Page 2 of Dead Heat

She ignored my snarky tone. “Why aren’t there any weeds on theirs?” She waved a hand at the neighboring headstones. “This seems like a deliberate slight.”

“By whom? Mother Nature?”

“I don’t know. I just wondered if maybe I was being punished.”

“For what?”

The ghost snuck a peek at me. “For still being here.”

I hadn’t realized until this moment that she might harbor an afterlife version of survivor’s guilt.

“Are there weeds around Ray’s headstone?” Nana Pratt and Ray Bauer had been the only two spirits that asked to stay when I helped the rest cross over.

“No.”

“Then I wouldn’t take it personally.”

Her head bobbed slowly. “Yes, that makes sense.” Her gaze dropped to the weeds. “Sorry to interrupt your crisis. I’ll take care of these. Carry on.”

I ran to my ancient truck, affectionally known as Gary. I set the sword on the passenger seat and settled behind the wheel. The truck started easily thanks to the temperature, which currently hovered in the fifties. Spring was almost here, and I was ready for milder weather after the long winter.

I put the pedal to the metal and sped to the edge of the forest, parking as near as I could get to the crossroads, which wasn’t very close. It helped that I was a fast runner, even with a longsword attached to my hip.

I slowed my pace as I reached the crossroads. I wasn’t sure what to expect; it was hard to imagine creatures that were considered “too disgusting to touch” by a werewolf whom I knew for a fact bit his own toenails—which, to be fair, was probably better than biting someone else’s.

I stopped short at the clearing. The two guards, Paulie and Xander, were huddled together by the large oak tree to the right of the crossroads. Between us lay approximately twenty shiny black serpents, each one about nine feet long. They’d left a trail of purplish-black goo in their wake. The monsters were perfectly still; not a single one slithered toward me or even twitched in response to my presence.

“See?” Paulie yelled as he caught sight of me. “They aren’t ordinary snakes.”

“Gee, what gave them away?”

“Do you know what they are?” Xander asked.

I shook my head. There were no discernible markings. Despite their stillness, I approached with caution.

“Aren’t you going to draw your weapon?” Paulie asked.

“They don’t appear hostile. I’d rather give them the benefit of the doubt.”

“I thought you were the expert,” Xander said. “The benefit of the doubt is the sign of a newb.”

Ignoring him, I took a few more steps. No reaction.

A loud scratching sound drew my attention to the two large oak trees that flanked the crossroads. Dozens of scarab beetles scampered through the entrance. A bug stampede. I was beginning to think I’d inadvertently dropped into somebody’s nightmare. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Xander clutched Paulie’s sleeve.

The scarabs filled in the gaps between the serpents and came to a halt.

“I don’t think that longsword is going to help you anyway,” Paulie said.

“Why are they all frozen?” Xander asked.

I observed the newcomers. “They’re not frozen. They’re waiting.”

“I know the obvious next question is ‘for what?’” Paulie said, “but I don’t think I want to know the answer.”

“You two might want to climb to safety.” I tilted my head toward one of the sturdy branches. “I think we’re about to receive an esteemed visitor.”

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