Read Online Southern Bound - A Paranormal-Mystery (Max Porter Mysteries Book 1) by Stuart Jaffe - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stuart Jaffe
Ads: Link
hour, Max had sifted through the entire roster of Civil War participants from the Winston-Salem area. It had been a fascinating experience in itself, but more so because of what he discovered. The name Hull came up several times often accompanied by the phrase "of the prominent family" or "married into the notable family" or even in one case, "proud grandchild of the great family." In each instance, Max wrote down the name and any particulars provided. He then began researching land deals from the Civil War era. As dinnertime neared, his unappeased hunger rebelled against his enthusiastic curiosity, and he had to admit that he had come up empty. All those "prominent" Hulls, yet not a single one owned any property.
After shoving down a burger and offering an apologetic call to Sandra, Max shuffled into his office. His watch beeped the arrival of seven o'clock, and thankfully, his new assistant had followed orders. Max dropped into his chair and said, "So, how was your day?"
Drummond stepped out of the far wall, his shoulders raised and his face scrunched. Through clenched teeth, he said, "You must get rid of that bastard."
Max's body still ached, though not as bad as that morning. But the thought of dealing with a belligerent ghost caused many of his bruises to flare up. "I can't fire him and he won't budge."
"Do you know what he did all day while you were out? He opened that window and he smoked. He smoked! Oh, if that smell isn't the most intoxicating, I swear there's a Devil and it wants to torture me every chance it gets."
"I really am sorry. But I have no way."
"Yes, you do," Drummond said, sliding closer with a boyish twinkle. "I've been waiting for you to broach the subject, to even suggest it, but you've clearly got a lot of other things to worry about. Either that or you're a thoughtless bastard."
"I'm really tired. Whatever you want, can it —"
"I don't have to be stuck here."
"You don't?"
"Not at all," Drummond said, his eagerness beaming.
Max had so many little puzzle pieces refusing to fit together that playing a guessing game with Drummond held no appeal. "Just tell me," he said.
"I'm here because of a curse. You can change that. You can undo the curse and set me free. Then I can help you with the case, be right by your side the whole time."
"Oh, sure. That'd be great," Max said, picturing how impossible his research days would be with Drummond floating around the library making boisterous comments — I'm bored — I want to smoke — Look at these co-eds.
"Okay, okay, so I won't be by your side all day. The point is I can do more out there than I can stuck in here. Besides, if Hull wants me stuck here, shouldn't that say to you that I present more of a threat to them if I'm unstuck?"
Max yawned and said, "Hey, I've got no problem with the idea of setting you free. I do, however, have the problem of not having a clue how to do it, and while I know there's a book on that shelf about witchcraft, I find it highly unlikely that they would give me the curse-breaking spell so easily."
"You're right. That book won't help. In fact, you can't go to a book on witchcraft to help me. You have to go to a witch."
Max started shaking his head before Drummond finished speaking. "No, no, no. A witch? No. I am not going to ... no. I'm sorry but that is just ... no."
"Oh, come on," Drummond snapped. "I'm not asking you to give her your blood or something. Just find out what we need to do. That's it. Besides, she's a beautiful woman."
"What? Are you saying you know a witch? A real witch?"
Drummond gave a sly wink. "I knew her grandmother. Look, I promise it won't be any trouble. Just go to her house, explain who I am, tell her I need her help, and she'll help you out."
"She isn't the offspring of your illegitimate love-child or something?"
"Very funny. Now, come on, help me out."
"I wasn't joking."
Drummond stared at Max's pale face and pointed at him. "You're scared."
"I'm not scared."
"You are."
"I
After shoving down a burger and offering an apologetic call to Sandra, Max shuffled into his office. His watch beeped the arrival of seven o'clock, and thankfully, his new assistant had followed orders. Max dropped into his chair and said, "So, how was your day?"
Drummond stepped out of the far wall, his shoulders raised and his face scrunched. Through clenched teeth, he said, "You must get rid of that bastard."
Max's body still ached, though not as bad as that morning. But the thought of dealing with a belligerent ghost caused many of his bruises to flare up. "I can't fire him and he won't budge."
"Do you know what he did all day while you were out? He opened that window and he smoked. He smoked! Oh, if that smell isn't the most intoxicating, I swear there's a Devil and it wants to torture me every chance it gets."
"I really am sorry. But I have no way."
"Yes, you do," Drummond said, sliding closer with a boyish twinkle. "I've been waiting for you to broach the subject, to even suggest it, but you've clearly got a lot of other things to worry about. Either that or you're a thoughtless bastard."
"I'm really tired. Whatever you want, can it —"
"I don't have to be stuck here."
"You don't?"
"Not at all," Drummond said, his eagerness beaming.
Max had so many little puzzle pieces refusing to fit together that playing a guessing game with Drummond held no appeal. "Just tell me," he said.
"I'm here because of a curse. You can change that. You can undo the curse and set me free. Then I can help you with the case, be right by your side the whole time."
"Oh, sure. That'd be great," Max said, picturing how impossible his research days would be with Drummond floating around the library making boisterous comments — I'm bored — I want to smoke — Look at these co-eds.
"Okay, okay, so I won't be by your side all day. The point is I can do more out there than I can stuck in here. Besides, if Hull wants me stuck here, shouldn't that say to you that I present more of a threat to them if I'm unstuck?"
Max yawned and said, "Hey, I've got no problem with the idea of setting you free. I do, however, have the problem of not having a clue how to do it, and while I know there's a book on that shelf about witchcraft, I find it highly unlikely that they would give me the curse-breaking spell so easily."
"You're right. That book won't help. In fact, you can't go to a book on witchcraft to help me. You have to go to a witch."
Max started shaking his head before Drummond finished speaking. "No, no, no. A witch? No. I am not going to ... no. I'm sorry but that is just ... no."
"Oh, come on," Drummond snapped. "I'm not asking you to give her your blood or something. Just find out what we need to do. That's it. Besides, she's a beautiful woman."
"What? Are you saying you know a witch? A real witch?"
Drummond gave a sly wink. "I knew her grandmother. Look, I promise it won't be any trouble. Just go to her house, explain who I am, tell her I need her help, and she'll help you out."
"She isn't the offspring of your illegitimate love-child or something?"
"Very funny. Now, come on, help me out."
"I wasn't joking."
Drummond stared at Max's pale face and pointed at him. "You're scared."
"I'm not scared."
"You are."
"I
Similar Books
