Page 49 of Ghost Town Boogie

“No. I’ll call Mac in the morning and we’ll have a long talk.”

“Tomorrow? Why not now?”

Colt sighed. “It’s not like anything will happen tonight, and I need to come up with a coherent way to explain how I know what I know to a man I call a friend.”

“You look as if you’re not looking forward to that conversation.”

“I’m not.” Colt cranked the truck and eased his way through the parking lot. He was in no hurry. “But it has to be done, and soon. The man who killed Jack also murdered Nicole, burned down your house, and attacked your cousin. When he went after Emily he thought it was you, and I have no doubt he’ll be back. He thinks you have something he wants. The pictures, the list of names and numbers, maybe both. Could be he believes you know everything that happened five years ago. Then there’s the money Jack collected. He stashed it somewhere.”

“There’s money?”

“Quite a bit, I suspect. As much as I don’t want to tell anyone else what I can do, we can’t wait for a coincidental discovery or take our time planning a neat and tidy way out of this.”

“It would be nice if we knew who we were looking for.”

Colt pulled onto the highway and headed back toward Seawolf Beach. For a moment he looked as if he had something to say, but he pursed his lips and drove on without uttering a word.

CHAPTER 20

Colt parked at the curb of the Pine Street house and they went inside just long enough for Anna to pack a bag. He couldn’t shake the horror he’d felt when he’d thought she’d been the one attacked, when he’d wondered if he’d be haunted by her ghost for the rest of his life. Bag in hand, door locked behind them, they headed for the depot.

More than once he’d started to tell her who Jack had named as his murderer, but it wasn’t the right time or the right place. He didn’t have the words. She’d be upset at the news, and would insist on confronting her brother’s killer now.

They weren’t ready to confront anyone, and if Sawyer realized they knew the truth he’d be gone, or else he’d turn on Anna.

After a short and silent drive Colt parked behind the depot, as usual. There were a couple of dim lights near the dumpster, but one bulb was burned out and there were too many dark corners. He took Anna’s arm and grabbed her small overnight bag, then led her to the back door, keeping a close eye on the perimeter. He should’ve installed security cameras years ago. That was just one small item on his long list of chores to be done.

Nothing moved in the shadows; all was quiet. He took comfort in knowing the depot was solidly built and they’d be safe behind locked doors. Not everyone knew he and Anna were together. He held out hope that the man who’d attacked Emily wouldn’t think to look for Anna here, even though he’d been watching Pine Street. Tomorrow… cameras.

Until then, if anyone did manage to get in Maude and Nicole would sound the alert. Ghost security. A use for his talents he’d never expected to want or need.

Colt breathed easier when they were inside with the back door locked behind them. He could hardly believe what Jack had told him. A man they’d known all their lives, a friend. Not a close friend, but they’d played baseball, gotten drunk, picked up girls… there were a thousand small memories that now meant nothing.

The past was just that, the past. There had been a time when he’d thought they knew one another, but they didn’t. Not really. Jack was a con man. Colt saw ghosts.

Sawyer was a cold blooded murderer and an arsonist.

He held onto Anna’s arm as they walked up the stairs to his loft. While she took her small overnight bag into the bedroom he stepped into the kitchen area to text Mac. He still didn’t know how to explain. Would he ever? Waiting until tomorrow to ask for help might not be the best idea. His text to Mac asking him to stop by the depot had resulted in a terse reply.

Is there blood and mayhem?

To which Colt had replied, Not at the moment.

A couple more short messages, and the conversation had ended with I’ll see you in the morning.

Just as well. He could use some time to work on the wording. How do you tell a friend you’re a freak who sees and talks to ghosts? That a man they both knew was a murderer?

He hated asking for help even from the police, but he wasn’t about to head to the overgrown land behind The Magnolia with a shovel and start digging.

Anna changed into lightweight yellow pajamas as if it was a normal night, but it was unlikely she’d get any real rest. If she did manage, it might be a while. Colt had no intention of trying to sleep. He needed to be alert, in case Sawyer called or showed up. Would he be so bold? How desperate was he? How could he know Anna was here?

If he’d been watching, he knew.

Sawyer wanted the money Jack had taken, and he wanted the proof that his father had been with Crystal the night she’d been murdered. Once he had that, those pictures would be destroyed. He definitely wanted Colt to stop poking around and asking questions about Jack. After five plus years, he’d probably believed he was in the clear. Maybe he’d relaxed, thinking money or no money he and his father were safe.

If not for Jack’s ghost and Colt’s decision to play private detective, they would’ve been. Now Sawyer was trying to clean up an old mess. And a new one.

Anna grabbed a book off his bookshelf and curled up on the couch. He wasn’t sure if she was actually reading or just using the book as cover so they wouldn’t have to talk about what was going on. Colt paced. He couldn’t read, couldn’t sit in his favorite recliner or next to Anna on the couch. He didn’t want to listen to music.