Maddie's Gift of Mystery (A Rockcrest Cove Cozy Mystery Book 5) Read Online Free PDF

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    The minister spoke of Jimmy’s great educational achievements, his athletic prowess, and his sharp intellect. His words were well chosen and elicited a few chuckles and laughter from those that knew him well. By the time he had finished, Maddie felt like she really had gotten to know the young man, and she felt a little sad that she had never had the opportunity to do so before then.
    “Now,” the minister was saying, “I’d like to open the floor to anyone who would like to say a few words about Jimmy before we close the ceremony.”
    A few hands went up in the audience. The minister pointed to a young brunette girl sitting near them. The girl stood up, holding a small piece of paper in her trembling hands, and approached the podium. Her face, while made up beautifully, was pale and colorless. Her eyes looked swollen, obviously from the tears she had been shedding. Maddie noticed a bit of tension come into Emily’s body as her eyes followed the young woman down the aisle and to the podium. Taking a sideways glance at her, she noticed she was suddenly sitting rigid, with her hands balled up into tiny fists as if she wanted to pound something.
    Clearing her throat, the young woman placed her paper on the podium and began to speak.
    “My name is Maria Carvone. Jimmy and I have been friends ever since we enrolled in class together two years ago.” She paused and looked around the room, studying the faces of all in the audience. Her eyes found Emily, and Maddie thought she sensed a bit of anger cross her face.
    “Jimmy and I were inseparable, even though others often tried to come between us. They didn’t understand the true nature of our friendship and all that we meant to each other.” She smiled a little bit, keeping her gaze fixed on Emily.
    “We have suffered a terrible loss, and Jimmy’s leaving has left us feeling empty and heartbroken, but I’m sure that wherever he is, he is looking down on us fondly, telling his many jokes, teasing us, cajoling us, and whatever else he can think of to make this day a bit more pleasant and bearable. Because we know that if it had been anyone else, Jimmy would be the one person to help us find a way to cope with the pain we’re all feeling right now. That’s the kind of guy he was.”
    She continued her speech, sharing a few humorous antics about what life was like when the world had Jimmy, eliciting a few appreciative chuckles in the process. After she finished, she was rewarded with a healthy round of applause and numerous pats on the back for her efforts. Emily did not join in. Maddie could feel the heat from her anger and hostility toward Maria and wondered if there may have been a secret between the three of them that no one else knew about.
    When the service was over, Eleanor decided to take Emily home and away from the crowd, where she could cope better. Maddie decided to stay behind to find out more about the “best friend” Maria.
    The repast that followed was a full crowd. Again, the comments about Jimmy were very favorable, and sadness seemed to overwhelm the crowd en masse. Maria stood in the center of the room, where people continually came up to congratulate her on her wonderful speech. She accepted the praise graciously and seemed quite happy with the recognition. In fact, to Maddie, it seemed that she relished in the attention.
    She followed the young girl around the room, observing her closely. Maria was a pretty, petite young lady with soft features that made you think of a China doll, but there must be another side to her, Maddie reasoned. The response that Emily had had to the young girl was not something to take lightly. There was clearly no love lost between them, and Maddie was determined to find out what it was. Standing at the table where the refreshments were served, she noticed two young girls in the crowd watching her closely and decided to join them.
    “That was some ceremony,” Maddie offered.
    “Yes, it was,” a tall, blond