Voodoo Summer (LeGarde Mysteries Book 11) Read online

  Siegfried and I exchanged a glance. I sat up and brushed dirt from my knees. “She’s right. He came right over and found us. And we hadn’t even made a sound. We were so quiet. And he was shouting about us even before he saw us.”

  Siegfried was reaching now, and his hesitant words betrayed his doubt. “Maybe he had a trip wire somewhere. We might have crawled right over it and set an alarm off inside.”

  Elsbeth knew she had him. “Nein. We were sitting under the window listening to him talk with whoever it was for quite a while. We didn’t move, remember? And it took at least five minutes for him to realize we were there.”

  I looked at Siegfried, who had gone silent. “She’s right. But I still don’t get it. I’m not sure there’s such a thing as psychic abilities.”

  Elsbeth jumped to her feet and headed for Golden Boy. She untied his reins, grabbed a fistful of mane, and swung onto his broad back. “We’ll find out next time, anyway.”

  Siegfried got up and headed for Frisbee, who skittered away from him for a few feet. Even the horse seemed nervous. “Next time?”

  “Ja. When we go back to investigate.”

  I chuckled and vaulted onto Pancho’s back. Although I didn’t relish the idea of returning to the shack, I wasn’t surprised at her bravado. She’d been showing signs of feistiness over the past few months that made my heart swell with pride.

  I turned Pancho’s head and squeezed his bare sides with my legs, leaning forward to urge him into a canter. “Come on. We’ll be late for dinner. Race ya to the road.”

  We covered the ground where Boyd’s men had been slaughtered, and I almost thought I heard the screams of the men as they were ambushed by the Indians and Brits. I squeezed his sides tighter and pushed him into a gallop. I didn’t want to linger where ghosts walked.

  Chapter Three

  Pancho slowed to a trot when we approached home. He leaned into the curve and automatically turned down our winding dirt driveway. I’d said goodbye to the twins a quarter-mile down the hill. They’d cut across a shorn alfalfa field toward the farmhouse they’d lived in since their family moved to East Goodland, New York from East Germany seven years ago. I still pictured them slipping beneath an iron curtain when they escaped to freedom.

  If Siegfried and Elsbeth were late for dinner, they didn’t eat. Their father, a hardworking man, was the strictest father I’d ever known. He believed in spanking–which my parents only pretended to do–and his punishments were severe. When Siegfried forgot his homework one day, although he had an “A” average in every subject except gym, Mr. Marggrander assigned two weekends of backbreaking weeding as a reprimand. Siegfried never forgot his homework again.

  I gazed at our old place with affection when the house, barn, and carriage house came into view. I also felt a bit of guilty pleasure, knowing my parents would never make me go hungry or beat me for a disobedient act. I felt safe and secure in this world, and knew whatever I did–right or wrong–my parents would always stand behind me.

  Pancho headed toward the barn, turning into the main aisle before I had to guide him. I slid off his sweaty back and landed on my once white PF Flyers with a light thump. He lowered his head for me to take off his bridle; and with the reins still around his neck so he wouldn’t bolt for the field, I pulled the leather halter over his ears. He knew it was dinnertime, so he was especially cooperative.

  He nudged me with his big head, pushing into me until I rubbed his ears and scratched inside them where the bugs had bitten him. When he was satisfied, I put him into his stall, which opened into the fenced field beyond. Following my daily routine, I went into the main aisle to scoop grain from the barrel for his dinner. In order to reach the lower level, I had to lean over with my feet flailing in the air.

  The sweet mixture of cracked corn, oats, and special vitamins smelled of molasses when I poured it into his bin. “Here you go, boy. Eat up.”

  I didn’t have to encourage him. He never hesitated, and this time as always, dove into the corner bucket with gusto, munching with a hypnotized expression of joy in his eyes. I grabbed a ragged terry towel my mother had donated to the barn and dumped some Absorbine Junior liniment on it. In broad sweeping strokes, I ran it over his neck, back, and especially around his legs. He looked fat and sassy, all glistening and plump in just the right places so he was an exceptionally comfortable bareback ride. He liked the feeling of the cloth on his neck, and pushed against me when I stroked beneath his thick mane.

  When he was rubbed down, I refilled his water bucket in the stall as well as the large tub in the pasture, then threw him a few flakes of hay. He didn’t really need it since the field was lush with grass, but I liked to give him a little every day just to be sure.

  “See you in the morning, Pancho Villa. Sleep tight.”

  He stuck his nose in the water bucket and played with the liquid, sloshing it around and snorting.

  “I’ll take that as a thank you.”

  Four cats followed me around the barn, mewing and circling my ankles. Momma Kitty, a beautiful longhaired calico, led her three babies to the empty food dish, where she mewed again and looked up at me with recriminating eyes.

  “Sorry, kitty. I’ll fill it up.” I poured the bag of Purina Cat Chow into her bowl until it overflowed and refilled their water dish.

  My stomach rumbled when I ran inside. I felt like I could eat ten hamburgers. “I’m home!” I slammed the screen door and—as usual—forgot to take off my dirty sneakers. Shadow barreled into me, jumped onto my legs, and licked my hands with a snuffling little whine, telling me how upset he was that I’d left him home alone.

  My mother stood at the stove, yellow apron tied around her sky blue housedress. “Go wash up, Gus. It’s almost time. And take those smelly shoes OUTSIDE.”

  “Sorry, Mum.”

  My father poked his head around the corner from the great room. The evening paper crinkled in his hands. “Gus? Did you rub down your horse?”

  I nodded and backtracked to the screen door, kicking off my sneakers and tossing them onto the porch. “Of course, Dad.”

  “And did you feed him?”

  I rolled my eyes, but just a little. I didn’t want to get into trouble for being fresh. “Yup. And the cats, too. Everything’s done.”

  A look of satisfaction swept over him. “Good boy. Okay, do as your mother says. Wash up and come right back down. The roast beef smells good, doesn’t it?”

  The aroma had tantalized me since I entered the kitchen. “With mashed potatoes, Mum?”

  She nodded, stirring a small pot of gravy with a wooden spoon. “Uh huh.” A glimmer of a smile touched the corners of her mouth. “And fresh-picked green beans.”

  I raced upstairs, splashed warm water on my face, lathered up my hands with Ivory soap, and threw on a clean pair of jeans and a fresh shirt. I knew I’d smell way too horsey for the dinner table after riding all day and working in the barn in the morning. I skipped down the stairs two at a time and into the dining room, where both parents already sat with their hands on their laps waiting for me.

  My father said grace—mercifully short—and we dove into the meal. Shadow sat patiently under the table beside my knees. My mother was the best cook in Livingston County, and maybe even in all of New York State. I ate like Pancho, with gusto, slipping a few little pieces of beef and bread to my canine buddy when I could. When I finished my chocolate pudding with whipped cream piled on top, I pushed back from the table and covered a burp.

  “’Scuse me.” I folded my napkin and looked first at my father, then my mother. “Mum? Dad? I have a question.”

  They both stopped in the middle of their pudding and looked at me with expectant smiles.

  “Do you know who lives in the woods in that cabin behind the Ambuscade? He’s an old hermit, lives by himself, I think.”

  My father took a zealous interest in his pudding.

  My mother went white. She collected herself, exchanged a worried glance with my father, and lied to me for t
he first time in my life. “No, darling. We don’t know who lives there. But that’s private property. You shouldn’t trespass in those woods.”

  ***

  Read more here: Don’t Let the Wind Catch You

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my wonderful editors and beta readers: (in alphabetical order, because you are all amazing!)

  Sonya Bateman, KC Curtis, Donna Paddon, Sheila Deeth, Alice Grimes, Lorraine Lanier, Sonia R. Martinez, Joan Miller, Gabriela Scholter, Jan Smith, Karen Vaughn, and Joan H. Young.

  About the Author

  Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. A multi award-winning author of three mystery series, romantic suspense novels, love stories, and writing guides. Aaron enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his website at http://www.lazarbooks.com and watch for his upcoming releases. You may contact him at [email protected].

  Books by multi-award winning author Aaron Lazar

  LEGARDE MYSTERIES

  1. DOUBLE FORTÉ

  2. UPSTAGED

  3. MAZURKA

  4. FIRESONG

  5. TREMOLO: CRY OF THE LOON

  6. DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU

  7. THE LIAR’S GALLERY

  8. SPIRIT ME AWAY

  9. UNDER THE ICE

  10. LADY BLUES

  11. VOODOO SUMMER

  THE LEGARDE MYSTERIES OMNIBUS

  GREEN MARBLE MYSTERIES

  THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLY MOORE (formerly Healey’s Cave)

  TERROR COMES KNOCKING

  FOR KEEPS

  TALL PINES MYSTERIES

  FOR THE BIRDS

  ESSENTIALLY YOURS

  SANCTUARY

  BETRAYAL

  PAINES CREEK BEACH, love stories

  THE SEACREST

  THE SEACROFT

  THE SEADOG

  BITTERSWEET HOLLOW, romantic suspense

  DEVIL’S LAKE

  DEVIL’S CREEK

  DEVIL’S SPRING

  WRITING GUIDES

  WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volume 1

  WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volume 2

  WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volume 3

  Aaron Lazar’s Book Awards

  Devil’s Lake

  2015 Finalist Readers’ Favorites Awards

  2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards

  The Seacrest

  2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards

  2014 Best Beach Book Festival WINNER, Romance category

  2013 ForeWord Book Awards, Romance, FINALIST

  Double Forté

  2012 ForeWord BOTYA, Mystery, FINALIST

  Tremolo: cry of the loon –

  2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Grand Prize Short List

  2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Honorable Mention, Eric Hoffer Legacy Fiction

  2011 Global eBook Award Finalist in Historical Fiction Contemporary

  2011 Preditors & Editors Readers Choice Award – 2nd place Mystery

  2008 Yolanda Renée's Top Ten Books

  2008 MYSHELF Top Ten Reads

  For the Birds

  2011 ForeWord Book Awards, FINALIST in Mystery

  2012 Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Top 10 Reads

  Essentially Yours

  2013 EPIC Book Awards, FINALIST in Suspense

  2013 Eric Hoffer Da Vinci Eye Award Finalist

  Healey’s Cave

  2012 EPIC Book Awards WINNER Best Paranormal

  2011 Eric Hoffer Book Award, WINNER Best Book in Commercial Fiction

  2011 Finalist for Allbooks Review Editor's Choice

  2011 Winner of Carolyn Howard Johnson's 9th Annual Noble (not Noble!) Prize for Literature

  2011 Finalists for Global EBook Awards

  Terror Comes Knocking

  2013 Global Ebook Awards, Paranormal – Bronze

  For Keeps

  2013 Semi Finalist in Kindle Book Review Book Awards, Mystery Category

  Under the Ice

  2015 Finalist in AuthorsdB Cover Award

  Websites

  www.lazarbooks.com

  www.murderby4.blogspot.com

  www.aaronlazar.blogspot.com

  www.pureoils.blogspot.com

  Contact

  You may contact the author via email at [email protected].

  Connect with Aaron Lazar:

  Facebook

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  LinkedIn

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  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Epilogue

  What’s Next?

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Books by multi-award winning author Aaron Lazar

  Aaron Lazar’s Book Awards

  Websites

  Contact