mystic caravan mystery 02 - freaky lies

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Not until you apologize for running around like a moron,” Kade replied.

  A moron? If he thought that was going to go unnoticed he had another thing coming. “I didn’t think of calling you because it slipped my mind,” I snapped. “I’m not an idiot.”

  “No, you’re not,” Kade agreed, crossing his arms over his chest. “You do moronic things at times, though.”

  “Name one.”

  “You left me sleeping alone the other night and walked into a cornfield where a killer is probably hanging around and almost got yourself killed.” Kade didn’t even have to think for two seconds before whipping that one out. “You’re also wandering around alone now even though you’ve been warned that you’re in danger.”

  “Oh, well, great,” I muttered. “I knew you would bring that up.”

  “Let’s move past how moronic Poet is,” Luke suggested. “I’m dying to hear your big news. Have you figured out who the murderer is?”

  “No, but I did get an interesting tidbit from Burt and June that leaves us with more questions than answers,” I said.

  “How is that a good thing?” Kade was irritated. “It certainly doesn’t sound like a good enough reason to run around without someone watching your back.”

  “Because it gives us a place to look,” I said.

  “Oh, well, what is it?” Kade had the grace to appear abashed. “We could definitely use a place to focus our efforts.”

  “Mary and Grace.”

  “I don’t know what that means,” Kade said, glancing at Luke. “Did she just explain something?”

  “The little girls from the field that day,” I said.

  “I remember them, but I’m not sure how they fit into this,” Kade said. “They were traumatized, and the cops took them home to their parents. We haven’t seen them since.”

  “I saw them yesterday,” I said. “I ran into them before I had my conversation with Melissa. They were wandering around and said they didn’t have a lot of money, so I gave them passes for today. We chatted for a few minutes and then they took off.”

  “You’re such a softie,” Luke said, shaking his head. “I don’t understand what they have to do with this, though. Do you think the murderer is going to attack them?”

  That was a good question. “I’m not sure,” I hedged. “I do think there’s something odd about them, though. Burt said he didn’t know them.”

  “But … how is that possible?” Kade asked, confused. “Aren’t they local kids?”

  “Burt said that the property on the one side – the one we assumed belonged to Grace and Mary’s parents – is vacant. The former owners died and there’s some irrigation issue that keeps it from selling,” I explained. “The land on the other side belongs to the state.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Kade said. “The area is too isolated for two small kids to wander out here alone. How did they get out here?”

  “That’s a good question,” I said. “I think there’s only one way for us to get an answer. We need to talk to their parents.”

  “You just said they don’t live out here,” Kade pointed out. “How are we supposed to find them if we have no idea where they live?”

  “Someone has to know where they live,” I argued. “Detective Brewer had someone take them home that day. He must know.”

  Kade pursed his lips as he considered what I’d said. “Okay,” he said finally. “I’m not a fan of calling the cops back out here, but I’m not sure where else to look for answers. Let’s do it.”

  “THANKS for the call. I got out here as fast as I could.”

  Detective Brewer accepted the glass of iced tea Luke pushed in front of him with a small smile as his conflicted gaze bounced between us.

  “You didn’t have to come out here,” I said. “We only needed to know where Mary and Grace live. You could’ve given us that information over the phone.”

  “Why?”

  Brewer’s question caught me off guard, but I didn’t see a reason to lie. “Because we want to talk to them.”

  “But why?” Brewer pressed. “Why are you so involved in this? I mean, you leave tomorrow, so why do you even care?”

  “Because two bodies have shown up at our doorstep and another dropped close enough to give us pause,” Kade answered, his fingers resting lightly on the back of my neck as he rubbed slow circles. “We’re invested in making sure you find out who’s doing this.”

  “If you’re worried I suspect you guys, I told you last night that I was leaning against you as suspects,” Brewer said. “I’m not sure why you feel this is your problem.”

  “Because three people are dead and someone wants to point the finger in our direction,” I said. “We don’t want to leave with this hanging over our heads. If we do, people will always suspect we had something to do with it. It will haunt us in this area.”

  “We’re business people,” Kade added. “We don’t want our business hurt for something we didn’t do.”

  “Okay, I get that,” Brewer said, rubbing his chin. His stubble was pronounced and he looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. The murders were obviously taking a lot out of him. “What do Mary and Grace have to do with this?”

  I related what Burt told me, leaving out the more colorful embellishments. “I need to know what they were doing out here that day,” I said. “We don’t have a lot of leads. They’re all we have to go on.”

  Brewer didn’t appear moved by my argument. “Well, I’d like to help you, but I can’t.”

  I stilled. So much for mutual admiration and cooperation. “Because you think we’re still suspects and want to hurt them?”

  “No,” Brewer said, shaking his head. “Because I have no idea who they are or where to find them.”

  It was as if all of the oxygen had been sucked from my lungs. “What?”

  “How is that even possible?” Kade asked, tightening his grip on the back of my neck. “I heard you order one of your men to take them home that first day. You have to know who they are and where they live.”

  “You heard me order someone to take them home,” Brewer confirmed. “It wasn’t one of our officers, though. It was a local social worker. When we got the call about the body and kids being there I phoned the local office and had them send someone out. I figured we’d be dealing with traumatized kids, so I wanted a professional.”

  “Okay,” I said, confused. “Can’t you just call the social worker? I know she probably doesn’t work on weekends, but this is kind of important.”

  “Thank you for telling me how to do my job,” Brewer said dryly, shooting me a dark look. “Don’t you think that was my first instinct when you called me an hour ago asking about those girls? I went through the file again because I needed the social worker’s name.”

  “But … she’s not picking up?”

  “She’s not picking up,” Brewer confirmed. “I called her boss and asked where she was and explained why it was important to talk to her. She hasn’t been in all week. The last day she showed up for work was the day Ryland’s body was found in the field.”

  “But … how?” Kade worked his jaw as he pondered the scenario. “What about her family? Didn’t they notice she was missing? Why didn’t her boss call?”

  “Her nearest family is an hour away, and it’s not unusual for them not to hear from her for a few weeks at a time,” Brewer explained. “I sent a uniformed officer to the house, and it’s empty. Her car isn’t there. They questioned the neighbors. No one has seen her in days. As for her boss, well, he says people snap and walk off the job all of the time. They see a lot of terrible things.”

  “Son of a … .” Kade swore under his breath as he stood. “She’s dead.”

  “You don’t know that,” I argued. “She could’ve decided to take off on her own. After seeing that body and how it was left … I mean … do you really blame her?”

  “No, Kade is right,” Luke said, furrowing his brow. “She’s either dead or being held captive somewher
e.”

  I wanted to argue, but the facts didn’t fit any scenario I could come up with. “It’s them.”

  “What ‘them?’” Brewer asked, shifting his eyes to me. “Are you saying they’re the ones doing the killing? How is that even possible? Sure, there are two of them, but they’re still kids.”

  Unless they weren’t. Perhaps they only looked like kids. I couldn’t voice that suspicion in front of Brewer. He wouldn’t understand. “They’re probably working with someone else,” I said. “They have an adult … helper.”

  “That doesn’t make sense, though,” Brewer argued. “If they know who’s doing the killing, why would they draw attention to themselves by discovering the body in the cornfield?”

  “Maybe they didn’t have a choice,” Kade suggested. “Maybe they realized the body would be discovered whether they were ready for it to happen or not. They might not have been aware of our arrival until we were already here. That might’ve thrown their plans in the air.”

  “I don’t think they watch a lot of television,” I said, my mind wandering to my encounter with them the previous day. “They have no tags on their clothing, which suggests the dresses are homemade.”

  “Wait … you saw them?” Brewer leaned forward, intrigued. “They were here?”

  “They were running around the circus grounds, and we talked for a few minutes,” I replied. “They said they were with their parents, but I didn’t see any adults.”

  “That doesn’t mean they weren’t there,” Brewer said. “Maybe the parents are doing the killing – or even one parent – and the kids are cover.”

  “That’s a possibility,” I conceded.

  “We won’t know until we find them,” Brewer said, hopping to his feet. “Thanks for the tip. I’ll get uniforms looking for any kids who fit the description. I owe you guys, especially if this tip leads us to a killer.”

  I opened my mouth to tell Brewer the girls were supposed to be at the circus thanks to passes I gave them but thought better of it and changed tactics. “Don’t mention it,” I said, earning an odd look from Kade. “Good luck. Keep us informed if you find them.”

  “Sure.”

  Everyone remained silent until Brewer was out of earshot, and then Kade turned to stare at me. “Why didn’t you tell him Mary and Grace are probably here?”

  “Because I don’t think what’s going on is as simple as murderous parents and innocent kids being swept up in their deeds,” I answered. “I think it’s something else.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’m not sure yet,” I admitted. “I need more time. It doesn’t matter, though. If Mary and Grace are here, we’ll find them. I need to be able to get close to them if I want to read their minds.”

  “What are you expecting to find?” Kade asked, his expression unreadable. “You’re holding something back.”

  He was right. There was a lot I wasn’t saying. “I don’t want to rush to judgment,” I cautioned. “Let’s just find them first. That’s the most important thing. Once we find them we can figure out what’s going on.”

  “What happens then?” Luke asked. “If they are covering for their parents, what do you plan to do?”

  That was another good question. “I honestly don’t know.”

  “Well, we need to figure it out before we make a move,” Kade said. “We can’t do something that puts two innocent kids at risk.”

  He wasn’t even entertaining the thought that they weren’t innocent. That’s why I couldn’t tell him my theory. “We have to take it one step at a time,” I said, lifting my eyes when the sound of heavy footsteps hit my ears. I waited for Melissa to turn the corner and pop into view. She scanned trailer row until her eyes landed on me and then scurried in our direction. “I think we’re about to make our first step.”

  “Who is that?” Kade asked, curious.

  “Melissa, this is Kade and Luke,” I said, introducing everyone with a simple nod. “Boys, this is Melissa.”

  “The woman who told you that you were going to die?” Luke asked, widening his eyes. “I already don’t like you. Shoo.” He made small swishing motions with his hands, earning a reproachful glare from Melissa. “You should be ashamed of yourself for what you did. Bad!”

  “I didn’t tell her she was going to die,” Melissa clarified. “I told her she was in danger. There’s a difference.”

  “Not in our world,” Kade said. I was surprised he was taking Luke’s side. “What are you doing here? Is she in danger again?”

  “She’s always going to be in danger as long as you guys do whatever you do that I’m not supposed to know about at this circus,” Melissa replied. “She doesn’t have a death omen hanging over her head, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Kade let loose with a shaky breath. That was exactly what he’d been worried about. “She’s going to be okay?”

  Melissa shrugged. “The future is fluid. I’m not omnipotent, so I can’t answer that question.”

  “Then why are you here again?” Luke asked, his voice shrill.

  “I asked her to look for Mary and Grace before I found you guys,” I answered for her, my eyes expectant as they locked with hers. “Did you find them?”

  “I did,” Melissa confirmed. “They’re here, and I think they might be evil.”

  That’s what I was beginning to believe, too.

  29

  Twenty-Nine

  “What do you mean, ‘they might be evil?’”

  Kade struggled to keep up as I hurried after Melissa. Once she dropped her bombshell she couldn’t wait to lead me toward our quarry. She’s was pretty gung-ho for a woman unwilling to own up to her abilities.

  “I mean they’re probably evil,” Melissa replied, unruffled by Kade’s accusatory tone. “After Poet told me to search for them I tried to get a reading when I found them, but there’s nothing there. I scanned them a good five or six times and came up empty.”

  Oh, now she was owning up to her abilities … and in front of other people to boot. Things were moving fast.

  “What does that mean?” Kade asked, turning his eyes to me. “She said that as if it’s important. What does that mean?”

  “It could mean several things,” I replied cautiously. “It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re evil, though. It could mean that they’re powerful enough to shield their thoughts from those with the sight.”

  “Or?” Kade prodded.

  “Or it could mean they’re evil and have no souls to read,” I admitted, risking a look in his direction. “We don’t know what they are yet. We can’t be sure until we confront them, so … don’t freak out or anything.”

  “You just told me that those two kids – two kids who look as if they could be cast as angels in an ad, mind you – could be evil and responsible for killing and dismembering people,” Kade said. “Why would you think I’m going to freak out?”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s sarcasm,” Luke said, his eyes suspicious as they latched onto Melissa’s back. “I don’t like her, by the way. I want her gone after this. She makes me angry.”

  “What have I done to you?” Melissa asked, refusing to turn around as she led us toward the midway. “I’ve barely talked to you.”

  “Yeah, but you dropped the death bomb on my best friend and then ran off like an idiotic child,” Luke shot back. “You left her panicking and upset. I don’t like that.”

  “I wasn’t panicking and upset,” I protested. “I was merely … thoughtful.”

  “I’m going with Luke on this one,” Kade said. “You were panicking, but you didn’t want anyone to know it. That’s why you woke up sweating and whimpering last night.”

  “And not for a good reason, which is just shameful,” Luke added, shooting a challenging look in Kade’s direction.

  “I’m going to beat you when this is over,” Kade warned.

  “Well, at least someone will get a workout,” Luke said, rolling his eyes. “Not that I want to be the downer here – you know
I like bringing joy to everyone – but what are we going to do if we find these little menaces and they are evil? It’s not as though we can kill them in the middle of the circus.”

  “Kill them?” Melissa slowed her pace. “Are you going to kill them?”

  Luke really needs to pay attention to what he says in front of outsiders. Crud. How could I explain this?

  “Of course we’re not going to kill them,” Kade answered automatically. “That’s not what we do.”

  Luke and I exchanged a dubious look as I cleared my throat. “That’s kind of what we do,” I said. “I’m not saying that’s what we’re going to do here because we don’t know what’s going on, but when it comes to monster hunting … um … size doesn’t matter.”

  “That’s only true when it comes to monster hunting,” Luke said. “For everything else that’s just a myth. Poet told me that one night when I was drunk, although I kind of figured it out myself before that. I didn’t have the heart to tell her, though, because she thought it was a really big revelation.”

  “Uh-huh.” Kade didn’t look impressed. “I’m limiting your time together from here on out.”

  “No, you’re not,” Luke said. “I’ll beat you if you try. You’re already stealing my woman. I won’t let you steal more of my time with her.”

  “Your woman?” Kade arched an angry eyebrow. “How is she your woman?”

  “Possession is nine-tenths of the law,” Luke sniffed.

  “I’m my own woman,” I snapped, shaking my head. Men! I swear, they’re the only gender that can get bogged down by stuff like this in the middle of a crisis. We might be hunting for evil children, for crying out loud!

  “Fine,” Luke grumbled. “You’re still kind of my woman, though. I own like … a third of you.”

  “Whatever,” I said, shaking my head and turning to Melissa. “Where are they?”

  “They’re over by the games,” Melissa replied, her eyes thoughtful as she studied me. “Do you really hunt monsters?”

  Now wasn’t the time for this conversation, but I could tell she needed something to propel her forward. “We do,” I confirmed. “That’s our main job. The circus is kind of like a second job.”