by Carolina Mac
The kid tossed the rifle to the ground and jumped down after it. He turned and tried to run and Farrell dove. He tackled the kid and knocked him onto his knees. Farrell pushed him face-first into the dirt, kneeled on the kid’s back and cuffed him.
Blaine had run to the truck and extricate it from the parking nightmare. It took him a few minutes before he pulled up alongside the curb where Farrell was standing with the kid.
Horns honked as media people swarmed into the street trying to get shots of Farrell taking the kid into custody.
“You’re a dead man, Blackmore,” hollered the kid as Farrell fastened him to the ring in the back of Blacky’s truck. “We’ll kill your ass if it takes a thousand fuckin years.”
“Shut up,” said Farrell. “You’ll be dead before you’re old enough to buy a pitcher of beer.”
The Blackmore Agency. Austin.
BLAINE and Farrell returned from headquarters where they booked the would-be sniper and saw him safely locked in a holding cell with a lot of his buddies.
They were having a beer in the kitchen waiting for the rest of the crew to return and check out for the day. “What a shit day,” said Farrell. “I need to go out and get wasted.”
Blaine grinned. “Sounds good to me. Let’s round up Jesse and go to Boots.”
“Hey, who’s talking about me?” The dogs barked and swarmed Jesse in the foyer.
“We’re making a plan,” said Farrell. “A hard drinking plan. You in?”
“Damn right I am.”
“How were Peyton’s parents?” asked Blaine. “How would they be?”
“Better than some,” said Jesse. “They’ll let us know when the arrangements have been made.”
“For sure, we’ll all go,” said Blaine.
The bell rang, and the dogs ran back to the foyer barking. “Who’s ringing the bell that knows the code for the gate?”
“I’ll check,” said Farrell.
He returned moments later with Hilder trudging along behind him, eyes glued to the floor. “Can I speak to you for a moment, Blaine?”
Blaine shrugged and walked into the foyer. “We can talk on the porch.” Blaine leaned up against the porch railing and waited for Hilder to state his case.
“I don’t want to lose this job.”
“Too late. You already lost it.”
“Isn’t there anything I can say to make you change your mind?”
“Nothing. You demonstrated poor judgement. If you were in doubt about what you should do, you could have called me. The only reason Cat would have called you was if there was something personal going on between the two of you. I know her well—maybe a little too well—and she likes attention. Any one of her staff could have driven her to the hospital but she called you, John.” Blaine pointed a finger. “Why? I’ll tell you why. That phone call tells me in the two weeks you’ve been part of my crew you’re already screwing around with Cat—the number one supporter of the Violent Crime team. That fact alone gets you fired.”
“I didn’t intend…” his voice trailed off and he turned to leave.
Blaine stomped into the house and slammed the door. He picked up his cell from the kitchen table and pressed the Governor’s private number.
She answered on the first ring. “Congratulations on the indictment, sweetie.”
Blaine ignored her and said what was on his mind. “If you ever screw around with another member of my team I’ll make sure I embarrass you right out of office.” He pressed end and went to the fridge for a Corona.
Boots and Saddles Roadhouse. Giddings.
WHEN Blaine and Farrell arrived, Jesse and Tyler already had a table and were working on their second pitcher of Lone Star. “Hey guys, are we late?”
“A little,” said Jesse, “but don’t matter. You can catch up.”
“Travis and Luke are meeting us here,” said Blaine. “I think Neil and Mom might be coming too.”
Jesse’s face lit up. “Oh, yeah? I’ve never been out drinking with Neil. That’ll be a first.”
Farrell chuckled. “Maybe he’s been practicing at school when Mom wasn’t looking.”
“Hey, those dorm parties can be pretty wild,” said Tyler. “I heard that, but I have no first-hand knowledge.”
It wasn’t long before Annie and Neil and Luke joined the party. “Travis is running late, but he’ll be along,” said Annie.
Luke gave Blaine a look. “You okay, boss? I heard those little bastards tried for you outside the courthouse.”
“I’m fine. Farrell tapped the shooter. The kid couldn’t hit a barn door anyway.”
A Toby Keith song came blaring out of the sound system and Travis stood up. “Want to dance, Annie?”
“Sure do. That’s what I came for.”
“Fill up my glass, bro,” said Neil. “I’m almost legal.”
“Didn’t Mom notice your fake ID?” asked Blaine.
“Nope.”
Jesse chuckled and ordered another two pitchers. “This is gonna be a fun night.”
The Blackmore Agency. Austin.
IT WAS THREE A.M. when Blaine hit his bed and he was out like a light.
It felt like he’d only been asleep for a couple of seconds when Lexi growled. He reached over the side of the bed to stroke her head and shut her up, but the big dog jumped to her feet and scratched on the door.
“I’m too tired to let you out, girl. Wait until morning.”
A noise directly over his head brought him to his senses and he sat up and tried to think. What would make a noise on the third floor? There’s nothing up there.
Matthias.
Blaine bolted out of bed and ran next door to Farrell’s room. “Matthias is in the attic.”
“Bullshit,” mumbled Farrell. “Leave me alone.”
“I’m going up. Come and help me.”
Blaine ran back to his room and grabbed his Beretta off the dresser. He had his hand on the door that led to the third floor stairway when Carm came out of her room in her nightie to see what was wrong.
“Go back in your room and lock the door.”
“Libro?”
“I think so.”
Blaine tore up the stairs in the dark with Farrell behind him. On the landing he turned right and ran right into a short, heavy-set man carrying a big book. Blaine punched the man in the face and knocked him to the floor.
Farrell passed Blaine, grabbed one of the man’s hands and snapped a cuff on.
Blaine leaned down, picked up the book of spells and held it close to him.
If Misty is protecting it with her life, it has to be important.
Farrell rolled the man over and cuffed his hands behind him. All the while, the man was mumbling some kind of incantation.
“He’s trying to spell us,” said Farrell. “Ain’t working, Mr. Rush. Come on, let’s get you downstairs so you can go to jail.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Friday, April 17th.
The Blackmore Agency. Austin.
DAWN broke over Austin as Blaine and Farrell returned from headquarters.
“Don’t know when I’ve ever been so fuckin tired,” said Farrell, “or so hung over.”
“We drank too much beer,” said Blaine, “to be doing a take-down in the middle of the fuckin night.”
“You got that right,” said Farrell. “I’m sleeping for a couple more hours.”
“Good idea. I want you to have a clear head when you question the witch man later.”
“Can’t wait.” Farrell gave his brother a hand signal.
AT EIGHT when the crew arrived to start work, Blaine filled them in on Matthias Rush trying to steal the book out of the attic.
“I’ve called over to Misty’s house and given Carlos and Rick the day off,” said Blaine, “and I’m doing the same for y’all. Rush is in jail. Farrell will question him later, and I’m flying to New Orleans to be with Misty over the weekend.”
Ranger Headquarters. Austin.
FARRELL DROPPED Blaine off to ca
tch his flight to New Orleans, then drove downtown to Ranger Headquarters to question Matthias Rush.
He set a Starbuck’s container on the Chief’s desk and asked, “Do you want to sit in on this one, Chief?”
“Wouldn’t mind, son. Haven’t interrogated too many men who claimed to be witches.”
Ranger Ruskin brought Matthias Rush up from holding and secured him to the table.
“Thank you, ma’am,” said Farrell. “Appreciate it.”
Rush yanked against the cuffs and squirmed in his chair. “I’m waiting for my attorney to arrive from New Orleans before I answer any questions and I don’t believe he’ll be along until tomorrow.”
“And you don’t want to chat with me until then?” asked Farrell.
“We can chat,” said Rush with a toothy smile, “but I won’t answer any of your questions.”
Louis Armstrong Airport. New Orleans.
BLAINE landed shortly after two, picked up his rental Mustang and drove straight to University Hospital. Mrs. LeJeune wasn’t there with her daughter when he arrived, so he was afforded immediate access to Misty’s bedside.
He sat in the only guest chair and picked up her hand. “Please be okay, Mist. I don’t think I can bear it if you don’t come back to me.”
EPILOGUE
Friday, May 1st.
Beltane.
University Hospital. New Orleans.
BLAINE had flown in the afternoon before, afraid he would miss Misty waking up. He’d thought about nothing else since Mrs. LeJeune told him it would happen this way.
He arrived at the hospital a half hour before visiting hours, drank coffee in the small café on the lower level and waited. He checked the Cartier on his wrist every twenty seconds and wondered if people were watching him.
When it was time to visit, he took the elevator to the third floor and stood at the nurses’ station. The nurses knew him by sight and smiled.
“You can go in, Mr. Blackmore.”
He nodded his thanks and walked as quietly as he could across the unit to where Misty lay in her bed. He sat down in the guest chair and waited.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed Mystere, book twelve in the Blackmore Agency Series. If you’d like to read a preview of Farrell’s case, Hole in the Heart, book thirteen in the series, I’ve included pages for you. If you’re a fan and know you want it, the link is here: Hole in the Heart.
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Author Notes from Carolina:
Mystere was a small change of pace. A little background on Misty LeJeune and where she came from. Hope you enjoyed the story. More to come on Misty and Blaine.
A special thank you to the fans who take the time to reach out and share their ideas, support, and opinions. You know who you are, Holly, Lynn, Dorothy, Shelley, Diane, Wendy, Shirley and Freda, Dawn, Alice, Billy and Melinda, Jim and Gayle, Ava, Terry and Celestia to name a few. If I missed you here, message me and it won’t happen again.
To access my author page on Amazon and see all my books published to date, click here.
Carolina Mac is the author of forty-seven books in four different series. The Regulators biker series, The Quantrall PI series, The Paradise Park series and The Blackmore Agency series. Carolina lives with her family in Ontario, Canada.
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Blog: http://cmac444.blogspot.com
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Regulator Series:
Lily
Bad Beat
Panama Annie
Coulter
Searching for Billy
End of an Era
Wingman
Triple Homicide
The Foundation
Hotline
Powell
Quantrall Series:
Quantrall
Ink Minx
Ray Jay
Blacky
The Coven
You Forgot to say Goodbye
Payback
Rags to Rage
The Corner Office
Race
Coma
No Defense
Full Circle
The Blackmore Agency Series:
Double Down
Splitting Aces
Dead Man’s Hand
Drawing Dead
Under the Gun
Rivered
The Turn
Final Table
Cat
Dog
Vigilance
Mystere
Hole in the Heart
Paradise Park Series:
Paradise Park
Return to Paradise
Paradise Sparks
Alone in Paradise
Together in Paradise
These are in series order.
CHAPTER ONE
Friday, May 1st.
University Hospital. New Orleans.
THE BED WAS EMPTY when he came back from grabbing a sandwich in the cafeteria.
His heart stopped beating and blood drained from his head so fast it made him dizzy.
Did she die while I wasn’t here?
Blaine gripped the end of the bed for a moment thinking he might pass out, then turned on his heel and ran to the nurses’ station, chains clanking on his Harley boots, his long black hair flying. “Where’s Misty?” he hollered without meaning to, and the nurse put her finger to her lips. Blaine lowered his voice, “Did something happen while I was downstairs?” Blaine’s hand went to his chest to feel if his heart had started.
“Calm down, Ranger Blackmore. Doctor Lee Chang ordered a brain function test and that’s where she is. Shouldn’t take more than another half hour.”
“Why does she need that? I thought all the tests had been done when she first arrived.”
“I’ll have to let the doctor answer that question for you. I’m sure he has a good reason for wanting an update.”
Blaine nodded and tried to ignore the pounding in his ears. The dizziness in his head combined with the hospital smell pervading the air was a sure fire recipe for hurling. He gagged out the words. “Sure. He probably knows what he’s doing.”
He’s supposed to be the best in his field and I’m paying him thousands. He goddam well better know.
Blaine sank into an uncomfortable chair in the waiting room with Misty’s mother, Claire LeJeune, a well-known physic beside him, and the wait seemed endless. Finally, Doctor Lee Chang appeared in the doorway and beckoned them. They followed like sheep down the corridor to his office, hardly more than an eight by ten cramped beige box. He pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk, and they sat. Blaine studied Lee Chang’s expression and figured the news wasn’t good.
A short Asian man with slicked back black hair, Doctor Lee Chang rarely smiled. Blunt and to the point he delivered the facts with no sugar coating. Blaine had found that out already, and although the doctor’s approach mirrored Blaine’s own, it didn’t make it any easier when he was talking about someone you loved.
The doctor tapped the end of his pen on the prescription pad in front of him. “When Miss LeJeune wakes up she will not be as you remembered her. Several areas of her brain have been affected by her head injury.”
“Could you tell what her attacker hit her with?” asked Blaine. Saying the words made him picture Matthias Rush hitting Misty with something huge and heavy and knocking her to the floor. He could barely stand it.
“Something heavy,” said Lee Chang. “A substantial blunt instrument.�
��
Fuck. I’ll kill that whacko.
“Will she know us?” asked Mrs. Le Jeune.
“Possibly,” said the doctor, “but in a lot of coma cases, temporary amnesia is present when the patient awakens.”
“What are you saying, doctor?” asked Blaine. “You usually spell it out more clearly than you’re doing now.”
“Because the brain is complicated and unpredictable there are no guarantees. From the tests run today, I feel some of her motor skills may be affected, but to what degree it’s hard to tell. Let’s wait and see when and if she wakes up.”
“What do you mean if?” asked Mrs. LeJeune. “My daughter will wake up today.”
“Good to be positive,” said the doctor.
What’s going to be wrong with her? He knows but he’s not telling us.
“My daughter has other …talents. Will they be affected by her head injury?”
“What talents are you referring to, Mrs. Le Jeune?”
“Umm… she has strong psychic abilities and other gifts... like psychokinesis.”
“Uh huh.” Doctor Lee Chang didn’t seem convinced.
Blaine rolled his eyes.
Misty can move things with her mind? I never saw her do that.
“I wanted you both to be prepared for any possibility. The rest is up to Miss LeJeune.”
“Thank you,” said Blaine. He shook the doctor’s hand and went back to sit with Misty. Mrs. LeJeune favored sitting in the waiting area with her knitting. She’d spent so much time there, her third afghan was nearing completion. Blaine had promised to call her the moment there was any change.
Wondering what exact time Misty would wake, he sat down and checked the diamond Cartier on his wrist that Annie had given him. Ten after three. When he looked back at Misty, her blue eyes were staring at him and he was so startled, he sucked in a little breath.