Freaky Reapers (A Mystic Caravan Mystery Book 8) Read online

  When the customer left, Madame Maxine fixed her full attention on me. Her expression was hard to read, but she didn’t look unhappy with my presence.

  “I figured you’d be back.” She motioned toward the table at the side of the shop. “Some tea?”

  “Sure.” I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only two hours until the circus opened. Putting on an impatience display wouldn’t get me anywhere.

  Madame Maxine poured the tea and then sat back in her chair and waited. Apparently the floor was open for discussion.

  “Several years ago you helped a friend of mine,” I started. “Creek.”

  She furrowed her brow. “I remember her. She was a sad girl, seemed to have lost her spirit. She was gravely injured.”

  “Yeah.” I removed the bandage from my arm and showed her the wound. “Does this look familiar?”

  Intrigue lit her features. “You were attacked by the same creature.”

  “I was attacked by one of the banshees,” I corrected. “Creek claims when she was attacked it was by a woman we knew. Tawny. She was a prostitute who disappeared for months. When she turned back up, she attacked Creek ... and almost killed her.”

  “Hmm.” Madame Maxine rubbed her stomach as she stared at the wounds. “Were you poisoned as well?”

  “Yes. My people cured me. But I want to know what sort of poison was used on Creek ... and how this poison ties in with banshees.”

  “I don’t know. Her story was confusing. She was brought here by a warlock who discovered her behind a dumpster in the Corridor. Apparently she crawled in there to die We managed to save her.”

  “How?”

  “I threw every remedy I had at her. I’m not even sure if it was one that did the job or if it was all of them together. When I questioned her after, she kept talking about a demon with red eyes, or maybe even a vampire … but I knew that was nonsense. I assumed she was mistaken or the poison had caused her to hallucinate.”

  I hadn’t even considered that. “Have you ever heard of a banshee with red eyes?”

  “No, but I haven’t had much experience with banshees. They’re rare here.”

  I pursed my lips. “I was familiar with Tawny. The thing is, the first night I arrived, I thought I saw her near the cemetery. I haven’t seen her since, but I convinced myself I imagined her, that it was most likely someone who looked like Tawny. Now I’m starting to doubt that assumption.”

  “I should say so. Still, banshees don’t survive long. They draw attention to themselves. How could this woman have survived as a banshee for that long?”

  “I was hoping you would know the answer to that question.”

  “I don’t. I’m sorry. I’ve been digging deep with the research — I know Izzy, Cormack and Cillian have, too — but we haven’t come up with anything that explains what’s going on here. No matter the outcome, I don’t think we’re dealing with normal banshees. This is something else.”

  “We’re running out of time. We have to find answers ... and soon. The girls on the street are at risk.” I thought of Michelob. “I can’t leave without putting this to bed.”

  “Then we have to find answers. It feels as if we’re missing a big piece of the puzzle.”

  Unfortunately, it felt that way to me, too.

  WHEN I RETURNED TO THE circus, I didn’t have time for small talk. I changed into a work outfit, put a scarf over my hair, and ventured out in time to see the front gates opening and the fairgrounds filling with people.

  It was time to work ... even though my mind was elsewhere. Ah, well, it was hardly the first time I’d had to read fortunes while worrying about a paranormal monster. I would have to multi-task.

  I was halfway to my tent when I caught a glimpse of movement near the opening. When I turned, the face I found watching me was one that I didn’t expect.

  “Groove?” I was beyond surprised, and glanced around to make sure none of his gang members were with him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Looking for you.” He was grim. “Is there a place we can talk?”

  “Now really isn’t the best time. I have to work.”

  “That’s your work outfit?” He looked tickled. “That’s just ... awesome.”

  I rolled my eyes. Insults from him weren’t enough to derail me. They simply rolled off my back. “Can you come back later? After dark, perhaps?”

  “What? You don’t want me ruining your festival, huh?”

  “I’m not worried about you ruining the festival, but I have to focus on paying customers.”

  “Yeah? I guess you don’t want to hear about the girl that went missing last night then, huh? My bad.” He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm before he could take more than two steps.

  “What girl?”

  “I can’t talk out in the open.” His expression was unreadable, but sadness tinged his eyes. “You said you wanted to help.”

  I had indeed said that. “Fine. Come on.” I dragged him toward my tent. “We’ll talk over here.”

  His eyes traveled to the sign declaring me the best psychic in the world and he barked out a laugh. “This is so ... nuts.”

  From his perspective, it probably looked that way. “Just ... come on.”

  I settled him in a chair at my table, opened the rope so it would look like I was simply working with my first customer of the day, and then slid in across from him. “Tell me about the missing girl.”

  “Valentine. She’s been a regular in my area for about a year. She’s been gone two days.”

  I frowned. “Why didn’t you mention this before?”

  “I couldn’t be sure. You know how the street is. I thought maybe she just wasn’t bedding down with the others that first night. I questioned them the next day, and she hasn’t come back.”

  “When was the last time anyone saw her?”

  He hesitated.

  “Groove, you’ve got to give me everything you have on this.” I was firm. “She hasn’t been missing for more than forty-eight hours. There’s still a chance we can find her.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Do you know what’s going on here?”

  “I have a few ideas.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I don’t have anything worth sharing.”

  His temper sparked hot and fast, and he reached across the table and grabbed my arm, digging his fingernails in as he held my gaze. “Tell me,” he growled, menace on full display.

  “You want to take your hands off me.” My voice was icy, to better face off with his fire.

  “Are you going to make me?”

  “Would you like me to?”

  He seemed amused by the question. “I’ll take whatever you can throw at me, girl. You always thought you were better than the rest of them. I saw it in your eyes. You always knew you’d get out.”

  “I hoped I would get out,” I corrected. “There’s a difference. I didn’t know anything back then.”

  “You sure didn’t.”

  I shifted my eyes back to his hand “You’re going to want to take that hand off me or I’m going to break it.”

  “You think you can take me?” His laughter was coarse and he gripped tighter. “Tell me what you know. Tell me or I’ll ... .”

  “You’ll what?” I was just as furious. “There’s nothing you can do to me. I’m not the same girl you knew twelve years ago. It would be a mistake to assume that.”

  “I’ve learned a few tricks, too. You can’t survive on the street without them. If you want to dance, we’ll dance.” He reached for me with his free hand, but I was expecting the move.

  I slid my hand out from under his, grimacing when his jagged fingernails dragged along the wound on my arm. He couldn’t see my full reaction, or the vulnerable spot on my arm. I’d covered the bandage with a long-sleeved blouse, but there was triumph in his eyes when he realized I was in pain.

  It didn’t last long.

  I flipped my hands around and grabbed the top of his wrists, lashing out with a burst o
f magic that rendered him frozen. “Sit,” I ordered, my voice deadly. “You sit right there.”

  I heard footsteps at the tent opening. I expected Kade, or maybe even Luke, to rush in. They would’ve heard that Groove waylaid me before I reached my tent. Gossip spreads fast in our group. It wasn’t either of them. It was Redmond, and he looked ready for action.

  “Did he do anything to you?” Redmond rushed to my side and then pulled up short when he realized Groove was frozen in place. “What did you do to him?”

  “Nothing. Yet.”

  Groove could move only his eyes, and I saw fear reflected there. He made a sound deep in his throat, but he couldn’t open his mouth, so no words escaped.

  “You terrorized us when we were kids,” I told him. It was hardly news, but he managed a smug glint in his eye. “You were desperate to make a name for yourself. You liked us because it made you look tough to have someone to kick around.

  “You thought we were naive enough to believe you cared about us, or at least wanted to keep us safe,” I continued. “We weren’t stupid. You kept us as cover. We were your sacrificial lambs should the cops come around ... or you had a message to send to a rival gang. We were handy bodies you could drop.”

  Kade hurried through the tent opening but didn’t interrupt. His eyes went wide as he glanced around, his gaze finally falling on Redmond. “What’s happening?”

  “I think your girlfriend is sending a message she’s wanted to send for a long time,” Redmond replied. “It’s fairly fascinating. I think this guy is frozen.” As if to prove it to himself, he waved a hand in front of Groove’s face. “Yeah, he’s frozen. He’s kind of like a pose-able doll. Do you know what we should do?”

  “We’re not doing that,” I shot back.

  “How do you even know what I was going to say?”

  “Your mind is an open book.”

  “Oh, yeah? What am I thinking right now?”

  “That you’re afraid I’ll kill him even though he might have answers to our problem,” I replied without hesitation. “That you’re kind of hungry and want an elephant ear. You’re also sad you didn’t think ahead to bring Lily because women love a baby and if you were carrying your niece around you would attract a nonstop train of women and you could have your pick. Oh, and you’re wondering how serious Kade and I really are because you’re considering making a move. I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  Kade pinned him with a serious glare. “I definitely wouldn’t do that,” he intoned.

  “It was just a thought.” Redmond looked sheepish. “She’s hot ... and tough. I’m just sad you found her first.”

  Kade nodded in agreement. “I don’t blame you. I’ll hurt you if you move on her, though. That’s after she hurts you herself. Just ... find another girl.”

  “Push him toward Naida,” I suggested. “She’s always looking for a good fling.”

  “Is she tough like you?”

  I tilted my head, considering. “She can whip up a literal tornado in the bedroom.”

  “Sold.” Redmond beamed and then moved so he was standing directly behind me and could stare into Groove’s eyes. “What do you know about the missing girls?”

  Groove didn’t answer. Correction, he couldn’t answer. “Asking him questions won’t do anyone any good,” I replied.

  “We need answers.”

  “There are other ways to get them.”

  “Oh? How?”

  Kade smirked as he moved toward the tent flap to keep watch. “Prepare to be amazed.”

  INSERTING MYSELF INTO GROOVE’S MIND was as simple as cutting through peanut butter with a dull knife. He had no mental barriers to speak of. That wasn’t uncommon in humans. They simply didn’t know there was another level of consciousness that could be so easily accessed.

  Groove’s eyes went so wide when he realized what I was doing that I thought they might bug out of his head. It was too late, though, and I entered the mind jail taking up residence in the heart of his brain with minimal effort, immediately sitting in a chair in the middle of the cell, watching him as he cowered in a corner.

  “What is this?” He was dumbfounded.

  “It’s your brain.” I glanced around, taking in the collection of items I could make out on the other side of the bars. “There’s not much in here.”

  “Is that supposed to make me cry?” Even though he was afraid, he had no intention of backing down. He had street cred for a reason. He would die on his feet if it came to it. “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “You should be.” I was matter-of-fact. “You should’ve been afraid of me back then, too. I think part of you was. That’s the reason you never went after our group. You would never admit it out loud back then, to me or anyone else. Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to admit it now. I see more than I used to, and the memories are coming into focus.”

  “Oh, geez.” He rolled his eyes. “You think a lot of yourself, don’t you?”

  “This isn’t about me. It’s about you.”

  “Ain’t nothing here that’s about me. I was trying to share information with you because I thought you might be able to help. I was wrong. You can’t even help yourself. All you can do is ... mind tricks.” He wiggled his fingers and gestured toward the walls of the cell. “I don’t know how you’re doing this, but I know it’s not real.”

  “On the contrary. It is real ... and I’m not doing this. I didn’t create this cell. You did.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “It’s true. I don’t need a cell to contain you. You’re trapped in here as long as I want you to be trapped. The cell was already here. I think you created it a long time ago. I’m guessing it’s because you feel trapped and there’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re in a cage. To you, jail would be the ultimate punishment. You might not be happy on the outside, but at least you’re free.”

  “I’m not talking to you.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Let me out of here.”

  “Sure.” Slowly I got to my feet and walked to the cell door. I was playing a hunch, but it turned out to be true. I wasn’t surprised when it swung open and allowed me to escape. I left the door ajar behind me and moved to the nearest shelf. There, amidst a collection of photographs and memories from his childhood, sat a framed photograph. It looked relatively new, and the girl in it was young and fresh-faced ... and there was a heart in the corner of the photo.

  “Valentine?” I asked, gesturing toward the girl. “She looks a little young for you.”

  “Don’t be gross!” he snapped, following me out of the cell. “It’s not like that.”

  Something about his reaction made me think he was telling the truth. “It’s not?” I pursed my lips and studied the girl’s face. After a moment, I figured it out. “She’s your sister ... or at least a family member. You have the same eyes.”

  “How do you know that?” His tone was accusatory. “How can you possibly know that? Are you a witch now?”

  “I’m what I always was. I didn’t know it back then. That’s probably for the best, because I wasn’t smart enough not to abuse my gift. I’m not a witch.”

  “Then what are you?”

  “Something else.” I ran my fingers over the photograph and watched him cringe as a series of flashes echoed around us. They were memories, and I understood better than he could’ve ever guessed exactly what was going on. “She’s your sister. You’re much older, so I’m guessing you don’t share the same father.”

  “What do you know?”

  “I know that you were trying to keep her safe. I know that you knew the street wasn’t for her and were trying to find a place for her at Beacon Hill. I know you were dealing with the big man himself, but he wanted something from you in return.” I frowned as I sorted through the memory. “He wanted you to do him a favor, kill a rival gang leader because he was threatening the kids at the shelter. That’s ... interesting.”

  “What’s so interesting about it?” Groove challenged. “The man is trying t
o keep the kids safe. He’s helped some get jobs. That’s what I wanted him to do for Valentine.”

  “But he’s willing to murder in the process of getting what he wants. I just ... that doesn’t seem very altruistic, does it?”

  “I have no idea what that means.”

  “Giving. Charitable.”

  “I was lying. I know what it means. I don’t really care what he is as long as he gets Valentine out. We was working on a deal when little girl went missing. I came to you because you’re the only one I know who will be willing to help.”

  “Then you should’ve just asked for help,” I challenged. “These threats you toss around, this attitude you hoard like gold, that’s not how you get me to help you.”

  “Oh, yeah? How do I get you to help?”

  “You ask.”

  “Just as simple as that?”

  “Yup.” I turned to move toward the door. “I’ll do my best to find your sister. I’m not doing it for you, though. I’m doing it for her ... and the others. This needs to be shut down fast. I expect you to stay out of the way. You’ll foul things up if you’re not careful.”

  “I can’t do nothing. She’s all I got. My mother shouldn’t have had no more kids, but someone has to take care of Valentine. She’s better than me.”

  I had no doubt about that. “I can’t promise we’ll save her. I will do my very best.”

  “I have to do my best, too. I can’t stop now.”

  “Then we’re at an impasse. Just know, Groove, if you get in my way, I’ll roll right over you. I won’t have a choice.”

  “Just find her. Save her.” His eyes were full of pleading. He wasn’t the type to beg, but he was begging now. “Please. I’ll do anything.”

  “I don’t need payment. I just need information. We’re missing something.”

  And nothing bothered me more than an incomplete puzzle.

  27

  Twenty-Seven