Maggie jumped from her round wicker nest and leaned over the back,her eyes red and glassy. She was higher than fuck, and judging by the amount of alcohol left in that bottle… plastered too.
“Got anything harder than weed on you?” she said, slurring. “Make me forget.”
“Christ, Max. Of course not. And you’re not supposed to be on that shit with your head, anyway.”
“Aww—you’re no fun.” She turned herself over like the Cheshire Cat and pointed her finger at me. “I was just joking anyway, silly, you know I don’t do that. And your camptin’ certainly wouldn’t like it if you did.” She giggled like a loon and wobbled around on one leg. “Argghh—matey. Do I shiver ye timbers?”
Then, as if a fucking bolt of lightning struck her, she jumped out of her seat and stumbled toward me.
“Ooo! Ooo-ooo! Open your shirt!” she said, scratching at my buttons.
“What, why? It’s fuckin’ freezing out here. Come inside,” I said, reaching for a blanket next to Katie and Silas on the wicker couch.
Maggie tilted her head at me and gave me a stern look like I was going to be punished if I disobeyed.
“Okay, okay. Relax,” I said, unbuttoning it to my navel, but before I could finish, she slipped her freezing hands in and grabbed my pecs, smooshing her face between them.
“Max, what the fuck are you doing?” I asked, paralyzed by not only the icicles forming on my nipples but also the absurdity of theentiresituation.
Her muffled voice came out from my core. “I’m sorry I didn’t take the murders seriously. I should always believe the big boys. Especially when they’re cops… with big manly boobies…” She pulled her face back and jiggled them.
I swatted her away. “Did you really think now was a good time to get her high, Katie?”
“Don’t look at me—she dug through Derek’s pockets.”
I shot him a look.
“It was better than the alternative,” he said. His face said he was pissed at me, but I didn’t know why.
“Oh, and what was that?”
Derek got up, double-tapped his wrist, and went back inside.
Fuck.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath.
“Hi Mr. Tiger.” Maggie giggled with a mischievous glint in her eye, hooking her fingers and batting at the air. “Mm-Rawwrr?—”
I shoved her hands back down. “Can I talk to you?”
“Look.” Maggie went sober. “My mom’s downstairs right now probably trying to console Hunter because I didn’t say I’d wear this fricken’ boulder on my finger for the rest of my life… but I don’t want to… because I want to wear whatever boulderyougive me.”
Maggie shoved off my chest and spun herself into Katie, taking the blunt from her and bringing it to her mouth. “But you can’t because you’re still in love with your wife… and daughter.” Then, like someone flipped a fucking light switch, she turned into a sobbing mess. “Oh no!Graham, your wife… your daughter.” She gasped and covered her mouth. “I forgot all about that poor girl. I would have loved to meet her.”
I stared blankly at her.
What the fuck is happening?
“Maybe I can! Maybe we can have a séance. We can meet them… and let her know how big and strong her daddy is. And… and… you could talk to Rebecca!!!”
Maggie blew out the candles she’d lit along the balcony’s railing and scooped them up, dripping melted wax down her arm and along her path as she pushed past me and into the house.
“Shit!Max. No. That’s not a good idea.” I followed her.
She yanked the attic door open and up she went. Then there was a crash, and she came rolling down the steps like a rag doll, landing on her head with her feet in the air.
“I’m okay!” she yelled, holding up a single candle, flipping herself over, and stumbling back up the stairs.
