Shadows (Bayou Magic 1)

“And now?” We pause as the waitress approaches and takes our orders.

“I’ve seen it,” I say bluntly when she leaves. “At first, I humored Brielle. She believed it, so I just went along with it. But what she described, and what she’s able to do? That’s not a hoax, man. And it’s not anything I can explain, even with all of my years of education and training. It just is. So, yeah, I believe it. Not to mention, I saw a friggin’ ghost myself, so…”

“Whose ghost?”

“The killer’s. He was standing in the middle of the goddamn road, I shit you not.”

“Whoa.” Andy sits back in his chair, his eyes wide and pinned to mine. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was.”

“And how do you feel about Brielle?”

“I’m completely and irrevocably in love with her.”

A slow smile spreads over my brother’s face. “It finally happened.”

“Not sure what I can do about it, though,” I repeat. “My job doesn’t lend itself well to marriage.”

“I didn’t say anything about marriage.”

I laugh and shrug. “Yeah, well, that’s usually what happens when you decide you can’t live without someone, right? She’s it for me, and I don’t know how to make it work.”

“I know the NOPD would hire you in a heartbeat. Not to mention, there’s an FBI field office right here. You can transfer. You have options.”

“I most likely wouldn’t be a profiler anymore, though, and I worked my ass off to get here. You know that.”

“Profiler, or be with the love of your life?” He holds up his hands at his sides as if he’s weighing something on scales. “I mean, I think it’s a no-brainer, man.”

“I know.” I sigh. “Now, let’s get back to you. How are you doing?”

“I miss my wife,” he says with a frown. “She needs to get home.”

“We’re just a couple of lovesick fools.”

“Ain’t it great?”I’m glad I had lunch with my brother. He always gives me a different perspective on things, and I feel better after talking with him.

He’s not wrong.

If I move here permanently, not only would I have Brielle, but I’d also have Andy and Felicia.

It’s damn tempting.

More than tempting.

Let’s be honest, it’s probably going to happen.

I push through the door of Reflections, Daphne’s store on the edge of the French Quarter, and smile when I see all three sisters sitting in a corner, drinking coffee.

“There he is,” Brielle says with a grin and leaps up to offer me a kiss. “I missed you today.”

“Same here.” I lay another deep kiss on her before we join the others. “I love your place here, Daph.”

The pretty redhead grins and glances around her store. “Me, too. I could sure tell you some interesting stories here, Cash.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

She stands and places her hand on a tall, yellow vase. “This was made in 1923 by a man who lived in the bayou. He made it for his wife, who was about to have their first baby. Yellow was Mildred’s favorite color, and he had to do something to keep his hands busy while they waited on the child. He was so excited.”

Daphne’s face turns sad.

“But when Mildred went into labor, something went wrong. Both she and the baby died. So, he gave this vase to his cousin, who lived here in New Orleans.”

“That’s horrible,” Millie whispers.

“You can do that with every piece in here?” I ask.

She nods and sits in the chair again. “I can do that with literally everything. I see the thoughts of the people who sat in airplane seats before me. I see pretty much everything, Cash.”

“That has to be exhausting.”

“I’m able to block a lot of it because I’ve learned to build my shields of protection, and Millie makes me potions for strength. It takes a lot to surprise me these days.”

I turn to Millie. “And you’re proficient in potions and spells and such?”

“Yes, I’m a hedgewitch,” she confirms. “I’ve studied for years. I’m also psychic, but not in the same way these two are. I don’t see the past or dead people. I read people’s minds. I can touch someone and see their thoughts, feelings, things like that. So, I try to avoid skin-on-skin contact most of the time unless I take precautions.”

“Fascinating,” I mutter. “You’re all remarkable and more interesting than I can say.”

“I like your boyfriend, Bri,” Daphne says, grinning. “He hands out compliments. He can stay.”

“I’m glad you approve,” Brielle says with a laugh. “Now, tell us what you found out today.”

“You’re not going to like it.”Chapter Twenty-ThreeBrielle“What’s going on?” I ask Cash. I don’t like the concern in his green eyes at all.

“First of all, they found his body,” he says, and all three of us slump in relief. “He was in an old shed between his house and your mother’s.”

“He must have been trying to get to Mama, to see if she could help him,” Millie says.