Boot Scootin’ Boogeyman
A Hannah Hickok Witchy Mystery Book Three
Lily Harper Hart
HarperHart Publications
Copyright © 2020 by Lily Harper Hart
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Contents
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. Eight
9. Nine
10. Ten
11. Eleven
12. Twelve
13. Thirteen
14. Fourteen
15. Fifteen
16. Sixteen
17. Seventeen
18. Eighteen
19. Nineteen
Mail List
Acknowledgments
Books by Lily Harper Hart
1
One
“Can you see me better now?”
Hannah Hickok looked up from the clothing items she was perusing and fixed her grandmother Abigail Jenkins, who just happened to be a ghost, with a pleasant — if distracted — smile. Her mind was elsewhere, but it wasn’t every day that you got to hang out with a grandparent who had passed over so she wanted to be as accommodating as possible.
“I think you look the same,” Hannah offered, her smile rueful. “Sorry.”
“Darn it!” Abigail viciously swore under her breath, perhaps trying to keep the words that one wouldn’t normally say in front of a grandchild under wraps. Hannah had excellent hearing, though, and she wasn’t the type to be offended by a little cursing. Still, it seemed to be important to Abigail that she pretend she hadn’t heard, so that’s what she did.
“Have you considered that you’re tired?” Hannah offered, holding up a blue shirt and shifting her eyes to the mirror. She’d been told the top was flattering at one time and she was trying to ascertain if it was appropriate for a date ... because she actually had a date. She couldn’t remember when she’d last had a proper date — it could’ve been never, since she never really dated her boyfriend in college, who became her fiancé (and then relentlessly cheated on her before the relationship ended with a screaming bang) — but she had one now.
“I’m a ghost,” Abigail reminded her reasonably. “I don’t think ghosts get tired.”
“I don’t think that’s true.” Hannah swayed back and forth in the mirror with the shirt held out in front of her. “I think it’s like anything else. You have to practice, but you’re still getting used to the fact that you’re a ghost. Since it’s a relatively new thing, you have to beef up your stamina.”
“Or I could just do it well from the start,” Abigail groused. She was focused on herself rather than Hannah so she didn’t notice the critical eye her granddaughter was giving herself in the mirror. “I’ve always been good at things. This should be no different.”
“I think you’re being too hard on yourself.” Hannah grabbed a pretty black dress from the stack of clothes she was considering and held it up. “Just out of curiosity, do you know where people in this area go on dates?”
Slowly, Abigail tracked her eyes to Hannah, as if noticing for the first time that the feisty blonde was focused on something else. “What do you mean?”
Hannah did her best to appear nonchalant. “You know ... dates. If a man asks out a woman, for dinner let’s say, and they head somewhere else that’s not a cosplay western town located on top of a mountain, where would they go?” Hannah shifted a pair of nervous eyes to the ghost. “And what would one wear to that establishment?”
Abigail took a moment to study the items in Hannah’s hands and then burst out laughing. It wasn’t the reaction Hannah was expecting.
“Are you and Cooper finally going on a date?” she asked when she’d recovered.
“Maybe.” Hannah’s turn was swift as she went back to looking in the mirror. “I don’t know that I would use that word. I mean ... it feels dated. Ha, ha,” she laughed hollowly. “The word ‘date’ sounds dated. That’s weird, huh?”
“I don’t think the word is dated,” Abigail countered, moving closer to Hannah so she could meet her granddaughter’s gaze in the mirror’s reflection. Hannah had grown up separate from Abigail and they hadn’t been blessed with a relationship of any sort when Hannah was young. They were still feeling their way around each other now, but their relationship was becoming more and more comfortable each passing day. Abigail considered it a blessing that she was getting to know her granddaughter at all and kicked herself for not realizing that Hannah had other things beside ghostly shenanigans on her mind today. It was obvious, now that she gave her a hard look, that Hannah couldn’t have cared less about her ghostly staying power.
“You don’t?” Hannah’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “I don’t know what to wear.” She threw the dress and shirt on the bed and flopped down next to them, her eyes trained on the spinning ceiling fan above. “I think ... I think this might’ve been a mistake.”
Abigail thought otherwise, but she decided to play the rational sounding board rather than the fervent cheerleader. “And why do you think that?”
“Because we work together.” Hannah propped herself on her elbows. “What happens if we go out on a date and realize we hate each other? What if he chews his food too loudly or talks with his mouth full? What if he thinks I’m an idiot or I step into some unflattering light? That’s going to make working together difficult.”
“Sure. Sure.” Abigail made a popping sound with her ethereal lips. “What if it’s the best thing that ever happened to you, though? What if he’s charming — and, trust me, he is — and he makes your heart flutter in a way you never thought possible? I’m pretty sure he already does that last one, though.”
“Yeah. That’s the problem.” Hannah grabbed one of the pillows and placed it over her face so she wouldn’t be tempted to make eye contact with her grandmother. “I think I’m afraid.”
“I think you are, too.” Abigail’s tone was soothing as she hovered closer to the bed. “You don’t have to be afraid, Hannah. Cooper is a perfect gentleman. He’s also strong, a good listener, and seems to be smitten with you.”
Ugh. That wasn’t what Hannah wanted to hear. She wanted someone to reinforce her fear and tell her it was okay to chicken out of the date. Apparently Abigail hadn’t gotten the memo. “Smitten?”
“It’s a word,” Abigail countered. “It also perfectly describes what I see when you two are together. I don’t see what you’re getting so worked up about. You guys have spent an inordinate amount of time together since you arrived and it’s clear you like one another. Besides, you’ve eaten a good thirty meals together and you would already know if he talks with food in his mouth.”
That was a fact. In truth, Hannah felt comfortable around Cooper Wyatt, the head of security at Casper Creek, the Kentucky Western town that Abigail had left her when she died. When she was with Michael Dawson, the cheating fiancé from hell, she’d never felt comfortable in her own skin. She was convinced that was how he liked things. If he kept her guessing, she wouldn’t be able to focus on everything that was wrong with the relationship because she was so desperate to make everything right.
Cooper, however, was the exact opposite. He liked Hannah for who she was, warts and all. He didn’t care that she’d only recently discovered she was a witch, complete with magical powers, and he found it cute when she stuck her foot in her mouth ... which w
as quite often. He was patient, explained things to her when they needed explaining, and was eager to spend time with her. He didn’t make her beg for a few precious moments here and there. He happily volunteered hours upon hours.
“I think I really like him,” Hannah muttered. The statement was more for herself than Abigail but there was no way the ghost didn’t hear.
“I think you really like him, too,” Abigail agreed, her grin mischievous when Hannah finally removed the pillow and met her steady gaze. “It’s okay to be excited about a man. That doesn’t mean you’re not a strong female. It simply means you’re more than one thing.”
“I guess.” Hannah forced herself to a sitting position and grabbed the shirt and dress. “Which one?”
“The dress,” Abigail answered without hesitation. “It’s not too fancy, but it will show off your shoulders and legs.”
“Is that a good thing?” Hannah asked dryly. “I mean ... aren’t you supposed to be steering me toward a non-sexual relationship? Er, well, at least until marriage.”
“That takes the fun out of things, doesn’t it?” Abigail’s eyes twinkled. “You’re an adult. You can do what you want. You don’t need me telling you how to live your life. I will, however, make sure I’m scarce this evening in case you and Cooper want to ... spend some quality time together.”
“On the first date?” Hannah feigned outrage. “That’s scandalous, Grandma.”
Abigail beamed at her. It had taken time for Hannah to refer to her that way and she was thrilled that the young woman was becoming so comfortable with the word. “You’ll be fine.”
The television on the nightstand drew both women’s attention when the familiar local news music started playing. They were breaking in with a special report.
“What’s that?” Hannah asked, leaning forward. “Do you know who that is?”
There was a photograph on the screen, featuring a young woman with blond hair, and the dour newscaster looked grim as he related some tale that Hannah was convinced was of the macabre variety.
“I’ll turn up the television.” Abigail floated in that direction and showed off her new skills when she hit the button to increase the volume. “I’m getting good, huh?”
Hannah nodded but kept her attention on the screen.
“Holly York is the third woman in the area to go missing from the Bowling Green area in the past month,” he said. “All three women are young, in their mid-twenties, and have blond hair and blue eyes. Police haven’t indicated whether they believe one person is responsible for the disappearances, but those in the community are starting to worry.”
Footage of several women putting up missing-persons signs in an area park filled the screen as the newscaster continued to drone on.
“York was at a local bar on the south side of town two nights ago when she disappeared,” he said. “She was out with friends, excused herself to go to the restroom, and never returned. Police were called to the scene within the hour but there was no trace of her, and witnesses could provide no information on her movements. Police are asking that residents — especially women — go nowhere alone after dark until this case is solved. We’ll keep you updated with further developments.”
“That’s sad,” Abigail noted as the soap opera they’d been watching before returned to the screen. “I wonder what happened to them.”
“I don’t know.” Hannah shook her head and heaved out a sigh. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and find out that they voluntarily took off.”
“I doubt it but ... maybe.” Abigail’s gaze was bright. “Now, what are we going to do with your hair? With that dress, I think you should wear it up. It will make your neck look longer.”
“LEAVE THOSE GOATS ALONE, JINX!”
Tyler James, the Casper Creek animal wrangler, shot an exasperated look toward the black Labrador retriever as it bounded around the paddock, excitedly nipping at several young goats as they tried to avoid the dog’s attention. When one of the goats, a young black one with a deviant personality, circled behind the dog and gave him a hard charge, Jinx yipped and hopped onto a nearby picnic table to escape.
“I told you,” Tyler said wearily, shaking his head. “You’ve been around those things enough to know that they get vicious.”
The look Jinx shot Tyler was one of exasperation. He settled on top of the table and watched as the goat desperately tried to climb the table to mount a second assault.
“What’s going on here?” Cooper Wyatt asked as he slid through the fence and surveyed the situation. He looked amused when he saw the way Jinx was cowering on the table. “I thought he and the goats were getting along.”
“It goes in spurts,” Tyler replied, removing his hat so he could rub at the back of his neck. “One day they’ll be fine and the next there will be murder on their minds. You know how it goes.”
“I do.” Cooper leaned against the fence, taking a moment to smooth down his shirt, and desperately fought the urge to ask Tyler how he looked. “Thanks for watching Jinx tonight so Hannah can leave town for a bit.”
Amusement flashed in the depths of Tyler’s green eyes. “No problem. What’s one more animal? Besides, I have a feeling that you would’ve wrestled me down and made me eat a pile of hay if I didn’t agree.”
Cooper was the picture of innocence. “Why would I do that?”
“Because this date is important to you.”
“I don’t know that I would call it a date,” Cooper hedged. He was uncomfortable with the word. It felt too formal, rigid even. That was the last thing he wanted. “It’s more of a meal ... with conversation, and maybe a few drinks.”
“And just the two of you. How is that not a date?”
“Um ... .” Cooper shifted from one foot to the other, his anxiety kicking up a notch. “Do you think I look okay?” He blurted out the question before he could stop himself. He felt like an absolute ninny for asking it, especially of another male friend, but he had no one else to ask and he was unbelievably nervous.
“I think you look like my cowboy in shining armor,” Tyler teased. “I want you to dip me low and kiss me right now, you devilishly handsome man.”
The look Cooper shot him was withering. “I’m being serious.”
“I know you are, which is why I can’t resist messing with you.” Tyler’s smile stayed in place until he realized Cooper’s grimace wasn’t budging. “Dude, don’t get worked up.” He took pity on his friend and clapped his hand on Cooper’s shoulder to reassure him. “There’s no reason to be nervous. You and Hannah are in sync with one another, to the point where it makes the rest of us uncomfortable sometimes because you look at each other as if you’re the only two people in the world.”
Cooper let loose an exaggerated sigh. “I know we’re in sync. I think that’s the problem. What if ... ?” He didn’t finish the question. He couldn’t.
“What if what?” Tyler prodded gently. “You were going to ask a serious question. I promise to give you a serious answer. That’s what friends are for.”
Cooper slid him a suspicious glare. “How do I know you’re not just going to make fun of me?”
“You don’t, but I promise that I’ll give you a little break right now because you’re wearing your good boots. Things must be serious if you’re wearing your good boots.”
“How is that not messing with me?” Cooper complained.
Tyler snickered. “Dude, you have got to lighten up. I’m here for you. Tell me what’s got you so riled up.”
“I just ... what if this is a mistake?” Cooper was desperate enough to lay himself bare. “What if we decide we don’t have that spark? Now that we’re officially dating, that means we’re going to have to officially break up. If that happens, I’m going to have to find another job because it will be too uncomfortable to stay here. I don’t want to have to find another job. I like this job.”
Tyler had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He’d known Cooper a long time, years upon years, and he’d never s
een the man this worked up. To him, that meant Cooper was already too far gone to turn back. He simply didn’t see it. “I don’t think that’s what you’re worried about,” he said finally.
Cooper’s face was blank. “What else would I be worried about? This is a big deal. Technically, she’s my boss.”
“Which means it might be interesting if she tries to sexually harass you.” Tyler sobered when he realized Cooper was in no mood to laugh. “You’re going to have to lighten up, man. This is going to blow up in both your faces if you don’t unclench just a little.
“As for what I believe you’re really worried about, I’m going to tell you,” he continued. “You’re not worried that the two of you won’t fit together. You’re worried that you will. Heck, you guys already fit. Now that it’s official, though, there’s no turning back ... or delaying the inevitable.
“The thing is, I don’t think you really want to turn back. You would kick yourself if you screwed this up. You’re just excited ... and nervous ... and maybe a little bit of a whiner. Everything is going to be fine.” He clapped Cooper’s shoulder hard. “You need to suck it up. You’ve been dying for this date for weeks. It’s finally here. Why not just embrace it and have fun?”
“That’s easy for you to say.” Cooper straightened his shirt for what had to be the fiftieth time. “What if I make an ass of myself? What if I say the wrong thing? What if she decides I’m not as handsome as she originally thought? I know it boggles the mind but women think crazy things sometimes.”
Since Tyler recognized the statement for what it was — an attempt at a joke — he laughed, but it was only for form’s sake. “You’re going to be fine. You and Hannah have essentially been dating since she arrived, although it has been in an informal sense. You’ve spent the night on her couch, and in her bed.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, earning a stiff elbow from Cooper. “Not in a filthy way, of course,” he coughed out once he’d recovered enough to speak. “You guys have eaten lunch and dinner together every day this week. You’ve fought demons and witches together. What’s the big deal?”
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