The Ghost Detective Books 1-3 Special Boxed Edition: Three Fun Cozy Mysteries With Bonus Holiday Story (The Ghost Detective Collection)

by Jane Hinchey

  “Right.” I breathed. Why was he even talking? Why wasn’t he kissing me? We’d gotten past my freak out, hadn’t we?

  “I need you to be sure, Audrey. One hundred percent. Because they’ll be no stopping this time.” He growled. I was more than ready. I was beyond ready. I was so ready I was more than prepared to rip his clothes off and have my way with him here on the counter. And then through my passion addled mind the penny dropped. He was waiting for me to make the first move, for me to kiss him. No problem, Captain Cowboy Hot Pants, brace yourself, I’m coming in.

  Sliding my arms around his neck, I pressed my lips to his, swept my tongue along his lower lip and kissed him like my life depended on it. All of my soft melded against all of his hard and everything south of my bellybutton clenched in anticipation. I was practically purring when his tongue met mine and his hands expertly discovered my body. I breathed out a moan when his hand cupped my breast through the bathrobe and his mouth grazed across my cheek to my ear, nipping it with his teeth.

  I returned the favor and tried to memorize every muscle, every hard ridge, but his clothes were in the way. Too many clothes! Sliding my hands across his shoulders, I grabbed fistfuls of his sexy as sin lumberjack slash cowboy checkered shirt and pushed it off his shoulders and down his arms. He removed his hands from my body long enough to untangle himself from the shirt while I set to work on the T-shirt beneath, tugging the hem up toward his head, revealing the rock-hard abs I’d been dying to taste. I couldn’t help myself. I licked him. He growled. I melted.

  22

  “What are you doing? You can’t do this to me!” A woman’s voice screeched, and I jerked then froze, my brain trying to comprehend what my ears were hearing. There was a woman here? Did Galloway have a girlfriend? Had she followed him here? How did she get in the house? The Police had left and closed the door behind them, I remember hearing it.

  “I can and I will.” Ben yelled and I almost sagged in relief. It was just Ben. Then I froze again. Who was the woman? Did he find Myra? Was she with him now?

  “Listen, you two bit private detective wanna be—”

  “Wanna be?” Ben cut her off. “Lady, and I use that term loosely, I was a detective with the Firefly Bay Police Department before I was a PI. No wanna be about it.”

  “Oh yeah? Well, look at you now, hotshot. Dead as a doornail.” Although I couldn’t see her, I could imagine the sneer on her face.

  “Right back at ya.” Ben drawled. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? Oh no, I’m on to you, Myra Hansen. If that’s even your real name.”

  She sniffed and didn’t answer. I took that as my cue to find out what the hell was going on. Why was Myra in my house? I pushed against Galloway’s chest and eased down from the countertop, tightening my loosened robe as I padded down the hallway to the front foyer where two angry ghosts were glaring at each other.

  “What’s going on?” I asked Ben. Myra turned and eyed me up and down, a distasteful expression on her face. “Oh here she is, your little pet detective.”

  “Hey, I’m no-one’s pet!” I protested. Boy, had she had an attitude adjustment since we found her howling in her store. I narrowed my eyes, studying the ghostly visage before me. Unlike Ben, who was a washed out version of his human self, Myra had taken on an orange hue. I cocked my head, wondering if it was her aura gone haywire. Did ghosts even have auras?

  “Myra’s a fake!” Ben pointed an accusatory finger at Myra, who slapped it down. Only they couldn’t touch, instead where their limbs connected shattered into a weird ghostly snow storm type effect. Shaking my head, I focused on what Ben had said. “Yeah, I know. I was here when Galloway told us. But, quick question,” I planted my hands on my hips and cocked my head at Myra. “What’s she doing here? How did you get her here? And why?”

  “That’s three questions.” Ben held up three fingers in what I guessed was meant to be a rude gesture.

  “Whatever. Now spill.”

  “She tricked me earlier when I went to visit her at her store. Actually back up. It was before then. She tricked me when she said she couldn’t leave her shop.”

  “Why would she do that?” I asked.

  “Because she didn’t want me ghosting her every step.”

  Myra snorted. “You got that right. I don’t hang with cops.”

  “I bet.” I muttered under my breath, then glanced at Ben, indicating he should continue.

  “So yeah, when I went back to visit her I admit it threw me that she wasn’t there. I’d thought maybe she’d crossed over. Which is exactly what she wanted me to think.”

  I shot a glance at Myra, who shrugged. She was floating several inches off the floor, as if she hadn’t quite got the hang of how to control her ghostly body.

  I shifted my attention back to Ben. “Actually something happened here tonight that sheds a lot of light on what happened to Myra. A lot of light. A darn spotlight even.” I began, and then it happened. That horrible, horrible, realization of what I’d just done. “Oh, shit.” I whispered, slapping a hand over my mouth.

  “What?” Ben asked, probably thinking I’d discovered some pivotal clue. I looked over my shoulder, and sure enough, there stood Galloway in the hallway. Watching me. He’d pulled on his T-shirt, which was a crying shame, but what was worse was I’d just walked out on him mid grope and now I was having a conversation with two ghosts he couldn’t see.

  Ben followed my line of sight. “Uh oh.”

  “Exactly.” No point in covering now. Galloway had witnessed the whole exchange. Instead, I turned and smiled. “Coffee?” I asked.

  “Are you talking to me?” Galloway drawled.

  “I am.” I nodded, hurrying past him. In the kitchen I grabbed a pod for my Keurig. There was not enough caffeine in the world for dealing with two fighting ghosts and explaining to my non-ghost boyfriend that I could talk to ghosts. Wait? I was thinking of Galloway in terms of boyfriend material? I wasn’t sure what to make of that, but right now it was the least of my problems.

  Grabbing two cups from the overhead cupboard, I positioned one to catch the liquid nirvana soon to be coming my way. I heard his footsteps as he approached, caught sight of him out the corner of my eye sliding onto a stool at the bench. “You probably think I’m insane,” I sighed.

  “Nope.” I shot him a look. He didn’t look mad, which would have been understandable since, from his perspective, I’d suddenly walked out on our making out session and started talking to thin air. He looked… dammit, he looked like Captain Cowboy Hot Pants, his hair all mussed from my fingers running through it, his T-shirt rumpled where he’d tugged it back on in a hurry. But his face, his face, said it all. Curiosity.

  “Just tell him, Fitz.” Ben said. “There’s no way you can bullshit your way out of this one.”

  “I know, right?” I scoffed. I was screwed.

  “He’s going to call the psych ward and have you committed.” Myra voiced my worst fears.

  “Shut up you.” I pointed at her. “I don’t need commentary from the peanut gallery.”

  Thor chose that exact moment to come busting through the cat door, trotting up to me with a dead mouse in his jaws.

  “I brought you a housewarming present.” He said, dropping the mouse at my feet. I jumped back with a screech. “Jeez, Thor!”

  “What?” He sat and lifted his back leg to lick his thigh. “It’s a present.”

  “I don’t need a present. Especially a dead animal kinda present.” I protested, trying not to look at the little carcass on my kitchen floor.

  Thor paused licking and narrowed his big orange eyes. “What is it with you humans and not appreciating the presents I bring?”

  “Could you just take it back outside? Please?” I pleaded.

  Thor began licking his private parts. “I’m busy. You do it.”

  “You can’t stop licking your nut sack for two seconds?”

  He didn’t even pause, just kept lick, lick, licking.

  “Fitz?” Ben said
. “You should probably deal with Kade.”

  “Shit.” I’d done it again. Left him hanging. While I talked with ghosts. And a cat. Running my clammy palms down my thighs, I turned to Galloway.

  “I can see ghosts.” I blurted.

  His lip twitched. “Mmmhmmm.”

  “And talk to them.” I added.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “And they talk to me. And Thor here?” I indicated the big gray cat at my feet who was still licking his balls. “I can understand him too.”

  “You know,” Galloway drawled, “I got that.”

  “You did?”

  “Yup.”

  “And you’re not… freaked out?”

  He smirked. An honest to God smirk. It was as sexy as all get out. “You had me puzzled for a while, I admit. And it’s probably because I spend way too much time thinking about you than I should, but I figured it was something like that. I assume it’s Ben you’re talking to?”

  I frowned. “You believe me? You don’t think it’s a figment of my imagination?”

  “I believe you.” Three simple words. Three simple words that catapulted me into action. I skidded around the island bench and into his arms, planting a hard kiss on his lips.

  He kissed me back then, much to my chagrin, held me at arm's length. “Let me take care of that mouse while you bring your friends up to speed, huh?”

  Maybe I should marry this guy. I mean, who else is not going to think I’m absolutely nuts for talking to ghosts, and who volunteers to take care of the little critters my talking cat brings into the house? I ignored the cold sweat at the mere thought of getting married produced, no matter my ovaries were practically humming with the delight of future little Galloways, I was nowhere near ready for that sort of commitment. Then I laughed. Getting a little ahead of yourself there, Fitz.

  “He’s a keeper.” Ben teased, watching while Galloway scooped up the mouse and headed toward the sliding door overlooking the deck. “Go ahead then. Bring us up to speed. What happened here tonight?”

  I turned my attention to Myra. “Who do you think killed you?” I asked.

  “I don’t have to answer your questions.” She stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms over her chest. “And there’s nothing you can do to make me.”

  “What are you getting at?” Ben asked, face puzzled.

  “I have a feeling Myra knows it was Lee who killed her. That’s why you were so distraught, right? Because you were still getting your head around the fact that the man you loved—and trusted—plunged a knife through your heart.”

  Her reaction wasn’t what I’d expected. She came flying across the room so fast I slid off the back of the stool in surprise and landed on the floor with a jarring thump. Ouch.

  “That’s a lie!” She hissed, her face so close to mine I got chills.

  “Get away from her!” Ben yelled, grabbing Myra’s wrist and trying to haul her away from me. Of course it didn’t work and their ghostly particles exploded around me once more. I clambered to my feet, rubbing my stinging derriere. I had to convince Myra to cross over. I had an inkling that once Myra accepted the truth, she’d leave this mortal realm. At least I hoped she would because one ghost was more than enough, thank you very much.

  “I can prove it.” I said. Myra snatched her arm away from Ben and glared at me. “How?”

  I picked up my phone. I’d already forwarded the recording to Galloway, but I still had the original. Hitting play, I watched as Ben and Myra gravitated toward the phone, hovering above it as they listened to the events of the evening unfold.

  “Wow.” Ben looked from me to Myra and back again. “So it was Lee.” Myra was silent, eyes on the phone, but I thought I saw a silver tear run down her cheek and disappear into the ether.

  “You knew.” I said. She nodded, then lifted her head, eyes awash with tears. “I just didn’t want to believe it. I knew he was angry that we didn’t get as much money out of the bank job as we’d hoped. But angry enough to kill me? It wasn’t my fault the delivery got delayed in traffic.” Her chin wobbled, and despite everything, I felt bad for her. A little.

  “Why didn’t you tell us? When we found you in the store?” Ben asked, hand hovering over her shoulder.

  “Because I didn’t understand it myself. I didn’t understand why he’d done it. I just needed some time.”

  “Time for what?”

  “Follow him. Watch what he got up to. I knew he’d clam up once the police were involved, but if I could just tail him, eventually I’d discover the truth.”

  “I’m assuming you never did? That what you heard on the recording was news to you?”

  She sniffed and straightened her shoulders. “That he’d intended to murder me all along? That was definitely an unwelcome surprise. The rest was true. We’d planned a new life in La Tireno, we were going straight.” She snorted. “What a joke. I’d bought every single one of his lies. We were buying an old hotel in La Tireno and renovating it, opening it back up for business. La Tireno is a beautiful island.” She sighed wistfully. “Do you think there’s really a hotel in La Tireno?” She asked me.

  I shrugged. “No idea.”

  Her smile was weak. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Lee’s looking at life in jail. The robbery and now murder. And me? What happens to me?”

  “Good question.” Even as I said it I noticed a change in her. The orange hue that had been surrounding her had faded. Then a bright light appeared, so bright I raised my arm to shield my eyes.

  “What’s up?” Ben asked.

  “Can’t you see the light?” I gestured to the giant orb of white light hovering in my living room.

  “Light? I can’t see nothing.” He said.

  “You can see it?” Myra dragged her gaze from the orb to me and back again.

  “I can. I think it’s for you.”

  “What do I do?”

  “Umm. I’m not sure. Walk into it, I guess?” I had zero experience with white lights and crossing over, but I could have jumped for joy that ghostly Myra was moving on and wouldn’t be haunting me for the rest of my days. I glanced at Ben, who was watching Myra with a mystified expression on his face. We hadn’t really talked about it, but I wondered now if he wanted to cross over. And if he did, what was holding him back?

  Then Myra stepped into the light. It flashed even brighter, blinding me, then it was gone. I blinked, trying to clear the spots dancing before my eyes.

  “She crossed over.” Ben said.

  “Looks like.” I stood, “Is that something you want? To cross over?”

  “What?” He laughed. “No! No way. I’m happy here. I don’t want to go anywhere.” I almost sagged in relief.

  The sliding door opened, and Galloway came back inside. “Good news.” He said. “The mouse was playing possum. I released him in the woods.”

  “Everything’s coming up roses.” Ben drawled.

  “It sure is.” Crossing to Galloway, I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him tight, smiling contentedly when he returned my embrace. “Myra has crossed over.” I told him.

  “And Ben?” Galloway searched the room, but of course he couldn’t see Ben, who waved at him.

  “He’s still here.”

  “Hey, Ben.” Galloway said, and I smiled. How cute.

  “Say Hi to him for me.” Ben replied.

  “Ben says hi back.” I repeated.

  “Now what?” Galloway asked.

  “Now we tell Ben to get lost while we return to some unfinished business.” I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, tugging his head down to mine.

  Ben made a gagging noise. “I’m going, I’m going! Phil down at number twenty-six is a night owl, I bet he’s watching some Rambo movie or something, I’ll go visit with him.”

  “Has he gone?” Galloway whispered against my lips. I twisted my head to check. “Yep. We have the place to ourselves.”

  “Good.” He growled, the stubble along his jaw scratching my skin as he ducked his head
and nuzzled my neck. I purred in delight and squeezed his butt. “Don’t suppose you brought your handcuffs with you?” I asked.

  He froze and lifted his head. “Why, Audrey Fitzgerald! Aren’t you full of surprises?” Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a pair of cuffs and smiled. Woohoo, I loved playing cops and cowboys!

  Are you ready for book three, The Ghost is Clear? Get it here: http://mybook.to/TGIC

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  Afterword

  Thank you for reading, if you enjoyed Give up the Ghost, please consider leaving a review.

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  Thank you so much for taking a chance and reading my book - I do this for you.

  xoxo

  Jane

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