Free Chaos in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Series) by Jana DeLeon Page B

laundry and be happy as a lark.”
    Helena shook her head. “The longer I’m around you, the more I can tell that you and Maryse are related.”
    “I’ll take that as a compliment. Look, I need to get a water, so I’ll pick you up some Twinkies, but that’s the last I want to hear about this. No one would be happier seeing you clothed than me. Maybe while I’m in the store, you can figure it out.”
    Jadyn hopped out of the Jeep and went into the store. She pulled a cold bottled water from the cooler and grabbed a package of Twinkies on her way to the register. A couple minutes later, she strolled back to her Jeep, where she took one look at Helena and promptly dropped the package of Twinkies.
    Helena still wasn’t dressed, but her outfit had changed. A giant, sparkly crown rested on top of her head and a white sash with red letters across it proclaimed her “Queen of Complaints.” The ensemble was polished off with the silver scepter she clutched in her left hand.
    Helena looked over at her and if looks could kill, Jadyn knew she’d be six feet under. “Not one word,” Helena said.
    “But?”
    “Ssssh!” Helena held up a hand. “If I could fix it I would.”
    “So take it off.”
    Helena threw her hands in the air, pushing the scepter to the sky like she was commanding rain to fall. “I’ve thrown this thing on the ground at least ten times.” Before she even finished the sentence, she flung the scepter past Jadyn and it shattered on the concrete, but when Jadyn looked back at Helena, another perfect scepter had taken its place in her hand.
    Jadyn looked down and saw the package of Twinkies resting in the remnants of scepter jewels. She grabbed the package and handed it to Helena. “Will Twinkies make it better?”
    “Doubtful.” Helena snatched the Twinkies from her hand, then looked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened and she climbed over the back of the Jeep.  
    Jadyn turned around to see an older man pulling a bass boat putting fuel in his truck. “What’s wrong?”
    “Everything is wrong, but I just found my ride off the crazy train. That man lives in Mudbug. I’m going to hitch a ride back to town with him, and you can keep tromping through foul-smelling fish houses and looking for missing men or whatever else you want to do. But I am officially clocked out of police duty for the day.”
    With that, she stomped across the parking lot and heaved herself over into the bass boat. Jadyn waited until she sat up, then climbed in her Jeep and pulled away. She didn’t have the time or inclination to argue Helena out of her ghostly hitchhiking. Not to mention, she could go about her job more focused and with less issue without the stubborn, unhappy ghost along for the ride.
    She pulled to a stop at an intersection, grabbed her cell phone, and pressed in Colt’s number. It went straight to voice mail, which might mean he was on the phone but more likely meant he was outside of the service area. She left him a quick message about Clifton Vines, gave him the address, and headed for Clifton’s house.
    If Clifton was the owner of the wrecked boat, Jadyn hoped she’d find him on his front porch, drinking beer and complaining about making an insurance filing, but she didn’t count on it.  
    Counting on things turning out well was a recipe for disappointment.
     

 
    Chapter Six
     
    Maryse walked out of her hotel laboratory room and almost ran into a maid. The rather large potted rosebush she carried in front of her was to blame. It was so tall and full that Maryse could barely see where she was going. It would probably be a good idea to set the pot down and check the staircase before she attempted to go down it.  
    By carefully sidestepping, she managed to make it down the stairs without incident and carried the plant to the front desk, where she hefted it up on the counter. She heard some movement behind the plant and stepped to the side to see Mildred rising from her stool to peer