“My wife is ... gifted,” Nick offered. Personally, he found Boone’s reaction funny. Given the circumstances, though, he knew better than laughing. Maddie was obviously keyed up and he didn’t want to diminish her feelings ... whatever they may be. Honestly, he was still trying to figure that out. “She’s the reason we’re here.”
“Well, no offense intended.” Boone offered up a weak smile. “I understand you found the victim. Did you know her?”
Nick shook his head. “We never met her. Well, other than in the saloon earlier, and even then we didn’t technically meet her. We just saw her.”
“I knew of her,” Maddie volunteered, finding her voice. “She’s famous in certain circles.”
“And what circles are those?” Boone queried.
“She’s ... well-known,” Maddie replied, holding her hands palms out. “I don’t know how to explain it. She’s written quite a few books.”
“And you’ve read these books?” Boone wasn’t trying to be difficult, but he found he had trouble gauging the nervous woman’s intentions. She didn’t look the sort to murder anyone — she was soft and her husband obviously doted on her — but he’d been burned by a pretty package more than once. Sometimes those who looked sweet and innocent were the most vicious.
Maddie nodded. “My mother ran a magic store out of our house when I was a kid,” she explained. “She was psychic, too. She had Velma’s books on the shelves and she encouraged me to read whatever I wanted. One winter I picked up a book. Before I knew it, I’d been through her entire library. Er, well, up until that point.”
Boone nodded in understanding. “Is that what made you want to be a psychic?”
The question had Maddie frowning. “You don’t really choose to be psychic. You either are or aren’t.”
Boone had to admit, it was a good answer. It was actually what he wanted to hear from her. “Fair enough. I need you to give me a rundown of what happened from your perspective.”
Nick did just that. He was calm, precise, and delivered the information in a manner that had Boone’s eyebrows hopping.
“You’re a police officer,” Boone noted when Nick was finished.
“In Michigan,” Nick confirmed.
“Well, that helps matters. At least this way I don’t have to explain things to you.”
“Definitely not,” Nick agreed. “I’m guessing you don’t have cameras in that building, huh?” He shifted his eyes to Cooper. “Too bad. You would already have your culprit if you did.”
“We don’t have cameras anywhere but by the lift,” Cooper replied. “That’s where we have the most trouble.” What he didn’t add was that cameras would actually work against the Casper Creek crew because of the paranormal activity on the property. That was better left unexplored ... at least for now. “We’re going to have to solve this one the old-fashioned way.”
“Well, good luck.” Nick moved his hand to Maddie’s shoulder. “I don’t envy you having to deal with this. If it’s okay, though, I want to take Maddie back to the saloon. I think we could both use a drink.”
“Knock yourself out,” Boone encouraged. “We’re going to be dealing with this for a bit. I’m sure we’ll touch base later, though.”
“Absolutely.”
HANNAH WAS CLOSE TO MELTING DOWN. She stood, apart from everybody — by choice — and watched the activity at the brothel with a heavy sense of dread. This couldn’t be happening. Not now.
“It’s going to be okay.” Tyler slid up behind her, causing her to jolt. He rested his hand on her shoulder and offered up an apologetic smile. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I thought you heard me.”
“You didn’t frighten me,” Hannah reassured him quickly, gracing him with the briefest of smiles. “I was just ... thinking.”
“You were thinking that you’re worried this will be the final nail in Casper Creek’s coffin,” he surmised. “I get it. Things have been rough lately, what with the sins taking human form and attacking us and all.”
Hannah’s mind flitted to Becky and she involuntarily shuddered and pressed her eyes shut. “I just don’t think that being known as the place where tourists die is going to be good for us,” she admitted. “I’ve only been in charge for a few months. Casper Creek has been here for decades. I don’t want to be the reason that Abigail’s dream dies.”
Tyler took pity on her. “Hannah, the town is going to be fine. I promise. Death — at least in this particular case — isn’t going to keep people away. It’s only going to enhance the mystique. You’ll see. I bet it will actually increase business.”
Hannah’s heart heaved at the prospect. “That actually makes me feel worse.”
Tyler chuckled as he slung an arm around her shoulders. “Typical woman,” he teased. “You want it both ways, don’t you?”
“I just don’t want to screw things up.”
The kiss Tyler pressed to the side of her head was friendly. “It’s going to be okay. Trust me. You haven’t screwed anything up.”
Hannah hoped that was true. Before she could respond, though, footsteps on the wooden walkway caught her attention. When she shifted, she found Cooper approaching.
“I see you’re moving on my woman,” the security guru said dryly, shaking his head and making a tsking sound with his tongue. “I can’t turn my back for a second.”
“We’re running away together,” Tyler supplied. “We didn’t want you to find out about us this way but ... you simply cannot ignore chemistry.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Cooper slid his arm around Hannah’s waist and tugged her to him. He recognized she was frazzled. The only thing he had to offer her, at least right now, was a hug. Honestly, he needed to hold her as much as she probably needed to be held. “How are you?” he whispered, smiling as Tyler nodded and moved away. The animal wrangler recognized the couple’s need for privacy and didn’t put up a fight.
“I’m ... confused,” Hannah admitted, tilting her head to the side. “How could this happen without anyone realizing it? I mean ... how?”
“I don’t know, baby.”
