Semi-Psychic Life: Glimmer Lake Book Two

by Hunter, Elizabeth

  “This is… large.”

  Robin squinted at it. “Kinda reminds me of Russell House.”

  “Let’s hope this one isn’t haunted too,” Monica said. “I don’t have any sage with me.”

  “We really need to start carrying some stuff,” Val said. “For emergencies.”

  “Emergency sage?” Robin smiled. “That and salt guns.”

  “It wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Monica said. “Maybe I’ll make up a kit.”

  “Okay, Ghostbusters, let’s do this before the neighbors call the police.” Val walked to the front door and pushed the doorbell. A cascade of chimes echoed through the house, and a blurry outline appeared in the frosted glass of the front door.

  Savannah answered the door herself. “Hello.” She recognized them and frowned. “Hi. Aren’t you—?”

  “I’m Valerie Costa.” Val stepped forward. “And there is no way this is not going to be awkward, so I’m just going to spit it out. Josh Mason is my ex-husband—not sure if you knew that—and I know you guys are… close.”

  Savannah’s already pale face went even paler. “You’re—”

  “It’s fine. I don’t need to know.” Val held up a hand. “It’s none of my business. The only reason I’m here is that I don’t know if you realize he’s missing.” She waited for Savannah to jump in, but the woman was speechless. “Looking at your expression right now, I think you probably do know, and I wanted to ask if you knew anything about where he might have gone. If he mentioned anything to you. Or if you have any idea where—”

  “Josh was my husband’s mechanic.” Savannah cut her off. Her face was pale, but her expression was frozen. “I met him, and I think I brought him a coffee once. But I don’t know anything more about him. I’m sorry.”

  “Your husband has a black Maserati, right?”

  “Yes.” She started to close the door, and Val stuck her hand out.

  “Please.” Val stopped the door from closing. “Please, Savannah. I know Josh was more than your husband’s mechanic. I know you got him a bottle of really nice cologne. And I know he cared about you a lot. I know…” She racked her brain for memories of the vision. “I know he… He was worried about you.” She looked up and met Savannah’s eyes. “He was worried about you, Savannah. Why was he worried about you?”

  When the woman spoke, it was barely over a whisper. “You need to leave.”

  “Why was Josh worried about you?” There was something delicate and sad in Savannah’s expression. Something wistful that made Val angry. “Please. My friends and I can help if you—”

  “You need to go.” With a firm hand, Savannah shut the door in Val’s face.

  She turned and saw Robin and Monica staring at her, both wearing worried expressions.

  “She’s scared of something,” Robin said.

  “Yeah. Big time.”

  “Let’s go.” Val headed to the van, a knot of dread in her belly. “Whatever is going on, I don’t want to make trouble for her.”

  * * *

  She stared at the door of the coffee shop, willing Savannah Anderson to walk through the door. Maybe she didn’t want to talk at her house. Maybe they had staff who would report on her to her husband.

  That was a frightening thought.

  Imagine being so trapped that you didn’t feel comfortable talking in your own home. Customers stepped up to the register, and she took their order by rote.

  “Double-shot mocha with caramel.”

  “Refill on a brewed coffee.”

  “Regular latte with skim.”

  The ebb and flow of customers in the coffee shop was soothing. The bustle of school kids walking in and out, skiers on their way up the mountain, the year-round residents of Glimmer Lake greeting each other across the room.

  This was her place. It was good. Misfit Mountain was for everyone. The weirdos and the punks and those who didn’t fit in. And it was for the soccer moms and old ranchers and the kids. Val had wanted to make a place where everyone fit in because no one did.

  That includes you, Savannah.

  Val had taken the day off from investigating because she’d hit a dead end. She’d talked to everyone she could think of and didn’t know where else to go. Robin hadn’t found any spirits with insight, and she hadn’t been able to summon the ghost behind West’s garage again. Monica hadn’t had any other visions except one where she saw Savannah driving through the mountains in her pretty silver sports car, which wasn’t all that helpful.

  Val was trying not to be discouraged, but it was hard. She’d taken days off work, and she still didn’t have any solid leads. It had been a week since Josh went missing, and she was starting to think that maybe he did take off.

  Maybe he didn’t take the money like the police thought, but maybe he did just up and moved. Maybe he couldn’t face his feelings for Savannah, didn’t want to deal with breaking up with Rachel, and didn’t feel like explaining himself.

  It wasn’t implausible. Josh was nothing if not an emotional coward.

  He might be out there, completely oblivious to anyone being worried about him. Maybe the choppy voice mail he’d left explained what was going on, and she didn’t get the message because the signal was crappy. Maybe he really was that asshole who didn’t care that his kids worried about him.

  All completely possible explanations.

  At two, she turned the sign for the café around and locked the door. It had been quiet after the lunch rush, and there were no remaining customers to shoo out the door. JoJo and Max were cleaning the tables and chattering about the apartment they’d found. They had to find one more roommate willing to share the rent with them and they’d be good to go. Val could see the excitement on JoJo’s face at the prospect of being out of their mom’s house.

  Honey and Ramon were happy. All her employees were happy. The café was busy and profits were increasing.

  And her boys were worried and miserable.

  You can do one thing well. You can either be a great mom or a great business owner. You don’t get to have both.

  She saw Sully’s pickup truck in the distance, parking at Glimmer Lake Realty.

  And you definitely don’t get to have that.

  She tossed the wrapped sandwich Ramon had made for her in the passenger side of her truck before getting in and warming up the engine, blowing on her hands to keep them from freezing. Another cold snap had dropped the night before, and Val could smell fresh snow in the air. She wanted to get home before the boys did, start a fire, and eat her lunch.

  She didn’t want to think about Josh. Or Savannah Anderson. Or blood on the snow.

  She unwrapped her sandwich while she was waiting for the truck to heat up.

  Pastrami and provolone. Damn, Ramon was good.

  * * *

  Her dark mood bled over from her afternoon into her evening. The boys came home and were quieter than usual. Jackson didn’t ask to go to the library. Andy put his head in a book as soon as his homework was finished. They didn’t even fight about doing the laundry or the dishes.

  At nine o’clock, both boys were in their room and ready for bed.

  Val stuck her head in the doorway and caught Jackson’s eye. “Hey.”

  He looked up from his phone. “Hey.”

  “I’m going out for a drink okay? I won’t be long.”

  “Is it snowing?”

  “Not supposed to come down until midnight. I won’t be that late.”

  “Are you meeting Monica and Robin?”

  “I’ll text them.” Which was not a yes. She would text them, but she didn’t want to catch a drink with them. “I’ll have my phone on me if you need anything.”

  “Okay, no problem.” Jackson’s shaggy hair fell in his eyes, and Val fought back the sharp urge to brush it away and kiss his forehead like she had when he was little.

  “I’ll see you later.” Val closed the door, grabbed her keys, and slipped out of the house, taking long sharp breaths on the front porch while she surveyed the
night sky. The snow was coming soon. She could smell it. She could feel the stillness in the air. By morning, there would be an extra foot of the stuff on the ground.

  Walk or drive?

  She didn’t want to drive, but what was in walking distance? Oh yes. Chaco’s. She ducked back inside and wrapped an extra scarf around her neck before she grabbed her wallet and walked out the door again.

  Chaco’s was a local bar. It wasn’t fancy, but it did attract the tourists. Hopefully none of them would be drinking on a weeknight in the middle of winter. Val shuffled down the sidewalk and toward the main drag with her hands stuffed in her pockets and her eyes on the road. She didn’t worry about bears or mountain lions, but a tourist who didn’t know how to navigate icy roads? Now that was a deadly predator.

  Ten minutes after she left her house, she was sliding onto a barstool at Chaco’s with her phone in hand. She waved at Sergio behind the bar, and he gave her a chin nod to tell her he’d be right with her.

  Before he walked over, Val sent a text to Robin and Val. At Chaco’s. Do not need rescuing. What are u up to?

  Robin was the first to text back. Movie with Mark.

  ???

  Social Network.

  Good one.

  “What’ll you have, Val?” Sergio took a rag and wiped off the bar in front of her. “Anyone joining you?”

  “Nope. And just a beer.”

  “805?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Robin texted back, You know, the movie’s not over but I think Facebook is evil.

  Ur just figuring this out?

  Monica joined in just as Sergio brought her beer. I’m cleaning out the guest room.

  You wild woman.

  Needed to be done.

  Val typed, This is why her house always looks better than ours do, R.

  You’re not wrong.

  Val reached for the bowl of nuts on the bar, only to be met with the abrupt image of a tourist wiping his nose and then reaching for them.

  Ew. No.

  She waved the dish at Sergio. “Can I get a fresh bowl?”

  He walked over and leaned against the bar. “You think my nuts are dirty?”

  This was Chaco’s. She wasn’t getting out of here without a few nut jokes. “Are you telling me that tourists have been in and out of here all day and they haven’t put their fingers all over your nuts?”

  The corner of Sergio’s mustache twitched. “I keep my nuts fresh, tourists or no tourists.”

  Val tapped on the bowl, valiantly keeping a straight face. “Fresh nuts, please.”

  “You’re lucky I like you.” He swiped the small silver bowl from her hand. “Or I’d be offended by you insulting my nuts.”

  Val felt him before she heard him. Somehow she’d known he would show up that night.

  “If the woman wants fresh nuts, give her fresh nuts.” Sully sat on the barstool next to her. “And don’t complain. It’s not like anyone else in here is asking for your nuts.”

  Sergio smirked and walked across the bar to refill the tray.

  Val looked up at Sully. “I never need to hear the word nuts again.”

  “Nuts.” He reached for her beer. “I’m not keeping count.”

  “Poacher.” She watched him take a drink and remembered a summer night when they’d shared a beer. Then a bed. Unlike that night, Sully was wearing heavy winter gear. He’d taken off his uniform and was in the typical Glimmer Lake uniform of T-shirt with a flannel over it and a vest over that. He’d probably left his parka by the front door like Val had.

  “How was your day?” she asked.

  “I’ve had better. I’ve had worse.” Sully nodded at Sergio when the man brought him a tall glass of gold brew and set the silver tray of nuts on the bar between them. “How was yours? You stay in town today?”

  “Yeah. Kind of hit a wall.”

  He grunted. “I know how that feels.”

  “Still haven’t heard from Josh.” She grabbed a cashew from the bowl.

  Sully took a long drink. “Just so you know, if you do”—he lowered his voice—“you don’t have to tell me.”

  “I’m not trying to withhold anything because I don’t think he stole that money. I think as soon as he shows up, we’re gonna find out that he ordered parts with it. Or that he never had it to begin with.”

  “So why would Anderson lie?”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, are we sharing now?”

  Val could tell Sully hadn’t realized he let the name slip but also that he didn’t care that much.

  He shrugged. “Might as well. I’d be shocked if you hadn’t figured that part out yet.”

  Val turned to Sully and squared her shoulders. “Fine. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

  Chapter 13

  “I’m definitely not going to turn down that offer.” Sully finished his beer in one long gulp and set the empty glass on the table. “Allan Anderson is an asshole—”

  “At the coffee shop, we call him Americano Asshole. Really. That’s his nickname.”

  Sully frowned. “Why?”

  “Because he orders a café Americano with heavy cream and three sugars.”

  “And?”

  “You know what that is? It’s a sweet caffe latte. Only he’s too cheap to pay the extra fifty cents to order a sweet latte. So he orders an Americano and he doesn’t even have the decency to go to the milk-and-sugar station and put the milk in himself. He wants us to do it for him.”

  “So why don’t you tell him to fuck off?”

  “That’s generally considered bad for business,” Val said. “Also, he drives a BMW and leaves twenty-five cent tips. Americano Asshole.”

  “Yeah, even I know that’s kind of shitty.”

  “It is. Which is just to say that yes, Anderson is an asshole. But apparently he’s friends with the mayor in Bridger, so everyone listens to him.”

  A large group of skiers walked into the bar, raising the volume of the room. Val and Sully scooted closer together.

  He shook his head. “It’s not just the mayor. He’s friends with God and everyone. The county commission sucked up to him and gave the ski resort all kinds of tax breaks to renovate because they figure it’ll be good for businesses in the area.”

  “To be fair, it is. Sierra Slopes brings in a ton of business. I know all the hotels have had a lot more bookings this year since the renovations. Our business went up nearly thirty percent. Everyone in Glimmer Lake is happy about it.”

  “Agreed, but it also brings in more work for the police and sheriff’s office. Do we complain about doing more on less tax dollars? No. It’s fine. But then Anderson is on the phone with Bridger PD every fucking day.”

  “About Josh?”

  “Yeah. This guy is obsessed with finding your ex.”

  “I’ve seen the man’s house. I don’t think ten grand is really obsession-worthy for him.”

  Sergio brought Sully another beer. “Agreed.” Sully stared at her. “Which makes me think this isn’t about the money.”

  Sergio broke in. “Just so you know, I’m gonna turn on the game. I’ll try to keep the volume from getting crazy.”

  “Thanks, Serg,” Sully said.

  Val waited for the bartender to leave before she turned back to Sully. “Okay, I can’t tell you how I know this, but I’m pretty positive Josh and Savannah Anderson were having an affair.”

  Sully’s mouth firmed into a line. “How positive?”

  “One hundred percent. I know they’re having an affair.”

  “I knew it,” he muttered. “I fucking knew it. Wait, were having an affair? They’re not anymore?”

  “I don’t know if they still are. No idea about that part. I couldn’t get her to talk to me.”

  Sully stared at his beer. “Do you think she knows where he is?”

  “I didn’t get the sense that she did. I think she’s as confused as the rest of us. But I can tell you that she’s afraid of something.”

  “Josh?�
�

  “Wouldn’t hurt a fly. Seriously, the man doesn’t even like to kill spiders.”

  “So Anderson?”

  Val raised and lowered her shoulders slowly. “Your guess is as good as mine. I can’t tell you that. And I can’t touch—tell…,” Val stammered. “I can’t tell how long it’s been going on. Or, I mean, I don’t know how serious. With her and Josh.” She cleared her throat. “You might have better luck talking to her. She might not have talked to me because I’m his ex.”

  He was frowning, staring at her. Then he glanced at her hands. Val stuffed them in her pockets and tried to look nonchalant.

  “Okay,” Sully said. “I’ll try talking to her. Bridger PD didn’t question her. I know that. They’re totally focused on the line Anderson fed them about your ex stealing the money. You’re definitely sure about the affair?”

  “Yeah. I’m sure. I still don’t know why he took off, but I don’t think it’s about the money.”

  “I don’t either.” Sully’s thumb flicked along the edge of his beard. “Would he be afraid of Anderson?”

  “Josh? No. Maybe he should be, but he wouldn’t be. He doesn’t have the sense to be afraid. Also, he’s too confident. He always thinks he can get out of any situation by bullshitting.”

  Sully took a pull of his beer. “I’m starting to see why you two ended up divorced.”

  Val rolled her eyes. “It was a lot more than the bullshit, but that didn’t help.”

  Sully looked at her. Looked away. “How are your boys doing?”

  “They seem a little better since they talked to you.”

  “Good. I didn’t sugarcoat anything for them. Didn’t tell them I was bringing their dad home or any shit like that. Just so you know. I wouldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be fair.”

  “I know,” she said. “I think just having someone in authority listen to them helped. That was thoughtful. I can tell you know kids.”

  “Well, I know boys anyway. I grew up in a house full of them. Kinda lost when it comes to girls, even though I have like five nieces.”