Page 1 of Ghostly Bother (Ghostly #9)

Angus tucked his feet under him and sat down beside Lance on the couch. Haunt jumped up beside him, leaning against his side, hoping for scratches. "Don't you get enough love throughout the day?" He pet the dog for a moment, then relaxed back onto the couch.

"Bethany and Ray were out most of the day, then left again just a bit ago to go to some play with Betty and your mom. She's been alone most of the day." Lance handed the TV remote to Angus. "Find us something to watch."

Angus took the remote and started scanning movies. He was tired after a long day at work and was sure he'd end up falling asleep no matter what he picked. "How about this?" He nodded to the TV where he'd found a new show on Netflix they hadn't seen before. "Franks says it's good."

"Sure, I think we can make it through at least one episode before I'm going to have to put you to bed." Lance kissed his shoulder.

"I shouldn't be so tired. I sat around the courthouse most of the day waiting to testify.

I took some paperwork with me to keep me busy, but I think that made it worse by staring at the laptop all day.

" Angus hit play and allowed himself to relax.

"Did you see Mom and Betty?" he asked while the intro started.

He was used to his eccentric mother and her ghost sidekick always coming around.

He welcomed them. Angus couldn't see ghosts, but Lance and his mother both had the gift.

It was a part of life Angus had adapted to having grown up around his mother and Betty.

Dating a man who saw ghosts wasn't a huge change for him.

He even welcomed the two ghosts who lived with them.

While he couldn't see Ray or Bethany, the two ghosts who lived with them, Lance was careful to always include him in their conversations.

"Just for a second. They parked at the curb to pick up Ray and Bethany.

I stuck my head in the window to say hello.

She said to give you a kiss for her and told me she'd be cooking pot roast for us Wednesday so not to plan on cooking anything that night.

I guess your dad bought half a side of beef and they don't have enough freezer space now.

I offered to let her use ours, but she waved me off and said they could do without frozen pizza and junk for a while until she emptied some of the space.

" Lance reached for his water just as Angus's phone rang.

They exchanged glances, both knowing that the ringtone meant work was calling. Angus groaned as he reached for his phone on the coffee table. "This is Detective Young."

"Angus, sorry to call on your night off, but we need all hands on deck tonight. Detective Madison is already on scene, and I've got Detective Burns on the way. I'll be calling Franks as soon as we hang up," Captain Marshall told him. "We're at Fairway Bridge."

"A jumper?" Angus asked, wondering why they needed everyone for something like that.

"No, it's that area as you approach the bridge itself. Some kids came across the body and called it in." The captain hesitated for a long minute. "It's the mayor, Angus. Someone murdered the mayor."

Angus's eyes went wide, and he looked at Lance. "Shit."

"Yeah, that's my sentiment exactly. This is going to be a nightmare. I'm trying to keep it off the radio for now, but we both know it will only be a matter of time before the media shows up. Phil identified her when he got the call about the body."

"I'll be there in fifteen," Angus told him, his mind racing with all the implications of what the mayor's murder meant. Hell, their suspect list would be a mile long. No one liked the mayor. But who hated her enough to kill her?

"Good, I'm calling Detective Franks now. See you in a few." The captain ended the call.

Angus set his phone down and stared at Lance.

"What is it?" Lance looked worried.

"The mayor's been murdered." Angus could hardly believe the words as he said them.

"No way." Lance sat forward. "Who did it?"

Angus laughed. "We don't know, but our suspect list will be huge." He ran his fingers over his short hair. "This is going to be a media frenzy."

"Want me to go with you?" Lance asked.

"No. You get some sleep. You'll have a busy day tomorrow. You need to rest. I could easily be all night on this one." Angus stood. "I've got to change."

Lance followed him into the bedroom. "Great time for Sam to take a vacation. I'm covering for him this week. I guess I'll be doing her autopsy in the morning. Do you know how she died?"

"He didn't say. Only told me that her body was found near Fairway Bridge.

I'm guessing somewhere in that field where Franks and I found the blood evidence on that case we had with the teenagers.

I'll know more once I get there." He quickly pulled on a pair of work pants and grabbed a shirt out of the closet.

"I'll call if I can, but I'm not sure I'll get time. "

"It's okay. You can fill me in later. You sure you're going to be able to pull an all-nighter?"

"Won't be the first one. I can catch a nap tomorrow if I'm out all night tonight." He went into the bathroom to make sure he didn't need to shave or do something with his hair now that it was growing out a bit. "I'm not sure when I'll be home," Angus said as he walked back into the bedroom.

"It's okay. We're used to this. I'll run to the store after work tomorrow and stock up on quick meals for you. Do what you need to do." Lance stood.

Angus walked to him and pulled him into a tight hug. He hated how often this happened. Leaving Lance to sleep alone just felt wrong. And this case would probably mean a lot of late nights or all-nighters. "I love you. Thank you for putting up with me and my job."

"I knew there would be times like this when I signed on." Lance kissed him. "Now go. Find who killed her."

"And give them a medal." Angus grinned, then shook his head. "Do not tell anyone I said that, or I might move up to the top of the suspect list."

"You just said what everyone else is thinking." Lance kissed him again. "Love you."

Angus pulled back and bent to run his hand down the back of Haunt's neck. "You take care of things around here for me, okay?"

The dog looked up at him as if agreeing.

"Call me when you can and let me know what happened," Lance told him.

"I will, but I don't want to wake you, so if I don't call by midnight, call me in the morning if I'm not home yet." Angus turned and grabbed his notebook, pen, phone, then his gun. He turned back and pulled Lance into his arms once more. "Love you."

"Love you too. We'll be fine." Lance walked him to the door of the garage.

Angus got into his car, giving Lance a final wave as he pulled out. His heart ached to be leaving him once again, but he needed to forget about his life and refocus on the murder he was about to find himself investigating. This case was going to be huge.

He made his way through the late traffic.

It wasn't bad enough that he needed to run his lights and siren, but he'd thought about it.

There was nothing he could do right now that wasn't already being done.

Detective Madison would already be collecting information, and the forensics unit would be on the way to get pictures.

Mack would have been called from the medical examiner's office first thing, and his death investigation would probably already be underway if not finished.

Angus saw the flashing lights as he approached the area.

He took the first parking spot he saw on the side of the road, pretty sure that he wouldn't be able to get any closer.

As he climbed out of his car, he noticed the crime scene tape cordoning off the area.

He approached, pulling out his badge so he could cross under the tape.

He didn't know the officer securing the area but gave him a polite nod as he ducked under the tape and made his way closer to the scene.

The medical examiner's van was parked behind one of the police cruisers, telling him they had yet to remove the body.

"What do we know?" He approached Captain Marshall and Detective Phil Madison.

They stood several yards away from where Angus could see the body.

From this distance, he wasn't able to see the person's identity, but he could make out pale legs and bright yellow high heels.

He wondered for a moment how she managed to walk through the field without her heels stuck in the soft dirt.

"We're waiting on the M.E., but it appears she was strangled. There is a scarf around her neck that seems to have been used." Captain Marshall rubbed the back of his neck.

"I didn't see any other obvious injuries," Phil told him. "She looked like she'd come from work, dressed professionally. Her purse was beside her body. Her car is parked over there." He gestured to a silver BMW that now had crime scene tape around it.

"I'm guessing our cameras are still not working?" Angus gestured to the cameras that were supposed to observe the bridge. He'd needed those cameras for another case only to find out the city didn't have the budget to fix them.

"I've called in to get footage and haven't heard back." Phil sighed. "My guess is there won't be anything for us. I've also called in to have her car tracked from the City Center when she left work this evening so we have an idea if she came straight here or went home first."

"What about her husband?" Angus asked.

"I'm sending you and Franks over there once Franks arrives.

I'm hoping we can keep it off the news until you've notified him of her death.

" Captain Marshall glanced back toward the body.

"Find out where he's been all night and if he knows what she might have been doing out here.

Forensics will move in as soon as the medical examiner is done.

We'll update the husband as information becomes available.

I'm praying he has a solid alibi. Unlike his wife, I like her husband. "

"They have young kids, don't they?" Phil asked.

"Two girls, both young," Captain Marshall confirmed.

Angus watched as the medical examiner took pictures of the body. Everyone here knew that this was a major case and to make sure everything was done as thoroughly and professionally as they could. Not that they skimped on any case, but this one was going to be national news by morning.

"What kind of nightmare is this?" Franks walked up to the group.

"The worst kind." Captain Marshall sighed.

"The chief just arrived. I'm going to go over and update him.

Angus, I want you and Franks to go talk to the husband.

Phil and Amy can handle the scene." He looked around.

"Where is Detective Burns? I called her before I called you two and she lives closer. "

"She was probably out to dinner with her husband. She mentioned it earlier today. I'm betting she ran home to change before coming here," Franks told him.

"Detective Madison, update her when she arrives. I'll be with the chief." Captain Marshall turned and headed to where the chief was talking to a group of officers.

"The family?" Franks raised a brow.

"Looks like we drew the small stick." Angus nodded. "We get to notify the husband his wife is dead. Come on, I'll update you on what little we know on the way." He glanced at Phil. "Call if you find out anything more."

"Will do." Phil nodded.

Angus led Franks back to their cars. "Looks like you're driving." He nodded to his car which was now blocked in by several others who had parked in the road.

"That's fine." Franks headed down the sidewalk toward his car. "It's really the mayor?"

"I could only see legs, but Phil identified her." Angus glanced back at the scene. "The chief is here. Can't think of anything else that would bring him out."

"True." Franks unlocked his car.

Once in, Angus secured the seat belt and closed his eyes. He dreaded what they were about to do. Trying to be compassionate while also trying to make sure the husband wasn't their main suspect took tact he wasn't feeling tonight.

"Find her address and put it in the GPS for me." Franks started the car and weaved through the mess of other vehicles around them.

"She lived in the same neighborhood of that attorney whose daughter died, Bloomquist," Angus told him.

"Ah, figures. Public servant living the high life with the rich folks." Franks didn't like the mayor any more than Angus did.

"Yeah, I heard her husband owns an auto shop in town, so I don't think the money came from him, but I could be wrong." Angus would hold off judgement until he learned more.

"I'd bet her money comes from skimming off the city budget." Franks rolled down his window halfway as they finally got through the traffic at the scene.

"You're probably right. Have you met the husband?" Angus asked.

"No, only seen him at events. I've heard he's down to earth and people are surprised he's with the mayor." Franks shook his head. "I shouldn't be shocked someone killed her, but I am."

"Guess that security team of hers wasn't with her tonight.

" Angus thought back to a case where they'd arrested the head of her security team for murder.

"Then again, considering Mel Wickman led the team, maybe one of them murdered her.

When I got the call, I joked with Lance that our suspect list would be a mile long.

" Angus sighed. "Wonder who takes her place now? "

"I think the city manager will step in until we can have an election. I'm not sure. Maybe one of the city council members?" Franks shrugged.

"All who are just as dirty as the mayor was. Remember we heard that they were auditing the mayor's office. I wonder if anything ever came of that?" It had been months since Angus had heard that rumor.

"I heard they were still looking into things. Maybe it has something to do with her murder. Perhaps she knew something someone was afraid she'd tell."

Angus shook his head. "It would be more likely she'd kill to keep someone quiet about her dealings."

"True." Franks nodded. "House is up this street."

Angus glanced at the clock on the dashboard, seeing it was almost ten.

"Let's hope the kids are in bed. This is going to be hard enough without little ears around.

" As they pulled up to the curb of the beautiful two-story home, he mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do.

Despite his feelings toward the mayor, this was going to be hard news to deliver to the man she'd married.

He had to remember the people involved and not the politics.

The sooner they got the hard part done, the sooner they could start working the case.