Gratefully Dead by Maddie James

Author:Maddie James [James, Maddie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sand Dune Books

The Shreveport night air clung to Marla’s skin like wet silk as she and her sisters huddled around the hood of her jeep, their phones casting eerie blue glows on their faces. The time was approaching midnight, and the bars were more crowded than ever. Music throbbed from each of the establishments on music row. Streetlights flickered overhead, painting the cracked asphalt with disturbing shadows.

Glancing about, she scanned the area, a sneaking feeling of being watched bugging her.

“Okay,” Mitzi began, scrolling through her phone, “There are theories all over social media about what happened to Cooter. I met this guy in the bar earlier who claims he saw Cooter there a couple of days before the accident, arguing with someone.”

Marla studied her. “Makes no sense. Cooter was usually at his own bar every evening. What time was this?”

“Not sure. But there’s footage from the bar’s camera. I lured that out of the owner. I’ll send you the link in text.”

“Good lead,” Marla said, her fingers flying over her own screen as she searched screen shots she’d taken of police records. “Looks like Landry has a history of financial problems. Maybe that’s motive enough?”

“And he wants Cooter’s bar,” Molly added.

Marla nodded. “True. We need to remember that.”

“And according to the bartender, Cooter was expensive.”

Clicking the link Mitzi sent, her eyes scanned the grainy surveillance footage. The sense of being watched still gnawed at her, but she shook it off, focusing on the task at hand. She spotted a guy who could be Cooter, but she couldn’t say that for sure. He seemed to be definitely arguing with another guy—beard, bald, and tall—with animated gestures. Then the tall guy abruptly turned and snuck out the back door, leaving Cooter standing there. “Girls, look at this,” she said, pointing at the screen.

“Who’s that?” Molly asked, squinting at the blurry image.

“Can’t tell,” Marla admitted, “but something about that guy is familiar. And the way he paused and stared at the other guy—who could be Cooter—well, all I can say is it wasn’t a good stare. We need to find out who he is. Let’s head back to that bar you were in earlier, Mitzi. Think you can find the guy again who gave you this footage?”

“Sure thing, if he’s still there. If not, he texted me the video, so I have his number.”

“Great. Let’s go. This street corner is giving me the creeps.” Marla urged her sisters down the sidewalk toward the light, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being followed. Her heart raced, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

They passed a man in a hoodie, his face obscured, approaching them in a sloppy swagger.

Molly whispered. “Let’s move across the street.”

The girls took a sudden turn into the empty street.

“Hey!” A gravelly voice called out.

“Don’t look back,” Marla warned. “Keep going.”

“Hey! What the hell, ladies? Can’t you give a guy a minute?”

Marla looked over her shoulder. “Get lost, loser.”

“Whoa. Kinda bitchy aren’t you?” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him step hurriedly into the street.

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