“I guess.” Nick didn’t look convinced. “I just thought you would want to be the center of attention for the night.”
Amusement sparked in the depths of her sea-blue eyes. “No, you wanted me to be in the center of things because it makes it easier for you to watch me. Newsflash, Nicky, it’s going to be even easier if I’m standing right next to you.”
She had a point, and Nick brightened considerably. “I think I can handle that.”
“Somehow I knew you would say that.”
THIRTY MINUTES LATER THE SEANCE WAS UNDERWAY.
Cadence proved to be an adept leader. She had a certain presence that Maddie admired. She was also faking it every step of the way.
“She’s a fraud,” Maddie whispered to Nick as the enthusiastic woman started chanting into the wind. “That is not how you do a seance.”
Nick eyed his wife with a mixture of curiosity and adoration. “How do you know that?”
“Because I have participated in a few seances, and I’m not talking about the type that are popular at high school sleepovers. I’ve participated in the real deal.”
That caught Nick by surprise. “When did you participate in these seances?”
“When I was in Detroit. There was a time, however brief, where I thought I could help people by talking to the dead. That turned out to be a terrible mistake — and involves a story I don’t want to share when there’s a risk of others eavesdropping — but suffice it to say that I know about channeling the dead, and that’s not what Cadence is doing.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Nick slid his arm around Maddie’s waist and shifted to meet Cooper’s gaze as the security guru approached. “Maddie says she’s a fraud,” he whispered.
“I think anybody with eyes can see that,” Cooper noted, cracking his neck. “She’s all pomp and no proof.”
“What about the others?” Maddie queried. “Have you been watching them?”
“I have.” A muscle worked in Cooper’s jaw. “We have a problem.”
Cold dread momentarily washed over Nick, but he managed to keep his face impassive. “Those are never words I want to hear.”
“They’re words I hate saying even more,” Cooper acknowledged. “The thing is ... look at these women.” He held out his hands toward the crowd. “Some of them look interested in what’s happening. Others look bored. Some clearly think this is a joke. Others are deadly serious.”
“Yeah?” Nick cocked an eyebrow. “So what? That sounds pretty normal to me.”
“Exactly.” Cooper was grim. “Nobody here is dancing around, or clearly reveling in Velma’s death. Do you want to know why that is?”
“Because nobody here is stupid,” Nick automatically answered.
“And whoever did this is already a master at playing a part. We should’ve taken that into consideration. Nobody is going to show their hand in public like this.”
“What about the ghosts, though?” Maddie asked in a low voice. “Isn’t it possible that they’ll be able to lead us to the frauds?”
“Perhaps, but can all psychics see ghosts?” Cooper was calm as he posited the question, not a single iota of recrimination in his voice. “I mean ... I was under the impression that psychics could do multiple things, including read minds. It doesn’t all revolve around ghosts, right?”
A sinking feeling invaded Maddie’s stomach. “No,” she agreed after a moment’s contemplation. “Talking to ghosts is actually a rare gift.”
“So, just having a ghost sidekick isn’t proof that someone is the real deal, and vice versa,” Cooper concluded.
“You’re right.” Maddie was rueful as she turned to Nick. “I think I overestimated what we would be able to do here.”
“That’s okay, Mad.” He slung an arm around his wife’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out.”
Melanie Sanders picked that moment to join the crowd. She hadn’t been part of the theatrics earlier, but she’d clearly appeared on the scene at some point. The look on her face as she watched Cadence pretend to call to her mother’s spirit was ugly.
“Are you okay?” Cooper asked, instinctively moving toward the woman. “Are you feeling all right? We can head inside and you can sit down if that will make you feel better.”
Melanie’s gaze was dark when it landed on Cooper. “I’m fine,” she forced out, annoyance evident. “I mean ... why wouldn’t I be fine? That woman is up there pretending to talk to my mother, basically making a mockery of the entire thing.”
“I don’t think that’s her intention,” Maddie hedged. “I mean ... I think she’s probably trying to help.”
“No, she’s not.” Melanie shook her head. “Don’t you see what’s happening? Now that my mother is gone, all of these women see a vacuum. They want to fill her spot, become the new queen bee. That’s all they care about.”
Maddie ran her tongue over her teeth, unsure what she was supposed to say. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” she offered lamely after a beat. “I’m also really sorry that you’re so upset about this. I didn’t think you would be out here tonight.”
“Well, I am.” Melanie drew her eyebrows together, dour. “They’ll never be my mother.”
“Of course not,” Cooper responded automatically. “Your mother was one of a kind.”
“They’ll never be as powerful as her,” Melanie huffed under her breath. “This is just ... disgraceful.”
“I’m truly sorry,” Cooper offered sincerely. “If it’s any consolation, I don’t think this will be going on much longer.”
“How is that any consolation?” Melanie snapped. “The damage is already done.” She moved to walk away and then spoke again. “Just ... disgraceful. If my mother had a grave yet, she would be rolling over in it.”
With those words, she was gone, and the guilt Maddie had been feeling only moments before doubled.
“I’m starting to think this was a bad idea,” she said
