Dead End (Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thrillers Book 8) Read online

  Dead End

  Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thrillers #8

  Catie Rhodes

  Series List

  Forever Road (Book #1)

  Black Opal (Book #2)

  Rocks & Gravel (Book #3)

  Rest Stop (Book #4)

  Forbidden Highway (Book #5)

  Rear View: Prequel (Book #6)

  Crossroads (Book #7)

  Dead End (Book #8)

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  1

  Late afternoon sun streamed into the window of Gaslight City Title Company’s conference room. It heated my jeans-clad leg to the point where I slid off my leather jacket and laid it over the back of my chair. For the billionth time, I asked myself if I was doing the right thing.

  It didn’t matter how long I waited to sell Memaw’s property. It would never be easy to let it go. I’d considered keeping it, but knew I’d never live in Gaslight City again. My ugly past lurked around every corner. These city people had offered above market value for ten acres with a burned-out house and barn. I had to take it and move on.

  The upside was I could see Hannah while I was in town. That would make all the unpleasantness worthwhile. We had spoken only a few words since the night I killed a man to rescue her. Things would never be as they were. But I couldn’t just let her slip away, our friendship ending altogether. Maybe soon she’d answer one of the half-dozen messages I’d left her over the last week.

  While the woman read from the infinite stack of closing papers, I stared out the window at the Easter decorations, eggs and bunnies in pastel colors, fluttering on the antique gaslights lining the street. A tall woman—sun glowing on her long, red hair—hurried down the street. She stopped to peer into the plate glass window of Purtlebaugh’s General Store, where they still sold cups of coffee for five cents with purchase of a souvenir ceramic mug.

  I sat up straighter, really alert for the first time since I sat down. Hannah? Perhaps she hadn’t returned my call because she was coming to meet me here at the title company. My heart beat faster.

  A little red-headed boy raced down the sidewalk and hugged the woman’s legs. She bent to kiss his head, and I caught a direct look at her face. Not Hannah. I slumped in my seat and checked my phone to see if she’d returned my call since I set it to silent.

  “Leave that alone.” Rainey Bruce shoved a stack of papers at me to sign.

  I shoved the phone in my pocket and signed the first paper. A sob crept up my throat. Relinquishing ownership of the land where Memaw raised me stabbed me right in the heart. I swiped at my face.

  “You planning on staying in Houston?” asked the male half of the yuppie city couple buying the property. I finished signing and raised my head. The couple wore the kind of clothes they probably thought country people wore—pearl snap shirts, tight blue jeans, brand-new cowboy boots. I pushed the stack back at Rainey.

  “Still undecided.” No need to bother telling him I no longer lived there. “What are you planning for Memaw’s land?”

  The woman showed me a mouthful of perfect teeth and pushed her phone across the table. “We’re having this house built.”

  I glanced at the phone. A brick McMansion that looked like it belonged in Griff’s subdivision back in The Woodlands. Deep sadness worked its way through me. Rainey passed me another stack of papers and gave me a warning glare. She needn’t have worried. I was too numb to say much. I started signing again.

  “We’re going to get some cows and horses, maybe some chickens,” the husband said. “Be modern-day farmers.”

  “Good luck with that.” I had no reason to be angry at these nice people, but I was. Letting go of the last piece of my life here in Gaslight City stung like a bitch. I signed the last paper and pushed them back at Rainey.

  She glanced through the forms. “If this is all Peri Jean needs to sign, we’ll be on our way.”

  The title company lady, whose name I couldn’t remember even though we went to school together, scowled but nodded.

  I nodded at the yuppie couple and shook both their hands. Smooth as babies’ butts. They sure had a rude awakening on the not-too-distant horizon.

  Rainey and I walked out to her convertible Mercedes. She popped the trunk and took a sheaf of papers out of the leather messenger bag she used as a briefcase.

  “The last of the jewelry and gems from the Mace Treasure sold to an antiques collector in Austin.” She passed me a sealed envelope with my name on it. “This is the final sum transferred into your bank account. As agreed, I cut checks for Hannah, Wade Hill, and me, set up the scholarship fund we talked about, and paid myself back what I loaned you to buy your Toyota sedan. Where is it, by the way?” She stared up and down the street.

  “I made the drive in this.” I patted the huge, white truck next to me. The car was in storage, and I was considering its sale. “It pulls the travel trailer better than my Toyota would.”

  Rainy made a face at the truck. “I can’t believe you’re traveling around with a bunch of grifters and living in a camper.” She said the word with her lips puckered.

  I ignored the barb. Rainey couldn’t possibly understand how wonderful it was to be around people who shared both my gifts and my blood for the first time in my life. “Did you name the scholarship what I told you?”

  She rolled her eyes. “The Chase Fischer Budding Musician scholarship.”

  I smiled, hoping some kid like Chase would be encouraged to go to college instead of hang around this town and waste away.

  Rainey set out another sheaf of papers. “This is the paperwork for the trust you had me set up for your uncle Jesse. It’ll be taken out of the property sale. Very good of you. It’s what your memaw would have wanted.”

  “This needs to cover his legal counsel and drop the maximum in his commissary account each month.” I glanced through the papers. The words didn’t make sense. I was too rattled from letting go of my last tangible link to Memaw.

  “You think I’m incompetent? I always get your uncle everything he needs.” Rainey tapped the paper with one long, dragon lady nail to show me where to sign.

  I scribbled my name. “This feels like a kiss-off. I wish we could get him out.”

  Rainey shook her head and stared down the street. It didn’t hide the flush in her cheeks. She always got that flush when we talked about my uncle Jesse. I didn’t dare ask what it was about. She might snatch me bald. I handed back her papers, and she stowed them in her trunk. When she turned back around, she had her lips pressed together and held a white envelope pinched between her thumb and forefinger.

  “As you requested, I sent King Tolliver a check. He returned it un-cashed with this.”

  I opened the envelope. King had scribbled “void” on the check, which had been for a sizable amount. Especially since he didn’t do a damn thing to help find the Mace Treasure.

  The money had been a show of respect, one Wade strongly encouraged to keep King as a friend. Behind the check was a folded slip of paper. I withdrew it and read the typed words. My scalp tingled as sweat broke out.

  The bill read “services rendered.” The amount listed was easily five times the check I’d had Rainey send King.

  “You want my professional advice?” The disdain on Rainey’s face gave a good idea what she’d say.

  “I don’t guess it matters because I don’t have this kind of money. Not after all the other stuff I did.” I folded the invoice and put it back in the envelope, offering it to Rainey.

  She waved it off. “King has no right to expect anything, especially not th
e amount of that invoice, from you.” The cords in her neck tightened, and fury crossed her face. “No right at all.” She shut the trunk of her car too hard. “Where are you and the rest of your con artist family camped?” She crossed her arms over her chest and squinted her eyes at me.

  “Outside Shreveport.” My family had flat out refused to cross into Burns County. Our mutual ancestor had been lynched in Gaslight City by a bunch of witch haters. Her descendants feared Burns County the way some folks fear boogeymen in closets. My great-uncle Cecil, who’d taken me in like a prodigal daughter, had expended considerable hot air trying to convince me to conduct the sale of Memaw’s property online. But I’d come anyway in hopes of talking with Hannah, to see if I could salvage some part of our friendship.

  “Get on out of the county before dark.” Rainey settled her direct gaze on me. Something in her eyes chilled me, made me sort of want to leave.

  I checked my phone and shoved it back into my pocket. “I want to see Hannah, but I can’t get her to answer her phone.”

  Rainey sucked in a deep breath and stiffened. She’d done that every time I mentioned Hannah. I didn’t understand the problem. If Hannah wanted no more to do with me, why didn’t Rainey just tell me? She’d never cared about hurting my feelings before.

  The blat of a motorcycle echoed off the buildings. Before I turned away from Rainey, I saw her shoulders relax. What had her in such a twist? The old Rainey would have encouraged me to go out to Long Time Gone and eat King Tolliver a new asshole for sending that stupid invoice. She wouldn’t have said get out of town before dark.

  The motorcycle cruised toward us, sunlight winking off the iron horse’s chrome. The driver’s massive body came into view. Wade. My face stretched into a big, goofy smile, and I forgot about Rainey, stepped off the curb, and began waving.

  Wade Hill pulled to the curb. I threw myself at him and hugged him as though it had been more than a couple of months since we last saw each other. He hugged me back, laughing into my hair.

  I broke the hug and planted a kiss on his cheek. The part of his cheeks not covered by his gray-shot black beard reddened. “I thought you were tied up today with Six Gun Revolutionary business.”

  “I pulled a diva fit. Told King I was damn sure going to see you before you got out of town.” Wade took off his sunglasses and tucked them into the neck of his leather jacket. The skin around his left eye was puffed out and beginning to bruise.

  “King do that to you for coming to see me?” I didn’t need Wade’s confirmation. Not after seeing King’s bill for services rendered. I had his services rendered. Sure did. I’d shove them right up his hairy old ass.

  “Doesn’t matter. We’re together now.” Wade glanced at Rainey, something moving behind his dark gaze. I followed it and saw something almost like fear cross Rainey’s exotic features. She covered it quickly.

  “I’ve got to prepare for court.” She walked to her car and started climbing inside but stopped and turned back to speak to me. “If you need anything else, come by the office.” She waved and drove off.

  Wade frowned. He caught me watching and plastered a smile on his face. It didn’t reach his eyes. “New fried chicken place on your way out of town. Let’s go get some food. I’m about to starve.” Instead of giving me a chance to answer, Wade started his motorcycle. Shouting over the thing was impossible. I started my truck and did as he said.

  Wade lied. The place we went to eat wasn’t just a fried chicken place. They served a full country meal. I closed my eyes as I bit into my second piece of fried chicken. It actually had flavor.

  “You act like you haven’t eaten in a month.” Wade scooped up a forkful of the creamiest mashed potatoes I’d had since Memaw died.

  “You don’t understand. You have to find a little hole in the wall town to get a meal like this. Restaurants in big cities have to cater to a diverse crowd. The majority of the food has about as much taste as—” I stopped speaking as a bony hand closed over my shoulder.

  “Hey, girl.” The nasally drawl came from behind me, but I didn’t have to see Tubby Tubman to know his voice or the feel of his skinny hand. “I didn’t know you’s coming to town.” Tubby sat in the extra chair without being invited and grinned like a little boy up to no good.

  “Why would I tell you I’m coming to town?” I finished my chicken and started on my collard greens.

  Tubby shrugged and reached one skinny, tattooed arm across the table. He snagged a cornbread muffin and set about putting honey on it. Wade glowered at him but said nothing.

  “Might be I thought we’d renewed our friendship after I helped you find the Mace Treasure.” He ate the cornbread and licked honey off his fingers.

  I thought about it and nodded. “Okay. I’ll buy that.”

  Tubby grinned again and slid his cold blue eyes over me. “Might be you still owe me a favor.”

  I rolled my eyes and ate another forkful of collards. “Why can’t we just say we saved each other’s asses and leave it there? I mean, if you really want to be friends again.”

  Tubby considered it and reached for another cornbread muffin.

  Wade grabbed his arm and shoved it away. “What do you really want, Tubman?”

  “Talk to Peri Jean.” Tubby withdrew his arm. “Heard she might be in need of a friend right now.”

  “What’s that mean?” Wade wiped his mouth, wadded the napkin, and threw it at the table.

  “Heard Peri Jean’s trying to get in touch with pretty Hannah Kessler.” Tubby grabbed my iced tea and took a sip before I could stop him. Good thing I was finished with it.

  “Who told you that?” Wade’s voice sharpened in warning. He shifted in his chair, one hand gripping the edge of the table. I stopped shoving down my collard greens to watch Wade. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I saw actual fear in his dark eyes. Tubby might annoy Wade, but scaring him was another matter.

  “See, I heard Peri Jean called up to the museum this morning and asked for pretty Hannah.” Tubby grabbed the last piece of chicken off Wade’s plate. Wade slapped at him, but Tubby hurried the food to his mouth and bit into it. “My cousin’s daughter’s the one answering phones there now,” he said around a half-chewed mouthful of chicken.

  The girl who answered the museum’s landline told me Hannah didn’t come into the museum during business hours any more. She suggested I call Hannah’s phone if I had the number. I didn’t tell her I’d been trying Hannah’s phone for months.

  “Okay, Tub.” I tried to act casual, wiping my mouth with the cloth napkin and rearranging my silverware next to my empty plate without making eye contact. I liked to think I had experience with the right way to handle Tubby.

  He and I had met the day my parents rented a cheap mobile home two houses down from his family when I was three years old. We went through school together and had a quick romance in our early twenties. After that, he stayed out of my life unless he was in trouble or wanted to cause trouble. Sad experience taught me not to fight him. “How do I get in touch with Hannah?”

  “That’ll cost you.” His bow-shaped lips curved into that crafty grin he’d been giving since we were both barely out of diapers.

  “Nope. We’re friends.” I patted his leg under the table.

  He flushed to the roots of his hair and put his hand over mine. “Okay. Friends. You’ll find Ms. Hannah Kessler out at Long Time Gone, hanging out with your good buddies, the Six Gun Revolutionaries.”

  Shock blossomed in my stomach and sent shock waves rolling throughout my body. I turned to Wade. Red crept out of his collar, up his face, and spread to his hairline. A mist of sweat glowed on his forehead.

  “Heard she been dating King Tolliver.” Tubby’s voice had a gleeful ring. My food congealed into a lump of grease in my stomach. Stinging bile crawled up my throat. I put my hand over my mouth. Tubby glanced at me. Some of the light went out of his blue eyes. “That’s why Mr. Motorcycle Man is in such a hurry to get you out of town. Ask him.”

  I di
dn’t need to ask. Tubby was right. Both Wade and Rainey had been pushing me out of town as fast as they could. Now I knew why. Somehow I’d managed to get on King’s shit list. Details clicked into place, suddenly full of meaning.

  The exorbitant invoice King sent through Rainey. The deepening bruises on Wade’s face. Both qualified as irritants, but they weren’t anything I’d retaliate over. The invoice could go unpaid. Wade’s bruised up face pissed me off, but Wade chose the Six Guns and all that came with them.

  But King’s taking advantage of Hannah after she’d been through hell qualified as a slap in the face. It made me see red. Time to hit back. I turned to Wade and raised my eyebrows. “Got anything to tell me?”

  Wade ground his teeth together. “Swear to God, Tubman, you better hope you never meet me on a dark night. I will flatten you to nothing. Now get your bony ass out of my sight.”

  Tubby slid one arm over my shoulders and pulled me to him. I was too shocked to resist. He leaned close and brushed a kiss across my lips. A flutter went through me, shocking and horrifying me. I’d thought myself long past succumbing to Tubby Tubman’s unique charm. “Later, friend.” He stood from the table and left.

  Wade got up and stomped to the cash register, digging in his pocket. He paid for the food, shoving open the exit door so hard it banged the building. Tires squealed as someone, probably Tubby, burned rubber getting out of there. I pushed my chair back and hurried after Wade. He stood next to his motorcycle with his head hanging. I grabbed his arm and made him face me.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I stared into the dark eyes I loved and trusted.

  “I’m protecting you.” He glared down at me. Streaks of red still darkened his cheekbones.

  I wanted to throw my arms up in frustration and struggled to keep my voice below a shout. “Hannah needs someone to protect her right now. It’s one thing for you not to want to help her yourself, but why not tell me what was going on?”