Now I Lay Me Down To Die

By Terri Grimes

Abby Morgan has an ability to hear the dead. Little did she know the Victorian she just rented came with it’s own ghost, Duke Rivers. Having died thirty years prior Duke needs Abby’s aid in solving his murder so he can cross into the light. Teaming up with Duke’s nephew, Owen, finding the killer seemed like a good plan until they uncover secrets that could blow Hunters Hollow wide apart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terri Grimes
• Release date: Nov 5, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452391182

Terri Grimes

Represented by Maureen Walters of the Curtis Brown Ltd agency, Terri Grimes is a multi-published author of Paranormal Romance. Information about her works can be found at www.terrigrimes.com.Be sure to write a review on Amazon.com or Goodreads on books you read. It helps the author and it helps future readers.Warm regards

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Now I Lay Me Down To Die

A Hunters Hollow Paranormal Mystery

By

Terri Grimes

Published by Terri Grimes

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2010 by Terri Grimes

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Hunters Hollow has a new resident

and she can see the Dead…

Abby Morgan has an uncanny ability to see and hear the dead, whether she wants to or not. Little did she know when she moved into the stately Victorian, it came complete with it’s own built-in ghost, the former owner, Duke Rivers. Having died thirty years prior under suspicious circumstances Duke has been wandering the halls of his large ornate house, waiting for just the right person to come along who can see and hear him; someone like Medium extraordinaire, Abby.

With the help of Duke’s hunky nephew, Owen, Abby soon discovers the amicable specter hasn’t been able to cross over into the light because he has unfinished business to take care of. Namely finding out who caused his demise and having the culprit brought to justice.

Teaming up together to find Duke’s killer seemed like a good plan at the time until Abby and Owen uncover some of the local town secrets that could blow the small town of Hunters Hollow wide apart.

A Medium, a Man, a Ghost and the Town about to be ripped apart by a secret kept hidden for more than thirty years.

Welcome to Hunters Hollow…

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, thanks to my fantabulous friend, Julie Brown Cameron. If you look in the dictionary, you’ll find her name as the definition for awesome.

As for Dakota Cassidy; what can I say about such a talented author that I’m proud to call my friend and mentor that hasn’t already been said by everyone that knows her? Babe, you rock that tiara like no other!

In addition, thanks to Judy and Guierrmo Vanegas for not only taking a chance on two strangers from Indianapolis, but especially for being the type of people who fly off to Casablanca just to hear a pianist play that song.

Many thanks to my good friend and neighbor, Pat Dargavell, for creating the perfect murder weapon. Thanks as well to our other partner in crime, I mean neighbor, Martha Nelligan. You gals rock the Casbah (and the flower garden)!

Thanks go to both Ann Poole and Laura Benisek, two of the nicest, sweetest women I know for allowing me to turn you into feuding snipey sisters. San Antonio in 2011 chicka’s! Yay!

Mucho gracias to Allen Bradford and Marissa Dobson, not only beta readers extraordinaire, but also two of my favorite people.

None of this would have been possible had it not been for the insistence and knowledge of cardiologist’s extraordinaire, Dr. Thomas Tu and Dr. William Dillion. Thanks to you both I can go on to write yet another crazy paranormal romance. Now that’s scary!

A hunk ‘o burnin’ love and thanks to my best friend and hubster, Greg Grimes, for not only affording me the opportunity to follow my dreams but especially for providing me with the encouragement needed to do so. I’ll make a ghost believer of you yet!

And last, but never lest, bucket loads of thanks, appreciation and margaritas to you, the reader. Without you this journey would be pointless.

Happy Reading,

Terri Grimes

CHAPTER ONE

I’ve got to say, you’ve got one smoking hot rack, doll. What I wouldn’t give to park my shoes under your bed for a night. The deep voice whistled low and long.

Excuse me? I gasped, instinctually pulling the v-neck of my top up higher in an unsuccessful attempt at covering my ample cleavage.

Uh-oh, you heard me, didn’t you?

Of course I heard you. I’m not deaf.

Sorry love, but you’ve got curves that are a little hard to ignore.

Well how about you try, eh?

Not seeing a source of the voice I peeked behind the curtains, only finding a few dust bunnies. "Who are you? Where are you?"

Over here, sugar, a voice to the left of me spoke.

I swiveled around one last time in an attempt to locate the source of the disembodied voice.

Empty. Not a thing. The room seemed as empty as my wallet and that was pretty damned empty these days since I’d used up most of my meager savings moving to Hunters Hollow, Kentucky two weeks ago.

A small town of 828 –oops, 829 now— Hunters Hollow was small town America at it’s best. Not that Indianapolis, my previous home, wasn’t a nice place. But Hunters Hollow had a certain something that I’d never found in any city in Indiana.

I addressed the vacant room. Listen pal, you’ve got five seconds to quit acting like a pantywaist and appear or I’m walking out the door. I’d learned a long time ago you had to be firm in these matters or they’d walk all over you.

No need to resort to drastic measures, love, the voice said while a distinctly male figure began to shimmer and waver as it materialized in front of me.

Great, just what I needed in my life, another male trying to get in my pants. Albeit this was merely the ghostly spirit of one, but a male was a male and alive or dead, they all thought one thing. Nookie in the cookie.

I crossed my arms over my chest and engaged in a stare down with the spectral intruder. Okay, spill it. Who are you, what are you doing in my house and what do you want from me? This wasn’t my first rodeo and I knew he wanted something of me. They all did.

"We’ll get into the fact that this is actually my house later. But first, tell me, how is it you can see and hear me? I haven’t been able to get anyone to see or hear me since my little incident thirty years ago."

Incident? I raised one finely plucked eyebrow.

He waved a spectral arm at me dismissively. Focus on the subject at hand, chickadee. I repeat, how is it you can see me?

I’m a medium, I said with annoyance. I wanted him to spurt out his business and be on his way. I had clients coming in twenty minutes and I still needed to get things set up. I didn’t have time for this today.

Dark eyebrows raised in an arch, similar to the way mine had mere moments ago.

No, you’re more of a small I’d say. He slowly roved my body with a critical eye. Yep, he finally assessed, definitely a small.

I blushed in spite of myself. Thanks, but not that kind of a medium. I see and hear the dead, helping them pass messages onto their families and loved ones before they cross over. You know, that sort of thing. I hesitated. "You do know you’re dead, don’t you?"

A chuckle rumbled throughout the small room as he threw his head back and laughed. I’m not stupid, I’m dead.

Sorry, I apologized with a sheepish grin. So many of the entities I come in contact with don’t have a clue their earthly bodies have bit the dust.

"You don’t have to worry about that with me, love. I’m only all too aware I’ve got worms crawling in and out of the orifices of what you like to call my earthly body."

I giggled.

What? he queried in a husky but pleasant voice.

Nothing, I demurred.

It’s obviously something or you wouldn’t be looking like you’re ready to pop a gut if you don’t release a laugh soon. So, again, what?

It’s nothing really, I was just wondering how it feels, I admitted, trying to suppress another giggle.

How what feels? he asked with a hint of impatience, his eyebrows knitting in confusion.

The worms crawling in and out of your orifices. As much as I tried to hold it back, I burst out in a huge belly laugh. I couldn’t help it.

His image had solidified now to the point where he looked real enough to touch. My fingers itched to do just that, especially when his lips curved into a smile and the small divot in his chin deepened. He really was something to behold. Thick chestnut hair hanging a couple of inches below his ears, warm brown eyes fringed with curly long eyelashes, chiseled cheekbones. Oddly enough he looked just like my landlord, even down to the same divot in the center of their chins. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were related.

As my laughter abruptly abated I sighed. Let’s face it, I was drooling over a ghost. Is this what my life had come to? I knew, since it had been a couple of years between boyfriends, I was in a major dry spell. But really, come on, a ghost?

Surely I could do better.

At thirty-one I didn’t need to have a man in my bed every night. Once a month would suit me well. And it wasn’t that I was hard on the eyes. I could still turn a few heads and I knew it. I’d just been too busy the last couple of years to do anything about the sad and sorry state of my love life, or lack thereof. Sure, with my long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes I looked more suited for a debutante’s ball than the spooky confines of a medium’s lair. But hey, you play what cards you’re dealt. And I could see dead people, so….

You okay?

What? I snapped out of my reflections.

I repeat, are you okay?

Sure, why do you ask?

He shrugged a ghostly shoulder in nonchalance. You went all glassy eyed for a minute.

I’m fine, but you’re not. Listen pal, you’ve got to go. I have two clients which are going to be here in, I glanced at my watch, ten minutes and I still have to set up the room. So vamoose.

My spectral visitor smoothed his chestnut hair with one hand then giving his wavering clothing a final adjustment he turned towards me. Why are clients coming to see us?

"They’re my clients and they’re coming to see me," I clarified strongly.

He waited patiently, his brown eyes focused on mine.

I sighed. Not that it’s any of your business but Ann and Laura want me to contact their mother to find out which sister should get the family china.

Wow, that’s pretty lame.

I know, I said, nodding vigorously. They never realize they can’t take it with them until it’s too late.

He nodded in agreement.

I’ve got things to do, so buh-bye now.

I turned and made myself busy, not surprised in the least to see he wasn’t making a move to leave. I did my best to ignore him as I readied the room. I smoothed the tablecloth on the séance table before taking my dust cloth and polishing the large crystal ball that sat in the center. I’m not one of those who believe in seeing things in crystal balls, but I found it made for a nice effect.

Suddenly a lilting tune wafted through the large house as someone pressed the doorbell. Quickly I hid my dust rag in the sofa cushions before hurrying to the foyer to open the door for the Dorsett sisters.

Come in, I welcomed them warmly, gesturing towards the séance room once they were in.

Thank you, Ann said, giving her sister a leery eye as she cut her off and walked in front of her into the room.

Laura tossed her head in indifference in an obvious attempt at ignoring her sister.

I was beginning to feel sorry for their mother if this is what she had to put up with while living.

We all settled in the hard wooden chairs I’d set around the table. I’d learned a long time ago the harder the chair, the easier it was to get rid of the client after the reading. It must have been working because the Dorsett sisters were eager to start. I could practically feel the tension coming off the women.

My belly tightened as I sensed a spirit entering the room, coming to stand directly behind Ann’s chair. I was pleased to see that like most they’d unknowingly brought their dearly departed loved one with them.

I placed my hands on the table, palms side down, and took several deep cleansing breaths as I focused on the spirit of Mrs. Dorsett.

Just tell them to split the china and be done with it, the now familiar male voice interrupted.

Damn it!

Leave me alone, I hissed in a stage whisper as my irritation at my uninvited visitor mounted.

Ann and Laura Dorsett were my first clients since moving to Hunters Hollow, Kentucky two weeks ago and I wanted them to come away with a good experience so they’d spread the word.

Who is she talking to? Laura whispered to her sister. She’d better not be talking to us. We’re paying her good money and I for one won’t be talked to like that, her whiney voice droned.

"Shut up for