Better Haunts and Garden Gnomes_A Cozy Paranormal Mystery Read online

“I’m almost too scared to look,” Nolan said.

  “Picnic,” Polly called in excitement as she came out of the house. She wore a yellow and pink 1950s dress and a bright green sunhat with pink flowers. Her sunglasses and chunky plastic jewelry finished the look. Like always, the woman managed to make the quirky look fabulous. She had her arm looped in the handle of a covered basket. She paused by the sign-holding gnome. This time his message read, “Tulips.”

  Lily looked down at yet another of her jeans and t-shirt combinations. The more she was around Polly, the more she was beginning to think her own wardrobe was incredibly boring. Jesse was supposed to be mailing them extra clothes from Washington, but their little sister wasn’t exactly happy with the fact they didn’t come home. At least next to Nolan, she didn’t appear out of place. Except for the first night he came to the house, the man lived in work boots, white t-shirts, and an occasional red flannel.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Aunt Polly,” Lily said. “I don’t think we have time for a picnic. The barn literally fell over, and the sheriff is having a crane do something to Nolan’s truck, and—”

  “And the tiddle-widdles don’t widdle-tid, and the faddle-daddles don’t faddle, and the goose doesn’t quack,” Polly waved her hand in the air as she walked toward Lily’s sedan, “and the aliens don’t land on Tuesdays.”

  Nolan had walked to town to pick up the car and drive it back. She knew she should have offered the vehicle so he could look for his truck, but he hadn’t asked to borrow it and she didn’t suggest it. With his truck missing, he had been staying at the house with them. It only made sense. Lily felt safer with a werewolf bodyguard around.

  “Polly, are you... all right?” Lily knew she’d asked the woman that a lot, but there were times when her behavior gave reason for concern.

  “It’s always something.” Polly put the basket in the backseat. “You worry too much about little things that don’t need you fretting over them. The barn isn’t going to regrow itself. Until you and Florus find your powers, we won’t have the magic for that, and the pile of boards will be there tomorrow. I made taquitos.”

  “Should I get Dante?” Lily took a step toward the house.

  “No, he’s tied up at the moment. Leave him be. That boy needs some alone time.” Polly waved her hand and all of the car doors opened. “Get in.”

  Lily rubbed her temples. A picnic did sound better than cleaning up rubble. “Okay, but just for an hour—” The last word barely made it past her lips when she tripped and flew forward. She would have landed on the ground face first if not for Nolan catching her a few inches before making impact.

  “Oh, sugar bee, bad luck still hasn’t worn off, has it? I knew it was a risk giving you a half-stirred potion.” Suddenly, Polly stopped. “The barn collapsed?”

  “That’s what I’ve been telling you.”

  “Oh, darn, that’s where I was brewing the potion to help ward off bad luck for the townsfolk. It smells awful during the cooking process. Oh well. I guess I’ll have to start from scratch.” Polly patted Lily’s head as Nolan helped her to stand. “You’d better not drive, or you’ll take us right off a cliff.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Nolan drove past the wooden sign leading down the dirt road toward the old mining town. Someone had spray-painted a red “Un” in front of the word “Lucky,” and the name stuck. Even though the ghost town of Unlucky Valley was close to the new town of Lucky Valley, the citizens didn’t venture here as an unspoken rule. Reasons ranged from fear of ghosts to fear of curses, to fear of being caught trespassing on Goode land by the unrested spirit of soul-stealing Marigold Crawford Goode.

  Nolan had gone out to the site a few times, mainly to make sure it was safe enough for any tourists who wandered through, and to make sure the old mines were still boarded up. Other than him, he knew the sheriff did patrols at least once every couple of weeks. That’s probably how they’d found his truck.

  The ghost town wasn’t much to look at. There was a main dirt street flanked by wood-plank sidewalks and business fronts. On one side, a general store butted up against a barbershop which pressed against a telegraph office. A small alleyway, big enough for walking through and little else, created a path to behind the buildings and what was left of the bunkhouses. Next came a saloon which shared a wall with a bank, and then a sheriff’s office with a single jail cell on the inside. Across the street was a two-story hotel. Well, when it had actually had a floor on the second story, it was a two-story. Now it was a giant space with a really high ceiling. It spread out over half the length of the main thoroughfare where it adjoined stables and a blacksmith barn.

  “It’s in such good condition,” Lily said. “I was expecting it to be hollowed-out frames and overgrown with weeds.”

  “The residents must take care of it,” Polly said.

  “Townsfolk don’t come here,” Nolan said. “Good craftsmanship, I guess.”

  “I meant Unlucky’s residents,” Polly corrected. “Just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you have to lay on your backside all day.”

  “It kind of does mean that,” Lily countered. Nolan glanced over to see her hide a smile. She was egging her aunt on.

  “I know—we should give tours,” Polly said. “I’ll call my new business Polly’s Mostly Magical Fantastical Foray into Mysterious Worlds of Wonder. That will make three businesses, and I’ll be my own empire.”

  “Three?” Nolan inquired.

  “Polly’s Perfectly Magical Mystical Wondrous World of Wonders back in Maine. It’s my magic shop. And then there’s Polly’s Perfectly Magical Mystical Maids, Mops, and Lollipops. I don’t have any clients yet, but I will.”

  “They all sound perfectly magical,” Nolan said.

  “Oh, roll down the window,” Polly exclaimed. The sound of tapping came from the backseat.

  “Child locks.” Lily pointed toward the driver’s side door. He turned the locks off.

  Polly hit the button to roll down the window and began waving. “Such a pretty dress!”

  “Do you see…?” Nolan gripped the steering wheel, his entire body rigid as he watched for signs of the afterlife. His phone vibrated in his pocket, not for the first time that day. He didn’t bother looking. Odds were, it was the same person. Councilman Nathan Rana wouldn’t be happy with the fact Nolan avoided his calls.

  “I don’t see anything,” Lily answered. “Just keep driving. This place is kind of creepy.”

  Polly rolled up the window and leaned forward to whisper, “Pretty dress, but that poor woman’s head... tsk, tsk.”

  “Where do you think the ghost parked your truck?” Lily ignored her aunt’s comment.

  “The deputy mentioned the mines. They’re a little past town.” He tried to force himself to relax, but it was hard. “And somewhere that requires a crane.”

  His phone stopped vibrating, but that didn’t make him any less aware of what the council expected him to do. At any other time, he would have enjoyed a drive through the country with Lily. He could do without a chaperone in the backseat, but a guy couldn’t be picky.

  The road leading to the mines became more treacherous as large rocks littered the ground. It was more of a suggested path than a road. He did his best to avoid any bumps as he wove the car toward the main entrance. The mine entrance was a hole in the side of a rock face, but after a few steps inside, there would be a several-hundred-feet drop into the old tunnels below. Men used to be hauled up and down by a platform with a pulley system.

  “I feel a little sick to my stomach.” Lily held her midsection. “I think I need you to pull over, please.”

  “They can be draining,” Polly said.

  “Who?” Lily turned around to look at her aunt.

  “The residents.”

  “We’re here.” Nolan stopped the car. His phone vibrated again, and he knew he’d have to answer sooner rather than later. He stepped out of the car and leaned in the door to tell Lily, “You can stay here since you’re not feeling well.”<
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  Nolan reached for his phone, unsure what he’d tell the man. Either he lied and said he still planned on running the Goodes out of town and his working at the house was part of his elaborate plan to do just that, or he told the truth and the town council decided to fire him for helping the enemy. Somehow saying, “I have a crush on the Goode witch and I’m sure you’ll like her if you just give her a chance,” didn’t feel like a wise decision. He didn’t have a trust fund to pay his bills. He needed his city job.

  Not that he was surprised, but Lily didn’t take his advice to stay in the car as she stepped out to follow him, still holding her stomach. She was the most hardheaded woman he’d ever met. Maybe that’s why he liked her so much.

  Nolan put his phone back into his pocket, unanswered.

  “I don’t see any residents.” Lily turned in a circle. She examined their surroundings for ghosts. Nolan didn’t sense anything either and figured Polly was just having fun at their expense.

  When he didn’t see his truck parked near the mine, he frowned. “There’s a small quarry up ahead. They used the stone on some of the structures in town and it’s left a pit.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t think Stan drove your truck off a cliff, do you, and that’s why they said you needed a crane?” Lily followed him as he climbed the rocky path to the top ledge.

  Seeing ruts in the ground, he was pretty sure he knew what awaited him.

  “Yeah.” Nolan pointed to the tailgate sticking up from where his truck had lodged against the rock face. It hadn’t crashed all the way down, but it had been driven into a protrusion and was wedged at an almost ninety-degree angle. “I think Stan drove it off a cliff.”

  “Oh, wow.” Lily patted his arm. “I hope you have insurance.”

  “I don’t know if my policy covers ghost possession,” he said.

  “You could report that it was stolen,” she offered. “Then you don’t have to say how it was stolen, or by who.”

  “Dammit.” Nolan ran his hands through his hair. “I really liked that truck.”

  “Lay this out for me, dear.” Polly handed Nolan a blanket.

  “Polly, I don’t think this is the right time for picnicking.” Lily tried to intercept the blanket.

  “It’s fine. Let her have the picnic. There’s nothing I can do about the truck now and I’m hungry,” Nolan said.

  “Exactly. Now come get some fried chicken.” Polly gestured to a flat spot on the ground overlooking the quarry and wrecked truck. Nolan spread the blanket. Polly sat down and pulled out a food container from her basket.

  “Do you think it’s drivable?” Lily walked to the ledge closest to the vehicle. “Maybe the rock stopped its fall. The front end doesn’t look too smashed up. Stan probably didn’t bother to turn the engine off when he parked so it would have run itself out of gas. I’m not sure what that will do to an engine. Maybe it will be fine.”

  She sounded adorably hopeful. Nolan did not share that hope.

  “We have potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, potato chips, watermelon…” Polly was saying behind them. They ignored her as they both leaned to the side as if to get a better view of the truck.

  “At least I know the deputy was joking when she said we’d need a crane. A tow truck should do it,” Nolan said. “Dammit.”

  “…fried chicken, hamburgers, chicken taquitos, beef taquitos…”

  “Maybe I can get the trust to pay for the repairs for you. You work for me, and it happened while you were helping me,” Lily offered.

  “…lemon cake, donuts, pancakes…”

  “Couldn’t hurt to ask,” Lily continued. “The worst they can say is no.”

  “…tacos, mini pizzas, corndogs, butterscotch pudding, macadamia nut cookies, licorice…”

  “Thank you, but…” Nolan tilted his head in question. “Did she say pancakes?”

  They both turned toward Polly in unison. Somehow, the woman had managed to lay out a feast—more than should have been able to fit in her basket. Almost every inch of the large blanket was covered with food.

  “…bacon, pork chops, and mashed potatoes.” Polly grinned. “Dig in.”

  “Polly, this is—” Lily started to speak.

  “Oh, you’re right. I almost forgot.” Polly dug into her basket and pulled out a pie. “Cheeseburger pickle pie. It’s a real thing.”

  “I was going to say this is too much food,” Lily finished.

  “Stuff and nonsense,” Polly dismissed. “We need options, and I’m hungry.”

  “No seafood,” Nolan teased.

  “Herman is sensitive about seafood. I couldn’t have him seeing me pack that into the basket.” Polly looked as if the answer should have been obvious.

  “Quite right,” Nolan mumbled. He looked over the spread. “I’ll take a pancake and bacon.”

  “Strawberries and whipped cream on top?” Polly held up a bowl of fruit.

  “Sure,” he agreed.

  “Picnic pancakes,” Lily muttered. “Now I’ve seen everything.”

  “Cheeseburger pickle pie for you?” Polly asked Lily.

  “That would be a no.” Lily laughed. “Not pregnant. Not eating whatever that is.”

  “Oh.” Polly’s expression fell as if disappointed. Lily reached for a water bottle and took a drink. “A baby would have been a joy, but I respect you wanting to take it slow with Nolan.”

  Water spewed from Lily’s lips, landing to the side of the blanket. She looked in horror at Polly then Nolan. “But, no, we’re not... I’m not... I mean we’re not…”

  Nolan wasn’t sure how to take her stuttering denial. To stop her from trying to explain, he stated, “We are not dating. Ours is a working arrangement.”

  “Friends,” Lily said weakly, looking at Nolan as if waiting for him to contradict her. “I would say we’re friends.”

  “Yes. Friends.” Nolan nodded. He wasn’t being asked out on a date, but it was better than being called her employee, so he’d gladly take it.

  Polly giggled. “Eat your taquitos before they get cold.”

  Nolan sat on a patch of grass near the blanket. Polly handed him a tall stack of pancakes covered in strawberries and whipped cream. Bacon encircled the pancakes around the edge of the plate. “Aunt Polly, you throw one heck of a picnic.”

  “If you think this is impressive, you should see me throw a séance party.” Polly handed Lily a plate full of taquitos with a side of potato salad. “Here. All your favorites.”

  “How do you…?” Lily slowly took the plate. “Did Dante tell you that?”

  “Always questioning.” Polly shook her head. “That’s your problem. You’re always thinking thoughts.”

  “Thinking thoughts?” Lily arched a brow.

  “Yes, thinking thoughts about things that don’t matter. You need to feel your way a little more. Maybe then your powers would come back to you. Save room for cherry pie.”

  Lily gave Polly an insolent grin and bit into a taquito.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lily walked the boarded sidewalks of Unlucky Valley, hearing them creak under her feet. She wished she had her phone so she could send pictures to Jesse. Her sister would love exploring a ghost town. As it was, the only way she could talk to Jesse was if she borrowed Nolan’s phone. She and Dante had ordered a couple of cheap replacement flip phones that still hadn’t arrived.

  After the picnic, Nolan had called the deputy to find out when the tow truck would be there. Since it was on its way and they were already there, it was easier to stay instead of heading back to the house.

  She watched a black cat dart into the doorway of the bank. Nolan’s citation had mentioned a cattery, but this was only the second cat she’d seen on Goode land since arriving.

  Lily touched the stone-and-wood siding of the saloon. If she looked hard enough, she imagined she could see speckles of white paint that might have once been a sign. Since no one was around, she said to herself, “I can’t believe I own a ghost town. What was Marigold thinking, lea
ving this to me?”

  Technically, the trust was from her father’s side of the family. Joseph Goode had died in a car wreck when Lily was young and so the caretaking of the property had passed to his wife, but the trust wouldn’t have been as accessible to Marigold. The woman had barely been able to follow a road map, let alone navigate the inner workings of a complicated legal mess.

  A shiver worked over her and she again felt ill. A spot of red amidst the drab brown caught her attention from across the street and she moved down the sidewalk, only to discover it was a garden gnome statue standing in front of the hotel.

  “Okay, that’s weird.” Lily glanced around to see if anyone could have put it there. “I don’t remember seeing you on the drive in.”

  The feeling of apprehension increased, and she didn’t cross over to where the gnome stood. She backed away slowly, keeping an eye on it as if the statue would move on its own. But it didn’t.

  Exploring the town alone might not have been a good call, and she now questioned the reason why she’d felt compelled to do it in the first place. Her steps quickened as she turned to jog down the sidewalk. She slowed near the old jail and glanced back. The gnome remained where it was.

  She giggled to herself. “I’m being stupid. No one is here. No ghosts in this ghost town.”

  As if to contradict her words, she caught movement through the jail’s door. Whatever it was appeared to be the size of an adult. She listened but didn’t hear anything.

  Lily stepped closer to the door and said to whatever spirits might be lurking around, “You should move on. Find a light or something. This is private property.” She gave a self-mocking laugh and dropped the tone of her voice an octave. “There’s a new sheriff in town, and I’m coming in armed with—”

  “Okay, stop, I’m sorry,” a woman’s voice answered.

  Lily screamed in surprise at the clear response, which prompted the woman to scream, which then made Lily scream a second time.

  “I didn’t mean any harm. I just needed a place to sleep.” A woman stepped out from behind the old bars of the jail cell where she’d been hiding in the shadows. Her hands lifted in front of her in a defensive gesture. She looked young, maybe early twenties. She was pretty, with a heart-shaped face, dark hair and brown eyes. Her hair was pulled back from her face into a ponytail, and there were remnants of faded red lipstick staining her lips.