That Old Flame of Mine by J. J. Cook Read Free Book Online

ghosts.
    She locked the door behind her after setting the alarm. Once the electricity issue was repaired, an alarm code change was next on her list.
    Stella got in the police car with John. All the lights in the cabin were off. As John started the engine, the porch light came on again. Just the idea that a group of snakes was responsible for the craziness made her queasy.
    Of course, that didn’t explain the intruder who’d vanished.
    “So what do we know about Tory. Are they going to do a complete autopsy?” she asked.
    “The coroner said he’ll have it done as soon as he can. That will give us some idea what happened. And the police department will investigate.”
    “What about an arson investigator?” Stella asked. “Is there one around here?”
    “Well, there is one. Mac Williams. He won’t be showing up anytime soon. He never made it out to investigate a suspicious house fire we had here in May.”
    “That’s four months ago. Are you serious?”
    “That’s why you’re here, remember? The county pretty much abandoned us. You might have to investigate this yourself.”
    “I’m not qualified to investigate arson,” she protested.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll help. I’m sure Don will lend a hand too.”
    “Maybe. He doesn’t seem too happy that I’m here.”
    “People don’t like new things—or new people. Nobody likes change. Don is a decent man. He’ll come ar ound.”
    They drove through the quiet, dark streets of Sweet Pepper. The only lights were the quaint streetlights and the traffic light. No one seemed to be out but them.
    John pulled the squad car into a wide driveway where a large, slightly crooked sign announced their destination, Flo’s bed-and-breakfast. “Here we are.”
    “Thanks for the ride.”
    “Would you like me to come in with you? I could at least walk you to the door.”
    Stella smiled. “Thanks, but I’ll be okay. I’d hate to think that there are bad guys out there that need to be caught and I’m taking up all your time.”
    “I already locked up Boyd Jeffries tonight.” He chuckled. “He gets a little rowdy sometimes after he’s had a few. He was dancing at Beau’s bar with a lampshade on his head. The rest of the night should be easy.”
    They got out of the car, Stella wincing a little at the acrid odor of smoke still lingering from the fire. Back home, there were so many bad smells that people tended not to notice a little smoke. Here, where the stars looked close enough to touch, the air was cleaner and fresher. She could make out the smell of someone lighting up a cigarette even as she was going down the road on her bike.
    Flo met them at the front door to the three-story house very similar to Tory’s. The only difference Stella could see were the bright colors of the trim against the white framework of the house. There was a wide veranda with dozens of rocking chairs like the ones on the deck at the cabin.
    “Well, my stars! What a surprise to see you here tonight, John. And you too, Chief Griffin. Are you here
together
—or will you need two rooms?”
    Flo—if she had a last name, Stella had never heard it—was an adorably chubby middle-aged woman with teased-high blond hair. She always seemed to wear pink and had inquisitive blueberry-colored eyes. She was also one of the town’s biggest gossips.
    Stella could only imagine the news of her and John being here together hitting the diner and the coffee shop the next morning.
    John’s face reddened a little as he glanced at Stella. “We’re definitely
not
here together. Except that I brought the chief. She needs a place for the night until I can get someone to check out the electric up at that old cabin.”
    “Not a problem in this world, honey.” Flo winked at him. “She can certainly stay here, and welcome. You know they’re not going to find anything wrong up there. That old place is haunted. I was surprised they even put you up there, Chief Griffin. What were they thinking?”
    “Please call