Chaos in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Series)

by Jana DeLeon

  “You came back but you can’t have a normal life with a job, or charitable work. Only a handful of people can see you, but we all have our own lives and can’t contribute to yours on a full-time basis. There’s a lot of weight on a handful of people to provide you with a life, and as they shy away more and more from the pressure of it, you get increasingly pushier.”

  Helena opened her mouth, then shut it and frowned. Finally, she spoke. “I’m not going to agree with you, but let’s just say you were right. What can I do about it?”

  “You could start with actually being helpful when people need help. I understand that sometimes the situations get out of control and you panic, but fiascoes like what happened at the beauty shop today could be avoided.”

  Helena crossed her arms in front of her chest. “They were talking smack about Maryse.”

  “I understand how that made you angry, but your actions caused problems for Jadyn and Colt. And you know as well as I do that Maryse and Jadyn couldn’t care less what those old biddies say.”

  “That’s true. So are you saying I need a job?”

  “Maybe not a job in the usual sense, but a purpose. Something to focus your energy and time on. The bottom line is that if you’re going to stay here, you’ve got to get a life—your own life, or you’re going to make yourself and everyone else crazy.”

  “We’re all already crazy, but I get what you’re saying.”

  “Good. So I want you to think about what you can do to make a difference. I know you have some unusual limitations, but you also have unusual abilities. Find a way to work around one and use the other.”

  Helena narrowed her eyes at Sabine. “When did you get so smart?”

  Sabine blushed. “I’ve been taking some long-distance courses in mental health. I thought it would be a good way for me to better understand my clientele.”

  “Since your clientele is a bunch of crazy people, sounds like a solid plan.” Helena hesitated for a moment, then spoke once more. “Thanks.”

  She looked down after saying it. No surprise there. Sabine knew how hard it was for Helena to admit her flaws, much less thank someone. She’d spent her whole life paying for what she wanted and expecting no blowback. This living-dead thing she had going now was the exact opposite of the way she’d been able to manipulate everything to her advantage before.

  “Hey,” Helena said, “I don’t suppose you’ve got a snack to go with this tea?”

  Sabine smiled.

  And she’s back.

  ###

  Jadyn was a mixture of emotions as she parked in front of the hotel. Professionally, she was tired, disappointed, and apprehensive. Personally, she was energized, excited, and apprehensive. It was an oddly euphoric and depressing feeling, all at the same time, and both caused by men. Clifton being the depressing one and Colt in charge of the euphoria.

  He’d actually kissed her. Just like that. Like they were a regular couple at the end of a date. And he was worried about her. Granted, Colt would worry about anyone he thought was at risk, but she doubted he kissed everyone he thought was in danger. At least, she hoped he didn’t. So what did it mean? Or was it another one of his spur-of-the-moment actions that he’d pretend hadn’t happened the next time she saw him?

  Stupid.

  Worrying over romantic possibilities when she ought to be concentrating on her job or the situation with Helena—things she had more control over. Well, maybe Helena didn’t fall into that category.

  She pushed open the front door to the hotel and saw Mildred sitting at the front desk.

  “You working late?” Jadyn asked.

  “Just a little. I had some interruptions today and got behind on the pay-per-view billings.” She picked up a sheet of paper and grimaced. “You don’t even want to know what half of those men are watching.”

  “You’re the one selling it,” Jadyn pointed out.

  “I buy the service from a provider, but yeah, I see your point. Maybe I’ll see if they can offer me a cleaner option. That whole deer steak situation bothers me a bit. I don’t want my hotel to get a reputation for being one of those seedy cheat-on-your-wife places.”

  “I don’t think there’s any chance of that. It’s far too classy and right in the center of Main Street. Only an idiot would carry on here.”

  “Lots of idiots around.”

  Jadyn laughed. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  Mildred waved a hand. “Anyway, never mind my day. Did you find out anything about the boat?”

  “Yeah, it appears so.” She told Mildred about Clifton, leaving out the part about someone taking a shot at her. That information needed to be kept confidential until she and Colt had a better handle on what was going on, and besides, it would cause Mildred unnecessary worry.

  “That’s a shame,” Mildred said when she finished. “Sounds like he was a stand-up guy. How come a storm can’t take a drunk or wife-beater?”

  “Maybe because despite being douche bags, the drunks and wife-beaters were smart enough not to go out in that storm.”

  “I suppose you’re right. Still, it seems a waste. I wonder what possessed him to go against good advice and his own eyesight?”

  Jadyn shook her head. “We may never know.”

  “Probably money problems. People will do things they shouldn’t over money problems.”

  “He seemed to live simply, but then so do a lot of people with addictive personalities. We may find out more once we officially declare him missing. People have a tendency to start gossiping then.”

  Mildred nodded. “Are you putting together a search party for tomorrow?”

  “Yeah. Eight o’clock at the sheriff’s department dock, and we’ll divvy up coverage.”

  “I’ll make some phone calls to help spread the word around. I doubt you’ll have any shortage of help.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  Footsteps came pounding down the stairs and Jadyn looked over as Maryse jumped the last two steps and landed in the lobby. Mildred shook her head, looking every bit the tired parent she was.

  “You working late too?” Jadyn asked.

  Maryse rolled her eyes. “If you want to call it work. I haven’t had enough plants to work with for well over a week. Luc had to stay late and I figured he’d worry less if I stayed here than if I was home alone.”

  “She did wonderful things with my almost-dead roses,” Mildred said.

  “Those were the old ones on the porch?” Jadyn asked. “Wow. They look great. Hey, did Helena make it back here? I couldn’t keep her from leaving.”

  “She made it, all right,” Maryse said and told Jadyn everything that had transpired with the disgruntled ghost.

  “Seriously?” Jadyn said. “So she asked God for some unholy cosmic do-over and he agreed?”

  “I know, right?” Maryse said. “It doesn’t seem very nice of him…not to the rest of us, anyway.”

  “So Sabine played shrink,” Jadyn mused. “Do you think it helped?”

  “It seemed to. At least Helena managed to get on some decent clothes after she got back to the hotel. And the turban and tennis racket are gone.”

  “What about the boots?”

  Before Maryse could answer, Jadyn heard a squeal of glee and a second later, Helena dropped through the ceiling and landed right on the front counter. The giant dragon boots stared Jadyn straight in the face.

  “Never mind,” Jadyn said to Maryse.

  Helena began to teeter on the platform boots and flapped her arms like she was going to fly. A second later, she lost the battle and pitched off the counter.

  “Incoming!” she yelled before crashing into Mildred and sending them both sprawling onto the floor.

  Mildred struggled back up and glared down at Helena. “What the hell are you thinking, disrespecting antiques that way? Those boots have sharp edges.”

  Helena rolled her eyes and pushed herself up to a standing position, clutching the wall to keep her from falling. “And the boots don’t really exist in your
world, so what can they hurt?”

  “They don’t exist unless you get solid,” Mildred pointed out. “Which always seems to happen at the worst time and to everyone else’s detriment, like just now when you tackled me like an NFL lineman. My back will hurt for a week.”

  “Whatever,” Helena said. “I’m in too good a mood. You’re not going to spoil it with all that worry over a butt-ugly countertop or your ancient back.”

  “Why didn’t you change shoes?” Jadyn asked.

  “I did,” Helena said. “But then I was thinking about how cool the boots were and they’re back again. I can’t walk for crap in them, though, which is why I came down through the ceiling. I would have never made it down the stairs without falling.”

  “Yes, that was such a better option,” Maryse said. “Helena’s always had a problem with shoes.”

  The jangle of the bells over the front door caused them all to turn. Jadyn was surprised to see Colt holding the door open for a pretty young woman.

  “Ladies,” Colt said. “I hope we’re not interrupting important women business.”

  “You are,” Maryse said, “but we can always get back to it as soon as you’re gone.”

  Colt smiled and pointed to the young woman. “This is Taylor Beaumont, a private investigator from New Orleans. She’s looking for a missing husband and a hotel room. I told her I could help her with the hotel room part, but since you’re all here, you may be able to help with the husband part.”

  Colt waved his hand at each of them. “This is Mildred, the hotel owner. If your missing husband has stayed here, she’ll remember. Her memory is sorta frightening when you’re on the wrong end of it.”

  “Welcome to my hotel,” Mildred said and shook her hand.

  “The sarcastic one is Maryse,” Colt continued. “If your missing husband spent a lot of time on a boat in the surrounding bayous, she will recognize him.”

  “You know it,” Maryse said.

  “And this is Jadyn, our game warden. She’s fairly new around these parts but catching on quickly.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Jadyn said.

  “What?” Helena said. “No introduction for me? People are so rude.”

  “If you ladies have it under control,” Colt said, “I’m going to head home for a hot shower and a cold beer.”

  Taylor’s eyes narrowed for a split second before she smiled. “Thanks. I appreciate the help.”

  Colt gave them all a smile, winked at Jadyn, and left the hotel.

  “I hope you have a room available,” Taylor said. “I think I’ve driven through ten bayou towns asking for a place to stay. This was the first one that I actually got a positive response in.”

  “You’re in luck,” Mildred said. “The last round of EPA inspectors left a couple of days ago.”

  “Great,” she said and pulled out her wallet.

  She looked around the hotel, then at each of them, the normal sizing up that someone in her line of work did. But Jadyn got the impression that with Taylor Beaumont, something more was going on than what they could see.

  Finally, she cocked her head to the side and said, “So, who’s the ghost?”

  Chapter Nine

  They all froze. Mildred’s eyes widened and Maryse sucked in a breath. Jadyn stared, trying to wrap her mind around this strange woman, standing in front of her and calmly asking about Helena.

  Even Helena appeared shocked into silence.

  Finally, Maryse broke the silence. “You can see her?”

  “Yes,” Taylor said. “I can’t decide whether the boots are awesome or tragic, but I can definitely see her.”

  Jadyn frowned. “And that doesn’t freak you out? Because when I first realized I was seeing dead people, I wasn’t nearly as calm about it as you are.”

  Taylor smiled. “I suppose if this were my first time, it might bother me, but the truth is I always see them.”

  “Horror story!” Maryse said. “I bet you never get a moment’s peace.”

  Taylor laughed. “They usually don’t realize I see them because I no longer react. Some of them look so real, though, that I have to be careful who I speak to, or I’ll accidentally address one.”

  “Helena looks real,” Maryse said, “so how did you know she was a ghost? Does she have some ghost label or aura or something that you read?”

  “No. That part was simple deduction. Mildred glared at her when she made the comment about not being introduced. But even though your sheriff seems a nice and mannered man, he didn’t introduce…Helena, right?”

  “That’s me,” Helena said, managing to shake herself out of silence. “We’re not related, are we? So far, only people related to me somehow have been able to see me.”

  “If Taylor sees lots of ghosts, she can’t be related to all of them,” Maryse pointed out.

  Taylor shrugged. “I suppose anything is possible. My family descendants are from Great Britain and Haiti.”

  Helena frowned. “Probably not related then. So how come you can see ghosts?”

  “I was born with a caul.”

  “That sounds painful,” Helena said. “Is it anything like hemorrhoids?”

  Taylor laughed. “No, it’s a membrane over the face of an infant when they’re born. Some people believe it gives them special powers.”

  “Like the ability to see the dead,” Jadyn said, still dumbfounded at the girl’s comfort with her lot in life. Helena was the first ghost Jadyn had ever seen, and she prayed daily that she’d also be the last.

  “Exactly,” Taylor said. “My grandmother had the ability to see glimpses of the future. Her mother could predict the weather with uncanny accuracy, even down to a five-minute shower.”

  “What about your mother?”

  Taylor shook her head. “Grandma says that Mom was a skeptic even in the womb. She became an accountant and doesn’t buy into any of this. You can about imagine how horrified she was when I was born. And even more so when I started talking to people who weren’t there.”

  Jadyn cringed. Her relationship with her own mother had been less than stellar, but she couldn’t imagine the difficulties Taylor had faced, especially before she managed to sort out the living from the dead. “That sucks,” Jadyn said.

  “That’s a most accurate description,” Taylor agreed.

  Mildred, who’d been staring at Taylor, almost without blinking, gave a start. “Lord, we’re being rude. Grilling you like the police and here you are needing a room and probably some rest.”

  “It’s not a problem,” Taylor assured them. “I’m as fascinated as you are by this. I rarely meet others who can see spirits.”

  “Oh we can’t, really,” Maryse said. “We can only see Helena, and if it’s all right with the universe, we’d like to keep it that way.”

  Taylor grinned. “I hope I have some time to sit and talk with you while I’m here. If not, I must come back and visit when I’m done with this case.”

  “A missing husband, right?” Jadyn said. “And you have reason to believe he’s been in Mudbug?”

  “Or nearby. A witness spotted a man matching his description on one of the docks in a nearby fishing village while she was antiquing in this area.”

  “I hope it wasn’t Deer Killer,” Helena said.

  “Oh no.” Mildred’s hand flew over her mouth. “I’d completely forgotten.”

  “Who’s Deer Killer?” Taylor asked.

  Mildred gave her the short version of what had transpired. Taylor’s eyes widened when Mildred described the whole head-in-the-bed incident.

  “You didn’t?” Taylor asked Helena.

  “Damn straight I did,” Helena said. “Those two rotten cheaters deserved exactly what they got.”

  Taylor reached into her tote bag and pulled out a drawing. “Was this the man?”

  Helena and Mildred peered down at the drawing and both shook their heads.

  “I’ve never seen this man in the hotel before,” Mildred said.

  “Not even close,” Helena a
greed. “This guy is Christian Bale compared to Deer Killer. Christian Bale was the best Batman ever.”

  “We know,” Maryse said. “You’ve told us a million times. May I?” She motioned to the drawing and Taylor passed it to her. Maryse studied it for several seconds, then frowned.

  “Does he look familiar?” Taylor asked.

  “Not really,” Maryse said. “I mean, I get the impression that I’ve seen him before, but I don’t recognize him in a way that would be helpful. Sorry.”

  Jadyn looked at the drawing, but the man didn’t resemble anyone she’d met so far. Still, something about it bothered her, and finally it clicked. “How come you have a drawing and not a photo?”

  “The man I’m looking for went missing almost thirty years ago. The woman who saw this man is a friend of the wife and also a fairly famous portrait artist. So did the drawing. I know it sounds weird…”

  “Not really,” Jadyn said. “She saw something similar in the bone structure.”

  “Exactly,” Taylor said. “Being a very accomplished artist, she would see right past the surface things the rest of us see. I’m not saying she’s right and that this is the same man, and neither is she, but the wife can afford for me to check it out and so I am.”

  “You’re saying wife,” Jadyn said, “like they’re still married.”

  “I guess, technically, they are. He was supposed to have died in an explosion, but his wife saw one of those specials about amnesia and now she thinks there’s a tiny chance he could have survived but lost his memory.”

  “Fascinating,” Jadyn said. “Would you mind if I made some copies of this? With my job, I meet new people every day. It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

  Taylor brightened. “That would be great. Thanks so much for offering.”

  “No problem,” Jadyn said and headed to the break room to make some copies. The man in the drawing didn’t look even remotely familiar to her, and the story sounded more like the far-fetched fantasy of a long-grieving widow than something that could really happen, but perhaps finding the man in the drawing and seeing that he wasn’t her missing husband would finally set the widow on the road to recovery.

  Thirty years was a long time to mourn and hope.