,” Maddie offered agreeably. “You don’t look like you have any bruises or anything either.”
Maude made a protesting sound. “When have I ever come back with bruises?”
“Two months ago you and Eva came back from some late-night excursion with bruises on your cheeks because a branch hit you in the face while spying on Harriet. You were drunk on bourbon and forgot where you were.”
Maude was incredulous. “How do you even know about that? I told you that Eva had a condition where she involuntarily struck people when excited.” Realizing she’d owned up to a misdeed wasn’t a deterrent to Maude. “That’s exactly what happened, by the way.”
“Shawna Torkelson lives next door to Harriet,” Maddie reminded her calmly. “She was watching out the window that night and saw everything that happened.”
“Oh, so she was spying on us? I think I know who I’m going to be visiting later.”
“You leave Shawna alone.” Maddie wagged her finger for emphasis. “She has three children under the age of five. She can’t have the television on because it wakes them. She says you serve as her entertainment.”
Rather than be offended, Maude brightened considerably. “I’m always happy to service the neighbors. Wait ... that might’ve come out wrong. Not in a dirty way or anything.”
“I figured that much myself,” Maddie said dryly, scanning over Maude’s shoulder to see if she could find any contraband in plain sight. “You’re doing okay without us, right? You haven’t gotten in any trouble, have you? Dale’s not waiting on the other side of the front door to take you into custody, is he?”
“Ugh. Stop being such a worrier, Maddie.” Maude wasn’t in the mood to be scolded by her granddaughter. “I’m perfectly fine. I haven’t done anything against the law.”
Maddie made a face. She didn’t believe that for a second. “Granny, who do you think you’re snowing?”
“It’s true.” Suddenly, Maude was the picture of innocence. “Do you see these wrists?” She held them up by way of proof. “There are no shackles. That means I haven’t broken the law.”
“You just haven’t been caught.”
“It’s the same thing.”
Despite herself, Maddie smiled. “I just wanted to check on you. I know you have other people dropping in and I’m getting reports, but I like seeing you with my own eyes.”
“You don’t have to worry about me.” Maude was firm. “I’m a dynamo when it comes to not getting caught. Besides, when it comes down to it, you know Dale isn’t going to arrest me. He hates Harriet and finds it funny when I torture her.”
Because that was true, Maddie opted to turn the conversation in another direction. “Things have changed here a bit. As of now, Nick and I plan to stick it out. I’m not quite sure if that will last, though, which means we could be home earlier than expected.”
Now it was Maude’s turn to frown. “Did something happen? Are those other psychics being mean to you? What good did growing up in a house with me, a woman who knows how to dish out retribution better than anybody else, do you if you can’t stand up for yourself?”
“It’s not the other psychics.” Maddie launched into the tale, truncating it a bit to save time. When she was finished, she forced a reassuring smile for her grandmother’s benefit. “We’re fine. We just don’t know how things are going to shake out right now.”
“Wow.” Maude’s expression was blank for a long beat and then she shook her head. “It sounds to me as if you need some help.”
“We have help. We’re working with the local sheriff and a few other people. You have nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried. I know you’re fine. I can obviously see you with my own eyes. What I meant was that you obviously need me. I’m awesome at solving murders, in case you’ve forgotten.”
Maddie’s nose involuntarily wrinkled. “When have you ever solved a murder?”
“Um, I’ve solved like a zillion of them.”
“You have not.”
“I have so.”
“You have not.”
“Yes, I have.” Maude shot up a finger before Maddie could speak again. “I may be old, but my memory is perfect. I know how many murders I’ve solved.”
Rather than argue, Maddie simply nodded. “Fine. You’re an investigative machine. Are you happy?”
“Not particularly, but that will do for now. I’m just saying that you would be better off if I was there with you.”
“Well, since that’s not an option, we’ll have to suffer without your presence. I really just called to make sure you’re okay.”
“And are you satisfied?”
“For now, but I’ll be calling again tomorrow ... and you’d better be in a good mood when I call. I’ll get a complex otherwise.”
“That was a manipulative thing to say, Maddie girl. I’m proud.”
“Thank you. I learned from the best.”
INTERVIEWING THE PSYCHICS WASN’T AN EASY task. Ultimately, Nick, Cooper, and Boone opted to pull them away from the crowd in groups of three. They struck out in the information department until they corralled Leslie Newman, Wendy Mortimer, and Donna Porter. They were full of information. Unfortunately for the men questioning them, that information was the sort
