The Hidden

Once again, Daniel stepped in to comfort her, taking her in his arms.

Scarlet looked at Diego. She didn’t want to go to the morgue, but if it would help, she was willing.

“What about a séance?” Daniel asked.

“A séance?” Diego asked. “Daniel, you and Cassandra found Scarlet on your own. There was no mumbo jumbo involved, no candles and no ridiculousness.”

“Said by a man to a pair of ghosts,” Daniel said, laughing.

They heard the sound of a key in the lock, followed by the alarm beeping briefly downstairs. A moment later Brett called up to them, “Hey, guys, Lara’s here!”

Cassandra faded away in a flash.

Daniel followed her, albeit more slowly, his arm still around her, his expression bereft, as if he was losing her.

Brett came up the stairs with Lara, a pretty five-foot-seven-inch blonde who clearly knew Diego well, judging by the warm hug she gave him the minute she entered the room. Then she stood back, anxious to meet Scarlet. They were introduced just as the rest of the Krewe came up the stairs.

Lara Mayhew was warm and sincere, and obviously deeply in love with Brett. Scarlet could tell she made Brett happy.

But as soon as the pleasantries were exchanged, Matt said to Scarlet and Diego, “What’s going on here? You two look as if you’ve been hit in the head with a brick.”

“Our ghosts were here,” Diego said.

“Ghosts—plural?” Meg asked.

“Daniel and Cassandra Wells,” Scarlet said.

“Ah,” Jane said quietly. “So it did mean something, you seeing her last night.”

“Yup. Newly found ghost magnet here,” Scarlet said lightly. “Daniel suggested I should go to the morgue and try to talk to the Parkers.”

“He also suggested a séance,” Diego said, as if Daniel had suggested that they all grow horns.

“Have you ever been to a morgue?” Meg asked Scarlet.

“No,” Scarlet said.

“Spirits seldom linger there,” Matt said.

“It’s an ugly place to be, with what’s left of your physical self lying on a stainless steel table,” Brett said.

“But...a séance,” Diego said. “I mean, we’re above that, aren’t we?” he asked hopefully, then answered himself with a groan. “No, we’re not against anything that might work.”

Jane said, “Intriguing idea, actually—a séance. Why not?”

Diego looked over at her. “I assume you mean we should involve our suspects?”

“Involve our suspects?” Scarlet asked.

“Invite them to join us, see how they react,” Diego told her.

“I don’t think you’ll ever get Angus to a séance,” Scarlet said flatly.

“Probably not. But Angus wasn’t at the Twisted Antler and he didn’t discover any of the bodies, so I think we can back-burner him as a suspect,” Adam said. “I actually think that’s not a bad idea. We’ll arrange it for tonight. I’ll speak with Ben and Trisha.”

“What if they refuse?” Scarlet asked. “And even if they agree, this will be one unwieldy séance. There are eight of us, then Ben and Trisha, Terry, Linda and Gwen and Charles. And what about the Levins? That’s a party, not a séance.”

“Meg and I were planning on following the Parkers’ trail tonight,” Matt said. “Take the highway in from Denver and stop at the places where they might have stopped, see if anyone remembers seeing them or seeing anyone or anything strange. I know their pictures have been out in the media, but sometimes you get better results with the personal touch.”

“We’re also going to try to figure out where the killer might have stashed their car,” Meg said.

“And since Angus won’t be coming, someone needs to keep an eye on the stables,” Brett said. “Lara and I will stay here and keep an eye on the museum at the same time. And the back door to the main house,” he added irritably.