What the Hex? (A Paranormal P.I. Mystery Book 1) Read online

  “Well, it shows all the workouts,” she said.

  “Oh, yeah? Can you show me what it looks like?” I tried to sound casual.

  She pulled up the screen. There was one thing I noticed right away. One of the workouts was exceptionally long. So long that I knew there was no way Tabitha had worked out that long. If she had, she had a serious exercise addiction.

  “That’s a long workout.” I pointed at the screen. “Was there a problem with the watch?”

  “Tabitha must have accidentally left the watch on,” she said. “Wow, Tabitha went all the way into the desert.” The woman laughed.

  The breath caught in my throat. She had no idea what she’d just discovered.

  “Can you pull that up so I can see the map better?” I asked, pointing to the screen.

  She looked at me a little strangely, but then moved the mouse and made it bigger. Now that I got a closer look I saw that the route Tabitha had taken had put her at the scene of the crime. It would have been a short time before Amber’s body had been found.

  Chapter 29

  “Thanks for the info. Do you mind if I take the watch? I think I see Tabitha in the parking lot still. Maybe I can catch her to give her the watch.”

  Before she had a chance to respond, I pulled the cable from the watch and rushed out the door. What would I do with this information? This was huge. It proved that Tabitha had been there when Amber was killed. That meant she had to be guilty of the crime. Why had she done this though? Where was Morgan? I feared she had been killed too and the police just hadn’t found her yet.

  Maybe Tabitha had killed Morgan out of jealousy because Tabitha was with Steve. It was clear that they had an affair going. Steve had practically taken over the gym now that Morgan was gone. This had probably been their plan all along. Kill Morgan so that Steve and Tabitha could be together and have the gym. But why Amber? Maybe she had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, since she was friends with Morgan. One thing was for sure, I had to go to the police with the information so that they could arrest Tabitha.

  I pulled out my phone and raced to my car. Should I call 911? Was this an emergency? Just as I was punching in the numbers, my phone rang. I jumped because clearly I was freaked out at the moment. When I looked at the screen, it was Derek calling. He would be shocked when I told him the news.

  “You’re not going to believe what I just found out,” I said.

  There was no response.

  “Hello? Derek? Can you hear me?”

  Still he didn’t speak. He must be in an area with bad coverage. The call ended. Something was off. The feeling in the pit of my stomach… I knew that something was wrong. I had to find out where Derek was calling from. I used the app to track his phone. It was a good thing we’d installed the apps so we could do this. I’d thought it was a bad idea at the time, but now I was glad for it.

  As soon as I saw that Derek was at a nearby parking lot, I knew that I had to go there. If he’d just accidentally butt-dialed me, I’d be extremely embarrassed. I hopped in the car and glanced in the rearview mirror. I was thankful that I hadn’t run into Steve. To think how close I’d been to the killer. It was scary.

  After pulling out of the gym, I raced over to the parking lot. I’d reached the place in record time. It was spillover space from the casino next door. I pulled in and looked for Derek’s car. Unfortunately I didn’t see it anywhere. Maybe he’d already gone.

  I dialed his number, but it went straight to the voicemail. “Where are you?” I said.

  That was when I spotted the black Jaguar. When I saw the couple sitting in the front seat, I recognized them right away. It was Steve and Tabitha. Luckily, they hadn’t spotted me. When I tracked Derek’s phone again, it led me to exactly where their car was parked.

  Somehow Derek’s phone was in that car too. Now what would I do? It wasn’t like I could go over there and confront them. What if they had already done something terrible to Derek? The thought made me ill. I had to call the police. Waiting for them to arrive would be torture.

  Just as I was about to dial 911, Steve started the car and backed out of the parking space. I couldn’t let them get away. Though as long as Derek’s phone was in that car I would be able to track them.

  He pulled out of the parking lot and I followed. One look in the rearview mirror and they’d realize that I was trailing them. So far I was lucky and they didn’t seem as if they knew I was back there. I’d been able to keep up with their car even though there were a few between us. They made a right and headed away from the Strip. Were they going to the desert? The longer I followed them the more my anxiety increased. I had to save Derek… if it wasn’t already too late. They made a quick left and I punched the gas to catch up.

  Up ahead we turned into a side street. Houses lined both sides of the street. I was apprehensive of where we were going. They slowed and I stopped in front of a house, hoping they wouldn’t notice my car. Steve pulled the car into a driveway, so I moved mine a little closer. I pulled up to the curb and cut the engine.

  Steve and Tabitha got out of the car and walked in the front door. Now what would I do? I couldn’t just sit here and do nothing. Derek needed me and I had to do something to help him.

  Releasing a deep breath, I opened the car door. After grabbing the pepper spray from my purse, I got out. I shoved the pepper spray into my pocket and then walked over to the sidewalk. Slowly I inched closer to the house. What would they do if they saw me? Maybe they’d make me disappear as they had Morgan and Amber. I hoped that Derek hadn’t met the same fate. I didn’t even want to think of such a thing. He annoyed me, but I couldn’t imagine doing this case without him. Well, maybe he was a little less annoying now. If I saw him again I’d make sure to tell him.

  As I neared the car I tried to spot Derek, but I still didn’t see him. Glancing toward the house, I made sure they weren’t coming out for me. Once at the car, I peeked in. There was no sign of Derek, but I did notice a gas container in the back seat.

  Amber had been burned in her car. Now I was panicking. Maybe they’d already gotten rid of Derek. What if they’d accidentally left his phone in the car? Suddenly I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. What could I do?

  I had to go to the door and confront them. Of course that would be asking for them to murder me. I pushed my shoulders back and marched toward the door. I had to be strong. I stepped up to the porch and stood in front of the door. Just as I was ready to push the doorbell, I noticed that the door was open. I was ringing the doorbell like I was arriving for a dinner party. I looked around as if I might see someone behind me. I eased the door open ever so slightly, but I didn’t see Steve or Tabitha.

  Since I didn’t see them, I inched further into the house. I really was crazy for doing this. But what other option did I have?

  Now I was in the middle of the living room. Still there was no sign of Steve or Tabitha. The place was almost empty, with only a sofa and a TV. Maybe they were in the process of moving? Were they trying to get away from something? Possibly trying to leave before they were arrested. If I had anything to say about that they wouldn’t get further than the driveway.

  Silence filled the house and it was giving me a bad feeling. It was time for me to get out of there. I would have to continue my search for Derek. I hurried outside. Once back by the car, I pulled out my phone and tried Derek’s number again. I was beyond worried. Still there was no answer. But a phone rang. I was almost sure the sound was coming from the car. So his phone really was in the car after all. This meant he had been in that car at some point. What had they done to him? I was furious now. I rushed closer to the car.

  “Derek, are you in there?” I called out.

  There was no answer, but I thought for sure that I heard movement from the trunk. It sounded like a bang. If Derek was in there, I had to get him out.

  “Derek, are you in there?”

  If he was in there then why wasn’t he answering me? My heart thumped wildly. How would I find
out? Something was in the trunk because the bang sounded again.

  “Derek, if you can hear me, hang on, I’m going to get you out of there.”

  He was probably thinking the same thing as me: how? I ran back to the house. The door was still open, so I inched inside. If I could find the car keys then I could get Derek out of there. Or whoever they had back there.

  My anxiety was so high that I could barely breathe. Maybe they had left the keys in the kitchen. I didn’t want to move further into the house, but I knew that I had to. The kitchen was straight ahead. Maybe Steve and Tabitha had left out a back door? Maybe they knew someone had followed them. Or they could know I was in here and were just waiting for a chance to grab me.

  Why did I have to think of the worst possible scenarios? I’d almost made it to the kitchen when Steve and Tabitha’s voices drifted to the front of the house. They were at the back of the house talking. I couldn’t make out the conversation, but I’d recognize Tabitha’s whining voice anywhere.

  I froze on the spot. I didn’t know what to do next. Perhaps I should have called the police first instead of being stupid and trying to save Derek on my own. But I’d figured it would take the cops forever to get here. I’d assumed I would have already saved him by now. That wasn’t going as I’d planned. As I scanned the room, I spotted an Elvis costume draped over the back of a chair. Had Tabitha been the one who shot at us?

  Chapter 30

  Just as I was ready to run out the door, I spotted the car keys on the nearby table. Why hadn’t I brought my gun with me? It wouldn’t do much good in the car. I’d hoped that it wouldn’t come to something as drastic as gunfire though.

  If I didn’t get out of there now, they would surely catch me. After snatching the keys, I ran back outside. Adrenaline rushed through my body. It was the only thing keeping me going at the moment. Without the rush, I’d probably freak out. I expected to hear Steve or Tabitha yell at me to stop any second. My legs couldn’t move fast enough.

  When I finally reached the trunk, I said, “I’m here now, Derek. Don’t worry, I’ll save you.”

  He would probably hate to hear me say those words. Not that he wouldn’t be grateful, just that he wouldn’t want to be a damsel in distress. But hey, we all needed help sometimes. My hand shook so badly it was almost impossible to push the button on the key fob. The trunk didn’t open.

  “What the heck?” I said. “Hold on, Derek, I’m coming. I promise.”

  He was probably wondering what was going on out here. I pushed it again. Still the trunk didn’t open. Luckily, the trunk had a spot to shove the key into, so I put it in and popped the trunk. I had to be tough, but I was afraid to see what was in the trunk. Had Derek been murdered?

  I opened the trunk all the way. Derek lay there, looking at me. He moved his head, gesturing toward his feet. A gag was shoved in his mouth, something I’d thought of doing often.

  I glanced back at the house. Luckily, I didn’t see Steve or Tabitha coming for us. I fumbled with the rope and finally got Derek’s feet unbound. With his hands still tied, he hoisted himself out of the trunk. He shook his head and glared at me.

  “Oh, you want me to ungag you?”

  He narrowed his eyes.

  “Okay, okay, I’m doing it.” I yanked the rag from his mouth.

  “Do you have any idea how dark and hot it is in a trunk?”

  Actually, I was surprised that Derek had never been locked in a trunk before.

  “I’ve never been stuck in a trunk.”

  “What took you so long?” he asked.

  “What? No thank you?” I placed my hands on my hips.

  “I’ll buy you a thank-you gift after. Right now we need to take care of Bonnie and Clyde.” Derek brushed off his shirt and pants.

  “Are you okay? How did you manage to call me?” I asked, looking down at his bound hands.

  “I didn’t know that I’d called you. They left my phone in my pocket.” He motioned with a tilt of his head.

  “So you accidentally butt-dialed me?” I couldn’t hide the laughter in my voice.

  “Looks that way,” he said. “Hey. You think you could untie my hands and we can do this little chat later?” He held his hands up for a reminder.

  I took his hands in mine. “Oh, yeah, sorry. Steve must have been an excellent Boy Scout.” I struggled with the rope for a few seconds and then finally got his hands free.

  “Well, he took a wrong turn when he reached adulthood,” Derek said. “It’s sweet of you to save me.”

  “That’s what friends for, right?” I’d just tossed the rope down when movement caught my attention.

  I should have known they’d be out here soon. Tabitha and Steve were running toward us. There was no way I could fend off a bodybuilder. Tabitha had muscles too. I needed the gun from the car. The look in their eyes let me know they were ready to kill us.

  Before I knew what was happening, Tabitha had grabbed me. That was when I remembered the pepper spray in my pocket. Somehow I managed to get it from my pocket. I sprayed it in Tabitha’s face. She screamed and immediately fell to the ground.

  Steve had Derek in a headlock and I knew Steve would soon choke him to death. There wouldn’t be time for me to reach the gun before Steve killed Derek. I pushed the button of the pepper spray, but nothing came out. Why was nothing working? I looked around for something to hit Steve with.

  When I glanced in the trunk of the car, I spotted a weightlifting belt. I snatched the big thing from the back. I hoisted it back and swung with all my strength. The thing whizzed through the air and made a whack sound when it made contact with Steve’s face. He let out a groan and fell to his knees.

  “Good job, Cece,” Derek said.

  “I told you that you should have a gun. This is a dangerous job,” I said.

  “Once again you’re right.”

  With Steve and Tabitha still on the ground, I ran toward my car. I hoped there was enough time before one of them managed to scramble up from the ground. Once at the car, I grabbed the gun. Now that they knew I had a weapon, it would give us a chance to keep them here long enough for the police to arrive. Just as they were getting up from the ground I rushed back over.

  “You really brought him to his knees, Cece. Good job,” Derek said.

  I smiled. “Thanks.”

  I was kind of proud of my swing. As Derek called the cops, I pointed the gun at Steve and Tabitha.

  “Don’t move or I’ll shoot,” I said.

  Steve looked a little stunned by the turn of events. Steve and Tabitha held their hands up.

  “Come on. You don’t want to shoot us. We weren’t doing anything to him. Just having a little fun.”

  Derek snorted. “Honestly, it wasn’t that much fun for me.”

  “Were you just having fun when you killed Amber?” I asked.

  Tabitha shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

  “I found your watch. Apparently, you didn’t realize that you left it on and it traced your movements all the way to the desert.”

  “That proves nothing,” she said with a smirk.

  “Actually, it proves you did it because it was at the exact time she was killed.”

  “That still proves nothing.”

  “That’s for the police to decide,” I said. “I know you killed Amber. You might as well admit it. I have proof.”

  He stared me up and down. “Yeah, we got rid of her.”

  Tabitha punched him in the arm. It probably felt as if he’d been bitten by a mosquito. “Why did you say that?”

  “We’ll get rid of these too anyway. Besides it feels good to brag a little. Tabitha was the one who shot at you. She wore the Elvis costume. She wants to kill you even more than I do.” His smiled sent a shiver down my spine.

  I looked at her. “You were in my backyard too?”

  “I should have finished you off then,” she said.

  Just then the sirens sounded and the next thing I knew the police pulled up.


  “Drop the gun and put your hands up,” the cop said.

  I did as I was told.

  “Officer, they kidnapped my partner.” I motioned with a tilt of my head.

  “She’s lying,” Steve snapped.

  “They also killed Amber Barrett and may be responsible for the disappearance of Morgan Stewart.”

  This was a lot of information for the officer to process. I hoped that he believed us. I needed some kind of proof.

  “Just listen to the recording on my phone,” Derek said. “I caught it all.”

  I looked at Derek and he winked. “Good thinking. I wished I had thought of that.” I showed the watch. “You’ll find the information on the watch also. Tabitha was at the murder scene at the exact time of the murder.”

  The cop came over and checked us for other weapons while Steve and Tabitha were getting the same search.

  “The watch is in my pocket. You’ll need that for evidence,” I said.

  “Thanks,” the cop said.

  Steve and Tabitha had also managed to say enough on the recording for the police to arrest them right away. Steve allowed the officer to handcuff him, but Tabitha struggled to get away. That only lasted a couple seconds before the officer had her restrained too. When the cops stuffed the pair into the back of the police car I released a sigh of relief. Everyone was safer now.

  Derek turned to me. “I’m impressed, Cece Cash. You’re a great investigator.”

  My cheeks blushed. “You’re not so bad yourself. Good move with recording their conversation.”

  He shrugged. “It was an accident. I keep hitting the buttons on the phone. I got lucky this time and it was on the recorder.”

  Now that the police had finished talking with us, I headed toward the car. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Maybe you’ll get the hang of this stuff soon.”

  “Does that mean that you’ll let my name stay on the door?” Derek asked.

  I opened the car door. “I suppose for the time being.”

  He laughed. “Until I do something else to make you angry?” He climbed into the car.