Fugue Macabre: Ghost Dance (Fugue Macabre Trilogy Book 1)

by C. J. Parker

  Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and her throat constricted, making her next words hard to speak. She had hopped, but hadn’t expected it this soon. They’d known each other for such a short time. But God knows they’d been though a lifetime of trials. “What about Elizabeth?”

  Derek’s dark eyes gazed into hers. There were no shadows left behind. He was looking at her, not beyond her into his past. Derek loved her. “Elizabeth is my past, you are my future. Will you marry me, Tabatha Gray?”

  Bobbie’s jaw dropped. “Well, big boy, you managed to do what no man has ever done. You done shocked the hell out of me.”

  Rhonda nodded her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

  Tabatha looked at the box in her hand and slowly opened it. A one-karat marquise diamond sparkled in the sunlight. It was the most wonderful ring she’d ever seen. “It’s beautiful, Derek.”

  “For heaven’s sake, baby girl.” Bertha stomped her foot. “Answer the man. You gonna marry him or what?”

  Tabatha laughed, enjoying the surge of happiness filling her senses. “Yes. I’m gonna marry him.”

  “When?” He scooted closer to her. “Tomorrow?”

  “No. Not tomorrow.” Tabatha glanced over her shoulder at Gray Manor. “When we can have the wedding here. It will be a new beginning for the house and us. We’ll make it a double ceremony.”

  “Double ceremony?” Derek glanced at Bobbie then Rhonda. “One of you getting married?”

  “No way.” Bobbie shook her head. “Not in this lifetime.”

  “Don’t even have a boyfriend.” Rhonda sighed.

  “A wedding,” Tabatha smiled at the rush of pleasure, “and the christening of our home. It will become Bainbridge Manor on our wedding day.”

  “Has a nice ring to it.” He kissed her softly on the lips.

  “Oh, hell.” Bobbie moaned. Tabatha shifted her gaze to follow hers.

  The man walking toward them could only be described as a mass of human form in continuous motion. Barefoot, bare-chested, clad in tight jeans, his muscles rippling with every stride. His complexion glowed with the same cinnamon hue as Bobbie’s, his long black hair hung past his shoulders and a raven feather dangled from his right earlobe. His hands hung at his sides in tight fists.

  Derek pinched Tabatha. “Hey, I’m still here.”

  She turned her attention back to him. “I love you, Derek, but I’m not blind.”

  Rhonda gasped. “My goodness, that’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. Who is he?”

  Bertha clicked her tongue. “Trouble.”

  The man’s lips parted, and his voice seemed to sap the oxygen from the air. “Madam Luckman.” He bowed. “Paco and his mate, Nahimana, were found this morning floating face down in Lake Pontchartrain. A bit far from home, don’t you think?” His eyebrows rose sharply as he stared at her accusingly. “There are some who question your leadership to let this go on this long.”

  Tabatha took Bobbie’s hand in hers. “Everything okay? What’s he talking about?”

  Bobbie jumped to her feet. “I’ve not been sitting idle doing nothing? We’ve killed their assassin. Their lord is behind bars.”

  “We?” He eyed the group before him. “You team up with mere humans to fight your battles?”

  “Mere humans?” She turned and winked at Rhonda. “Show my friend how mere you are, Rhonda.”

  Rhonda stepped forward. “You really don’t want to see me get upset. I have—um—hot attributes.”

  Tabatha stood and placed herself between her friends and the strange man. She’d had enough threats since returning home, she wasn’t in the mood to let another one prance his tight ass into her yard and start up on Bobbie. “Bobbie is my sister. We are her family.”

  He stepped forward invading Tabatha’s personal space. Derek started toward them but Tabatha sent her magic forward, and the man staggered back, pulling in a gasp of air.

  “Do not underestimate us,” she warned.

  Derek flashed his badge. “If you want to know a real battle, just threaten these women again.”

  The man inhaled a deep, greedy breath. “Who the hell are you? What the hell are you?” he asked Tabatha.

  She had his attention. Good. “Multiple choice, either your worst enemy or your best friend. Who? I’m Tabatha Gray. And you are?”

  The man pounded his chest with his fist. “I am Kangee.”

  Bobbie massaged her temples. “His animal is the raven.”

  Kangee darted his gaze away from Tabatha to Bobbie. “They know about us?”

  Bobbie shrugged.

  His eyes filled with rage before he lowered his head in a near bow and turned to leave.

  “I’ll be right back.” Derek escorted Kangee to his car.

  “Okay, Bobbie, what’s the story with this Kangee? Who are the people he said they found in the lake?” Tabatha settled on the steps again.

  Bobbie dropped to the steps as if all her strength drained with the breath she’d released in a rush. “When we were children, Kangee and I were best friends. Both our fathers were dead. We used to tell my mother we would marry one day and build her a grand home and take care of her forever. Then she died when I was twelve.” Bobbie leaned her elbows on her knees and hid her face in her hands. “The community took me in, but I lived a while with one family then another until I felt like a refugee in my own village. I ran off to New York when I was seventeen. I didn’t really think anyone would miss me. My brother inherited the leadership position when my father died. They didn’t need me.” Tabatha watched Kangee drive away. “My brother came to New York to find me, so, in a way, it’s my fault he’s dead.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Bertha handed her a glass of tea before walking out to the curb beside Derek and beginning a conversation.

  Bobbie faced Tabatha. “I have to go back. They need me, and I have an obligation to fill. I’m the last of my bloodline, the only leader they have.”

  This didn’t feel right. They had been together as a team since Tabatha had found Bobbie on her porch swing. She, Rhonda and herself were unstoppable together. She wasn’t going to let Bobbie go anywhere without her. Tabatha pulled her cell phone out of her jacket pocket and dialed.

  “Ochsner Hospital. How can I help you?”

  “Room 316 please.” Tabatha waited in silence.

  “Hello.” Her mother’s voice held a hint of sleep.

  “Hi. Feeling better today?”

  “I’m fine. You okay?” Her mother sounded stronger than she had the day before.

  “Momma, I have to wrap up a few loose ends. I’ll see you in a couple of days. Derek is going to let you live at his place until the house is finished. He’ll be looking in on you until I get back. Is that okay with you?”

  “Don’t worry about me, Tabby. I’ll be in good hands.” She paused. “Um. Tabby. Will he be living with me?”

  “No. We’ll be staying at Rhonda’s.” She heard Carla release a sigh. “Okay. Rest. I’ll see you soon. Bye, Momma.” She handed the phone to Rhonda. “Can you get in touch with your mom?”

  Rhonda drew a slip of paper out of her jeans pocket and accepted the phone from Tabatha.

  Bobbie looked from one to the other. “What are you two thinking?”

  Rhonda held up her hand. “Hi, Daddy. Is Mom around?” There was a moment of silence as she waited. “Hi, Mom. Look, I’ve got some business to attend to. You’ll be back from Disney World on Thursday right?” She nodded as if her mom could see her reaction to her answer. “Well, if I’m not back by then, can you watch Shane a while longer?” She smiled. “Great. And, Mom, don’t let him out of your sight. I’ll explain when I get back. Love you. Bye.” She flipped the phone shut and handed it back to Tabatha before they faced Bobbie.

  “We’re coming with you.” Tabatha crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Bobbie’s argument. The decision was an easy one. Trying to figure out how to tell Derek what they were going to do was another matter altogether.

  “No.” Bobb
ie looked away as if her thoughts were anywhere but with them.

  Rhonda stomped her foot on the ground. “We’re a family. If you’re in trouble, we’re in trouble. We’re in this together. I won’t take no for an answer.”

  Tabatha smiled. “Yeah. What she said.”

  “Well, aren’t you the bossy one all of a sudden?” Bobbie laughed. “You don’t know what you’re saying. My world is much different than this one.”

  “We’ll survive.” Tabatha glanced at Derek and Bertha still talking by the curb. It felt a bit too coincidental that Bertha had chosen that moment to keep him busy. She returned her attention the Rhonda and Bobbie.

  Worry and relief warred in Rhonda’s eyes. “Okay, what’s the plan?”

  Derek strolled across yard and drew Tabatha into his arms. “You going to be okay? I need to go to the stationhouse for a while. I’ve got paperwork piled to the rafters. Where we going to meet up?”

  Tabatha’s mind raced with so many comebacks. The truth. A lie. Or somewhere in between. “Rhonda, why don’t you give him your house key so he can have some copies made?”

  “Good idea.” Derek took the key from Rhonda and slipped it into his shirt pocket. “You girls be careful.”

  Tabatha nearly sagged with relief. She had not had to lie to him. She’d just not told the whole truth. They would meet up at Rhonda’s, Tabatha just didn’t know when. With all the love in her soul, she kissed him. “We’ll be fine. See ya later.”

  Derek winked and waggled his eyebrows. “Hmm, sounds promising.” He kissed her one last time, stepped into his car and drove away.

  Tabatha watched until his car was out of sight. She missed him already. “Anyone got a pen and paper?”

  Bertha handed both to Tabatha from her purse. “What you up to?” Tabatha began to write.

  Derek, by the time you read this I’ll be gone.

  It’s just for a few days.

  Bobbie needs us. Don’t worry about me.

  I’ll be fine. I love you.

  She signed her name and handed the note to Bertha. “Give this to him. I’m not telling you where we’re going, that way, you can’t tell him or have to lie for me. And don’t you worry about us either. We’re big girls, we can take care of ourselves.”

  Bertha waved her hand in dismissal. “Oh, the Tree Lady will watch over you.”

  Tabatha knew it. Bertha knew a lot more than she let on. Who is the Tree Lady and how did she fit into this?

  Bobbie spun around and stared at Bertha. “What did you say?”

  Bertha laughed. “I’ll watch over Derek. He’s gonna be plenty mad when he realizes you’re at it again.” She climbed into her car and waved goodbye. “See you girls later.”

  “What was that all about?” Rhonda looked as confused as Tabatha was. “The Tree Lady.” Bobbie ran her hands over her face. “She’s one of my people. How does Bertha know about her?”

  “Sometimes I think Bertha knows everyone and everything.” Tabatha sat on the steps again and ran the situation over in her mind. “All right. Here’s the plan. We go with Bobbie and see if what happened there was connected to our problems here.” She stretched out her arm, hand palm down. “Derek’s Devils. Together forever.”

  Rhonda placed her hand over Tabatha’s. “Friends.”

  Bobbie placed her hand on top. “Family.”

  Tabatha searched her friends’ faces and saw in them the same fatigue trying to force her to her knees. “No rest for the wicked, nor for those who fight against them.”

  Epilogue

  Dearest Readers,

  On this occasion of the third release of Fugue Macabre Ghost Dance, I’d like to take a bit of time to answer a few questions that have been asked since the book first debuted.

  The idea for Tabatha Gray and Detective Derek Bainbridge’s story came slowly over a time spread of two years. It started during a visit to New Orleans’ St. Louis Cemetery Number One. I glanced from one crypt to another jotting down names I thought would make great character names. Then I came across the grave of a four-year-old child, her mother interred in the same crypt two years later. About five minutes later I noticed another child had died within three days of the other. New Orleans is a big city, I thought, not to be surprised that one died so soon after. Just coincidence, right? Then I saw a third child had died a week later. So, within a week of time three children had died. Had there been a plague? I asked the tour guide.

  “No, ma’am, from what I understand, they were murdered and mutilated.”

  My human side grieved for the children and the horrible pain the parents must have gone through. Then the writer’s side kicked in. What if…?

  It wasn’t long before Tabatha Gray was born. A woman with a gift to raise the dead, to ask what happened, and who did it. Too easy I thought. What if…?

  Then Derek Bainbridge stepped up and asked me how I thought a woman, a psychiatrist at that, would know how to find a killer? What if…?

  Then Tabatha said, wait, what about the murder of his fiancée twenty years ago? What if…?

  I think you got the idea. A writer’s world is full of what ifs. And every what if, leads to another and another until the story's questions are answered and brought to a satisfying conclusion.

  But as I neared finishing Fugue Macabre Ghost Dance, I knew I had to write at least two other books to truly satisfy the readers want to know. (Oh, all right, I didn’t want to let go of the characters yet.)

  Who is Bobbie Luckman and what is her story? Same question arose for Rhonda Meads. And, of course, my own heart wanted to know more about

  Bertha, Tabatha’s friend and cook for the Gray family since Tabatha’s birth. More, what ifs.

  So, from Fugue Macabre Ghost Dance was born Fugue Macabre Bone Dance.

  The next and last book of the trilogy will be Fugue Macabre Fire Dance. It’s taken me a while to work out the story for Rhonda Meads. Not so much that she’s being difficult, but that it’s a book that has to bring everything to a conclusion that will hopefully satisfy my readers.

  I’ve been asked which of these women am I? I always smile and say, all of them. Every writer takes a bit of herself to make a character come to life. No, I cannot raise the dead, I cannot start a fire with the simple desire to do so, and I cannot shift into a beautiful leopard. But I have often thought that if I could, I’d change the world.

  What if…?

  C. J. Parker

  This riveting series continues with…

  Fugue Macabre: Bone Dance

  ISBN-13: 978-1475284034

  Nearly as old as time, Clan Moran has existed in secrecy in the bayous of southern Louisiana. Years after leaving her clan, Bobbie Luckman has been called back. Father and brother murdered, she is the last of the Moran bloodline and must return to become Queen Moran.

  Upon arrival she finds her childhood sweetheart, Kangee, isn’t so welcoming, the clan unforgiving, and an interloper trying to step into her brother’s royal shoes. Can she bring the clan back together in time to save them from the threat of the Prophecy of the Moon Revo Su, and an ancient curse?

  For your reading enjoyment Ms. Parker has another book available as an e-book…

  Misty Dreams

  ISBN-13: 978-16016545978

  Dreamer, Elita La Rue, has always romanticized the stories in her great-great-grandmother’s journal and memorized the photographs of two gunfighters--Wild Bill Hickok and Seth Lucan. If only she could turn back the hands of time to 1876! Playing dress up in her father's theme town, Duke's Wild West, is as good as it gets until a handsome gunfighter appears out of nowhere claiming to be Seth Lucan. Elita is willing to believe his outlandish story in hopes he'll make all her fantasies come true.

  Seth Lucan is tired. Tired of being mistaken for his outlaw brother, and tired of dodging bullets. When he arrives in Deadwood, his hopes of making enough money to start over are shattered when he discovers the town has not only become a cesspool of thieves and murderers, but the Lucan name and troubles have
followed him. Now he’s faced with a new barrage of bullets, a high-strung lady with a wild imagination, and no way out.

  A strange mist emanating from the old blacksmith’s shop may answer both their prayers. Will love be enough to save them from the consequences?