Read Online southern ghost hunters 01 - southern spirits by angie fox - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: angie fox
Tags: cozy mystery romance
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sure you will."
I'd get a job, one that paid a lot better than having an art degree in a small town afforded. I'd work day and night if I had to. I'd even move away to Chicago if it meant I had a chance to make this all right.
She opened the box a crack and carefully removed three thousand dollars.
"Thank you," I whispered, as she gave it to me.
I was about to breathe the biggest sigh of relief ever when police lights flashed. I about jumped out of my skin when the siren blipped.
Headlights turned on us, bright as day, and I realized Maisie was a frozen as I was, pressing a wad of cash into my hands.
Surely that wasn't illegal.
Although there was the issue of me breaking and entering.
And I hoped she'd registered that firearm she'd been discharging.
"Stay where you are," the officer ordered, exiting his car.
I knew that voice. And I ignored it long enough to stuff the three thousand dollars into the pocket of my sundress.
Right now, the officer was a tall, looming shadow surrounded by lights. But as he drew closer, I grew a bit dizzy.
Ellis Graham Wydell strode up wearing the badge of the Sugarland Sherriff's Office. He was the bold one, the black sheep, not to mention my ex-fiancé's brother. And he was very last person I wanted to see.
Chapter Seven
He slowed as he approached. "Verity Long," he drawled, as if he expected me to be caught red-handed in the woods after midnight.
Damn the man and his assumptions.
Ellis Wydell was as handsome as the rest of the men in his family, which was to say drop-dead gorgeous. He stood tall and lean, with broad shoulders, bulk in all the right places, and a dimple in his chin that deepened when he smiled same as when he frowned.
I planted a hand on my hip and waited as he drew the flashlight over me. "You get a good look?" I asked. I wasn't armed and I wasn't doing anything wrong. Not at the moment, anyhow.
His piercing hazel eyes raked over me. "We had report of a trespass."
"Maisie and I were just visiting," I said. That might have been the lamest excuse ever, but it's not like I'd ever planned to get caught.
His eyes narrowed. "I was addressing the property owner."
Right. Well, then he should stop looking at me.
"It's good to see you again, Ellis," Maisie said, hurrying to latch the box of money and stuff it under her arm. "He likes to check up on me."
"I heard gunshots," he said, before saddling her with a long pause, one that would encourage her to spill her guts, no doubt.
She looked like Lucy when that darned skunk stole the potatoes out from under my sink—guilty as sin. I wanted to assure Maisie it was quite legal how she'd come about her fortune, and how she'd loaned me some, but the less we said to Wydell the better.
She patted at an errant tuft of hair that was sticking straight out. "You're absolutely right, young man, I did fire my gun." She cleared her throat. "I thought I saw a bear. Only it was Verity."
"And she stopped shooting as soon as she knew," I added, as if that meant I belonged here.
Ellis stood for a moment, his forehead crinkling as if he couldn't quite believe that was our official story. People must try to sell him on bull all the time, but I had a feeling our explanation went beyond the pale. For a split second, I actually pitied the man.
He moved closer to Maisie and placed a comforting arm on her shoulder. "Why are you giving this woman money?" he asked her.
Oh, so now I was this woman.
Maisie chewed at her lip, and for a second I thought she was going to spill the whole story. "It was a loan," she said, quickly. It didn't sound good, even if it was the truth.
His radio buzzed and he answered it. "Officer Wydell." He might have turned his back, but his manner suggested this was far from over.
The radio crackled with static. "Requesting update on shots fired off Saw Mill Road."
He lifted the speaker to his mouth and acted like it was our fault when
I'd get a job, one that paid a lot better than having an art degree in a small town afforded. I'd work day and night if I had to. I'd even move away to Chicago if it meant I had a chance to make this all right.
She opened the box a crack and carefully removed three thousand dollars.
"Thank you," I whispered, as she gave it to me.
I was about to breathe the biggest sigh of relief ever when police lights flashed. I about jumped out of my skin when the siren blipped.
Headlights turned on us, bright as day, and I realized Maisie was a frozen as I was, pressing a wad of cash into my hands.
Surely that wasn't illegal.
Although there was the issue of me breaking and entering.
And I hoped she'd registered that firearm she'd been discharging.
"Stay where you are," the officer ordered, exiting his car.
I knew that voice. And I ignored it long enough to stuff the three thousand dollars into the pocket of my sundress.
Right now, the officer was a tall, looming shadow surrounded by lights. But as he drew closer, I grew a bit dizzy.
Ellis Graham Wydell strode up wearing the badge of the Sugarland Sherriff's Office. He was the bold one, the black sheep, not to mention my ex-fiancé's brother. And he was very last person I wanted to see.
Chapter Seven
He slowed as he approached. "Verity Long," he drawled, as if he expected me to be caught red-handed in the woods after midnight.
Damn the man and his assumptions.
Ellis Wydell was as handsome as the rest of the men in his family, which was to say drop-dead gorgeous. He stood tall and lean, with broad shoulders, bulk in all the right places, and a dimple in his chin that deepened when he smiled same as when he frowned.
I planted a hand on my hip and waited as he drew the flashlight over me. "You get a good look?" I asked. I wasn't armed and I wasn't doing anything wrong. Not at the moment, anyhow.
His piercing hazel eyes raked over me. "We had report of a trespass."
"Maisie and I were just visiting," I said. That might have been the lamest excuse ever, but it's not like I'd ever planned to get caught.
His eyes narrowed. "I was addressing the property owner."
Right. Well, then he should stop looking at me.
"It's good to see you again, Ellis," Maisie said, hurrying to latch the box of money and stuff it under her arm. "He likes to check up on me."
"I heard gunshots," he said, before saddling her with a long pause, one that would encourage her to spill her guts, no doubt.
She looked like Lucy when that darned skunk stole the potatoes out from under my sink—guilty as sin. I wanted to assure Maisie it was quite legal how she'd come about her fortune, and how she'd loaned me some, but the less we said to Wydell the better.
She patted at an errant tuft of hair that was sticking straight out. "You're absolutely right, young man, I did fire my gun." She cleared her throat. "I thought I saw a bear. Only it was Verity."
"And she stopped shooting as soon as she knew," I added, as if that meant I belonged here.
Ellis stood for a moment, his forehead crinkling as if he couldn't quite believe that was our official story. People must try to sell him on bull all the time, but I had a feeling our explanation went beyond the pale. For a split second, I actually pitied the man.
He moved closer to Maisie and placed a comforting arm on her shoulder. "Why are you giving this woman money?" he asked her.
Oh, so now I was this woman.
Maisie chewed at her lip, and for a second I thought she was going to spill the whole story. "It was a loan," she said, quickly. It didn't sound good, even if it was the truth.
His radio buzzed and he answered it. "Officer Wydell." He might have turned his back, but his manner suggested this was far from over.
The radio crackled with static. "Requesting update on shots fired off Saw Mill Road."
He lifted the speaker to his mouth and acted like it was our fault when
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