A Deadly Drive-by—Haunting Avery Winters Book 5

Avery’s used to finding dead bodies, but apparently the universe doesn’t think that’s enough. This time, she’s right there when Simone, a local hairdresser at A Snip in Time, is shot and killed in cold blood. After Simone dies, her ghost tells Avery that her name is really Mandy, and that the man who murdered her is her abusive ex, and he’s after her son. Before Mandy can explain further, she’s sucked into the light.When Sergeant Bellamy questions Avery, she tries to explain what she knows, but he initially discounts her information because he can’t find evidence of Simone having changed her name. He’s also less than forthcoming when she probes him for clues, quickly shutting her out of his investigation.

With little to go on, Avery has a hard time coming up with leads, and all the while, she’s worried about the victim’s missing mother and son. Just when she’s despairing of ever getting somewhere with the investigation, another ghost turns up in front of A Snip in Time. This new ghost was slain on the same morning as Mandy, and she begs for Avery’s help.

Armed with vague information and spurred by a promise she’s made to two ghosts, Avery tries to ascertain if both murders are somehow connected. Her hunt for the killer or killers is messy and confusing, and she soon learns they might have their sights set on her too. But no matter what, she’s not backing down. All she needs is one break. Just one.

Yet again, her living and dead friends are ready to help. Will their assistance be enough for her to untangle this crime before she becomes the next victim, or has her luck finally run out?

For lovers of suspense, crime, humour and paranormal mysteries. A fun read for teens and adults alike.

I cringed. Was it just me, or did everyone turn into an uglier version of themselves when they were sitting at the hairdresser? I was never sure if it was the black cape cutting off my neck or the lighting, but I was positive I hadn’t looked this unattractive in my bathroom mirror this morning. So ugly. If only I could shut my eyes for the whole haircut and not look weird. At least no one was here to see me other than the hairdresser… oh, and the ghost who was hanging around. Simone, the hairdresser, not the ghost, had opened A Snip in Time super early for me because I had an interview at 8:00 a.m.

“My darling’s doing a lovely job with your haircut,” the curly purple-haired old lady said from next to my chair as Simone did her thing. I ignored the ghost, even though I agreed with her. It would be hard to get this haircut wrong, though, since it was a simple inch-off trim.

“Do you have any kids, Avery?” Simone pinched my blonde hair between her fingers and snipped.

“No way. I’m too young. Also, I don’t have a partner, and I’m in no way, shape, or form ready to be a single parent. Or any parent... really.” I shuddered. I was only just getting out of the hole my life had become and finding my independence. Having a baby would be the biggest mistake ever. Being responsible for shaping another human, let alone keeping them alive, sounded like a task I wasn’t up for, and I wasn’t sure I ever would be.

Simone smiled. Sadness floated across the old lady’s face. “My poor sweetie. She has a gorgeous young’un. But she never sees him.”

My forehead furrowed. That was sad. I didn’t really want to get into a deep and meaningful, but I should ask. Maybe she wanted to talk about it, and she did ask me first. “What about you? Do you have any kids?” She’d been in the village only a few months longer than me. I’d never seen her with any children. Not that I’d been following her everywhere, and people didn’t tend to drag their kids to work.

Simone looked down for a moment, then resumed cutting. “Ah… Um…” She took a deep breath. “Yes. He lives with my mum.”

“Do you see him much?” I didn’t want to pry, but then again, maybe she needed to talk about it.

Her voice softened. “No. I chat to him on the phone every day, but….” She sighed, a long, painful exhale that made the ghost’s shoulders sag.

“How old is he?” I watched her in the mirror, but she avoided my gaze, concentrating on my hair, which was probably a good thing if I didn’t want a wonky haircut.

“Five. He’s so smart and determined. He could walk at nine months and count to ten at three. He started school this year and loves it.” Her smile contained a hint of sadness and a lot of pride. “One day, he’ll come live with me. The time just isn’t right… yet.”

The ghost’s lips pinched together, and anger hardened her face. If only I could talk to her about it without looking like a crazy person, but then again, did I need to get involved in every problem I came across? I liked Simone, but I didn’t know her that well. Surely she had friends who helped her when she needed it? “If you ever need help or to talk, let me know. I’m up for a coffee whenever.” I smiled. Okay, so I couldn’t help offering. If she felt anything like I did at times, the world could be a scary and depressing place. No decent person deserved to go through that with little or no support.

Her smile was happier this time. “Thank you, Avery. You’re fairly new to the village, too, aren’t you?”

“Yep. It’s not easy settling into a new country, but I’ve met a few really lovely people, and my job’s awesome. I’m enjoying living here. Zero regrets.” I grinned because I meant it. Other than the Stick sisters and seeing ghosts, oh, and being almost murdered a couple of times, moving here was really the best thing I’d ever done.

 “I might just take you up on that offer of coffee. I’ve met some great people, too, but I could always use another friend.” She grinned at me in the mirror.

The ghost jerked her head and looked out the window, as if something had startled her. Her jaw dropped open, then she covered it with her hand and fixed a panicked gaze on Simone. Surely being friends with me wasn’t cause for that much trepidation.

A loud thwack and the crash of smashing glass came from the shopfront window. Instead of protecting myself, my instinct was to turn and stare. A few small slivers of window peppered me, and a brick landed amongst the shards on the floor.

I jumped up and ran to the front door with Simone. Seemed as if she was like me—running towards the danger rather than away. One day I’d change, but not today. I wanted to see who’d thrown it.

A black Mercedes sedan idled out the front of the shop. The man in the passenger seat stared out his window at Simone. His balaclava covered most of his face, but his ice-blue eyes stood out, and a russet beard poked out around the mouth hole. His voice revealed an English accent. “I told you I’d find you, Mandy. Your mum’s next, and then the boy is mine.” Mandy? He must have the wrong woman. I parted my lips to say something, but he lifted his hand and pointed a gun out the window. Without saying anything else, he pulled the trigger. 

Two shots cracked before I had time to react.

Simone fell. The car tyres screeched, and the vehicle took off.

I leaped out of the doorway and committed the number plate to memory. I ran back and grabbed my phone from my bag before returning to Simone, who lay on the ground bleeding. I called 999. “Ambulance, police, or fire?” the woman asked.

My heart raced and tears threatened, making it difficult to keep my voice steady. “Ambulance and police. A woman’s been shot.” I relayed the address and told her the number plate and make of car, just in case I forgot later. When I was done. I put my phone on the ground and cradled Simone in my arms. Blood soaked her shirt around her stomach. 

Her face was pale, and she stared up at me with terror pulsing from her eyes. “Don’t leave me.”

“I won’t.” I lifted her shirt. It was hard to see the stomach wound under all that blood, but I had a general idea. How she could survive this, I didn’t know, but I was going to do my best to keep her alive until the paramedics arrived. 

I replaced her shirt and put pressure on the wound, the blood sticky under my palm. I looked into her eyes. “It’s going to be okay, Simone.” I was about to say, I promise, but the words wouldn’t come. It was one thing to comfort her, but it felt wrong to lie. I blinked back tears and pretended everything was fine. “Can I call your mum? She’ll want to come see you in the hospital.”

She opened her mouth and tried to take a breath to talk, but all that came out was a gurgle.