A Spirited Gift

I raised my chin and looked him in the eye. “That’s right. I went to get him because Tim arrested him after I’d said he could stay at my shop. What’s wrong with that?”

He nodded. “Okay. Have it your way. You know you can talk to me if you need to—if there’s something you can’t say to Horace. Whatever that may be.”

“And I appreciate that.”

He cleared his throat, brushed a blade of grass from his shiny black shoes and set off back to the crime scene.

“What was that all about?” Kevin asked when I climbed in the pickup.

“He knows that Danny is my father. Gramps didn’t recognize him at the Blue Whale—but the chief did.”

“It’s a very small town, Dae,” he said, starting the engine. “You’ve told me that before. Everyone knows everything.”

“Maybe. But why didn’t I know, Kevin? They managed to keep my father a secret from me all these years.”

“I don’t know.” He covered my hand with his. “I’m sure they thought they were protecting you from him. You have to admit, your father doesn’t have the best reputation. And you’re talking about lawmen. They tend to get more protective when someone they love gets involved with a criminal.”

“It just makes me wonder what else they know that I don’t.”

“You should tell your grandfather, Dae. If you don’t, you risk all of it blowing up in your face—like it would have at the inn if Horace had recognized Danny.”

“Well, he didn’t recognize him. I think it’s better this way. He’ll only get upset, and we’ll have another big fight. I’m not giving up being with my father because of things he did wrong in the past. And right now, I’m not really sure if Gramps is all that innocent either. He drove Danny away when my mom needed him. That might not make him a convicted felon—but it makes him wrong.”

There was a white SUV parked to the far right of us—almost in the bushes. I recognized the driver. Shawn Foxx. “What is he doing here?”

“Who?” Kevin followed my gaze. “Mayor Foxx’s husband? Maybe he has a police radio.”

“Maybe.” I told him about Shawn’s visit to the Blue Whale.

“I don’t think it’s unnatural for him to want to know what’s going on,” Kevin said. “I’d be following the chief around if I knew he was looking for the person who killed my wife.”

“Maybe,” I agreed. “Should we go and talk to him?”

“I don’t think so,” Kevin answered. “Let’s leave the poor guy alone. He has enough problems.”

We talked about Shawn a little more on the way back to the Blue Whale. Since Kevin didn’t find Shawn’s actions suspicious, I reserved judgment.

Kevin didn’t press me any further about telling Gramps about Danny. I might have sounded hardheaded about my position. I just wanted a chance to get to know my father better before I decided if I should let him into my life and my heart. I wanted to know the truth about him without the outside interference.

Shayla was waiting for us at the Blue Whale. She and Kevin nodded to each other without speaking before he went inside.

“Is the ghost still bothering you?” she asked.

“Bothering her?” Rafe put in an appearance. “I’m helping her solve her lady friend’s murder. I would hardly call that being a bother.”

Shayla rolled her expressive eyes. “I wasn’t talking to you, blowhard. Dae, I think I can get rid of him for you, if you want me to. I found some old text and talked to my Aunt Marie in New Orleans. She thinks we can send him back.”

“Don’t I get a bloody say in all this? You summoned me. I’m not some random spirit ye can call up and put back without so much as a by-your-leave.”

I listened to them bickering. I knew Kevin understood what was going on. I hoped no one else was listening, since it would be a weird conversation to hear on the outside. “I’d like to say something.”

“Well, spit it out, girl,” Rafe said. “We haven’t got all day.”

“I’ve decided to help him,” I told Shayla. “He’s helped me, and I owe him that much. So I guess he stays for right now. Let’s talk about it later if he doesn’t go away once we figure out the truth about his death.”

Rafe pounded the side of the inn with his fists. Birds flew up around us, and several people inside looked out to see what was happening. “It’s about time! Let’s get to work!”

Chapter 31

Since I knew Mark Samson would be my best source for Rafe Masterson lore, I set out for the Rib Shack with Rafe and Shayla on my heels. I explained why I needed to talk to Mark, but when we got to the Rib Shack, it was closed. There were no visible signs of damage to the old, squat building. It had been built out of cinder block in the 1950s. Those old structures like the Rib Shack always seemed to emerge from even the worst storms unscathed. It would probably take a car smashing into it to make a dent.

“He lives a few doors down from here. Let’s try there,” I told my companions. “He’s the one we need.”

“You think he’s the magistrate’s descendant?” Rafe asked.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “The magistrate’s descendant might not even live here anymore. People move around a lot more now than they did in your time. He could live anywhere in the world.”