mystic caravan mystery 02 - freaky lies

  FREAKY LIES

  A MYSTIC CARAVAN MYSTERY BOOK TWO

  AMANDA M. LEE

  WINCHESTERSHAW PUBLICATIONS

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Prologue

  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

  31. Thirty-One

  Mailing List

  About the Author

  Books by Amanda M. Lee

  Copyright © 2016 by Amanda M. Lee

  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

  Prologue

  Thirty years ago

  “I can help you.”

  Max Anderson felt lost as he regarded the woman in front of him with impassioned eyes and a heavy heart. Katie Denton was the love of his life. He was sure of that. He was also sure that she didn’t love him – at least not in the way he wanted her to. That realization was both frustrating and hurtful, and he had no idea what to do with the overwhelming feelings.

  “You can help me, Max,” Katie agreed, nodding her head and causing her brunette ponytail to bounce as she kept her tone even. “You can agree to sign these papers and then … I don’t know … go away.” Katie extended her arm, a file in her hand. “It will be better for everyone if you don’t make a scene.”

  Max knit his eyebrows, confused. He was used to being in charge. In fact, he enjoyed being in charge. He wouldn’t have taken the huge risk of starting his own business if he didn’t want to be the boss. That worked out well for him. Mystic Caravan Circus was thriving in a time when other businesses failed. Max took pride in that. He liked being a success. He didn’t like someone telling him he had no say in a situation – especially when it involved his unborn child.

  “But … .”

  Katie firmly shook her head, biting her lower lip, cutting off whatever argument Max was about to mount. “You’re a good man, Max,” she said. “You really are. You’re strong and you have a good heart. You’re not father material, though.”

  Max frowned, shifting his eyes to Katie’s nondescript front door as he decided how to respond. “You don’t know I’m not father material,” he argued. “You can’t say what kind of father I’ll be unless you give me the chance to do the job.”

  When Katie called him over for an early lunch visions of an afternoon dalliance floated through his mind. He wasn’t in town often – only once a month or so – but Katie seemed fine with their arrangement … until now. He flew out to be with her whenever his schedule with the circus allowed and she always appeared thrilled to see him. That clearly wasn’t the case today.

  Max Anderson wasn’t a man who could settle down. He had a serious case of wanderlust. Katie Denton wasn’t a woman who wanted to live on the road. She found joy in her home and garden. Despite the fact that they had nothing in common Max found she owned his heart. She apparently didn’t feel the same way, and the realization was making Max bitter.

  “Max, I think you’re one of the kindest men I know,” Katie said, opting for a different tactic. Max recognized it for what it was, though. She was trying to shine him on and then shove him out of her life. “A father is someone who stays in one place, though. A father is someone who wakes up in the same bed every morning and returns to it every night.”

  “I … could do that.” Even as he uttered the words Max knew he they weren’t true.

  “No, you can’t,” Katie said, her eyes filling with sympathy. “This isn’t your fault, Max. It was an accident. I let this situation go on longer than I should have because you’re so charming and larger than life. I knew it would end badly. I guess I just didn’t foresee it ending this badly.”

  “So you … regret it?” The realization stung. Max loved her, and she regretted being with him. A kernel of anger flared and caused his chest to warm. “If you regret it so much, why did you ask me to drop everything and fly out here? Why didn’t you tell me when I arrived yesterday?”

  “I … meant to,” Katie replied, holding up her hands and shrugging. “When I saw you I couldn’t help but spend one more afternoon with you. I knew you weren’t leaving until tomorrow. When I woke up this morning, though, I realized I had to tell you. It’s not fair to lead you on.”

  “I don’t understand why it has to be over,” Max pressed, digging in his heels. If there was a chance he could salvage this situation he would gladly take it. “I can send money and make my visits more frequent. In fact … yes … I can come out every other weekend. That’s plenty of time to spend with our child.”

  Even though her stomach was still flat Katie, instinctively ran her fingers over her midriff, almost as if trying to calm the new life growing inside of her. “That’s not nearly enough time to spend with a child,” she argued. “Max, I know you don’t understand this because it’s not the life you want to live, but a child needs a father who is going to be there for every baseball game … and nightmare … and to have campouts with in the back yard.

  “You would try to be that kind of father,” she continued. “I know you would. You would fail, though. Your heart isn’t in this life. It’s in the circus. It’s on the road.”

  Max still didn’t understand. “So you’re choosing a fatherless life for your child instead of one with a part-time father? How is that better?”

  “I’m going to tell the baby that its father died, Max,” Katie explained. “I won’t raise a child to sit around waiting for someone to visit when that person should be here from the start. If the baby thinks you’re dead it won’t rely on you.”

  “But … I’m the father,” Max said. “I deserve to see my child.”

  “This isn’t really about what you deserve, Max,” Katie said. “This is about what the baby deserves. This child deserves a stable life. That’s the one thing you can’t give to anyone – including me.

  “I know you love me,” she continued. “You love the circus more, though. That’s where your heart truly is. I don’t want my child coming in second to a job. I can’t have that.”

  “But … .” Max tugged a restless hand through his graying hair. “This is not what I want.”

  “It’s not about you, Max,” Katie said, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “We created a life and it’s our job to do what’s in the best interests of this child. You dropping in unannounced is not what’s best for my child.”

  “But … .”

  “No.” Katie’s frustration bubbled to the surface. “I don’t expect anything from you, Max. Somewhere down the road – maybe in a few years – we might be able to introduce you to the baby. You can be an eccentric uncle or something.”

  “But not a father,” Max muttered, his stomach twisting. “Why can I be an uncle and not
a father?”

  “An uncle isn’t the person who is supposed to always be there for you,” Katie answered. “An uncle is someone who loves you but isn’t always there. You won’t always be here, Max. We both know that.

  “If you’re an honorary uncle you can stop in for visits when the mood strikes, but you won’t be setting unrealistic expectations,” she continued. “This child will never sit around crying because it’s missing a father. He or she will be excited when their uncle comes to visit every few months, though.”

  “And that’s it?” Max prodded. “That’s all you want from me? What about money?”

  “I don’t expect money from you,” Katie replied. “I will raise this child on my own. I think that’s only fair.”

  “I don’t care about fair,” Max huffed, taking a step from Katie as his heart shattered. Something inside told him this wasn’t the solution to the situation but his pride forced him to beat a hasty retreat rather than remain in Katie’s presence so his ego could take another bruising. “I will send you money every month. I don’t want my child to want for anything.”

  Katie’s expression softened and she reached out a tentative hand. “Max, I know you’re hurt … .”

  Max jerked his arm away before she could touch him. He was sure he would burst into tears at her touch. “Keep me updated on doctors’ visits,” he choked out, taking a step down the sidewalk. “I … we’ll talk later. I need time to think about this.”

  “Max, I need you to sign these papers,” Katie reminded him, shaking the file for emphasis. “These papers give me sole guardianship of the baby. It’s important.”

  Max eyed the file for a moment, anger coursing through him. He realized too late that the anger managed to take on a life of its own and he didn’t get a chance to call out a warning to Katie before the file erupted in flames. She quickly dropped it, shaking her hand as she cried out.

  “Are you hurt?” Max asked, hurrying back in her direction. “I … didn’t mean to do that.”

  Katie narrowed her eyes as she studied her fingers. Max didn’t hide his magical abilities, but he didn’t broadcast them either. Katie was aware he was different. She had no idea he was that different, though. “What was that?”

  “I … nothing,” Max replied hurriedly. “It must’ve been the sun or something.” It was a lame excuse but Max could think of nothing else. “I’m sure it was the sun.”

  Katie wasn’t convinced. “Max, I know you’re upset, but … this is the right thing to do. You know that, right?”

  Max knew nothing of the sort. He was already retreating into his head – and closing off his heart to the woman who owned it. “I’ll be in touch,” he said after a few beats. “I’ll call you and we’ll set up a regular payment schedule. I … I’ll be in touch.”

  Katie was frustrated but she didn’t want to push him. “Max, you really need to sign those papers.”

  “We’ll talk,” Max repeated. “I just … I need some time to think about this.”

  “Nothing is going to change,” Katie argued. “This child is never going to know who you are. I won’t allow it.”

  The tone of her voice set Max’s teeth on edge. “You can’t control the world, Katie,” he said. “I thought I could until today. You’ll find you can’t either. No matter what we decide, things will never play out how we want them to.”

  “You’re going to sign the papers, though, right?” Katie pressed. “You’re going to do the right thing, aren’t you?”

  Max shrugged. “I always try to do the right thing,” he said. “I need time to decide what the right thing is. I think you owe me at least that much.”

  Katie sighed, resigned. “You have two weeks,” she said. “I’ll be calling you again after that.”

  Max wasn’t bothered by the deadline. He had no intention of abiding by it. He never bowed to anyone’s deadlines. “We’ll talk,” he said. “Once I wrap my mind around this I’ll be in a better place. I just … we’ll talk.”

  Katie exhaled heavily as she regarded him. Despite his attitude she still loved him. Unfortunately, she knew she could never live a good life with him. “I’ll be waiting for your call,” she said. “Just … hurry. I know it seems like we have forever but we really don’t. We need to get all of this in place before the baby arrives.”

  “Time is the one thing we do have,” Max countered. “I’ll give this some thought and be in touch.”

  “Yeah, you do that.”

  1

  One

  “I think it’s time someone buttered my corn.”

  I pressed the tip of my tongue against the back of my teeth and forced myself to remain calm. People say the Midwest is “God’s country” and delightful to visit because it’s relaxed and normal (whatever that is). The people who say that clearly aren’t forced to spend time on a flat highway with nothing to look at but farmland while stuck in what feels to be a shrinking truck cab with an annoying best friend.

  I tilted my head to the side, my long dark ponytail shifting as sweat rolled down my neck thanks to the oppressive summer heat, and fixed my best friend Luke Bishop with what I hoped was a friendly expression. “Excuse me?”

  If Luke read anything to worry about in my tone he didn’t let on. Instead he merely ran a hand through his blond hair and evenly met my warning gaze with a challenging one of his own. “You heard me,” he said. “Don’t give me that look. I know exactly what I said, and I meant it.”

  Luke is the king of double entendre and sexual conversational shifts. He’s a maestro of words … at least he thinks he is. I find his off-the-wall euphemisms annoying. Apparently I’m the only one, though. As the resident social media guru – he gave himself that title – Luke fancies himself the center of all things entertaining at Mystic Caravan Circus. That’s where we work. Today we are landing at the outskirts of Lincoln, Nebraska, where we are to spend the next week performing – amongst other things, of course – for the locals.

  As one of the few remaining traveling circuses in the country, Mystic Caravan is something of a curious oddity. Kids today are much more interested in their cell phones and iPads than acrobats and trained animals, but their parents are another story. They remember a time before technology overtook our lives, and enjoy visiting the circus. In another generation, though, I think all circuses will be relegated to memory.

  My name is Poet Parker and I’m the resident psychic and second in command of Mystic Caravan. Every year we plot the same course across the country, seemingly heading west until we hit the ocean and then picking our way back east to take a three-month break in New Orleans over the winter months before starting our trek over again. It’s a nomadic life, but you only join the circus if that’s how you want to live. There’s a freedom in movement, and the circus offers just that to wandering hearts.

  Most of the people in Mystic Caravan have been with the troupe for years. We’re co-workers but family, too. We’ve known each other for a long time, which means we know how to help one another through trying times – and, of course, hinder one another when we’re in a bad mood. That doesn’t mean we don’t see upheaval in our ranks, though, and it was Mystic Caravan’s newest member – Kade Denton – who caught my attention and distracted me from Luke’s corn conversation.

  Kade is quite possibly the finest specimen of the male form I’ve ever seen. Don’t ever tell Luke I said that. I’ll never hear the end of it. While Luke is strong and fair, Kade is built like an action movie star. He boasts short-cropped dark hair and vibrant blue eyes. His skin is soft and smooth – yes, I’ve touched it – and his chest is well muscled and hard. When he’s intent on a task – like now – his expression is all business. When he’s playful, though, and his smile comes out to play … well … I almost go weak in the knees. Yeah, I said it. The man is hot. Sue me.

  I’ve never considered myself the type to swoon but there’s something about Kade that makes my heart flutter and my stomach twist. Yes, I know how ridiculous I sound. If I were the type of
woman who wrote poetry, Kade would force me to pen a poem … or at least write a dirty limerick.

  “Are you even listening to me?” Luke smacked his hands on the tailgate of his truck as we unloaded our belongings, dragging my attention back to him and forcing me to scowl as my cheeks flooded with burning embarrassment.

  Crud. What was he talking about again? It had something to do with corn, right? “You were saying that you wanted me to buy butter so you could have corn tonight,” I supplied, hoping I was on the right track.

  Luke rolled his eyes in dramatic fashion. “Yes, that’s exactly what I was saying,” he drawled. “I was saying that I need you to buy me butter so I can eat some corn.”

  His sarcastic tone told me that wasn’t even remotely what he’d said. “I’m sorry,” I offered lamely. “I got distracted. I’m listening now, though. Tell me about your corn problems and I’ll fix them.”

  “You got distracted?” Luke arched a challenging eyebrow and shifted his blue eyes in Kade’s direction. “I see what has you distracted.”

  Luke is the best friend I’ve ever had. He’s almost like a sibling. That’s how close we are. He also knows how to needle me with a simple glance. “I wasn’t staring at Kade.” It was a weak lie and I regretted it the moment it left my mouth. It was too late to haul it back, though. “I was staring at Naida’s hair. It looks pretty under the sunlight here.”

  “Oh, my … whatever,” Luke intoned, barking out a hoarse laugh as he shook his head. Naida, one of our fellow performers, had hair a pastel aquamarine color. I’d known her long enough that pretending to find the odd color pretty at this point probably wasn’t my best move. “You were looking at Mr. Muscles in his T-shirt.” Luke narrowed his eyes as he watched Kade carry a large trunk from the back of a truck to Naida’s trailer. “Do you think he has a better body than I do?”

  That was a loaded question if ever I heard one. There was no way I was answering that. “I think you’re the handsomest man in the land,” I answered smoothly. “There’s a reason you’re the most popular circus performer we have here.”