Ghost Squad 2 -Ghosts on the Loose: A Rest in Peace Crime Story, #2

By Bob Moats

Detroit Police Detective Russ Baker is in charge of the Cold Cases and with his ghostly friend and partner, Wes Loomis, they have to solve murders to be able to send the victim’s spirits to the hereafter. Russ is given a case by his girlfriend Mary, who transfers from Missing Persons to work with Russ. Together they go out to find a missing boy who’s mother was murdered by his abductor. Wes is on the job tracking down leads but even he runs into problems. Too many leads that all end up blocked by criminals just ahead of them. Will they find the boy and his real mother? Is a TV preacher part of the crime? Will Wes turn his ghost friends loose on the killer?  Murder, mayhem, humor, ghosts galore, and lots of fun are in store in this paranormal ghost crime story by Bob Moats. This book is a novella.

ARC readers' reviews

 What an amazing premise...the ghosts of the murdered, coming back to help a cold case detective solve their murders. Great side effect? Our detective finds redemption in more ways than one. The dark humor is perfectly placed, and our hero is flawed in a very real way. Once again, Bob Moats has me on the edge of my seat, tapping my fingernails and waiting for the next book to come out! – Pamela Cooke Moore-O'Brien.

 
 I went into this thinking it was an interesting concept but not completely sold on the idea. Although, I really enjoyed the humor in this book. Nothing like having an annoying partner that is always around. You never know when he's going to pop in. Especially since he's a ghost. I couldn't put the book down. I never would have thought that I would enjoy a paranormal ghost crime story. This was a fun and humorous, quick read. I hope to see more from Russ and Wes. - Lisa Keller

 Bob, I think this is the best book ever. Love the team especially Wes. Please don't stop! I so enjoyed it. I enjoy reading Ed McBain but you give something special. - Shirley Alverez

 I love the Genre with the Ghost Squad solving cold case Murders, I particularly enjoyed that awaiting ghosts need cases solved to move along in the nether world. It looks Like Bob Moats has found an interesting concept in Mystery Writing that will peak the interest of readers looking for a change of Pace. The characters become developed as the story progresses and relationships build leading very interesting exchanges between the lead and his wispy side kick. Things progress at a very satisfying rate with cases solved and deceased moving along in the hereafter. I believe this will be a hit among the readers. The police Procedural is spot on and lend credence to the story as it progresses. Russ and Wes make a great team and my hope is to read more adventures bring resolution to interesting cold cases. A must have for both Bob Moats fans and Those looking for an unique story line in the Mystery/ Police Procedural Genre. Thanks Bob Keep up the Good work!! - Russ Holthaus

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bob Moats
• Release date: Jan 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781519946140

Bob Moats

Detroit area resident, Bob Moats, has been writing short stories and plays for as long as he can remember. He has lost most of his original stories, typed or handwritten, in the numerous moves he has made from his hometown of Fraser, Michigan to Northern Michigan, to Las Vegas and back to Fraser, where he now lives. Moats became one of the causalities of unemployment a year ago, and had time on his hands to finally pursue a life long dream of writing a full blown crime novel. Thus was born the first book, "Classmate Murders".What followed was a series of seven books starting with "The Classmate Murders" which introduces the main character, Jim Richards, who has to admit he has become a senior citizen, reluctantly. Richards, one day, receives an email from a childhood sweetheart asking for his help, but by the time he reaches her, she has been murdered. His life turns around and he is pulled into numerous murders of women from his high school who he hasn't seen in forty years. Along with a friend of his, Buck, a big, mustached biker, they go off to track down the killer before he can get to one former classmate, Penny Wickens, a TV talk show host who Jim has just fallen for while protecting her. The killer is also murdering the women right out from under police protection, driving homicide detective Will Trapper crazy, and he slowly depends on Jim to help. There's humor, suspense, wild chases across suburban Detroit with cops, classic cars and motorcycle clubs; murder, mayhem, a good amount of romance and a twist ending.Jim and his crime fighters, continue in the other books, traveling to Las Vegas twice, back to Detroit and out to New York to solve murders involving dominatrix; mistresses; Bridezillas; magic and strip clubs.Book titles: Classmate Murders; Vegas Showgirl Murders; Dominatrix Murders; Mistress Murders; Bridezilla Murders; Magic Murders; Strip Club Murders and Made-for-TV Murders.

Book preview

This book is licensed for your personal use only. This book 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, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

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This is a work of pure fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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For information and address:

Magic 1 Productions

P.O. Box 524, Fraser MI 48026-0524

Website: http://murdernovels.com

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Cover design by Bob Moats

Stock photo from Fotosearch.com

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Extra special thanks to:

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To Susan Haughton, for editing my chapters.

To the proof readers, Amy Morningstar, Cindy Valstad, and Al Norris for proofing the final copy and hopefully catching all those annoying little errors that slip through.

To Russ Holthaus, a police officer, who made sure my characters didn't violate any laws.

To my ARC readers for their comments, Beth Rosen, Pamela Cooke Malone-O'Brien, Carolyn Linington,  Lisa Keller, and Debbie Carter. I thank you.

Thank you to all the people who purchased this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it for my faithful readers.

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The Bob Moats Family of Readers is listed in the back of the book.

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Chapter 1

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I sat at my desk wondering where my wispy ghost partner, Wes, was hiding. I guessed he was in the file room with all the cold case ghosts wanting to get out and into the hereafter. I thought back to when he first appeared in my life one night and stayed. He said his mission was to help me solve the cold case files to allow the murdered victims to move on, and so far we were doing a pretty good job of it.

It was fairly easy to solve these cases with Wes using his mindreading and his network of ghosts watching for our murderers. In the first week he was with me, we solved a few cold case files, then we had a big bust of a serial killer and got rid of an annoying person who almost married the woman I was now involved with.

Her name was Mary and I had a thing for her since I first saw her. She was a detective in Missing Persons and she was living with me on alternating weeks. We both liked the arrangement, since it gave us time to be alone. Well, I was never alone with Wes around. He was trying his best to go elsewhere to give me my space, but the poor guy was lonely and enjoyed my company. So I put up with him.

The door to the office opened and Mary came in with a file in her hand. She smiled and sat next to my desk.

I'm not sitting on any ghosts, am I? she asked with a grin.

Not that I know of, I still can't see them, other than Wes. He's off somewhere, probably getting into trouble. Mary knew about my ghostly partner and his friends when I had to let her in on the fact. I had used Wes to get rid of the man who was not good for Mary and they were set to get married. Luckily for me, it never happened.

How much trouble can he get into? she asked.

Actually, I'm not sure. I'm finding out every day new tricks he can do. He can move objects from one place to another, like my files. I find them on my kitchen table so I can read up on our next case. He somehow sends them from the cold case file room.

He's like a secretary, then, Mary said with a grin.

Don't say that to him. I mentioned it once and he was very put off by it. Did you come down here to the dungeon to tell me something or just visiting?

Oh, I was told to bring this down to you, she said handing me the file. It's actually a murder case that hasn't been solved due to lack of evidence.

Why was it in Missing Persons?

There was a young boy involved. His mother was murdered and he was taken. He's the missing person. The file has been sitting around for about a month, and it's now becoming a cold case. For both homicide and missing persons. No one could find out anything.

So they shuffle it down to good old Russ Baker, master crime solver.

Something like that. If Wes can help solve the murder then maybe you can find the boy.

How old is he?

He just turned ten. He's old enough to know what's going on, which is sad. I hope he is brave enough to endure whatever he's involved in.

I'll look over the file and talk to Wes and see what we can come up with.

Russ, I never told anyone about Wes or the ghosts, but the talk upstairs is that you are some kind of ghost whisperer. Like that TV show with Jennifer Love Hewitt. I think your old partner Nelson started that. When he had that Wally guy in for questioning, he was told about the ghost attacking him. I think Nelson believed him.

I'm not worrying about it. Let them talk. I can have Wes read Nelson's mind to find all the ugly things he has pulled and blackmail him into shutting up. I had to endure Nelson as my partner, but I never liked him.

Well, I just wanted to let you know about it. I figured it wouldn't bother you.

If things get too tense here, I can resign and start my own private investigating firm. I'll call it Baker and Ghost Investigating, I said with a laugh.

I jumped when Wes popped up in front of my desk. Hey, boss, what's up?

I presume by your look that Wes just appeared, Mary said.

Yes, he's here. I looked back to him, Where have you been?

I was with all the ghosts in the file room trying to figure some games we could play to while away the hours. Like playing hide and seek the ghost. Or ghost trivia, covering all the famous haunted houses in history. Those spirits know a lot of history.

Well, we have our next cold case. It wasn't in the file room, but upstairs sitting around while no one tried to solve it.

Typical. Those detectives need ghosts to keep them moving.

I was relaying what Wes was saying to Mary so she didn't feel left out. She got a laugh at the mention of the games.

Isn't there a deck of ghost cards they could play with? she asked.

I'll see if we can move a deck of cards around with our minds. But we can't pick them up. You'd have a room full of cards all over the floor, Wes said.

Last week I had found a deck of cards in the desk, probably from someone who worked here before me and used to play solitaire. I took the deck out and threw it on the desk. Here, send these into the room and see what the ghosts can do with them.

Wes grinned and vanished. I looked down and the deck was gone. I shook my head and said, I'm having to play caretaker to these ghosts. It's starting to become a full time job. I'm surprised Wes hasn't invited them to the apartment.

Russ, darling, go easy on them. If you had to exist in one room for as long as some of them have, you'd welcome the chance to do new things.

I do realize that and it bothers me that we aren't cleaning out the cold cases fast enough. Maybe I need more help down here. But how do I explain the ghosts?

She reached over and took my hand. "Maybe I could see if I can transfer down here to help you. You said the captain asked if you needed help. Besides, I don't think the men in Missing Persons