The Monstrous Seven (A Hannah Hickok Witchy Mystery Book 4) Read online

  “What is it?” Hannah asked, her eyes filling with concern as she watched his expression change.

  “Boone,” he replied, swallowing hard. “He’s on his way out here. He says he has news ... and he’s bringing breakfast.”

  “What do you think that means?”

  “I honestly have no idea.” He forced a smile for her benefit because he was certain she needed it. “Let’s not freak out until there’s something to freak out about,” he suggested. “Right now, we need to hop in the shower. Boone will be here in twenty minutes. After that ... we’ll take it one step at a time.”

  She nodded, solemn. “Okay.”

  “Please don’t be afraid. I’m going to be with you every step of the way.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  In the grand scheme of things, Cooper knew that was the best he could hope for.

  COOPER OPENED UP THE SALOON BEFORE Boone arrived. After eating his own breakfast, Jinx tore out of the room and headed for the street. Cooper stood at the doors to watch the dog arrive at the paddock — that was now his favorite place to play all day — and when he was certain Tyler realized the dog was now his responsibility, he returned to the saloon.

  Hannah immediately went to the bar area so she could start brewing coffee. Caffeine would probably be a necessity. Cooper joined her there, wrapping his arms around her from behind and kissing her cheek to offer solace. There was literally nothing else he could give her until they knew what they were dealing with.

  That’s how Boone found them when he wandered into the building, two large takeout bags gripped in his hands. He took a moment to watch them and then shook his head. “You guys are so sweet you give me a toothache.”

  Cooper jolted, surprised that the bigger man had managed to sneak up on them without notice, although he recovered quickly. “You’re quiet when you want to be.”

  “I’m not all that quiet,” Boone countered. “You were just lost in your own little world.”

  “We were,” Cooper agreed, giving Hannah one more squeeze before releasing her. “You might as well tell us what you found. Hannah isn’t going to eat until she knows what we’re dealing with ... and I’m kind of right there with her. We would rather know than put it off.”

  “Well, that’s good, because we have a lot to talk about.” Boone started removing take-out containers.

  “It must be bad,” Hannah said, resigned. “You won’t make eye contact.”

  “It’s not necessarily bad. It’s weird. Okay, it’s weird and bad ... although probably not in the way you think.”

  “Well, don’t keep us in suspense after that little speech,” Cooper said dryly, linking his fingers with Hannah’s as they moved toward the table. “Just tell us. What did the coroner find?”

  “It’s what he didn’t find that’s of interest.”

  Cooper was confused. “And what didn’t he find?”

  “A bullet.”

  “What?” Cooper’s mouth dropped open. “He had to. There was no exit wound. We checked the ground once the body was removed. The bullet was still inside.”

  “And yet it wasn’t. Do you know what else wasn’t on the body? An entrance wound.”

  “But ... you saw the blood.”

  “I did,” Boone agreed. “Rob Linus bled. We typed the blood and it definitely belonged to him. There was no entrance wound, though. There was no exit wound. He was just dead ... and do you want to know what the coroner found as a cause of death?”

  “I’m actually curious,” Cooper admitted.

  “A heart attack.”

  “How is that possible?” Hannah queried, dumbfounded. “I mean ... he was in his early thirties. We all heard the gun go off. Where did the blood come from if there was no wound?”

  “Those are all good questions ... and they’re going to be answered by someone other than me.” He turned grim. “That’s the bad news. Because what happened was so very weird, the county has requested help from the big guns.”

  “Which means the FBI is on the way,” Cooper said grimly.

  Boone nodded. “Yeah. We’re in big trouble, kids.”

  Hannah was understandably confused. “I don’t understand. Isn’t the fact that a bullet wasn’t used good for us?”

  “It is,” Boone agreed. “Unfortunately, the fact that the death is considered unexplainable is not. Whoever the FBI sends, they’re going to be all up in our business. Batten down the hatches, kids, because we’re going to need to hide the magical stuff ... and quick.”

  Hannah hadn’t even considered that. “Oh, well ... crap.”

  “It’s still good news,” Cooper reassured her. “Well, I mean ... it’s not terrible news.” He frowned. “The news could be worse.”

  “Barely,” Boone said. “The FBI agent will be here in two hours, though. You need to eat and then we have to strategize. It’s going to be a long freaking day.”

  5

  Five

  “I still don’t understand what this means.”

  Hannah smoothed the front of her shirt as she watched Cooper tug on a fresh flannel. He’d taken to keeping clothes in her closet so he didn’t have to run home in the morning to get dressed for work. It was simply more convenient for him to stay at Casper Creek, between work and Jinx, and they were practically living together already because he never spent the night away from her. It was something they were both aware of but didn’t comment on.

  “I think you were right from the start,” Cooper replied, checking his reflection in the mirror to make sure he looked professional enough for an FBI agent and then fixing his full attention on Hannah. She’d taken Boone’s instructions to look “capable but approachable” to heart and dressed in comfortable khakis while pulling all of her flaxen hair into a loose bun. “We’re dealing with something magical.”

  “But ... how are we supposed to help an investigator if we can’t talk about magic?”

  He smirked. “Very carefully. It’s going to be okay.” He rubbed his hands over her tense shoulders and frowned. “Breathe, Hannah,” he instructed. “If you go out there and show him you’re a ball of nerves, he’s going to think you have a reason for it.”

  “I know but ... I am a ball of nerves.” She shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable. “I just ... don’t know what I’m supposed to do. He’s going to ask what I saw. Do I tell him about the man?”

  “No.” Cooper shook his head, firm. “Whatever you do, do not mention the man. Don’t mention magic ... or how your grandmother is running around as a ghost. For the love of all that’s holy, don’t utter the word ‘witch.’”

  Hannah frowned, unhappiness on full display. “You’re not upset I’m a witch, are you?”

  Exasperation came out to play on Cooper’s face. Now was not the time for her to turn insecure. “Hannah, I happen to love everything about you ... even the annoying things. Being a witch is one of those things. Not annoying, but lovable. You’re strong and I happen to like that. You still can’t mention it in front of this guy. He’s liable to not take it well.”

  “Because he thinks witches are evil?”

  Cooper hesitated, unsure what he was supposed to say. “That’s a distinct possibility,” he said finally. “You can’t take it personally. Like ... think about when you first got here. If someone had immediately started talking about magic, what would you have thought?”

  “That you were all crazy,” Hannah answered without hesitation. “Heck, it was happening to me and I thought I was crazy.” She took a moment to run her hands over her hair, making the sides smooth. “I get it. I won’t say anything stupid.”

  Cooper adored everything about her, and he wasn’t lying when he said he found her virtually perfect. That didn’t mean she was good when it came to lying. In fact, she was downright terrible. “Maybe you should refrain from speaking unless spoken to.”

  She frowned. “You think I’m going to screw up.”

  “No.”

  “Yes, you do.” Her voice turned screechy.
“You think I’m going to totally flub this. Oh, why did you tell me that right before the FBI agent is due to arrive? Now I’m totally going to screw up. You jinxed me.”

  Despite the very serious conversation, Cooper couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “Is it any wonder I fell for you from pretty much the first moment we met?”

  The conversational shift caught Hannah off guard. “I think it took longer than that,” she said finally.

  “No. Not really. I tried to tell myself not to fall for you, but it was already too late.”

  “Ugh.” She made a low growling sound deep in her throat. “How am I supposed to freak out when you say the exact right thing to calm me down?”

  He grinned at her response. “It’s going to be okay. Just remember, when he asks you a question, take a beat to think about your answer. It will look like you’re really trying to be helpful, thinking hard, and it will also protect you.”

  “I’ve got it.”

  “Good.” He grabbed both sides of her face and gave her a loud kiss. “Also, if you could stick close to me, that would be great. The agent will probably think you’re still shaken from what happened yesterday and be more likely to pepper me with questions because I’m head of security. That will benefit us.”

  “Okay. Stick close to you.” She bobbed her head. “I’m pretty sure I can do that. I mean ... I’m going to want to be close to you anyway. This is good for both of us.”

  “It definitely is,” he agreed.

  JACOB HOFFMAN WAS IN HIS EARLY forties but looked younger. He wore a bit of scruff — not Duck Dynasty-level or anything, but enough to appear rugged — and Cooper was convinced it was because he didn’t feel like he got the proper amount of respect from those he often questioned because they assumed he was a newbie. He vowed not to make that mistake.

  “Thank you so much for coming.” His tone was grave, indicating respect. “We are ... having a bit of a rough time here given what happened. We really need someone who can help us sort this out.”

  Behind Jacob, Boone nodded approvingly. He rarely worried about Cooper not respecting law enforcement — or reading a situation incorrectly — but his approach of Jacob was masterful. “We really are grateful to have you here,” he enthused. “I mean ... this entire thing is bonkers.”

  Hannah frowned at Boone’s word choice. Bonkers? Who used that word? When she shifted her eyes to him, she found the older man cringing and realized he was nervous, too, and that wasn’t a word he would use a second time. The realization caused her to relax, if only marginally.

  “And you must be Hannah Hickok?” Jacob took a moment to give Hannah a long once-over. Cooper knew what the man saw, a young woman who was almost painfully beautiful, who looked like an outsider in this particular area. It wasn’t necessarily an insult. Hannah simply stood out ... and not in a normal way.

  “I am.” If Hannah noticed the way the agent studied her, she didn’t show it. Instead, she extended her hand and offered up a warm smile. “It’s nice to meet you, and not to pile on or anything, but I’m really glad you’re here, too. I’m totally freaking out.”

  Cooper was caught off guard by the admission but, upon further reflection, he realized Hannah was playing Jacob the exact right way from her perspective. If she looked helpless, the agent was likely to overlook her ... which could only be considered a good thing given their current predicament. In truth, she was the most powerful being they had in their group. Her looks assured nobody would assume that.

  “I don’t blame you.” Jacob flashed a warm smile in Hannah’s direction. “This is really weird, right? I know you guys have probably told your story a million times at this point, but I need to hear it again.”

  “Sure.” Cooper nodded and pointed toward the street. “It will probably be easier if we take you to where it happened and reenact it to the best of our ability.”

  “I think that sounds like a fine idea.” Jacob beamed, his eyes immediately going to Hannah as she slipped her hand into Cooper’s and allowed him to take the lead. “I didn’t realize you guys were a couple. That wasn’t in the report.”

  Cooper’s shoulders stiffened, but he managed to keep his expression blank. “I didn’t realize it was important.”

  “I didn’t either,” Boone interjected, falling into step with Jacob. He was having a hard time getting a read on the man. “Hannah and Cooper have only been together a few weeks. I didn’t realize that was necessary to the report.”

  “But you were aware of the relationship?” Jacob queried.

  “I was.” Boone bobbed his head. “I visit Casper Creek at least once a week to see how they’re doing up here. This place is isolated, and Hannah and the veterinarian are the only ones who live on the property full time.”

  “And that would be ... ?” Jacob glanced around, as if looking for another face.

  “Tyler James,” Boone replied. “He’s over in the paddock with the animals.”

  Jacob followed the direction Boone pointed and nodded. “Ah, I see. So ... there’s a room above the barn, it looks like, and one above the saloon.” He switched his attention to the second-story windows directly above them. “What about over there?” He pointed toward the brothel. “How come nobody lives in that building?”

  “Because it’s part of the show,” Cooper answered smoothly. “Guests can rent out the rooms in that building for small parties.”

  “And do they?”

  “Occasionally, although it’s not often because there’s a lack of food choices up here,” Cooper replied. “Hannah’s grandmother owned the property before her, and she often talked about adding a full kitchen. She never got a chance before her death.”

  Hannah was taken aback. “I didn’t know she was considering that.”

  Cooper was caught off guard. “Oh, well ... I just figured you wouldn’t want to take on something new so early in your tenure.”

  “Actually, I kind of like the idea.” Hannah studied the street. “What would be involved if we wanted to add a full restaurant?”

  Cooper’s eyes widened — really, was now the time for this? — but he kept his response neutral. “We would need another building and industrial kitchen equipment. It wouldn’t be cheap.”

  “Still, it’s something to consider, right?” She looked so hopeful he couldn’t deny her.

  “It’s definitely something to consider ... down the road.” He tilted his head in Jacob’s direction. “Right now, we have other things to deal with.”

  “Right.” She plastered a smile on her face and glanced back at the agent. “I’m so sorry. I just never considered it before. I got excited.”

  “It’s okay.” Jacob’s returning smile was indulgent. “Women get distracted easily. I’m used to it ... and it’s totally not your fault.”

  Realization dawned on Cooper and he had to swallow a delighted laugh. Hannah had read Jacob better than he had. The man was sexist, although it was still to be determined if it would end up being a problem. He assumed that Hannah needed help running the town, which is where Cooper came in. She was playing up to his expectations, and in a brilliant way. Jacob had already pigeonholed her, which was fine considering the situation. He’d essentially pegged her as beautiful but clueless. That would allow her to roam freely without attracting suspicion. Honestly, it was a brilliant move.

  “Is this the spot?” Jacob turned to serious matters, his gaze falling on the empty street.

  “This is the spot,” Cooper confirmed. “Um ... we don’t have enough people here to completely re-enact things, but let me try.” He was all business as he indicated where the parties were standing and launched into the tale. Occasionally, Jacob flicked his eyes to Hannah, who stood in the same spot she had the day before. When Cooper was finished, Jacob looked more confused than when they began.

  “I guess I don’t understand how this happened,” he started.

  “Join the club.” Boone flashed a tight smile. “That’s why we’re eager for your help.”

  “B
ut ... no bullet was found in the deceased’s body. Everyone assumed that when the gun was fired and the victim fell that he was shot. My understanding is that there was blood present.”

  “There was,” Cooper confirmed.

  “A lot of blood.” Hannah shuddered on cue. “I mean ... it was everywhere.”

  Jacob shot her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry you were so traumatized.”

  Cooper and Boone exchanged amused looks when Jacob was fixated on Hannah. They’d been worried she would crack under pressure, but she was in complete control of the situation. They were both impressed ... and a little freaked at how good she was at corralling a trained FBI agent.

  “It’s okay.” Hannah kept her face neutral as Cooper cleared his throat to redirect the conversation.

  “That’s why we need you,” he explained. “There was no bullet found on the ground and yet there was blood. There was no wound on the deceased’s body. The coroner found he died of a heart attack. We want to know how that’s possible.”

  “It sounds like a mystery,” Jacob noted. “A very odd mystery ... in a very odd place.” He slowly turned as he surveyed the downtown street. “How many people were present at the time of the altercation? I mean ... were there more people on the street? More than what you indicated, I mean.”

  Hannah thought of the dancing man and shook her head. “It was the end of the day. We were just about to do our usual search for stragglers.”

  “Basically, the individual at the bottom of the mountain keeps track of how many people come up, and how many come back down,” Cooper explained. “He had just transferred up the information that five people were still on the mountain and we were twenty minutes from closing.”

  “Where were the other individuals?” Jacob queried.