by Destiny Ford
I’d written the article about the game and the connection to the robberies for the Tribune last week and it had been the talk of the town ever since. Gambling was a no-no, and the fact that a prominent mother and grandmother from Branson Falls had been the masterminds behind the game was basically a small town gossip orgasm. “It’s been going on for about two years. The mob found out about it a year ago, so Cadence started paying them off with stolen Ron Storm sculptures. The mob took the sculptures and auctioned them off to the filthy rich, inflating the worth of the pieces, and the prices.”
I’d done some research on the game, and other games like it, for the article. In the process, I found out that organized crime is no joke and they have their hands in pretty much everything. All around the world. It’s scary.
“Why didn’t Cadence explain things to Aaron and Betty?” Phyllis asked, grabbing a few more pieces of my caramel popcorn.
I took a drink of my hot chocolate—real hot chocolate. Phyllis had a recipe so scrumptious that I liked it as much as coffee. “Betty refused to pay the mob. Cadence felt like she had no choice. Betty was probably right and could have held out, but they saw a weak link in Cadence. Cadence has a lot of people she cares for and would do anything to keep them safe. As for Aaron, he wouldn’t have been supportive of her having a job, and given their religious beliefs, he definitely wouldn’t have been okay with Cadence managing a gambling game. He also never would have sanctioned his dad’s sculptures being used to help fund the mob payoff so the game could continue. Cadence wanted to keep the game, her family, and make sure everyone was safe. She had to find a way to take care of it all on her own.”
Phyllis shook her head, her lips turned down in sadness. “It’s too bad she didn’t feel like she could go to her husband for help.”
I shrugged. “Relationships are all so different and expectations can cause a lot of problems. Cadence and Aaron both had different goals and expectations for the future, and that affected everything else.”
“Will Cadence go to jail?”
I refilled my popcorn bowl and started snacking on it, one by one. “She has a long legal road ahead of her, but I talked to some attorney friends today and they told me that Cadence will likely make a deal in exchange for giving the FBI information about the mob and the contacts she was working with. She’ll probably have to do some volunteer work, but with the information she’s offering, I don’t think she’ll have to go to jail. She and Aaron are going to start counseling and try to work things out. You don’t throw away that many years of marriage. I hope they’ll be able to reconcile.”
Phyllis nodded like she was pleased to hear it. She took a couple of bites of popcorn. “What about the Speedy Superheroes? Do you know who was helping Cadence and robbing people?”
Speckles’ identity was something that still bothered me, and I hoped I’d figure it out eventually. “Cadence refused to give Speckles’ real name and took all the responsibility for Speckles’ crimes. But I’d be surprised if it doesn’t come out at some point. Nut Man said Speckles had started taking superhero shifts again, but after the mob attacked Betty and things came out about Cadence and the game, the Speckles persona vanished.”
“Do you think Speckles is gone for good?” Phyllis asked.
I shrugged. “You never know. The Vendetta League is still active in Branson, and Nut Man says it’s growing, so I don’t think we’ll stop seeing the Speedy Superheroes any time soon. Maybe Speckles will be back.”
Phyllis clapped her hands together like she was excited. “Well, that’s good because I haven’t seen the superheroes at all yet!”
Gandalf stirred and Phyllis petted him back to sleep. “Oh!” she said with excitement, “I almost forgot! What ever happened with the casserole caper? I’m still pretty upset I didn’t get a meal!”
I laughed. Of course she’d be concerned about that. “Bobby called me about that mystery. He said it was some kids having fun. They decided it would be hilarious to anonymously drop casseroles on doorsteps so they picked people they thought might need help with a meal or five. About a week after Betty was attacked, they realized the casserole might get tied back to them and came forward with the truth.”
Phyllis nodded like it made perfect sense, but when Bobby had told me, my first thought had been: only in Branson Falls.
“Have you heard from Sasha and Axel about Inked AF?” she asked.
I had, and this update broke my heart, but I still hoped it would have a happy ending. “The vandalism that happened was organized by Axel,” I said. “He took out a big insurance policy on the shop and his pieces to help cover the debt they were under. He wrote the anonymous note that was left at the crime scene, and arranged for the pieces to be stolen. It’s not good, but he hadn’t taken payment for the fraud yet, so that should help his case. Drake is representing Axel and I think he’ll be okay, though he might step back from the business for a while and let Sasha run things.”
It turned out that Fred didn’t have anything to do with the vandalism, which made me pretty happy because it meant my childhood vision of him as a sweet and kind antique shop owner who’d let me wander his store making up stories about items could stay firmly intact.
“Drake hooked Sasha up with one of the comic conventions in Salt Lake, and she’s been working with some of the film studios in Utah too, so I think she’s had a lot of doors opened for her. She’s expanding the business to include things that people in Branson are interested in, like temporary tattoos and cosplay. It’s a smart move for her, and I think she’ll be able to pull the business out of the debt it’s in and do well.”
“Good,” Phyllis said, nodding. “Because I’ve been eyein’ a tattoo and I want them to do it!”
My eyes widened in surprise. “I’ve never thought of you as the tattoo type.”
She gave me a conspiratorial grin and a wink. “I like to keep people on their toes. Speakin’ of that, did they ever find out who egged Drake’s house? I’d kind of like to give them a high-five for the giggle.”
“No,” I said, taking a piece of candy out of the bowl on her coffee table. “They avoided the cameras, but I’m pretty sure it was an angry constituent, and Drake thought so too. Nothing has happened since—that I know of—but it surely won’t be the last time.”
All of the mysteries had been solved for the moment—well, at least most of them. I still had no clue who I wanted to date, or what to have for dinner, but I could figure both of those things out with time. One mystery did remain, though. “The only thing that still bothers me is that I can’t figure out who those big guys were that we saw walking by our houses,” I said. “And then you saw them again a few days later and said Gandalf was barking. It makes me uneasy.” At first I thought the guys had something to do with the robberies, but I now knew that wasn’t the case. I’d pondered whether they might be part of the mob, but I’d seen them walking down the street and they weren’t the same guys who had been arrested at Betty’s house. Maybe they were other mob members though.
“Oh!” Phyllis said, clapping her hands together. “I solved that mystery!”
My eyes widened. “Who was it?”
“Salespeople,” she said with a grin. “They were tryin’ to get people to buy solar panels. They’d been up and down the street for weeks. Their plan is to get one neighbor on board and then go back to the other neighbors and tell them their friends are doin’ it and they should too. That’s why they didn’t talk to us that first day. They didn’t have any sales yet. But they did later.”
I nodded in realization. “It’s a solid tactic for sure. They’re trying to use peer pressure to their advantage.”
“Yep,” she said, pressing her lips together. “They stopped by the house and talked to me a couple of days ago. I told them I’ll probably croak before the solar panel loan is paid off, so no thanks. I also told them you’re a renter and aren’t interested so they should leave you alone too.”
“Thanks,” I said, and meant it. I was
rarely home and when I was, I didn’t like to be bothered by salespeople. I had a no soliciting sign that said, “No soliciting unless you have Thin Mints. The dog will bark, shit will get real. Don’t make it awkward.” The sign didn’t seem to work. I also had two very large not-boyfriends, but they didn’t seem to be much of a deterrent either.
I frowned. “It’s weird they weren’t wearing company shirts, or badges, or something.” Most people don’t allow people in the door without identification anymore. Not that it mattered though since identification was easy to fake.
“I think they were a newer company and not the most professional.”
“Well,” I said, gathering my things. “Thanks for letting me know, and for always watching out for me. And for being my reality show watching buddy.”
She smiled. “I love our date nights.”
“Me too,” I said, giving her a hug. “I better get home and put Gandalf to bed.”
“He’s been sleeping all night,” she said, “but I’m sure he could sleep some more.”
I smiled and petted his little head.
“I’ll watch to make sure you get home safe.”
She did, and she blinked her outside lights at me once I’d gotten the door open. I blinked mine back at her, our little message that all was well, and got ready for bed. It had been a long few weeks and I was exhausted.
Considering the last costume situation I’d participated in had ended with the mob and gunshots, I hadn’t been too interested in repeating that scenario. I’d been hesitant about coming to the Halloween party—held the weekend before Halloween so parents could attend—but I needed to get out more, and Annie had invited me. Relaxing and not thinking about work for a night sounded lovely. Plus, the other two invitations I’d received had been too tempting to pass up.
“Nice costume,” Annie said, looking me over as I walked inside the party and found her standing by the food and drinks. I’d opted for a Wonder Woman theme. My mom had made it, and Gandalf got a Steve Trevor pilot outfit, though he was staying home with my mom and dad tonight. We would dress up for Halloween together though. I expected lots of kids to stop by, and they’d love Gandalf’s costume.
I laughed. “Thanks. I like your costume too.” She was dressed as a Viking shield maiden, her blue/black hair arranged in an intricate braid. She looked amazing and like someone you definitely didn’t want to mess with.
“Shield maidens kick ass,” she said, ignoring the glare she got from a couple of other people at the table for her use of a swear.
I grinned as I finished filling my glass with Sprite-spiked fruit punch. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“You’ve had a busy few weeks,” Annie mused as we both walked over to an empty table. “Robberies, vandalism, theft, superheroes, gambling games, the mob, The Ladies—”
“—The Ladies could give the mob a run for their money,” I said, lifting my glass.
Annie laughed, clinked her plastic cup to mine, and took a drink of her Sprite-spiked fruit punch. “Did you ever find out what Hawke was investigating at the game?”
I shook my head. I hadn’t seen Hawke or Drake since the game. They’d both contacted me after the incident at Betty’s and I had no doubt they were keeping tabs on me in multiple ways, but other than texts, I hadn’t spoken with them in person. But they’d both texted to tell me they’d see me tonight. So far, I hadn’t run into them—that I knew of. A lot of townspeople were in full costume and totally unrecognizable.
“Not entirely,” I answered. “But I know it had something to do with mob. The mob was running the auction, and they were threatening Betty and Cadence’s game. I think Hawke’s still working on the case and that’s why he hasn’t told me more.” At least, that’s what I was hoping.
“And what about things between you, Hawke, and Drake.”
I scrunched up my nose. “It’s not a threesome.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “If it was, you could probably sell tickets to it and make a fortune.”
My cheeks went bright red and she laughed harder.
“I’ve been spending time with them both, trying to get to know them better and figure out how I feel.”
She nodded. “Have you come to any conclusions?”
“Not really.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Maybe tonight will help.”
I gave her a look. “They’re both supposed to be here, but I have no clue where they are. I haven’t seen either one of them yet.”
Her lips lifted in a half smile. “I’m sure you’ll run into one of them soon.”
Annie’s husband, Rich, came over, dressed as a Viking to her shield maiden, and whisked her onto the dance floor. They were adorable together.
I made my way around the black and orange decorated hall, bats, ghosts, and witches adorning the ceiling and walls. Several areas were sectioned off, decorated with different themes so attendees could get the perfect Halloween photo for social media. People were dancing, playing games, and others were chatting. I saw The Ladies huddled in a corner, undoubtedly planning nefarious things. I avoided them like most people try to avoid vampires.
I was standing in the area decorated with a spider theme. It was darker than the rest of the room, and a giant Shelob looking spider jutted out from the wall, webs threatening to ensnare anyone who entered. I hated spiders in real life, but was unafraid of the fake Shelob décor. I was leaning against a cocktail table in the space, drinking my Sprite-spiked fruit punch—because they didn’t have anything stronger there—when a tall, broad shouldered man came up to me. He was wearing a dark black cape with a hood, and his face was completely covered like he was some sort of grim reaper. Based on his body alone, I couldn’t tell who exactly he was, but I’d only seen shoulders like that on two men in Branson Falls, and I was waiting for both of them to show up here tonight.
“Hey,” I said, taking a sip of my drink.
“Hi,” he said back, lifting his hand to move some of the hair out of my face. His voice was muffled by whatever mask he had on.
“How’s the party?”
“Better now,” he said, his voice deep, but still unrecognizable. “I’ve been waiting for you all night. That costume is even better than the one you were wearing at the game.”
I raised my brows. “So you prefer Amazon princesses over tempting devils?”
“With you, I get them both.”
I smiled at him, needing this reprieve. This break from my hectic life.
He must have noticed the difference in my expression because he threaded his fingers through mine and pulled me around the corner, deep into Shelob’s lair. He lifted his hand and started stroking my neck, before slowly moving his hands, sliding over my shoulders and down my arms. I leaned into him, enjoying the feel of a big, male body close to me, holding some of the weight I carried. He pressed me against the wall, then he slowly lifted his mask, just enough to reveal his lips, and closed his mouth over mine. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. Warmth flowed through me, accompanied by an electric jolt of lust. Desire consumed my body as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled me even closer and deepened the kiss, all of my senses lost to his touch. It was magic, full stop, and I could have stood there kissing him for eternity.
He broke the kiss and stepped back, searching my eyes. Whatever he saw there was enough. He took my hand and led me outside under a blanket of stars. “What if I don’t know who you are?” I asked. Even though the kiss had made it pretty obvious.
“Then this should be interesting,” he answered, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
He took my hand and I followed him. I had a feeling that tonight, I might follow him anywhere.
* * *
The End
Acknowledgments
Out of all my books, my best friend and editor, Ashley, loved my Kate Saxee Mystery series the most. After she passed away, the thought of continuing the story without her to read it was painful in a way I can’t even describe. Humor eluded me, and I w
asn’t in the right head space to write the witty prose you’ve come to expect from these books. It took years, and a lot of mental and emotional work to get to this place, but I’m so happy to be back in this world, where I can be true to the characters and their stories again. I think Ashe would have loved this book, and been as proud of it as I am. This is for you, Ashe—thank you for the lights.
* * *
Huge thanks to my talented cover designer, Kat Tallon, of Ink and Circuit Designs. And another thank you to all of my editors and beta readers who always catch the mistakes I miss.
* * *
Another giant thank you to Elana Johnson, incredible author, marketing guru, and friend. I’m so grateful for our lunches, chats, and your expertise! And to Jean Booknerd, thank you for your friendship, for always being there, and for telling everyone about my books.
* * *
My mom, who is the absolute best puppy grandma on the planet, and gives me so many ideas that my Kate Saxee idea file is almost as long as a full length novel. And to my dad and siblings, who keep me informed of all my mom’s adventures—and occasionally participate themselves. Tash—I’m looking at you.
* * *
Dan, my soul mate. Thank you for always cheering me on, making me laugh constantly, adventuring with me, being my biggest support, calling me on my BS, and for the limitless pep talks. You are the best partner and friend I could have ever hoped for. I love you with my whole heart and soul!
* * *
The friends who have stood by me, pushed me with love, and believed in me and this series for years, specifically Karen DeVault, Britta Sorensen, Jennifer Miller, Brandy Korzep, and Athena Wikstrom.
* * *
And to you, my readers, for being patient, sticking with me, and continuing to read and tell people about my books. You are essential to my job, and I think of you all as friends. I hope you love The Devil Has Tattoos as much as I do. There’s more Kate on the way!
