Grave Wars: A Jane Ladling Mystery by Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe

Author:Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe [Showalter, Gena & Monroe, Jill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Author Talk Media LLC
Published: 2023-09-24T18:30:00+00:00

Thanks to Madeline living out loud, Jane easily tracked the “afterlife makeover specialist” to her current location. Her place of employment, Aurelian Hills Cemetery. A shudder ran down Jane’s spine.

“The victim’s daughter works at a cemetery?” Tiffany demanded as Jane parked in the large lot. Numerous cars filled the area. Today must be a funeral day.

“She does.” A terrible one, yes, but finally there was someone who spoke Jane’s language.

“I’m tired of dead people,” the widow groaned.

“Did you ever think they might be tired of you, too?”

Tiffany humphed. Together, they headed to the main building.

Suddenly Jane remembered all the reasons she disliked the place. Some might call it modest and unobtrusive. She called it a shoebox covered in bricks. Where was the personality? The character? But the worst part had to be the golf cars. Employees drove them across the grounds. On purpose.

Disgusted, Jane entered the reception center. But…hmm. She paused just past the doorway. Was she being watched? Did Beau still track her? Her gaze darted left, right, up, down and behind, but no one seemed to pay her any mind. Least of all Tiffany, who gaped at an empty, open coffin on display.

Focus. With its neutral walls and muted drapery and fixtures, the interior was just as mundane as the exterior. Functional. Subdued. Without a nod to history or understanding of the solemn nature or duty of a caretaker. Except…

Dancing music wafted from somewhere in the back, blending with sporadic cheers and clapping.

Following the sounds, they found Madeline passing out candy hearts near the front counter. The twenty-five year old wore a skintight black gown paired with ebony gloves and tights that looked like cobwebs. Straight, dark hair framed a pale face.

“Welcome to our annual Romancing the Gravestone Valentine’s party,” Madeline said with a monotone voice, offering each of them a chocolate.

Oh. Right. Valentine’s Day kicked off in only three days. Jane had successfully forgotten it again. What was she going to give Conrad? What, what? Seriously. What did you get the man who gave you everything and made you weak in the knees?

“What kind of title is Romancing the Gravestone?” Jane asked with a grimace.

“This is a joke, right?” Tiffany demanded. “You’re kidding?”

As someone came from the other direction and opened a door in the back, Jane twisted and turned, attempting to catch a glimpse of the party. Was that–she recoiled in distaste. Strobe lights flashed. Wait staff served finger foods from inside the coffins and guests played what looked to be pinning the toe-tag on the “corpse.”

“The owner heard about parties at another cemetery.” Madeline hiked her shoulders. “He’s trying something new.”

Chest puffing with pride–he’d heard about Jane’s parties!–she accepted the candy, but only to be polite. The moment she left, the little heart would go straight in the trash where it belonged, along with the rest of Aurelian Hills Cemetery’s gimmicks. Such as buy one plot, get the second half off. Or the Don’t Move In Too Soon stress ball they once handed out at local businesses.

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