The glow in the woods, p.1
The Glow in the Woods, page 1
The Glow in the Woods
Cedar Creek Mysteries, Volume 2
Violet Howe
Contents
Books by Violet Howe
1. Hot Chocolate
2. Old Friends
3. People Gonna Talk
4. The Glow
5. The Farm
6. First Hand Account
7. Sharing Secrets
8. A Confession to Make
9. A Night Interrupted
10. Scattered Hay
11. Family Ties
12. Star Gazing
13. Private Deck
14. Afternoon Hike
15. Dinner on the Deck
16. Midnight at the Farm
17. West Coast
18. Coming Clean
19. The Offer
20. Mood Swings
21. Party Crasher
22. Birthday Announcement
23. Dance Floor
24. Percival Price
25. Dream State
26. Playing the Card
27. The Wind in the Trees
28. Not Quite Deja Vu
29. These Boots are Made for Walking
30. Gunslingers
31. One Finger, Two Fingers
32. Congratulations
33. Interrogation
34. Room for Two
35. Apple Pie
36. Morning Coffee
37. Breaking News
38. Stand Up
39. A Mother’s Journey
40. Official Statement
41. The Rules of Engagement
42. Road Trip to Freedom
43. Gut Feeling
44. Homecoming
45. Take A Deep Breath
46. Fruitless Search
47. Running Late
48. Trucking
49. Away From the Light
50. No Cookies
51. Into the Muck
52. Slo-Mo
53. High School Reunion
54. Chicken Coop
Epilogue
Also by Violet Howe
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Thank You
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, events, and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
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No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage & retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the author.
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www.violethowe.com
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Cover Design: Robin Ludwig Design, Inc.
www.gobookcoverdesign.com
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Published by Charbar Productions, LLC
(e--v2)
Copyright © 2018 Violet Howe/LM Howe/Charbar Productions, LLC
All rights reserved.
Books by Violet Howe
Tales Behind the Veils
Diary of a Single Wedding Planner
Diary of a Wedding Planner in Love
Diary of an Engaged Wedding Planner
Maggie
THE CEDAR CREEK COLLECTION
Cedar Creek Mysteries:
The Ghost in the Curve
The Glow in the Woods
The Phantom in the Footlights
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Cedar Creek Families:
Building Fences
Crossing Paths
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Cedar Creek Suspense:
Whiskey Flight
Bounty Flight
Fallen Bloodlines:
Vampire Born
Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge
Christmas Sisters
Christmas Hope
Christmas Peace
Christmas Secret
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Sail Away Series
Welcome Aboard
Moonlight on the Lido Deck
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Click here or visit www.violethowe.com to subscribe to Violet’s monthly newsletter for news on upcoming releases, events, sales, and other tidbits.
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Or join her Facebook reader group, the UltraViolets, for fun interaction, advance news, exclusive content and giveaways.
For Skip
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Your support meant the world to me. When you said it, I believed it, because I knew you wouldn’t say it just to be polite. I’m so sorry I didn’t finish this in time for you to read it. Thank you for welcoming me into your family, and thank you for being my son’s beloved Grammy Kay. Your influence helped shape the man he is today, through your love and through the daughter you raised who loves him. You were an incredible force, and you are so missed by all who knew and loved you.
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Dedicated to Kathleen Cisinski (1945-2018)
1
Hot Chocolate
Rachel
I sat in our kitchen drinking hot chocolate while my husband bled to death in the woods behind our house.
Two years later, the thought of hot chocolate still makes me nauseous.
When I put the milk on to boil that night, I expected Vincent to walk in any minute.
The full moon had brought all the crazies into the ER, so there was no time to take a break during my shift. When I finally got a minute to check my phone around nine, I saw that I’d missed seven calls from Vincent. I snuck into the supply closet to call him, and he answered on the first ring.
“Is this my beautiful wife finally calling me back?”
“What’s wrong?” I asked when he answered, though I could barely hear him over the music and voices in the background. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the Thirsty Lizard, and nothing’s wrong. In fact, everything’s right as rain.”
My heart sank. If he was at the Thirsty Lizard, it could only mean one thing. He was with his cousin, Lonnie, and that was never good. Vincent’s mama always said if there was trouble within a mile, Lonnie would smell it out and roll in it.
“Did you hear me? Babe? Did you hear what I said?” Vincent asked as the music grew louder. “I said I have good news.”
“I can barely hear anything you’re saying. I gotta go. They’re paging me over the intercom. Don’t stay out too late, okay? And be careful.”
“Wait! I’ll walk outside.” The noise faded after a few seconds. “Can you hear me now?”
“Yeah, but I still have to go.”
“Wait, wait, wait. I need to tell you something. All our troubles are over, babe. For real. I’m gonna make every single one of your dreams come true. Whatever your heart desires, you’ll get. The world on a silver platter if you want it. The sky’s the limit.”
I waved away Cassandra, who had leaned around the door and motioned for me to come quickly.
“Vincent, how much have you had to drink?”
His laughter rang out. “I might have had a drink or two, but when you find out what’s going on, you’re gonna want to celebrate with me. Hurry home, okay? I can’t wait to see your face when I tell you.”
There was no tell-tale slur to indicate he was drunk, but his flowery promises and grandiose talk combined with Lonnie’s presence left me uneasy.
My name came across the intercom again, and I turned to see Cassandra still standing in the doorway, her arms crossed in frustration.
“Vin, seriously. I have to go. Don’t drive if you’ve already had too much.”
“I’m not drunk, I swear. We’re gonna play one more game of pool, and then I’ll be home waiting for the love of my life to arrive. I love you, Rachel.”
“Love you, too.”
If I had known it would be the last conversation we’d ever have, I would have stayed on the line longer. I would have begged him to tell me his good news. I would have made sure he knew how much I loved him and how much I wanted him to be home when I got there.
But there’s no countdown clock to tell us when time is running out.
Vincent didn’t answer my call when I left the hospital, so I drove out of my way to go past the Thirsty Lizard, and then headed home when I didn’t see his truck in the parking lot.
I changed out of my scrubs and sat down to drink my hot chocolate and tap my fingers on the table, anxious about him not being home yet, but getting madder by the minute.
If only I had known he was laying out there in the dark. Bleeding, alone, and unconscious.
The coroner said the blow he suffered in his fight with Lonnie at the bar didn’t directly cause his death. The tree root he fell on was ruled the official culprit, but the loss of blood in the bar fight was a factor, along with the brain swelling it had caused.
They told me it’s likely he became disoriented. It was the only explanation they could offer as to why my husband drove past our driveway and unlocked the gate for the winding road that led into the woods, parking his truck about a quarter mile off the road and then stumbling through the darkness to his death.
Despite the years that had passed, the unanswered questions still kept me up at night. When sleep eluded me, I’d often end up on the back porch, sitting in a rocking chair and gazing out into the woods, wishing the trees could tell me what they knew.
It was there in the rocking chair that I first saw it. The response I’d begged the universe to give me. I didn’t question what else it might be or delve into the logical or practical explana tions. When I saw the glow in the woods, I knew in my heart it was Vincent, making himself known to comfort me from beyond the grave.
2
Old Friends
Sloane
“Sloane? That you, babe?” Tristan called from the deck.
“Well, Deputy, if it’s not me, you’ve got an intruder in your kitchen.” I tossed my purse onto the counter and kicked off my sandals before pulling a wine glass from the rack above the fridge.
“Hey there! I didn’t expect you home so early.” His grin was wide as he walked through the open French doors. “How’d it go?”
I popped the cork from the wine bottle and watched the deep burgundy elixir fill my glass.
“It happened again. That’s the third assignment in a month I’ve blown by being recognized. If Henry wasn’t going to fire me before, I’m sure he will now.”
Tristan slid his arms around my waist from behind and bent to rest his chin on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, babe. I can’t say I’m surprised, though. You’ve been a movie star since you were sixteen. International celebrities don’t exactly blend in with their surroundings. People know who you are everywhere we go.”
I leaned back against his chest as he nuzzled my neck and whispered in my ear. “Who wouldn’t recognize this beautiful face?”
“Hmmph!” I pulled away from his embrace and shoved the cork back in the bottle, ignoring his chuckle as he leaned against the counter and watched me with a maddening grin.
“You can’t get discouraged,” he said as I sipped my wine. “We talked about this, remember? It’s gonna be hard for you to pull off PI work, even part-time.”
“I know, but I thought if I could just get through the required apprenticeship hours, then I’d have my license and work my own cases. I’d be able to concentrate on finding missing family members or something else of substance. Not this stupid stalking around behind cheating spouses and insurance frauds. But if I can’t even do that properly and I lose this apprenticeship, how am I ever going to get my license?”
He sighed as he stepped toward me with his arms outstretched. “Henry knew when he gave you a chance that it would be tough with you being so well-known. He’s not going to quit on you as easily as you think.”
I stepped back, not ready to collapse in his arms and give up my foul mood just yet.
“Henry only hired me because he was friends with your grandfather. It wasn’t like I had any qualifications. If I can’t do the job, he’s not going to keep me around, no matter how loyal he is to Hank’s memory.”
Tristan pulled me into his arms again, refusing to accept my resistance any longer. It only took a moment for me to relax against him as he smoothed my hair away from my face and tucked his thumb beneath my chin.
“Look, Henry might have met with you because Hank Porter’s grandson asked him to, but he didn’t hire you because of me or Hank. He saw something in you, Sloane. He believed you could do the job, and he’s not gonna give up on you. Neither am I.”
He closed his lips over mine, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing myself to him as I allowed desire to overtake frustration.
No sooner had our embrace heated up than a loud knock on the front door interrupted us.
“Ignore it,” I whispered against Tristan’s lips, twisting my hands tighter into his hair to hold him in place, though he’d shown no indication of heeding the visitor’s call.
“Son of a bitch,” he said when the knock sounded again. He glanced over his shoulder toward the door.
“It’s probably Holden,” I said. “He’ll let himself in if you don’t answer it.”
“Have you ever known my brother to knock?”
“No.” I loosened my grip and slid my hands down his arms, squeezing his biceps as I groaned. “Go ahead. See who it is.”
He kissed me once more and grinned as he cupped my cheek in his palm. “I’ll get rid of whoever it is. Stay here and hold that thought.”
“Yes, sir, Deputy. Hurry back.” I leaned against the counter and hoped whoever was knocking wasn’t going to interrupt where we’d been headed.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Tristan said as he swung the door open. “I thought you forgot where I lived. Can’t recall the last time I saw you at my door.”
“It’s been a while, for sure. I don’t get away from the farm much.”
I didn’t recognize the other man’s voice, but the enthusiasm in Tristan’s greeting told me it was someone he knew well and someone he wouldn’t be getting rid of quickly. I picked up my wine glass and drained its contents, certain I was about to be introduced to someone new.
“Come on in,” Tristan said. “I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet.”
I’d just set the glass back on the counter when the men entered the kitchen, and I pasted on a smile as Tristan came to stand by my side.
“Sloane Reid, this is Levi Parker, an old friend of mine.”
Levi removed his cap as he extended his hand and smiled. His handshake was firm, his palms callused but not rough. He had a solid, muscular build, and he stood a couple of inches shorter than Tristan. His hair, which had been flattened by the hat, was a deep brown, almost the same shade as his dark eyes. It was hard to tell where the irises began and the pupils ended.
“Nice to meet you, Sloane. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Oh? All good stuff, I hope.”
“Without a doubt. Holden has spoken quite highly of you. In fact, the whole town has. The place has been abuzz since Tristan started dating the Spectral Slayer.”
I flinched at the mention of my previous identity. It had been a year since the studio canceled my contract, and I still couldn’t talk about it without my skin getting hot.
“Uh, well, I’m not the Spectral Slayer anymore. Lucy Landry is officially retired, and I’ve moved on to other roles.”
Tristan waved his hand toward the living room. “Let’s go have a seat. Levi, can I get you something to drink? Sloane? More wine?”
I nodded and handed him my glass as Levi asked for water.
“So, I heard you’re working as a private investigator,” Levi said as we walked past the dining table.
I shrugged. “An apprentice, actually. It takes two years of apprenticeship to get your license in Florida.”
Levi sat in the large overstuffed chair and hung his cap over his knee. “What makes you want to give up acting and become a PI?” He held up one hand and raised his eyebrows with a smile. “If you don’t mind my asking.”
“Oh, I’m not giving up acting. I’m still doing films, just not the Slayer franchise. The PI work is more something to do when I’m here in Cedar Creek.” I curled my legs beneath me on the couch and turned to watch Tristan walking toward us. He grinned and gave me a wink, and a shudder of desire ran through me. I wondered how long we’d have to engage in polite conversation before his friend was ready to leave.
