The Dead Tell (Magical Temptations Collection) (6 page)

Mike wanted Paige in his bed.
He’d had her in hers several times in several ways. He grinned. It made sense they stayed at her place as it was close to the bakery. But he wanted her in his.

“
What the hell are you smiling at?” St. Cyr asked him across the desk.

“
What?”

“
You grinned. Glad you two finally fired up the sheets again. Puts you in a better mood.” Then he leaned close. “Might want to check that though before LT finds out.”

This was probably true.

“Well, it’s not like she’s a witness or anything.”

St. Cyr just looked at him.
“Not a witness no, we can’t really explain how she’s tied to the case, can we, but if it ever comes out, some might have an issue.”

Her name wasn’t listed in any of the reports, they just said a vagrant had flagged them down near the bakery and told them they saw something near the cemetery.

They, of course, checked it out.

And found the dead body of a young woman in a white dress in a freaking red scarf.

Chills danced over his skin every time he thought of how Paige knew, of how white her face became after she spoke with
the others, as she called them. He’d call them ghosts or spirits.

“
You believe her,” St. Cyr said.

He only looked at his partner.

“
Fine. It’s a little weird though.”

“
This is New Orleans, man, ‘a little weird’ covers over half the population in the Quarter alone.”

St. Cyr grunted.

“So when you going to fire up the sheets with Sammy?”

That got a quick head raise and a narrow glare.

Mike smiled.

“Might put your ass in a better mood for the rest of us.”

“
St. Cyr! Killian!” their lieutenant yelled. A middle-aged man, espresso-colored skin, pale brown eyes, tall and built, Lieutenant Gilchrist had once played for the Saints. He didn’t take shit off anyone and had the respect of just about everyone under his command, and if they didn’t respect him, they didn’t last long.

“
Lieutenant.”

“LT.”

“Get your asses moving. Found another body in another cemetery.” He shifted his weight, all from muscle, Mike knew. Gilchrist still worked with them on higher level cases. Hell, he’d tackled a suspect not six weeks ago and outran half the guys who were in pursuit. “Cover it and get me a report ASAP. I’ll have the captain and who knows who the fuck all breathing down my neck. This is two in three days. I don’t need this headache. You two sure as hell don’t want this headache. Get it wrapped up. Let me know if you need anything. Hurry before the vultures circle and christen the bastard with some stupid moniker.“ He turned away and then turned back. “Actually, if it’s the same guy, call me.”

Well
, hell.

Mike
shared a look with St. Cyr. Sometimes he wished he’d gone into teaching or something.

“
Shit.”

When they were out of the building and heading to their car, St. Cyr stopped him.
“She say anything else?”

He didn
’t need to ask who he was talking about. “No. Not today, or this morning. Yesterday, yeah. Woke me up muttering something about him taking photos or something.”

“
Great.”

They hurried to the address.

“
Another Quarter Cemetery.”

“
I got that,” Mike answered the pointless comment.

“
We’re going to need to talk to her, you know that, right?”

“
Officially?”

It was St. Cyr
’s turn to level a look on him. “Oh yeah, we’ll just tell Gilchrist we have a witness that sees and speaks with ghosts and she can, we hope, help us crack this before another woman ends up with her throat cut beneath some forgotten mausoleum.”

Without another
word they got out of the vehicle and hurried into the cemetery. The first on the scene were a couple of patrol officers who had been around a bit. He was damned glad he’d worked his way off of patrol and into homicide.

After introductions
, they followed one of the patrolmen to his partner who was guarding the body.

“
Oh, thought it might be the medical examiner.”

“
Nope, just the homicide guys,” St. Cyr told them. “How’d you find her?”

“
Just like she is,” the one who lead them to the scene told them.

He was a bit younger than his partner, who answered.
“Cemetery tour found her.”

“
Well, damn,” Mike said. “Social media will probably have photos of the body and that means the press here will be on our asses.”

The body was in a back corner down one of
the labyrinthine paths. This victim appeared younger than the other, and she had bright red hair. Like the last one, she was wearing some old-looking dress, as there were stains on it. It had lapels like a man’s jacket. Her hair was curled and fixed. Make-up perfect. Her eyes were closed, and a navy scarf was tied around her neck. Unlike the previous body, she wasn’t lying down, but leaning against the column of the mausoleum.

St. Cyr carefully got closer to the body and took some photos.
“Throats slashed just like the last one.”

Hell, they were still waiting on locating next of kin on the last Jane Doe.

“Perfect.” Taking a deep breath, he pulled his phone out as St. Cyr took some more photos. Mike dialed the LT’s number.

“
I really didn’t want to hear from either of you.”

“
Well, I want to be in the Keyes with my woman, but life doesn’t give us what we want.”

“
You have a woman? Since when?”

“
Ah, know all, you don’t, master?”

Gilchrist chuckled.
“Give it to me.”

“
Same. Costume, hair and makeup, posed. Throat slashed.”

“
On my way. What’s the bad news?”

“
Cemetery tour found her.”

“
Photos of that dead woman will be everywhere.”

“
Probably.”

“
Be there in a few. Valentine there yet?” Gilchrist asked.

“
Nope”

“
I want her and not one of her flunkies.”

“
I don’t know if the medical examiner office hires flunkies, sir.”

“
I liked it better when you called me master.”

He shut the phone and sighed.
Day was hot already and it wasn’t even noon. Now they had another dead body to contend with.

He checked his phone as the text message beep.

Another one?

Guess she was speaking to the new ghost as well.

Yet, he’d been a cop for too long. He knew where she’d been that morning, and all the following day and night. Still, from a logical standpoint, he should check to see if there was any link between her and them.

Why?
He texted back.

There
’s another. Call me when you can.

I
’ll see you as soon as I can. Might be awhile. Bringing St. Cyr.

You told him?

No, he already knew. We all already knew, babe. Just added up the numbers.

Oh
.

“
Someone tell me why Gilchrist assumed I wouldn’t come to this scene?” a soft voice asked with a definite edge.

“
No idea,” St. Cyr answered.

“
Pains in my ass, all of you,” she muttered as she got closer. “Well, someone’s been a busy boy.”

Later,
he quickly typed.

* * *

Paige hurried down the counter to help the next customer.
The morning had been slammed with regulars and with tourists. Then again, it was the Quarter, they always had tourists. Always tourists, always busy, but that was a good thing. She shoved a strand of hair back behind her ear and turned to the next customer.

Weird eyes,
she thought. They were a dark brown, and with the man’s pale hair and complexion, the dark, almost black eyes stood out. Maybe he had contacts. Something about them tugged at her mind, but she brushed it aside and pasted on a smile.

“
Can I help you?” she asked.

“
Depends,” he said with a smile.

Sh
e arched a brow. Normally, she might play along but her head hurt too badly. She had two ghosts following her every move. Two. Not just the lady in white, but some redhead in a navy dress. Looked like she stepped off a nineteen-forties movie set. Well, other than she sort of floated above the ground by several inches.

“
I’m sorry, what?” she asked him, realizing he was still speaking to her.

“
Some of the cinnamon loaf and one of the quiches would be perfect.”

“
Gotcha.” She hurried with his order. “Anything else?”

“
Cup of tea would be great as well.”

She ran through the options, wai
ting, not so patiently, as he finally made his selection. The line behind him was growing and Sammy came out to help her.

“
Here you go.” After ringing him up, she passed the change to him, their hands brushing just for a moment. A cold darkness sparked and slid up her hand, then her arm. She jerked her hand back and looked at him. He had his head down recounting the change.

Really? He didn
’t tip her either.

Then he looked up and those black eyes locked onto her.
He smiled, but unlike the previous polite smile he’d given her, there was an edge to his one. Or so she thought. She blinked and the look, the instant of something else there, was gone.

“
Thank you, Paige.” With that he turned and walked away. She watched him even as she served and rang up the next couple of customers. He took a seat near the window and read a paper. Then he pulled a folder from his backpack slung over the back of the chair and studied whatever was in it.

She shook off the strange dark feeling
. This is what happened when doors were opened. Weird things happened. Shadows jumped and freaked her right the hell out. This was why she had always ignored the others.

Sammy came bouncing up to her.
“Man, this morning is insane, chicky.”

Paige smiled at her friend.
Always going, always running. Wild blonde curls danced from the braid Sammy had attempted this morning. “Busy mornings mean more money, so that’s okay with me.”

“
Yeah, but we haven’t had a breather since like five this morning. Must be a convention or something in town. Do you know?”

“
No idea.”

Her friend studied her and then grinned and nodded.
“Glad to see you two are still at it.”

“
What?”

“
Oh please, don’t play coy, it really doesn’t become you.”

Paige st
raightened the napkin dispenser near the register. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“
Oh, come on.”

Paige grinned at her friend and crossed her arms.
“Fine, I’ll share mine when you share yours.”

“
I, clearly unlike some people, don’t have anything to share.”

“
You could.”

“
Really?”

“
Yeah, really. You and St. Cyr practically start forest fires with all the sparks between the two of you. What’s up with that?“

“
What?”

“
Playing coy doesn’t become you either.”

They paused as they each helped a customer.

“
Look, St. Cyr is… well, he’s…”

“
Yeah?”

“
He’s just… just… him. Maybe at one point I thought there could be, but honestly, no. So I’ll find my guy elsewhere. Plus the boys were talking and I heard he may be putting in his papers, joining the boys.”

“
The depth of that statement is astounding. Joining the boys?”

“Quitting the force and working for the family.”

“You say that like a true Italian.”

“
Smart ass. What about you and Mike?”

Paige grinned again.
“Mike and I are... exploring.”

“
Exploring or
exploring
?”