Dead Ringer: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Mountain Shadow Mysteries Book 3) by Tarah Benner

Author:Tarah Benner [Benner, Tarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Sky Studio, LLC
Published: 2023-12-03T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

In an instant, the spell was broken. The tingling along my skin abated, and that crackling energy disappeared.

I looked around the circle at Daphne, Bellamy, and Jinx and knew I’d just experienced something that should have been impossible.

We’d summoned the spirit of Jake Havernash — the dead man hanging in my elevator. I didn’t know how, and I didn’t want to repeat it, but I knew that I’d never be the same.

As the thick plumes of smoke dissipated, Aunt Lucille reappeared. A huge sense of relief enveloped me that she hadn’t been sucked through the portal into the spirit realm. Deep down, I knew that was where Aunt Lucille belonged, but I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

“That was . . .” I began, shaking my head. “Intense.”

Bellamy snorted.

“Séances always are,” said Daphne. “But you made it through your first one without getting sick or freaking out, so I think that means you’re one of us.”

One of us.

Did that mean Daphne thought I was really a witch? I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. And yet, sitting in that circle with Daphne and the others made me wish for a deep level of camaraderie with people who were just like me.

I needed to learn more about my supposed powers, and to do that, I needed a coven.

By the time we came back downstairs, guests were beginning to trickle out of the ballroom. Many of them were heading toward the front door, talking and shaking hands with people they’d met.

A little jolt of panic shot through me. I had to keep them from leaving.

“Caroline?” Will’s familiar voice rang out over the hubbub, and my stomach clenched with guilt. I’d invited Will with the intention of spending some time together, and I’d been forced to ignore him all evening.

Trying to smile, I descended the stairs and made my way toward my favorite policeman. Will’s blue eyes searched my face, and his mouth puckered in a frown.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I lied. After speaking with the ghost of Jake Havernash, it was getting harder to pretend that a man hadn’t been murdered in my hotel.

“Caroline . . .” Will fixed me with a serious look. Then, glancing around, he took my arm gently in his and drew me to the side of the room.

My breath hitched as he turned to look at me — so close I could count each golden lash that fanned his sky-blue eyes. “Something is wrong. I can tell. This is supposed to be your big night, and you’ve been gone for half of it. I haven’t seen your business partner anywhere. Tell me what’s going on.”

I dragged in a breath and let it out slowly. I couldn’t lie to Will. Speaking to Jake had reminded me that an innocent man had had his life cut short. It was selfish and stupid to keep Will in the dark. No matter how much I cared about reviving my hotel, I couldn’t stand in the way of Jake’s murder investigation any longer.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.