Freaky Rites (A Mystic Caravan Mystery Book 6) Read online

  Freaky Rites

  A Mystic Caravan Mystery Book Six

  Amanda M. Lee

  WinchesterShaw Publications

  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

  20. Twenty

  21. Twenty-One

  22. Twenty-Two

  23. Twenty-Three

  24. Twenty-Four

  25. Twenty-Five

  26. Twenty-Six

  27. Twenty-Seven

  28. Twenty-Eight

  29. Twenty-Nine

  30. Thirty

  Mailing List

  About the Author

  Books by Amanda M. Lee

  1

  One

  “Stop bouncing around.”

  “I’m not bouncing around.”

  “You are and it’s driving me crazy.”

  “I don’t think that’s a very long trip for you.”

  “That did it!” Even though he was behind the wheel on a busy interstate, Kade Denton reached over the middle of the truck seat and made a grab for my best friend Luke Bishop.

  I realized immediately this was a bad idea – and liable to end in disaster because we were in bumper-to-bumper traffic – so I slapped Kade’s hand to keep him from wrapping it around Luke’s throat and adopted my best “I’m in charge and you have to listen to me” voice.

  “Focus on the road!”

  Kade’s irritation at being bossed around was obvious, but he did as I instructed, grabbing the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white, while focusing out the windshield and cursing under his breath as he regarded Route 101, a rather populated California highway that led to our destination.

  “I’m going to kill him,” Kade muttered under his breath. “I just want you to know that. You’re fond of him and I find you adorable … and sweet … and other things I can’t talk about in mixed company. But I’m going to kill him. You should say your goodbyes now.”

  I ran my tongue over my teeth as I debated how to fix the situation. Generally I’m not much for mediating, but the trip between Portland and our new stop – a spot in the middle of nowhere that would serve as the circus hub for multiple northern California cities – had been one of the longest trips of my life.

  Yes, that’s right. Poet Parker – that’s me, in case you’re wondering – was officially at her limit.

  “You guys both need to knock it off,” I shot back, tugging on my limited patience as I rolled my neck and adjusted the vent in Kade’s truck so the chilly air blasted directly at my face. “The last thing we need is a fight.”

  “Oh, now, don’t be like that,” Luke complained from the back seat. He was blond, handsome, utterly charming when he wanted to be … and he knew exactly how to get under Kade’s skin. Kade was my boyfriend and Luke was my best friend, so that made for some awkward encounters at times. Those encounters bothered Kade much more than they did Luke. Luke treated them as if they were games, which only added to his charm (although Kade would completely melt down if I ever pointed that out). “No one is fighting. We’re having a simply lovely conversation about your new trailer, which will be waiting for you at the campground.”

  I flicked a glance over my shoulder and found Luke watching me with unreadable eyes. Ever since Kade and I made the decision to move in together he’d been oddly quiet. Sure, he teased me mercilessly at first – multiple digs about bedhead, shaving my legs in private and walking around in a face mask and ruining what he called my “sexual mystique” – but that was mild considering Luke’s personality. I was still waiting for the big bomb to drop.

  “Can you not irritate Kade when he’s driving?” I asked after a beat.

  “Because it’s unsafe and you want to make sure we arrive at our next destination in one piece?”

  I shook my head. “Because it’s tacky. Think of it like a pink purse in a sea of red pumps.”

  Luke scowled. “Oh, great. You’re going to give me nightmares.”

  I smirked as I slouched down in my seat and extended my legs to stretch. Despite the long drive – and even longer sniping fest – I was relatively relaxed. I was looking forward to getting my hands on the new trailer my boss Max Anderson – who also happened to be Kade’s father – had secured for us. It was supposed to be waiting when we arrived, which meant we would officially begin sharing a roof. Unofficially we had been sharing a roof since we got together, because sleeping apart wasn’t an option either of us wanted to explore.

  “Somehow I think you’ll survive,” I said dryly, shrugging my shoulder against the seatbelt. “If those creepy dolls from last week didn’t give you nightmares, I’m sure a pink purse won’t.”

  I regretted the words the second they escaped my mouth. Bringing up the killer dolls was a bad idea, especially because some of the “dolls” were also people … including the fourth person in our truck. Melissa Craft, my young sidekick, had been seduced by an evil entity that took over her mind and almost killed her. Melissa’s recovery from that event had been slow, to say the least.

  Melissa didn’t respond to the statement, instead continuing to stare blankly out the truck window. She either didn’t register my offhand comment or chose to ignore it.

  Kade sensed my distress at opening my big mouth and inserting my foot, so he cleared his throat and tapped the steering wheel as he made an effort to change the subject. “What do you know about this area?”

  I wasn’t expecting the question but I was eager to focus on anything other than Melissa’s morose countenance and the possibility that Kade and Luke might actually come to blows if this trip didn’t end quickly.

  “We’re not staying in a town,” I replied, anxiously rubbing my hands against my knees to shake off the sense of dread pervading the truck. We didn’t often ride in a group like this. Melissa generally caught a ride with one of the other groups, but she was so despondent that no one wanted her. (Plus they weren’t sure if she was completely over that whole “being possessed by a witch and trying to kill us” thing.) As for Luke, his truck was in for repairs. Max arranged for it to be delivered to the new campground the second it was finished. That meant Luke needed a ride. I was his best friend, so he immediately came to me to serve as his taxi service. Kade was still fuming about the development.

  “If we’re not staying in a town, where are we staying?” Kade asked.

  “It’s basically an open field between a lot of towns,” I explained. “The biggest is Eureka, which happens to be close to the water if we get a chance to take a break one night. I know you like walking along the beach. Even though our last stop was close to a beach, we didn’t really get a chance to enjoy it because of all the killing and bodies showing up.”

  I cringed again when I realized how irritating that must sound to Melissa.

  As if reading my mind, Kade reached across the console and grabbed my hand to give it a good squeeze. He recognized I was struggling with Melissa – everyone in camp was having difficulty dealing with her – but he refused to let the conversation stall.

  “What else can you tell us about the area?”

  I smothered my worry for Melissa with attention to detail regarding our home for the next week. As a circus caravan, we hopped fro
m location to location without calling any particular place “home.” I was used to it. Kade was newer to Mystic Caravan Circus, so he was still coming to grips with the nature of his new world.

  “Oh, well, there’s a nature preserve not far away,” I started. “There’s also a few other small towns, which are supposed to be really cute.” Something occurred to me. “Wait … didn’t you grow up in California?”

  “I did, but not this part of the state. I was much farther south. I don’t remember ever visiting this far north. It’s a new adventure for me, too.”

  “Oh, well, I guess that makes sense.” California was a huge state, after all. I grew up in Michigan and only saw small pockets of it before running away to join the circus, and Michigan was nowhere near the size of California. “Also, there’s a reserve thing – um, I think it’s called Headwaters Forest Reserve – and it’s supposed to feature a lot of redwood trees. It’s supposed to be really beautiful. I thought if we get set up in a reasonable time that maybe we could take a hike.”

  “I don’t like hiking,” Luke complained from the back seat.

  Kade scowled. “I’m pretty sure she was talking to me.”

  Luke wrinkled his nose. “Why would she want to hike with you? I’m the fun one.”

  “I’ll show you fun,” Kade muttered.

  I sensed the conversation getting off track and desperately tried to rein in my rambunctious best friend and easily irritated boyfriend. “I’m also looking forward to seeing Eureka,” I added. “The name is cool – don’t say anything obnoxious, Luke – and the entire city is a historical district.”

  “Wow,” Kade intoned, his lips curving. “I didn’t know you did so much research on this one. I’m impressed.”

  “We’ve never been here before. It’s my job to conduct research in case … well, in case things go south.”

  Kade tightened his grip on my hand but he kept his eyes focused on the road. He was ridiculously handsome, his dark hair cropped close to his eyes, and his jaw wide and strong. He was also sweet and loyal. He hadn’t been part of the circus for long, but memories of life without him were already fading. It was as if he’d always belonged with us and seamlessly fit right away because he was always supposed to be with us.

  It was a sobering thought.

  “I believe it’s my job to make sure our new locations are safe,” Kade pointed out. “I’m the head of security. I didn’t find anything in my research to worry me. You should relax and enjoy the trip. The view is spectacular – I mean, look at that water – and we’ll be in our new trailer relatively quickly. After that I expect you to turn into a drill sergeant until we get the new place organized and set up exactly how you like it.”

  I was fairly certain that was a dig. “Are you suggesting I’m anal retentive?”

  Kade immediately started shaking his head. “Absolutely not. You’re not anal retentive. You’re fussy.”

  Wait … was that better? “I’m not fussy.”

  Luke snorted and even Melissa looked mildly amused by the statement. That didn’t mean I would admit to being fussy. I mean … what a stupid word. I’m extremely far from fussy.

  “I’m not fussy,” I repeated, hating the fact that my voice took on an edge and I sounded defensive. “I simply like things the way I like them.”

  “You’re right, baby,” Kade teased. “That doesn’t make you fussy at all.”

  I jerked my hand away from him. “I am not fussy.”

  “Oh, you’ve lost her now, Kade,” Luke teased from behind me. “You’ll have to get on your knees and beg if you want her to forgive you.”

  “I plan to play that game later.” Kade’s grin was mischievous as he followed the highway. “We’re looking for Elk River Road, by the way. “If anyone sees it, please call out. I think we’re getting close.”

  “And we’re out in the middle of nowhere?” Melissa asked, speaking for the first time since I insisted she ride with us to make sure there were no problems with some of the other workers.

  “We are.” Kade bobbed his head in confirmation. “There are towns within driving distance, including Eureka, but it’s not like before. We’re not part of a festival and we won’t have other people on top of us.”

  Or breathing down our necks and poking their noses into our private business, I silently added.

  “Good.” Melissa’s voice was small as she turned to stare out the window. She looked to be lost in her mind. Of course, in the week since we’d rescued her from a crazy woman and a life of possessed torment she often seemed lost. I didn’t know what to do to make things better for her.

  “Tell me more about the area,” Kade instructed quickly. He was as uncomfortable with Melissa’s reaction as I was. In fact, if I had to guess, he was even more uncomfortable. “I’m not really familiar with the history of Eureka … or the set-up of the town.”

  “Oh, well, I have information here.” I grabbed my phone so I could read the notes I’d typed. “The population of Eureka alone is more than twenty-seven thousand. When you add in the other nearby towns, I think that means we’re going to have a busy week.”

  “That’s good, right?” Kade was intent on keeping the conversation moving forward.

  “No, it sucks,” Luke deadpanned. “We prefer a dead stop so we don’t make any money.”

  Kade growled low and deep, and I shot Luke a warning look before continuing.

  “There’s a healthy native population that still lives here,” I read, determined to keep my focus on the area rather than Melissa’s rather obvious internal upheaval. “It was part of the gold rush and has a rich history with loggers because of the redwoods. A lot of the homes are Victorian. I can’t wait to see them. I love Victorian homes.”

  “Good to know.” Kade winked at me. “What else?”

  “Fishing, boating and shipping are big industries,” I replied. “Um … there’re also a lot of earthquakes in the area, so we should prepare ourselves for the possibility of a rumble or two.”

  “That’s normal for most of California,” Kade pointed out. “I’ve survived more earthquakes than I can remember. That’s not too bad.”

  “What about paranormal populations?” Luke asked, turning serious. “I would think – especially with the gold rush history and the wildlife preserve – that we’re dealing with at least a few different populations.”

  “That is definitely true,” I agreed. “There are two different shifter populations at opposite ends of the county – bears and wolves – and there’s a coven working out of Eureka, although it appears small and not too powerful.”

  “You’ve obviously done your research,” Kade said. “Is there any faction that worries you?”

  “Not really.” I knew what he was really asking. We’d been caught unaware when it came to Melissa’s abduction and possession. I wasn’t exactly sure what we could’ve done to avoid that. There was no way of ferreting out important information until we were well into the game. But that was not something to discuss now.

  “There is one interesting tidbit,” I added, hoping to engage Melissa in the conversation. She was a fan of old-fashioned ghost stories and the Eureka area had one of the best. “On the other side of the campsite – and I’m talking no more than two miles – we have a bona fide ghost town to tour.”

  Kade didn’t look nearly as thrilled at the prospect as me, but I noticed Melissa perked up at the news. She didn’t comment, but her eyes were keen.

  “It’s called Falk,” I continued, eager to keep her engaged. “It was a booming lumber town for fifty years. It had four-hundred residents at one time, which was pretty impressive in the late-1800s. Back in those days it was an hour commute from Eureka by wagon, which wasn’t convenient, so the town was built to be self-sufficient.

  “Then, when the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, the mill had to be shut down,” I continued. “A couple of families stayed until the 1940s, but it became a ghost town after that. Not a literal one, at least at that time. Because squatters
wouldn’t leave it alone, all the buildings were razed, but now they run tours and stuff there.”

  Kade furrowed his brow. “And we’re interested in tours because?”

  “Oh, we’re not going on a tour. I wouldn’t mind seeing the town, though.”

  “Why? If the buildings are gone, nothing is there.”

  “Some of the framework is still there,” I argued. “Plus, I guess there are cool rosebushes and English ivy. There’re also some foundation areas you can find and gardens that are supposed to be out of this world.”

  Kade blinked several times in rapid succession. “You want to go to a ghost town to see gardens?”

  I shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind seeing the ghosts, too.”

  “You just said it wasn’t a literal ghost town.”

  “I said it wasn’t a literal ghost town at the time it shut down,” I clarified. “Because of the trees, the area is often foggy. People have claimed to see ghosts wandering the hills and trails ever since the town was razed.”

  “And you sound excited about that.”

  “I am excited about that.”

  “Poet likes ghosts,” Luke supplied, his head resting against the window. “She’s always been fascinated with them. While shifters, witches, vampires and all the other weird things we cross paths with can be dangerous, ghosts usually keep to themselves and don’t offer much trouble. That’s why she likes them.”

  “I guess that makes sense.” Kade said the words, but I could tell he remained confused.

  “You don’t have to go with me,” I offered. “I can take someone else or go on my own. I just want to see the town. It’s supposed to be neat.”