Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #1)(51)

“And you’re just now telling me about this? Don’t you think that was information I needed before now?”

Luc had the decency to look embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Maryse, but I was a bit confused at first since your wreck happened before the reading of the will, so it didn’t add up. Then after I heard about the whole inheritance thing, I figured Harold or someone else found out ahead of time and took a snipe at you. Cutting brake lines is not exactly a clear-cut route to death. In fact, it’s probably not a good route at all.”

Maryse slowly nodded, understanding his point. “But an explosion is a whole different story.”

“Bet your ass it is,” Luc said and narrowed his eyes at Maryse. “So are you going to tell me what you’re involved in that’s going to get you killed?”

Maryse nodded. “It’s got to be the land. There’s a clause in the inheritance.”

“What clause?”

“The land inheritance has clauses tied to it that have to be fulfilled over the next week in order for the title to pass to me. One of the clauses is that I have to outlive Helena for seven days following her burial.”

“Jesus Christ!” Luc stared at her for a moment, then lowered his voice again. “Then Johnny’s right—you’ve got to get out of town for a while. I have family in places no one would ever find you. They can keep you protected for a week, easy.”

Maryse shook her head. “I can’t leave Mudbug. That’s another one of the clauses. If I leave, everything passes to Hank, and he’d lease the land as fast as possible.”

“He’d have to find a taker first,” Luc said. “Maybe in ten years or so development would be pushing this way, but right now? Even the chemical company couldn’t put together an expansion plan quickly. It would take years.”

“Yeah, but didn’t I tell you? Helena’s only just bothered to mention that the preserve is full of oil.”

Luc stared. “Good Lord, the woman’s practically signed your death warrant.”

“I don’t think that was her intention, but it’s certainly starting to look that way.”

Luc looked out the window for a moment, then shook his head and looked back at Maryse. “Well, this problem is way too big to be solved over lunch, but I guess the first thing we need to do is get you somewhere safe. You think the hotel is okay?”

Maryse shrugged. “Heck if I know. Mildred lives there, and the hotel is usually at least half-filled with salesmen and such for the chemical company. I should be okay there, but I hate putting Mildred in the middle of this mess.”

“I don’t like it either, but you have to stay somewhere that’s easy to watch, and the hotel is your best option in Mudbug. Are you going to tell Mildred what’s going on?”

“What other choice do I have? My house exploded. She’s going to wonder what happened, and Mildred’s too sharp for me to pass off some bullshit explanation.”

“And what about the Helena returning from the dead part?”

“Oh, no! I don’t need Mildred worried about my sanity, too. She doesn’t believe in this sort of thing and isn’t likely to start regardless of what I say. No, Helena has to remain mine, yours, and Sabine’s little secret.”

“Sabine?” Luc asked.

“My best friend. She owns the psychic shop in downtown.”

Luc’s face cleared in understanding. “Ah, psychic, huh? So I guess she has no trouble taking on a haunting.”

“Oh, she has plenty of trouble, especially with exactly who’s doing the haunting, but she’s doing some research to try and help us figure out some things—mainly how Helena can ascend or depart or whatever.”

“You might want to put a hold on that.”

“Why?”

“I would imagine that Helena knows plenty she still hasn’t told you. Not to mention she’s a much better choice for eavesdropping on suspects than either of us.” Luc sighed. “Unfortunately, until we figure out exactly what’s going on here, Helena is worth more to us dead.”


The fear on Mildred’s face was clear as day when Luc came hauling Maryse into the hotel. The hotel owner ran across the lobby, as only large women can run, and started to gather her up in a hug. Apparently, she remembered Maryse’s injuries and placed a hand on her arm instead. “Oh, my God, child, are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Mildred. Just a few cuts and my head’s pounding a bit again, but nothing to be concerned with.”

Mildred stared at Maryse as if she’d lost her mind, then looked over at Luc, whose expression apparently didn’t do anything to convince her to the contrary. She looked back at Maryse. “Nothing to be concerned with? Are you kidding me? That explosion at your cabin carried all the way to downtown. Why, when I heard it was your place, Johnny had to stop me from swiping his boat and heading over there myself. I swear I would have swam if I had to.”

Maryse smiled. “I know you would have. I’m surprised Johnny won the fight over his boat.”

Mildred flushed a bit. “Well, I couldn’t get the damned thing started or I would have gotten away with it. Then I came back into the hotel and was just about to grab my keys and head to the dock when Sabine called and told me to hold tight and prepare a room for you.” She gave Maryse a hard look. “What the hell is going on, Maryse?” She looked over at Luc. “And what is he doing taxiing you around?”