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

  “There were two women in the dry goods store and one man in the post office buying commemorative stamps.”

  “And then the other two were the men who got into the altercation on the street.”

  “Correct.”

  It was only then that Hannah understood something important. She’d seen the dancing man with her own eyes. She had no doubt that he was there ... and yet if everybody else was accounted for, that meant he’d somehow appeared on the mountain without anyone seeing him. He couldn’t have ridden up or down the chairlift and the vehicles in the lot were counted, too. You needed a parking permit to even pull into the lot. So how had the strange man made his way to the top of the mountain? It was simply another mystery to be unraveled.

  “Well, I don’t know what to make of any of this,” Jacob said, clearly missing the inner turmoil Hannah was mired in. “I guess, to start, it would be best to talk to the re-enactor who had his gun stolen.”

  “Justin,” Boone volunteered. “He has an apartment about twenty minutes from here.”

  “Well, then let’s head over there. I’m as eager to figure out what’s going on here as you are.”

  EVEN THOUGH COOPER WANTED TO stay with Hannah, he thought it best he go with Boone and Jacob. Justin was an employee of Casper Creek, and he wanted to make sure that the man wasn’t inadvertently railroaded. Cooper had no doubt that Justin was innocent and had nothing to do with what had happened. Jacob, however, seemed easily confused. He was hard to pin down.

  “I don’t understand why there’s an apartment complex out in the middle of nowhere,” Jacob noted as he glanced around at the nondescript three-story building as the trio moved from the parking lot to the building thirty minutes later. “I mean ... there’s nothing out here.”

  “There’s not,” Boone agreed. “It’s an ideal location between towns, though. Casper Creek is twenty minutes that way. Smiths Grove is twenty minutes that way. Cave City is twenty minutes that way.” He pointed accordingly. “It’s an ideal location when you have people working in different towns.”

  “Oh.” Jacob nodded in understanding. “The towns are so small that husbands and wives — or girlfriends and boyfriends for that matter — can’t always find places to work in the same town. This place allows them to live together but work in different places.”

  “Exactly.” Boone nodded. “My understanding is that Justin was single, though.”

  “He was,” Cooper confirmed. “The only reason I know is because he was telling a story a few days ago about going to one of those singles mixers at the line-dancing bar over in Cave City. I thought it sounded like a terrible time but he was raving about it. He says women love a man who can dance, and apparently he’s good at it.”

  “I bet you’re glad you got Hannah without having to dance,” Boone teased.

  “I’m glad I got Hannah period.”

  “She’s very pretty,” Jacob agreed, trailing behind Boone as the sheriff double-checked the apartment number on his phone before knocking on the door at the end of the hallway. “She almost looks ... exotic.”

  Cooper wasn’t sure he liked Jacob commenting on Hannah’s looks, but since the man hadn’t said anything untoward, he simply nodded. “She’s beautiful.”

  “And Cooper thanks his lucky stars she agreed to date him every night before he goes to bed,” Boone cooed on a smile.

  Cooper wasn’t embarrassed in the least to admit his friend was right. “I do.” He frowned when Boone knocked again. “I wonder where he’s at. I can’t imagine he felt like going out last night.”

  “I don’t know.” Boone glanced down the hallway. “Do me a favor and get whoever is behind the front desk and have them bring up a master key.”

  “You want to enter without a warrant?” Jacob asked, surprise etched across his face. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “The residents here sign an agreement that says that management can let police into their units without a warrant. They’re aware when they move in that it’s a possibility. We don’t need a warrant.”

  “Oh, well, then let’s do it.” Jacob beamed. “I didn’t realize that was a thing, but it sounds like a great idea.”

  It took the daytime manager five minutes to arrive with a key. He didn’t look happy, but he understood what was expected of him. Once the door was open, Boone was the first through it, and the scene he found waiting for him in the living room was enough to turn his stomach.

  “What is it?” Cooper asked, instantly on alert. He could read the sheriff better than most and knew when something terrible had happened.

  “He’s dead,” Boone replied grimly, moving outside to get some air so he didn’t have to remain trapped in the tight atmosphere. “I think he ate his own gun, but we’ll need confirmation from the coroner to be sure.”

  “Oh, no.” Cooper’s stomach constricted. “Do you think he did it because he felt guilty about what happened at Casper Creek yesterday?”

  “That would be my guess, but we obviously won’t know that unless we find a note.”

  “Call the coroner,” Jacob instructed, his eyes focused on the body. He didn’t look turned off in the least by what they’d found. “Things just got interesting.”

  That wasn’t the word Cooper would’ve used to describe the situation, but he wasn’t in charge. This situation kept spiraling and he was officially terrified what would happen next.

  6

  Six

  Hannah had no idea Justin was dead. Cooper’s text was brief. He basically told her the interview was likely to take longer than he anticipated and he asked that she remain in Casper Creek with Tyler. That was it.

  “It’s weird, right?” Hannah made a face as she showed the text to Tyler, who was busy trying to wrangle his goats.

  “It seems like a normal text to me,” Tyler replied, glaring at one of the more overzealous creatures as it chased Jinx while bleating a bleeding song. “Leave that poor dog alone!”

  Hannah smirked as Jinx hopped on top of the nearby picnic table and defiantly stared down at the goat. “He loves the goats. You don’t have to worry about him. I think he can take them if he wants to ... although he is something of a baby when it comes to fighting.”

  “Listen, I have no doubt that dog would fight to the death to protect you,” Tyler noted. “If you’re not in danger, though, he’s a big baby. Those goats terrorize him.”

  “I thought you said he terrorized the goats.”

  “He does ... but they outnumber him and they’ve figured out how to freak him out. It’s cute and creepy at the same time.”

  Hannah smirked, amused despite herself. “Maybe they should be part of the show.”

  “You laugh, but Jinx spends most of his afternoons down here these days and he technically is part of the show. The kids love him. The goats love him. The kids love the goats. They think it’s all a game.”

  “Maybe it is.” Hannah flicked her eyes and found Jinx glaring at the nearest goat. He didn’t look happy. “Or maybe Jinx needs to learn his lesson about terrorizing the goats,” she added. “He’s bigger than them and I seem to remember him running them ragged.”

  “Yes, well, now they run him ragged.”

  She smiled as the tiny goat put both of his front hooves on the bench and caused Jinx to jolt. “It might be karma. I mean, I don’t want Jinx being mistreated, but I can’t help but think he deserves this a little bit.”

  “I guess.” Tyler didn’t look convinced but he let it go. “Are you okay? I mean ... given everything that has happened. I wouldn’t blame you for being upset about the FBI agent being around. That would be enough to unnerve anyone.”

  “I’m definitely upset,” Hannah acknowledged. “In a strange way — and I don’t know how to explain it so don’t ask — it feels better knowing this is of paranormal origin. I didn’t like thinking that something as simple as human error could cost a man his life.”

  “Honey, I hate to break it to you, but human error costs people their liv
es all the time.”

  “I know that.” Hannah turned sheepish. “No, honestly I do. In this particular situation, though, it seemed like too much to bear. I mean ... that guy dying is never going to be okay. It’s always going to haunt me on a certain level. Knowing that someone else caused it to happen somehow makes me feel better ... although that seems like a horrible thing to say.”

  “I get it,” Tyler reassured her. “You were genuinely upset yesterday. I saw it on your face.”

  “I was upset because of Cooper, too,” she admitted. “I mean ... I couldn’t wrap my head around how he was acting. He was going back and forth so quickly, I was a little freaked out.”

  “Yeah. Truth be told, I’m still a little annoyed by that. I don’t like it being suggested that I didn’t react the same way as the other guys because I’m gay.”

  Hannah’s eyebrows hopped. She wasn’t expecting this reaction from the normally gregarious animal wrangler. “I didn’t realize that was bothering you so much. Honestly, you should take it as a compliment. You don’t want to be one of those testosterone-fueled jerks who thumps his chest for no apparent reason.”

  “I get that on the surface. Deep down, though ... it’s more difficult.” He looked momentarily morose. “It’s not easy being gay in this area sometimes. You’re dealing with a bunch of good old boys who think getting drunk in a field and tipping cows is the height of male fun if you’re single.”

  Hannah’s heart ached for him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize.”

  He was amused despite himself. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t create the toxic male culture around here.”

  “It’s not everyone, though,” Hannah insisted. “You have Cooper and Boone. They’re fine with it. You have me, too.”

  His smirk widened. “I’m so happy to have all of you.” He slung an arm around her shoulders in a reassuring manner. “No matter how great you guys are, though, there’s always going to be a jerk out there trying to make me feel bad for what I am. There will always be people who think it’s a choice, and while I’m thrilled you guys aren’t like that, I can’t quite get over the people who are ... even though I know it’s ridiculous to care what they think.”

  Hannah’s heart went out to him. “I’m so sorry.” Impulsively, she threw her arms around his neck. “I wish you’d turned into a jerk like the rest of them. It sucks that you didn’t.”

  The statement was enough to chase away the dregs of the day and Tyler almost choked he was laughing so hard. “Oh, what did we do before we had you?”

  “Suffer.”

  “Yeah. Definitely.”

  The duo hugged for an extended beat, only separating at the sound of someone clearing a throat. When they turned together, they found a woman in a perfectly tailored suit watching them with curious eyes.

  “Can we help you?” Tyler asked, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He was confused by the turn of events. “What are you doing up here?”

  “My name is Portia Washington.” The woman’s smile was blinding. “I’m with Channel 4 and I was hoping I could find the owner to do an interview regarding what happened here yesterday.”

  Hannah was taken aback. “I ... you ... want an interview?” She flicked her eyes to Tyler, terrified.

  “Hannah won’t be doing interviews today,” Tyler stated, keeping his grip on Hannah so the woman didn’t bolt in fear. It was obvious she wasn’t expecting things to take this particular turn ... and for his part, Tyler was legitimately confused. “May I ask how you got up here?”

  “The same way everybody else gets here,” Portia replied smoothly. “As for the interview, you should probably think about what you’re turning down. Local residents are buzzing that this place isn’t safe. You should get your side on the record before the rumors start flowing fast and furious.”

  Hannah shifted her worried eyes to Tyler and he could read the conflict there.

  “No, Hannah.” Tyler was firm as he shook his head. “She just wants to get a statement from you through any means necessary. You can’t play into that game with her. It’s ... not right.”

  Hannah didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure? I mean ... what she says makes sense.”

  “It does make sense,” Portia insisted. “People are saying that you’re purposely targeting your guests. Nobody is going to come up here if you don’t set the record straight, Ms. Hickok.”

  Tyler frowned. He wasn’t a big fan of the pressure Portia was exerting on Hannah. “Nobody is saying that we’re purposely killing people up here,” he argued, refusing to back down despite the challenging look Portia fixed him with. “At worst they’re saying we’re lazy or negligent because a live round somehow got loaded into a gun. I saw the news coverage this morning. Nobody is calling us murderers, so trying to pretend otherwise is disingenuous. Don’t listen to her, Hannah.”

  Hannah was more concerned with something else. “How did you know my name?”

  Tyler stiffened. “That’s a very good question. How did you know her name?”

  “I heard you use it,” Portia replied to Tyler, not missing a beat. She didn’t look bothered by the hostile reaction she was receiving. “Do you really think it’s wise to turn down this opportunity? If you don’t get your side of the story out, others are going to fill in the gaps. I mean ... you’ll lose this place if you’re not careful. Is that what you want?”

  Hannah was suddenly breathless. She couldn’t believe the woman would suggest anything of the sort. It was as if she was reading her mind ... and it was enough to freeze her in place.

  “I still want to know how you got up here,” Tyler insisted, refusing to let it go.

  “I told you.” Portia’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “I got up here the same way everybody else does.”

  “Which is how?” Tyler’s tone was demanding as he gripped Hannah tighter. Something about the situation bothered him on an instinctive level and he turned his attention to the lot behind the saloon so he could count the cars. He recognized every vehicle there. “The lift is shut down and you don’t have a car in the lot.”

  Impatience was rolling off Portia in waves now. “Are you the parking lot police or something? I’m talking to Hannah.”

  “No, you’re done here.” Slowly, deliberately, Tyler nudged Hannah so she was behind him and he served as a barrier of sorts. “Nobody is giving any interviews, Ms. Washington. By being here, you’re trespassing.”

  Portia snorted. “Are you going to call the cops on me or something?”

  Tyler nodded without hesitation. “As a matter of fact, I am.” He tugged his cell phone from his pocket. “If I were you, I’d be gone by the time they get here.”

  Hannah glanced between the two faces, bewildered. She couldn’t understand what was happening. While she wasn’t keen on giving an interview, she also didn’t want to antagonize a television personality in case it came back to bite her, which felt entirely possible. “Tyler ... .”

  “No.” He shook his head, all traces of mirth evaporated. “No interviews, and you need to get off this property. If you’re still here when the sheriff returns, he’ll arrest you. Is that what you want?”

  Portia rolled her eyes. “Fine. Have it your way. You’re going to live to regret this, though.”

  “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

  HANNAH WAS STILL AGITATED ABOUT THE reporter’s visit when Boone and Cooper returned to Casper Creek. Jacob wasn’t with them, which she found suspicious, but she was too worked up to ask about his location.

  “I’m so glad you’re back.” She threw her arms around Cooper, who eagerly returned the embrace. “Something weird happened.”

  Before he could tell her what they’d found, she launched into the tale of the reporter. By the time she had finished, Tyler had joined them and that’s where Cooper pointed his ire.

  “How did she get up here?”

  “Hey, that was my question,” Tyler replied, refusing to let his best friend draw him into a fight
despite the man’s obvious distress. “She wasn’t parked in the lot and she obviously didn’t ride up on the lift. I don’t know how she got up here.”

  “What about how she left?” Boone interjected.

  “I ... don’t know.” Tyler made a face. “Whoops. I obviously should’ve paid more attention when she took off. I didn’t want to leave Hannah, though.”

  Cooper was torn. He was annoyed that the woman had gone after Hannah the way she did but, when there was a choice, he always wanted Tyler to put Hannah’s safety above everything else. “You did the right thing,” he said, offering up a wan smile. “We don’t know that this woman was dangerous or anything. It’s just ... weird.”

  “I looked her up,” Tyler offered. “She’s listed as a reporter on the television station’s website. I can’t find any videos of her covering stories, though.”

  “That doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” Boone noted. “She might be new. She might be a desk jockey looking to make a name for herself. She might be an editor. Which station?”

  “Channel 4.”

  Boone frowned. “I have a bad relationship with them. I can call and see what the deal is, but the news director over there hates me because I’m guarded about my crime scenes. Those guys are notorious for trying to break the rules and take photos of bodies ... and lie to sources about stuff being off the record. My deputies aren’t allowed to talk to them at all.”

  “Which means they won’t be likely to share information,” Cooper mused, pursing his lips. “Odds are she’s legit, right?” Tyler queried.

  “I would guess so,” Boone confirmed. “She probably parked out on the road so she could sneak close to the town. She might’ve thought the coroner was still here, or a whole contingent of deputies. When she realized the town was deserted and she could wander around without anyone seeing, she probably decided to approach Hannah because she felt it was her only chance to get a story. Without workers here, she only had two options.”

  “You didn’t say anything to her, did you?” Cooper asked Hannah as he brushed a few stray strands of hair away from her face.