Hereafter [McKnight, Perth & Daire 2] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Beth D. Carter

  “That kid used to be quite a mess,” the bartender told him as he came over to collect the money. “His momma is a piece of work, I tell you. And I don’t mean that in a good way.”

  “A mess?”

  “He was left alone a lot. His momma ran around like a wild thing, never had time for him. His uncle finally stepped in, but Danny was always sneaking in here when he was underage, trying to peddle some cash from playing pool. I can’t tell you how many times I had to call his uncle to come get him.”

  “And who’s his uncle?”

  “Sheriff Ratcliff, always bailing him out. In fact, he made a new position called a Junior Deputy to try to straighten him out but that boy is always in some scrape or another.”

  “Interesting.” Nash placed another twenty on the bar. “Thanks for the pep talk.”

  The bartender smiled. “Anytime.”

  Chapter Eight

  Melody checked her directions one more time before she turned off the road onto the gravel driveway. She bumped along for a minute before she spotted the neat-looking little house nestled in the trees. As she turned off her engine, she saw Junior Deputy Danny McCoin open the door and wait for her. He wore his long-sleeve brown work shirt that matched his pants with a shiny star pinned to his chest. She carefully walked over the loose gravel and marched up the steps to the front porch, holding out her hand.

  “I’m sorry for calling so last night, but thank you so much for seeing me so early,” she said with a tight smile. “Especially since you’ve got to get to work.”

  “If it helps you communicate with Candace, then yes, anything,” he said and then gestured to the open door. “Please, come in.”

  The inside looked like a typical bachelor pad of a man who tried to pick up quickly when knowing company was coming over. She bet if she opened the closet she’d find a bevy of hastily thrown items inside.

  “Please have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the couch. “Would you like some coffee?”

  “Oh my heavens, that would be lovely,” she said with a friendly grin. Her fingers began to twitch. “I’m not quite used to waking up so early.”

  “Sorry about that. I have to be work at nine, and since I got a dressing down yesterday, I’ll be working all the shit jobs.”

  She tilted her head. “Did we get you in trouble?”

  Danny shrugged. “I expected it. I knew the sheriff wouldn’t like that I went behind his back to help the families. But I just knew…you know?”

  She nodded.

  “Let me get the coffee and I’ll be right back.”

  As she sat, she immediately saw an echo form in the chair next to her. She smiled at Candace, seeing the outline of stylish eyeglass frames. It always frustrated Melody that she could never see the spirit completely. She just got vague impressions and hazy features that took her a moment to interpret. It was feelings, words, and a very good game of charades that she relied upon for her channeling. She thought about Charlotte’s amazing ability, and envy sliced hard and heavy through her chest. If she had half the talent that Charlotte had, she’d be out there helping the helpless every day, not running far and fast.

  “So how do you like working with Miss Perth?” Danny called from the kitchen.

  “Well, I just met her yesterday,” she said.

  “She seems nice. Funny, too. I could tell,” he answered back.

  “Yeah, she’s great.”

  An image suddenly fell across her eyes, and she looked at the echo. Candace had moved, now standing by a wall of built-in bookcases. There were a few framed pictures nestled among knickknacks and books. She saw Danny standing next to the sheriff. They were both wearing uniforms, had the same red hair, same pale-blue eyes. But the echo wasn’t pointing to any of this. She was focused on one item, and that seemed to a pack of newly developed photos still encased in their envelope.

  “I wasn’t sure what you took, so I brought out milk and sugar,” Danny said as he brought out a plate with two cups. “I don’t have a server and stuff, so please excuse the crude serving platter.”

  Melody waved away his apology. “My grandmomma always said it’s the thought that counts.”

  They spent the next minute fixing their coffee. Candace hovered next to Danny, but Melody didn’t tell him. She wanted to see what that pack of photos contained.

  “So how does she do it?” he suddenly asked.

  Melody blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “Miss Perth. She’s the real deal. How does she do it?”

  “Parascience is still a new field,” she answered, trying to keep her answer as generic as possible. “Much is yet unknown.”

  “I had my doubts, you know. When the parents said they wanted to hire psychics.”

  “I find most people laugh.”

  Danny nodded thoughtfully. “I’m not laughing. So what exactly did you need from me?”

  “I just need a personal item of Candace’s,” she said. “Items that belonged to someone retain their memory and the more intimate an object the stronger that bond.”

  His eyes narrowed. “And what do you plan to do with it? Contact her again?”

  Melody sat down her cup. “As you know, the FBI took over the investigation, but we believe the person who did this didn’t leave anything behind to help solve who done it. We’re hoping the girls can show us.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Solving their own murders?”

  She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Stranger things have happened.”

  He took another sip, thinking. “Okay. I do have something that might work for you. Let me get it.”

  He put his cup down and rose, heading off in the area where she assumed were the bedrooms, and soon as he was out of sight she rushed over to the packet of photos. She slid them out and started going through them. It didn’t take her long to find what Candace was trying to show her. Putting the rest of the photos away, she slipped the one into her pocket just as she heard his returning footfalls.

  She picked up the framed picture of Danny standing next to the red-haired man and another man.

  “That’s the day I became a junior deputy,” Danny said from behind her. “My old roommate is on the other side.”

  “He doesn’t live here now?”

  “No. He moved out when I started dating Candace. She and I had plans of living together.”

  She put the framed picture back. He held out his hand, and in the center of his palm was a necklace. Suddenly, Candace’s echo stood right next to them. She stared down at the necklace, and immediately Melody was filled with her rage.

  She took a step back to give herself distance from the disturbing feeling. Candace wanted her to take the necklace and put it down the garbage disposal, to destroy it until it was no longer recognizable. If Charlotte needed an emotional attachment, this definitely fit the bill. She reached out and took it.

  “Thank you,” she said with a tight smile.

  “I hope this helps.” A dark shadow passed over his face, and his eyes lingered on the fist that held the necklace. A frown settled between his eyes, and Melody had the distinct feeling that he knew exactly what memories the piece of jewelry contained.

  Melody walked back to the couch and picked up her purse. “I best get back to Charlotte with this. Again, I really appreciate you helping us.”

  “Sure,” Danny said, finally looking at her. “If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”

  She smiled at him and then hurried to the door. As she drove away from the secluded house, she looked in the rearview mirror and saw Danny watching. Standing next to him was Candace’s spirit, a hazy outline of the vibrant girl she used to be.

  * * * *

  “Charlotte!” Holly said a bit too brightly through the phone. “How’s it been? I haven’t heard from you in weeks. Months.”

  “It was Wednesday.”

  “Really? Felt longer.”

  “Probably because you’ve been waiting on pins and needles to hear my explosion over you hiring Nash. Na
sh, Holly. I mean, of all the HS agents out there, you pick him.”

  “I wanted someone who knew you, who would work with you.”

  “Well, I think you got double-dipped because Nash got himself hired by the families.”

  “So you found the girls?”

  “Of course I did. But…this is tough, Holly.”

  “Why is it tough?”

  “Because those bodies won’t have the clues to what I’ve seen.”

  “Who’s working the case?”

  “The FBI took it over. But since Nash got himself hired, he’s also in the loop.”

  “And you don’t think the FBI can solve this?”

  “Maybe. One day.”

  “What do Nash and Jonas say?”

  “They haven’t said much.”

  “And the local police?”

  “The sheriff doesn’t want me to leave. Which reminds me, can you book my returning flight and email me the info?”

  “I thought you said you weren’t supposed to leave.”

  “I’m also not supposed to wear white after Labor Day, but I always do, so there you have it. Oh, I’ll also need Al to call the Rock Ridge Sheriff Department.”

  “What’s wrong, Lottie? You sound…stressed.”

  Charlotte sighed. “I touched the graves. I’ve never touched the graves before, and now I don’t know what to do because I don’t want to hunt for a killer again. But how do I prove what I saw to the FBI? Zach’s case certainly screwed me up.”

  “What are you talking about? You found his killer, and now you’ve found three missing girls.”

  “I meant that now I’m looking at these bodies as if they’d been breathing, living people.”

  “They were, Lottie, and someone stole their lives. They need you. But I’ll support you whatever you decide to do. I’m just glad you’re not yelling at me.”

  “Oh, I’m yelling on the inside.”

  “And the outside?”

  “I’m sitting here watching my boyfriend shower. Nakedness has a way of taming wild beasts.”

  “What a…vivid description.”

  “Hey, stop fantasizing over my man.”

  “You’re the one who brought up nakedness. Besides, I don’t even know what Jonas looks like!”

  “Tall, dark, and handsome. And I’m sure once upon a time you looked at old Al like I’m looking at Jonas.”

  “Alastair better not find out you called him old.”

  “You’ve been married ten years. I know how time and familiarity can destroy the excitement in the marriage bed.”

  “Excuse me? Not hardly! We have a very healthy sexual relationship.”

  “Ew. Ew. Just…ew. I’m hanging up now.”

  * * * *

  “So what happened to the green fairy this morning?” Charlotte asked as she shoveled another helping of pancake into her mouth.

  “Will you stop calling her names?” Jonas demanded.

  “Wow, this is so good,” she replied, though the words came out sounding more like Wow, fis es oo gud. She swallowed and took a sip of coffee. “Listen, she chose to wear green from head to toe.”

  “You don’t have to call her an Absinth-induced hallucination.”

  “She does look a little like Kylie Minogue from Moulin Rouge, doesn’t she?”

  He sat down his silverware and bridged his fingers together so he could rest his chin on them to study her. “Why don’t you like her? I think she’s very nice.”

  Charlotte sighed. “I do like her.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “She…creeps me out.”

  “I find it ironic that a woman who communicates with dead people gets spooked about a psychic.”

  “No, it’s not that.” She sat her silverware back down beside her plate. Her appetite had fled. “She just…knows me. She goes to conventions where people talk about me. Don’t you find that weird?”

  “There are many adjectives to describe you and your life. Weird is at the top.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him.

  “Oh, that’s mature,” he said with an amused snort.

  She opened her mouth to retort, but all of a sudden she got hit with a pull so hard it almost made her fall out of her chair. Ice gripped her chest, constricting her breathing while her stomach clenched almost painfully.

  “Hey!” came Melody’s high-pitched squeal. Both turned to watch her maneuver through the restaurant booths toward them.

  “You’ve got something on you,” Charlotte said sharply. “Something with a very sharp pull.”

  Jonas shot her a quick glance before turning raised brows to Melody.

  “I do, but put that thought on hold. Y’all can put your kerosene cat in hell with gasoline drawers on, ’cause I’ve done solved this case,” Melody said with great flourish.

  “What…what did that mean?” Charlotte asked, looking from her to Jonas for translation. He only shrugged helplessly.

  Melody held up a photograph. “See anything familiar?”

  Charlotte took it. “Oh my god, that’s the dragon tattoo. That’s…Danny McCoin is the bartender?”

  Jonas plucked it from her fingers to study it. “Which means he knows about the club.”

  “Who’s the other dude?” Charlotte asked.

  “Danny said it was his ex-roommate,” Melody answered. “And I’m wondering if he has an eagle tattoo.”

  “This is a great lead,” Jonas told them. “But it’s completely worthless. Only Charlotte saw him at a club that, once again, only she saw.”

  She held up the necklace. “Well, I’ve got the perfect place to start finding the proof.”

  Charlotte recoiled. “Where did you get that?”

  “Same place I got the photo,” Melody answered as she set the necklace gently upon the tabletop. She nudged it toward Charlotte. “It belonged to Candace. So go on, channel it.”

  The necklace beckoned her, and her palms actually itched. The spirit wanted very bad to be unlocked. And though her attention became snagged and captured, a part of her remembered that they sat in a public place.

  “I need to go someplace private to channel,” she said, though her voice came out a little hoarse. “Put it away, please.”

  Melody quickly grabbed the necklace and put it in her purse.

  “Are you all right?” Jonas asked her.

  Charlotte nodded and took a deep breath. She still felt the pull, but she was getting used to the intensity.

  “Maybe with the necklace we can find the club,” Melody suggested. “I could go undercover.”

  “Absolutely not,” Jonas stated firmly.

  Charlotte snorted. “Yeah, you blend.”

  “Okay, then, you go in.”

  “Asian. I don’t blend, either.” She looked at Jonas. “But why would Danny help us if he was involved?”

  Jonas gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Guilt. Or maybe he doesn’t know anything about the other club.”

  “I grew up in a small town, and it’s impossible to keep a secret,” Melody stated. “Even if he didn’t know outright, he had to know something. People talk.”

  Just then Nash walked into the restaurant like a raging bull tearing down the streets of Pamplona. His hair looked like it had been styled with hours of finger combing, his chin had a night’s growth of blond stubble, and a distinct odor of whiskey wafted from his clothing. He held a folder in his left hand.

  “I’ve practically solved this case,” he said quickly as he sat down next to Jonas.

  “Well, that makes two of you,” Jonas told him.

  “What?” Nash shook his head. “I went to a bar last night—”

  “Yeah, we kind of figured that one out,” Charlotte said, wrinkling her nose.

  Nash waved her comment away. “Guess who sat down beside me?”

  “Miss Muffet?” she asked as innocently as she could.

  “No,” he answered, the single syllable brimming with barely contained violence. “The dragon tattoo bartender, who happens to b
e—”

  Melody held up the photo.

  “Son of a bitch,” Nash said as he grabbed the picture.

  “We were just talking about one of us going undercover to try to find the sex club,” Melody informed him. “I have Candace’s necklace so Charlotte can channel it.”

  “Bravo on that, but necklace aside, we’ve got an invitation tonight,” Nash said, stunning them all. “À la carte to the Here After club.”

  There was silence. Dead silence. For a full ten seconds, nothing but silence, though Charlotte swore she could hear her thoughts rattling around inside her head as she tried to think of something, anything, to say. Her mouth fell open and then flapped shut and then fell open again.

  “What?” Jonas managed to ask the question they were all thinking.

  “I made it sound as if we were looking for a little excitement.”

  “When you say we, exactly who were you referring to?” Charlotte asked. “Because in case you forgot, Jonas is out of commission.”

  “You and me,” he replied, staring directly at her, unblinking.

  “You’ve got to be joking,” Charlotte told him.

  “Do I look like I’m joking? Danny McCoin sat beside me last night and took off his jacket, and I found a way into that club.”

  “And exactly how did you manage that?” Jonas asked softly.

  “He thinks you and I share Charlotte.”

  “What?” she gasped.

  Jonas nodded. “Go on.”

  “What do you mean go on?” she demanded.

  Both men ignored her. “I implied that since you were shot, she’s going home with you, cutting into my time.”

  “And he believed this preposterous story?” Charlotte asked, crossing her arms in a gesture of icy fury.

  “Doesn’t seem so preposterous,” Melody murmured.

  “Then you go with him!”

  “Listen,” Nash said. “This is a great opportunity for us to poke around.”

  “As long as that’s all you plan to poke,” Charlotte replied darkly, glaring at him.