Drop Dead Beauty Read Free Page B

returned,” Maeva explained. “I had a session this morning and it was like all my psychicness is back—bigger and better than ever. Saw a woman’s dead father and she got to make peace with him. It was a beautiful moment.”
    “That’s awesome,” Sadie said, glancing distractedly over her shoulder.
    “Is there a reason we’re standing at your front door?” Maeva asked, then her eyes got big and round and she whispered, “Oh my God, you had your breakfast date with Zack this morning! How did it go?” She lowered her voice even more. “Is he in the bedroom? Did I interrupt something?”
    “No, he’s not here.” Sadie laughed. “Let’s go for a walk. I just need some fresh air.”
    She stuffed her feet into her Nikes and pushed Maeva out the front door.
    “What’s going on? Why are you acting so weird?”
    Sadie ignored Maeva’s questions until they were at the end of the driveway, and then she said out of the side of her mouth, “Petrovich is holed up inside my house.”
    Maeva was quiet a moment, then muttered “Wow” under her breath.
    “Exactly,” Sadie continued as they picked up speed on their walk. “Apparently he wants me to find out who really killed his ex-wife.”
    “But I thought
he
killed her,” Maeva said. “That’s what every TV channel and newspaper has said all along.”
    “I know. That’s what everyone thinks. Except Dean.” Sadie slowed her walking pace and stuffed her hands in her jeans. “I can’t even think straight because I’m so damn tired.”
    “He kept you up all night?” Maeva asked.
    “No, but he woke me up early, and even though I went back to bed for a couple hours, I’m beat. Even my hair feels tired. Don’t stand too close. I might be coming down with the flu.”
    “I’m betting it’s just stress over renewing your relationship with Zack,” Maeva said with a smirk. “Speaking of that, how did the breakfast date go?”
    “About as poorly as it possibly could.”
    “I doubt it was as bad as you think.”
    “I threw up on him.”
    Maeva stopped walking and stared. “You’re kidding.”
    “I wish I was.”
    Suddenly Maeva tilted her head and looked Sadie over from head to toe. “Hold up your hands. Let me see if I can get a reading off of you.”
    Maeva was touch-sensitive and couldn’t physically contact Sadie. Due to the fact that Sadie connected so strongly with the dead, Maeva had a physical reaction to Sadie’s touch that was much like Sadie’s reaction to her breakfast burrito. To give her friend a reading, Maeva merely hovered her hands very closely to Sadie’s fingers and somehow felt the vibe.
    “Hurry up. The neighbors are liable to call the cops and tell them there’s a couple of weirdos doing a strange dance on the sidewalk.”
    Maeva shushed her and frowned seriously before dropping her hands and turning on her heel. She began jogging back in the direction they’d just come, with Sadie panting after her.
    “Where are you going?” Sadie asked. “Aren’t we going for a walk?”
    “No. We’re going back to get my car and then we’re going to the store.”
    “Why?” Sadie demanded, running after her.
    “To buy a pregnancy test.”

Chapter 2
    “I am
not
pregnant!” Sadie shouted.
    A neighbor across the street glanced over at Sadie and smirked.
    “I’m
not
,” Sadie insisted on a whisper.
    “You threw up, you’re exhausted, and I’m betting you’re late.” Maeva counted the offenses on her fingers. “Remember I just told you how my psychic powers have returned bigger and better? Well, I just got a distinct vibe off of you that screamed momma!”
    “I’m sure your vibrations have been wrong before, and late shmate.” She shook her head. “If I think hard about it I’m sure I am a little late, but I’ve never had a regular cycle so that doesn’t matter.” Sadie stomped angrily as they walked up the driveway to her house. “So what if I’m tired. So what if I threw up. None of that matters.”
    Maeva