An Ex to Grind in Deadwood (Deadwood Humorous Mystery Book 5) Paperback – September 4, 2014

by Ann Charles

  I huddled under my sweater in the brisk October evening as he backed out of the drive. The moon was out. Jack Frost was going to be busy sprinkling his diamond dust on thick throughout the early morning hours.

  Back inside, I herded Addy and Layne to bed, spending a few minutes with each of them, talking about their plans and hopes for school the next day. After kissing their foreheads and tucking them in, I hesitated outside their bedrooms and listened to the sounds of them settling into their beds.

  Their father’s threat replayed in my head. No way in hell was I going to let Rex near them. If that bastard wanted to play dirty, I had no qualms about getting muddy.

  I heard the phone ring downstairs. It was after nine. Who was calling? Had Harvey or Doc forgotten something? Was it Natalie catching up on today’s events? Or was Reid trying to break through Aunt Zoe’s wall?

  Aunt Zoe waited for me with the phone at the bottom of the steps. “It’s for you.”

  She mouthed the word Cooper as she handed it to me.

  My gut jumped off a ten-story building.

  “Hello, Coop.”

  “That’s Detective Cooper to you, Parker.”

  “Whatever. Why are you calling? Do you need me to solve a new case for you?”

  He sighed.

  I imagined him squeezing the bridge of his previously broken nose.

  “Parker, did I not explicitly tell you Saturday night not to go into Ms. Wolff’s apartment without me?”

  “I vaguely remember something about that.”

  “Then why did you?”

  “I didn’t.” After several silent seconds, I added, “I’d swear to that on your History of Hand Guns bible that you keep on your coffee table.”

  “It’s The History of Recreational Firearms, smartass,” he corrected. “So, you’re saying you didn’t go into Ms. Wolff’s apartment today and take Layne’s picture off the mirror?”

  “No, of course not. Why would I …”

  My lungs seized up, my vision tunneling.

  The albino had been at Ms. Wolff’s place today, standing outside of the door. Now Layne’s picture was missing.

  “Oh, God,” I whispered, looking back upstairs where I’d left my kids tucked into their beds.

  “Parker?” Cooper’s voice cut through my panic.

  “Did Freesia call you about … about … ” My brain was stuttering in terror.

  “She did. You think the albino took the picture?”

  “Who else would have?”

  “Fuck.” I heard the sound of a chair creaking. He must still be at work. “Before you freak out, let me ask around and make sure someone here didn’t mess with it. I’ll send someone over first thing in the morning to search for it. Maybe it just slid out of the mirror and Detective Hawke didn’t look under the bed and dresser for it when he was there earlier.”

  “Cooper,” I said, still panting. “Promise you’ll call me as soon as you know.”

  “I will. Try not to panic, Violet.”

  That was easy for him to say. He hadn’t seen what that damned ax could do firsthand. I had a feeling there’d be little sleeping done tonight and poor Doc would be stuck talking to a hysterical broad yet again.

  I hung up and found Aunt Zoe standing behind me. She waved me into the kitchen. “We need to talk.”

  Like a zombie, I shuffled after her, my thoughts in Ms. Wolff’s bedroom where my son’s picture no longer was stuck in the mirror.

  “Have a seat, Violet.”

  I fell into the chair she’d pulled out for me. She placed a steaming cup of something in front of me.

  “What’s this?”

  “Hot lemon tea.” She knew it was one of my favorites on a cold night. “Drink up.” She lowered into the seat next to me.

  I sipped the warm sweetened drink. “That was Cooper.”

  “I know.” Oh, yeah, she’d answered the phone.

  “Layne’s picture is missing from Ms. Wolff’s bedroom mirror.” I took another drink and then spilled my guts about the albino I’d seen today and what he’d told Freesia. When I finished, I looked up from my hands and frowned at her.

  She reached out and squeezed my wrist. “You’re strong, Violet. Stronger than you realize.”

  I cocked my head, trying to figure out why she was saying that at this particular moment. “Is that code for me to wear more antiperspirant?”

  “No, it’s me saying that you’ve grown your wings now and need to leave the cocoon.”

  Huh? I looked down into my drink. “Did you spike this with something?”

  “Yes, sugar.” She tapped her index finger on the table. “There is something you need to know—two things actually.”

  “Okay.” I waited, uncertainty making those wings she’d mentioned flap inside of me. “What?”

  “I figured out what that message says on the inside of Ms. Wolff’s drawer.”

  I leaned forward. “Was it in Latin?”

  “A derivative of Latin, actually.”

  “What did it say?”

  “Only when the clock stops will your time be at an end.”

  I sat on that for a bit, replaying it over and over. “What does that mean?” Was it a general saying she liked to keep on the inside of her drawer or had she meant it for me in particular? If Doc’s theory was correct and Ms. Wolff had been the timekeeper Prudence kept requesting, the saying may have a deeper meaning. But what?

  “You tell me.”

  I sipped my tea, considering. “Well, Ms. Wolff did have two walls full of these spooky looking clocks.”

  “Spooky how?”

  “They were black forest clocks, but not your usual happy German boys and girls and animals carved into them. Each is unique with these freaky, garish scenes.”

  Aunt Zoe tapped her finger again. “I want to see them.”

  “I’ll need to clear it with Cooper.” After she nodded, I asked, “What’s the other thing?”

  She stared at me so long I considered asking her the question again. Then she blew out a slow breath. “There’s no easy way to tell you this.”

  “What?” My pulse throttled higher thanks to the apprehension lining her face. “You’re killing me here.”

  “It’s funny you should use that turn-o-phrase. When your great-grandmother died, I was placed in charge of keeping track of our family tree.”

  “I think you told me that before.”

  “This business with Ms. Wolff sparked a memory of something I’d seen in one of our family history volumes.”

  We had family history volumes? As in plural?

  “But since so much of it is handwritten in German, I had to scour through several volumes to find it and then try to decipher what was being said. Some of our ancestors could’ve used some writing practice.”

  “Find what?”

  She scooted her chair forward so that our knees were almost touching. Then she clasped both of my hands and stared hard into my eyes. “Long, long ago, back in Germany, they called some of the women in our family Scharfrichter.”

  “Scharfrichter? You mean … ” Ms. Wolff’s voice echoed in my head.

  She nodded once. “Executioners.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” I laughed. It sounded shrill in the quiet kitchen.

  She didn’t.

  “Are you … what are you saying?” I must have misunderstood her.

  “Violet Lynn,” Aunt Zoe said, still holding onto my hands. “You come from a long line of killers.”

  The End … for now

  * To share your thoughts and ideas on what is to come for Violet and her friends (and enemies) with others who have finished the fifth book in the Deadwood Mystery Series, check out Violet’s Secret Book Club—a hidden page on my website. (Note that you may be able to access this webpage only from a computer or certain kinds of devices.)

  To enter the book club, type the password: Elvis

  http://www.anncharles.com/?p=1474

  Speed Dating with Ann Charles

 
; I asked some of my wonderful friends in my Ann Charles’ Purple Door Saloon group on Facebook to come up with questions for me to answer in one sentence for the end of this book—speed-dating style.

  Why did you choose to move to Arizona?

  Because of the outdoor activities available throughout the year along with the incredible views help my brain relax and the creativity flow.

  When Violet is talking to Natalie down in Jackrabbit Junction, do you think about what's going on with Claire and her crazy family down there?

  Definitely, because I would like to be hanging out at The Shaft with them, drinking, playing pool, and hiding from Deborah.

  Why a chicken?

  Because Elvis the chicken showed up to the casting call and her audition was phenomenal.

  Have you ever entertained the thought of having a ghost dog helper in your books? Either a living dog who detects ghosts or one who has passed on and offers help to Violet or Doc? A cat would also do, if you know more about felines?

  No, I'm afraid the dog or cat might eat Elvis.

  What’s the scariest paranormal event you’ve experienced?

  There hasn't been one paranormal-wise because like Violet, I'm a dud when it comes to seeing ghosts.

  How do you come up with the locations of the characters’ houses?

  I hang out in Deadwood and Lead and story ideas come to mind. (I'm afraid if I tried to analyze why my imagination chooses what it does, it will get uppity and stop coming up with ideas altogether.)

  When you are writing a book for one series are the characters from your other series living their lives in your head as well, just waiting their turn to be written down?

  They are not waiting—they aren't that patient with me; they are stomping around, demanding my attention.

  Will there be more crossover stuff in your series? I like the crossover from Deadwood to Jackrabbit with Natalie. Will you have other characters jump?

  All of the characters in my series live in Ann's Universe, so there will be more crossover characters as I continue to share Quint and Claire and Montana’s worlds with you.

  In your FB post about Quint and Angélica from the upcoming book, LOOK WHAT THE WIND BLEW IN, you say you wrote the first draft years ago. Do you always do that? Do you have a shoe box full of drafts about your characters?

  I don't always do that, but I do have several stories that I wrote before I was published, and some of them are tied to characters in my now-published books.

  I have heard an author say that although she respects her readers, she doesn't write for them, she writes the story that she needs to tell. Do you feel the same?

  I have a story in my head that needs to be told a certain way, and if I start letting others dictate what needs to happen in that story, my imagination will pick up its ball and leave, refusing to play with me anymore. (That's not good.)

  Do you use events from your life in your` books?

  All of the time, but I've been advised by my characters not to tell you what's fact and what's fiction.

  Also by Ann Charles

  Books in the Deadwood Mystery Series

  Nearly Departed in Deadwood

  (Book 1)

  WINNER of the 2010 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense

  WINNER of the 2011 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart Award for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements

  “Full of thrills and chills, a fun rollercoaster ride of a book!”

  ~Susan Andersen, New York Times Bestselling Author of Burning Up.

  “Ann Charles has written an intriguing mystery laced with a wicked sense of humor. Watch out Stephanie Plum, because Violet Parker is coming your way.”

  ~Deborah Schneider, RWA Librarian of the Year 2009 & Author of Beneath a Silver Moon.

  Overview…

  “The first time I came to Deadwood, I got shot in the ass.”

  ~Violet Parker

  Little girls are vanishing from Deadwood, South Dakota, and Violet Parker’s daughter could be next. She’s desperate to find the monster behind the abductions. But if she’s not careful, Violet just might end up as one of Deadwood’s dearly departed.

  Optical Delusions in Deadwood

  (Book 2)

  From the Multiple National Award-winning Author of Nearly Departed in Deadwood!

  “What a voice! Hilarious, original, and genuinely wonderful. This fresh and feisty mystery will instantly win your heart. Loved it!”

  ~Hank Phillippi Ryan, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity-winning Author

  “A smart, sassy, sexy and wonderfully resourceful heroine. Move over Stephanie Plum—Vi Parker is here!”

  ~John Klawitter, Author of the Award-winning Hollywood Havoc Action Thriller Novels

  Overview…

  With her reputation endangered, her bank account on the verge of extinction, and her career at risk of going up in flames, Violet Parker is desperate. When the opportunity to sell another vintage home materializes, she grabs it, even though this “haunted” house was recently the stage for a two-act, murder-suicide tragedy. But someone—or something—in the house wants Violet stopped…dead.

  Dead Case in Deadwood

  (Book 3)

  Dead Case in Deadwood has been selected as one of Suspense Magazine’s BEST OF 2012 books!

  “Masterful storytelling. Masterful suspense. Masterful humor. You name it, Ms. Charles has mastered it. And to have such tension and mystery in a third book in a series? Like I said … Masterful.”

  ~Carolyn McCray, #1 Kindle Bestselling Author of 30 Pieces of Silver

  “Ann Charles has penned another wickedly funny, smart, unforgettable story. Dead Case in Deadwood is impossible to put down.”

  ~P. J. Alderman, New York Times Bestselling Author

  Overview…

  “Nothing good ever happens at the butt-crack of dawn. No doubt, the headless corpse on the autopsy table in front of me would agree.” ~Violet Parker

  Real estate agent, Violet “Spooky” Parker stumbles upon a body-part theft ring at the local funeral parlor and suspects her caustic coworker has a hand in it—or maybe a foot. Can Violet discover what’s in the crates the crooks are sneaking out of the mortuary in the dark of night? Or will she end up in one of them herself … in pieces?

  Better Off Dead in Deadwood

  (Book 4)

  From the Award-winning Author of the Deadwood Mystery Series

  “Flirty, Frisky, Frantic and Frightening … Better Off Dead in Deadwood is just plain Fun!!!!”

  ~Terri Reid, Author of the Mary O’ Reilly Paranormal Mystery Series

  “Better Off Dead in Deadwood is a wonderful blend of sizzle and sleuth—juggling murder, men and mayhem on every page!”

  ~Mary Buckham, Award-winning Romantic Suspense Author

  Overview…

  One dead body. One century-old haunted opera house. One zombie musical. One pissed-off detective.

  Will Violet “Spooky” Parker keep her tail out of trouble or will she end up as one of Deadwood’s walking dead?

  Seeing Trouble

  (A Short Story from the Deadwood Humorous Mystery Series)

  From the Multiple Award-winning, #1 Bestselling Ghost Horror and Women Sleuth Author of the DEADWOOD MYSTERY SERIES!

  A short 39-page collection to entertain and add background story for more Deadwood fun!

  Overview…

  What do you get when you combine a chicken named Elvis, a locked diary, and a secret Violet Parker does not want share with her daughter?

  Seeing Trouble is the first of many short stories involving the characters of the Deadwood Mystery series. (Bonus character interview, illustrations, and short story included.)

  Haven’t read any of the Deadwood Mystery Series books yet? Don’t worry, there aren’t any spoilers in this short story.

  Boot Points

  (A Short Story from the Deadwood Humorous Mystery Series)

  A short collection to entertain and add background story for
more Deadwood fun!

  Overview…

  It’s not really about the boots … or is it?

  BOOT POINTS is a set of short tales about Violet Parker’s purple boots. It is set in the story time between the third and fourth books in the Deadwood Mystery series. Each tale not only explains more of Violet’s history, but also shows the role each character plays in Violet’s life.

  In addition to this short story, there is a deleted scene from Nearly Departed in Deadwood, the first book in the Deadwood Mystery Series. Also, there are three short stories called "Dancing with Dialogue," "Rainstorms," and "Metro Madness" pulled from Ann's short story vault.

  The Jackrabbit Junction Mystery Series

  Dance of the Winnebagos

  (Book 1)

  Bestseller in Women Sleuth Mystery and Romantic Suspense!

  “Ann Charles delivers laugh-out-loud dialogue, unforgettable characters, and pulse-pounding suspense.”

  ~Vicki Lewis Thompson, New York Times Bestselling Author

  “…two thumbs up and a standing ovation for laughs, sighs, thrills, and an excellently crafted mystery.”

  ~Maxwell Cynn, Thrillers Rock Twitter Reviews and Author of The Collective

  Overview…

  When Claire’s grandfather and his army buddies converge in the Arizona desert to find new wives, it’s her thankless job to keep them out of trouble with the opposite sex.

  But when she finds a human leg bone and partners with a reluctant geotechnician to dig up secrets from the past, trouble finds her. If she doesn’t stop digging, she could end up dead.

  Jackrabbit Junction Jitters

  (Book 2)

  Top Rated in Women Sleuth Mystery and Romantic Suspense

  “Ann Charles does it again. Jackrabbit Junction Jitters has all my favorite things—sassy, real characters, laugh out loud dialogue, a twisty, compelling mystery, and sizzling romantic chemistry. Can’t wait for the next installment.”