Homicide and Hot Tubs by Annabel Chase

Author:Annabel Chase [Chase, Annabel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
Published: 2020-03-10T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Lauren-Ann was easy to track down. It helped that she was the only supernatural with that name in Divine Place. What helped even more was the mention of Hat Trick. Everyone in the village seemed to know the band, as well as the fact that the guitarist worked part-time at Noteworthy, a music shop in Zone 2.

I took the ferry across The Great Divide and was pleased to see that Charon had a handful of passengers today. It had to get lonely on an empty ferry hour after hour. It seemed to me that his afterlife experience had a more punitive flavor to it.

“I’d offer you a job as my First Mate, but that position’s been filled today,” he said when I boarded. I glanced to the top deck to see a young satyr at the helm. “I think you spend as much time going back and forth as I do.”

“And you don’t even see the times I drive my golf cart around the perimeter,” I said. “I’m thinking about investing in a Jet Ski.”

He laughed. “You won’t find one of those in Divine Place. Too noisy and disruptive.”

“Let me guess—an HOA policy?”

The ferryman pointed a finger at me. “You’re catching on.”

“That’s too bad.” The enormous lake would’ve made an ideal place to while away the endless hours in supernatural purgatory.

“Not from my point of view. The last thing I need is to maneuver around gods with entitlement issues on their Jet Skis. The merfolk are tricky enough. I have to watch for heads and tails.”

“Merfolk?”

“Mermen and mermaids.”

I scanned the horizon. “I guess it’s like keeping an eye out for sexy whales.”

His brow creased. “Um, sure. How’s the investigation coming along? Akwan was such an interesting villager. I always enjoyed our conversations.”

“I’m going to talk to a suspect now, in fact. No rest for the semi-wicked.” I offered a bright smile. “What was Akwan like?” It occurred to me that Charon would be a good supernatural to offer his insight on the victim. As the ferryman, he tended to be an observer rather than a participant.

Charon stroked his beard. “Friendly but guarded, as many villagers are. He liked to hum under his breath, which I found endearing, although I’m sure many others found it annoying. It’s wonderful that he was able to find a love of music in the afterlife. Not everyone develops new interests here. They want to cling to what was instead of what is.”

“Basket weaving isn’t for everyone, Charon.” I’d been too consumed with marshal duties to enjoy much of anything yet. “What do you mean that he was guarded?”

Charon’s brown eyes were like two pools of chocolate and I became momentarily distracted by a desire for pudding. “We all have moments in our past that we’re not proud of or don’t wish to acknowledge,” he said.

“Really? You’d think everyone would just own it now. They’re all in the same boat.” I looked around the ferry. “Ha! No pun intended.”

Charon wore a vague smile. “I suppose it might be different for you, given that you don’t belong here.

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