She shakes her head, but some of the friendliness dissolves from her eyes. Too many questions. Crap. She’s getting suspicious. “Sorry,” she says, a little more forcefully than necessary. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“No, we’re good,” I say, drawing her attention to me. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” she says. “I’ll be back with your bill.”
Yeah, like that isn’t a cue to drink up and leave if I’ve ever heard one. We’re not making very many friends here.
Chapter 15
“What do you think all that was about?” Jess asks when we get back to the van.
“I don’t know.” I toss Russ the keys, and he slides into the driver’s seat. It’s his turn to drive.
“That’s it, though, isn’t it?” Jess hops in the back. “That has to be the connection we’re looking for.”
“It’s something. I just don’t know what.” There has got to be a link somewhere between what we overheard and what happened to Hank. The whole scene doesn’t sit right with me. The uneasy, suspicious glances, Bill’s anger, the talk about a dig, whatever that means. There’s something fishy going on.
“I vote that we ask Beau,” Russ says. “I bet that either he or his dad could explain what a dig is.”
“But we don’t even know if they’re talking about the Triple B.” I stare out the window, watching the stars twinkle above the mountains. “There are hundreds of ranches out there, as well as like a million acres of state land. They could be going anywhere.”
“True,” Russ says. “But it just seems kind of strange, doesn’t it, that we overheard that conversation right after we found Hank’s body? They’ve got to be going somewhere.”
“So why don’t we call around tomorrow? Tonight, let’s make a list of all of the local ranches and then call them and ask if they’ve had any suspicious activity lately. Maybe it has nothing to do with the Triple B.”
Russ laughs. “And you think they’ll just give us that information? We’re not cops. We’re just a bunch of kids to these people.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Jess says mulishly. “Then, Mer can talk to Lover Boy.”
“I hate you,” I mutter.
“No, you don’t,” she says, blowing me a kiss between the seats.
Back at the Triple B, Russ and Jess get to work, finding contact information on other local ranches, while I search for Beau. Bear trots at my heels with his tail straight up and a spring to his step. He’s been cooped up alone more than usual, and I feel bad for him.
Beau’s truck isn’t outside the house, but the lights are on, so I knock. Lucia answers the back door. “Is there something I can help you with?” she asks. “I was just about to turn in.”
“Sorry.” A pang of guilt slices through me. “Do you know where Beau is?”
Annoyance flits across her face. “I’m not his keeper, you know. Are you hungry? I made a roast for everyone, and there’s a lot left over.”
“Oh geez, I forgot. We’re not really used to people cooking for us. We generally fend for ourselves.”
“It’s okay. And no, Beau’s not home right now. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Well, actually, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
The door wavers in her hand, as if she’s about to close it. “I don’t know what I can tell you that you probably don’t already know.”
“That’s okay. Mind if I come in?” I slide my foot in the door while asking the question, hoping that she won’t really shut the door on my foot.
“Um, sure, okay.” She opens the door wider for me. Once inside, I follow her to the kitchen. She perches on one of the stools at the breakfast bar, and I join her. “What do you want to know?”
“Well, how long have you lived here?”
She ponders this for a few seconds. “About six or seven months now, I think.”
Huh. Not that I would expect her to know the day, but I’m pretty sure I would remember more about how long I’ve lived in a new place. “Do you know much about the ranch?”
She shakes her head. “No, I moved here from Denver. I... I needed a fresh start. I was a secretary at a law office and wanted to do something totally different.” Her fingers tap the top of the bar, as though she’s antsy or anxious about something.
I wonder if it’s my questions that are bothering her, although I haven’t really asked her very intrusive ones yet. I decide to veer away so she’ll hopefully feel more comfortable. “Do you know why we’re here?”
She shrugs, but it’s not convincing. “I don’t ask Mr. Jimenez or his son who the guests are when they arrive. It’s none of my business. They hired me to cook and clean, not ask questions.”
It’s not exactly an answer that leads to more questions. I take a deep breath. “Well, I’m Meredith Brady. Jess, Russ, and I run Brady Paranormal Investigations. We have an online TV show that airs on YouTube and our online platform.” I pull out my phone and set it on the table. “Do you mind if I record this? I won’t air it, but it’s easier to replay than trying to scribble down a bunch of notes.”
She takes a deep breath then nods. “Okay, that’s fine. As long as you promise not to replay any of that on your show.”
I nod. “Your boss’s son, Beau, contacted us about the lights he’s seen out on the pasture. We had just finished another case, so we decided to come and check it out.”
Lucia pales and crosses herself. “Those lights are the work of the devil. You should stay away from that land. It’s cursed.”
I can handle curses in my sleep. Everybody thinks that if their house isn’t haunted, it’s cursed. I’ve got this. Step one: act like you believe them. “Have you seen the lights?” I ignore the cursed comment for now. I’ll get to it later.
She nods, swallowing hard. “Yes, when I first came here. I got lost, and well, it scared the life out of me.”
“How do you know it’s cursed?” If she says it was built on an Indian burial ground, I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep a straight face.
She leans over the bar, her gaze darting furtively from side to side. “A boy died out there. He was looking for gold, and legend says an evil spirit came up out of the land and threw him from his horse. He died on the spot.”
That’s a new one. “Who was he?” And more importantly, why didn’t Beau mention anything about a boy dying where we saw the lights? We haven’t picked up anything on the video or EMF recorders yet, but if this is going to turn into a ghost investigation, we’ll approach it a whole lot differently.
“I—” The front door opens, and Lucia’s mouth snaps shut. “I have to go. Good night.” She’s gone before I can respond.
Before I get up, someone clears their throat behind me. Bear grumbles, but he doesn’t get up. Whoever it is must not be a threat.
“Good morning.” Beau smiles and settles into the stool Lucia just vacated. “Miss me that much?” There’s a tired, devilish glint in his eyes that makes him dangerous. It’s a look that says he doesn’t give a damn and he’ll do what he pleases. I’ve worn that look myself.
My lips twitch. “Oh yeah, I just couldn’t wait to see you and take a long, romantic walk under the stars, just the two of us.” I glance down at Bear. “Well, two and a half of us.”
He chuckles. Standing up, he offers me his arm. “Then I suggest we get out there before it gets too cold.”
I slip my hand into the crook of his arm and try not to feel how well it fits and how natural it feels. Tone it down, Mer. You’ll only be here for a few days, then you’ll be gone, and you’ll never see him again. But then Jess’s comment floats back into my head, and the what-ifs start. What if I gave in, just this once? What if we didn’t leave right away after we finish the case? What if I just said to hell with it and decided to see if Beau and I could have something really good? I’m sure there are more cases in Arizona. We could stick around for a while. But a cold dose of reality hits just as we step outside. No, I can’t. Not af
ter what Cam did to me.
Still, I allow Beau to lead me to one of the corrals next to the barn. It’s quiet here by the low wooden fence, and the stars are so bright I don’t need any other light to see. Bear sniffs around the dirt and rocks and hikes his leg on one of the fence posts.
“Good thing there aren’t many rattlesnakes and scorpions out here, or your little buddy might have been in for a nasty surprise.”
I look for Beau’s dog. “Has Rocket ever been bitten?”
Beau nods. “She got a dry bite once, when she was a pup. We had her out training, and she got a little too rambunctious, found a rattlesnake, and tried to play with it. Lucky for us, the bite didn’t have venom in it, so she was fine. She’s probably sleeping in the barn. I’ll let her in if she wants it before I hit the sack, but she’s great about letting us know what’s going on around the ranch.” Beau leans against the fence.
My throat dries up and I gulp. This. This is why people come to the Wild West.
“Watch your step.” His words bring a shiver to my spine. Lucia’s strange reaction seems intertwined with Beau’s words. Maybe I’m just paranoid. Yeah, that’s probably it, and Jess and Russ would agree that it wouldn’t be the first time. Then I remember the conversation we overheard in Tombstone. Was that only a couple of hours ago? It feels like forever. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”
“Of course not. Is something wrong?” He steps so close to me that I can feel the heat of his body, reminding me how cold I am. I fight the urge to move closer.
Feeling calmer, I tell him what we overheard at the Last Chance, and he swears under his breath when I reach the end. For some reason, I don’t ask him about what Lucia said. Beau would have told me if there was a legend or story associated with his land that would have impacted the investigation, wouldn’t he?
“They’re treasure hunters,” he says. “Looking for gold from prospectors and outlaws. Damn it. We don’t need anything like that right now. Not with everything else going on. Dad doesn’t need to worry about a bunch of wannabe cowboys getting themselves lost or killed out on our property.”
“Treasure hunters?” I ask, confused.
He nods. “Remember, this is the Wild West, the place where outlaws and prospectors alike hid gold and treasures throughout the mountains. There’re legends and tales of hidden gold all over the West.”
“And that’s what you think the actors in Tombstone were talking about?”
“I’m almost positive. There’re people who have gone missing, gotten lost, and even died searching for treasure. If those idiots are in the Huachuca mountains looking for lost gold, they’re as good as dead. Not only do they have very unforgiving terrain to deal with, but snakes, scorpions, bears, jaguars, mountain lions, and the cartels. It’s not safe for them to be out there.” He looks off toward the mountains, their ominous black shapes blocking out the distant stars. “No, if they’re out there searching for gold, for buried treasure, or whatever the hell they think they’re going to find, and they don’t give up, someone’s going to get killed.”
“Someone already did,” I remind him, even though we don’t know for sure if Hank was related to the treasure-hunting actors in Tombstone. “It can’t be a coincidence that we found Hank where the lights were, and I doubt aliens need to use modern firepower.”
“You’re right,” he says. “I don’t have the answers for you, but I intend to find out.”
Chapter 16
Russ and Jess are filming a live Q and A when we get back to the cabin. When I see the gleam in Jess’s eye, I pull Beau aside to explain the situation and that we’re about to put that disclaimer to good use, because he’s just about to be on film.
Beau grimaces. “Do I have to be on camera?”
I snicker. “Oh yeah. Did you see Jess’s smile? You’re S.O.L, my friend. Jess and Russ are answering questions viewers sent us and filling in the blanks, if you will, while trying to keep both cases separate. It helps our subscribers really stay in tune with what we’re investigating. They love it.”
Beau sighs. “I guess. I mean, I’ve seen them before, but I never thought I’d be on one myself.”
I smile encouragingly and squeeze his hand. “Here’s your chance. Trust me, you’ll do fine.”
He scrubs his hand over his jaw. “Thanks.”
“And now,” Jess says, her voice bright and excited, pretty much never how it is in real life, “Mer’s here with Beau, the client who sent in the video of the strange lights. Let’s pick his brain and see if there’s anything new we can learn.”
Russ pulls up a couple chairs, and Beau and I join Jess in front of the bed. Bear jumps on my lap, and I scratch him behind the ears. I hate being put on the spot like this. Beau pulls his hat off and clenches it in his lap.
“Hi guys!” I add some pep to my own voice. “I just got back from talking to Beau about some information we heard in Tombstone.” I don’t let on that we were eavesdropping, because that wouldn’t look good. “So, Jess, what have you shared with our audience?” There’s an unspoken edge to my question. Normally, I’m all for show-and-tell, but right now, there’s a lot more going on than just a normal investigation, and we could get into some serious trouble, like police-level trouble, by sharing too much with the audience, and that’s all we need.
“Everything,” she says, flashing me her own tight grin.
Crap. I can’t call her out on the show. There are people watching. We need to be a unified front. “Wonderful,” I say.
Beau raises his eyes to meet mine. He must sense my sarcasm. He’ll get used to it.
“I was talking to Beau about the dig the people in Tombstone were talking about, and he thinks they’re referencing treasure hunting, right?” I direct my question at Beau, who nods.
“That’s right.” He clears his throat, obviously uncomfortable that the camera’s turned on him. I feel sorry for him. He might watch us on TV, but he’s not used to this life. “There have been treasure hunters all over for as long as there have been outlaws and prospectors hiding their loot. The mountains are full of caves and crevices that people have searched, looking for buried treasure.”
Jess sucks in a breath. “That’s really cool.”
“Most treasure hunters go to the Superstition Mountains, up by Phoenix,” Beau says. “They’re looking for the Lost Dutchman mine. But the others, like the people you’re talking about, probably see the Huachuca mountains as untapped, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Hundreds of people that we know of have gotten lost or died hiking up in the mountains. If you count the migrants from Mexico coming to the United States, then I bet that number climbs into the thousands.”
“Do you know of any treasure they might be looking for in particular?” Jess asks, excitement in her voice. I get where she’s coming from. We’ve dealt with a lot of strange stuff, but buried treasure isn’t one of them.
Beau’s gaze loses focus as he looks off camera. “Not off of the top of my head, but I’ll find out. If anyone knows anything about the legends in this area, it’s my dad.”
“And we’ll start calling around tomorrow to see what we can find,” Jess says.
Beau’s mouth sets in a firm line. It seems like the longer he’s in front of the camera, the more he gets used to it and forgets it’s even there. “I’ll call the neighboring ranches. They’ll talk to me.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it,” I say.
He reaches over and squeezes my knee. “Anything I can do to help.”
My face burns. Did Russ just get that on camera? I don’t want our viewers to get the wrong idea.
Jess draws the camera’s attention back to her and sums up what they’ve talked about. “So I guess that’s about all for tonight,” she says. “We’ll take more questions after the feed cuts and answer them on the forums. Thank you for joining us on such short notice. We’ll get you more information as soon as it becomes available.”
Russ turns off the camera, and we all stand up. I set Bear down on the
bed, and he curls into a little ball, promptly going to sleep.
“What was that all about?” Jess asks, a stupid grin on her face.
“Shut up,” I mutter, turning to Beau. “Why don’t I walk you out?”
“Sure,” he says, glancing from me to Jess, a confused look on his face.
Jess snickers. “I think I’m gonna hit the hay,” she says. “What are the plans tomorrow?”
I glance at the time on my phone. Yeah, I should probably try to get some sleep so I’m not so exhausted when I wake up. “We have some phone calls to make and then I think we’re going back to Tombstone.”
“And I’m going with you,” Beau says. “If those idiots are out in the mountains looking for treasure, I want to know about it.”
“Wait a second.” I hold up my hand. “Are you sure you want to do this? I know you’re busy, so we can take care of it.”
Beau’s hands curl into fists and a determined expression crosses his face. “I know, but I’m not willing to stand there while people wander around in the desert and get lost... or worse.”
After I walk Beau out, I collapse onto the bed, and Bear hops on my lap, licking my face.
Then the front door flies open, and Beau rushes back in. There’s a wild look in his eyes that makes us all jump to our feet. “The lights are back,” he says, waving toward the door. “Come on!”
Chapter 17
Beau leads the way as we race toward the ATVs. Bear barks from the cabin, but I don’t have time to grab his leash. He’ll have to stay behind this time, but it’s probably safer that way. Beau grabs my hand, and I glance over my shoulder, trusting him to lead me around any cacti in the way.
Sure enough, a glowing red light flies over the valley where we found Hank’s body. Beau tugs me onto the ATV behind him, and I wrap my arms around his waist. Russ and Jess take another ATV. Jess wraps one arm around Russ and holds a GoPro in her other hand. Yeah, the footage will be shaky as hell, but it’s still good thinking. I pull my phone out and record with my free hand. Subscribers are gonna love this. There’s a reason The Blair Witch Project was a hit.
A Brady Paranormal Investigations Box Set Page 40
