A Drug Den, A Demon, and Dark Matter: Deanna Oscar Paranormal Mystery, #11

By CC Dragon

Greg is still missing and possibly possessed by demons. Everyone in New Orleans, from police to the paranormal crowd, is trying to help. Deanna is invading every convent, monastery, and hideout she can think of but she can't seem to track her old friend down.

The bad guy who started it all is contained, or so Deanna believes. She's busy helping on a bizarre case on a college campus with the New Orleans PD. Tracking down Greg, she finds he's been trying to help but the supernatural forces are being whipped up instead.

Trying to keep Greg safe and free from all of those infected by demons, Deanna needs a few clones of herself but her friends, brother, and new hubby will have to do!

Let's just hope those demons don't open a black hole or something serious…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cheryl Dragon
• Release date: Sep 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393543879

CC Dragon

Author of Cozy Mysteries and Romantic Suspense. Loyal Chicago girl who loves deep dish pizza, the Cubs, and The Lake! Addicted to amateur sleuths :)

Book preview

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A Drug Den, A Demon, and Dark Matter

(Deanna Oscar Paranormal Mystery 11)

Copyright © September 2019

By CC Dragon

Cover art by Rebecca Poole

Edited by Mary Yakovets

Proofed by: Angela Campbell

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Blurb

Deanna Oscar Paranormal Mysteries Book 11

Greg is still missing and possibly possessed by demons. Everyone in New Orleans, from police to the paranormal crowd, is trying to help. Deanna is invading every convent, monastery, and hideout she can think of but she can’t seem to track her old friend down.

The bad guy who started it all is contained, or so Deanna believes. She’s busy helping on a bizarre case on a college campus with the New Orleans PD. Tracking down Greg, she finds he’s been trying to help but the supernatural forces are being whipped up instead.

Trying to keep Greg safe and free from all of those infected by demons, Deanna needs a few clones of herself but her friends, brother, and new hubby will have to do!

Let’s just hope those demons don’t open a black hole or something serious...

Chapter One

Change was hard. I’d gotten married, though that wasn’t a bad change. My mansion was being remodeled a bit; that change annoyed me at times. But it was more the construction guys setting all our spirits and demons loose.

It’s New Orleans. Ghosts and all that crap are everywhere—you’d think they’d know better.

I walked downstairs and found Ivy already quizzing Matt about any progress in finding her cousin.

Greg had been missing for months. No contact. No sightings.

Worst of all, something had changed. I couldn’t sense him. Anyone else I could feel out except for Greg. The only thing I was sure of was that he was alive.

Eli, the rogue priest who started this whole mess, had been taken by the Church and cloistered away. The last time I saw him, he was in a Catholic hospital but I knew that wasn’t going to be forever.

My angel, Amy, and I had done our best to bind the demons in Eli. He hadn’t cooperated still I’d believed it was a success. However, the demonic activity in New Orleans hadn’t died down. My normally reliable supernatural gifts had become iffy and glitchy. There were no easy answers, however I’d begun to believe that my binding of the demons inside Eli had failed.

The struggle between good and evil was ongoing and while I deep down believed that good would win, I couldn’t let ego or pride lull me into the idea that I’d always triumph. Since Greg had disappeared, I’d been wondering if the demons that were outside of Eli when I bound him up had turned on me and were out to hurt my friends and family.

It was plausible. Just as possible as one of those demons had reported back to Hell, which sent bigger and badder demons to keep Greg concealed from me.

I had to find Greg and Eli. Eli was not just trapped in his body with his demons—he was fighting for control. I couldn’t take away his free will or his fight.

Greg and Eli were connected. I could still even feel Eli struggling with the restrictions. One of the monks Greg and I had worked with on a previous case confided in me that Eli was in seclusion in their monastery in hopes that he would recover. I wanted him farther away even though it wasn’t in my control. Maybe Eli was part of what was causing trouble for me and Greg?

What else could’ve happened to Greg that I was blocked from him?

Ivy turned to me. Anything on your end?

No, sorry. Ivy, you need to relax. He’ll turn up when he wants to, I said.

I’d tried to keep Ivy from continuing her ongoing manhunt for her cousin. I’d tracked down the leads I’d had that night at the monastery Greg had cloistered himself away in but he’d gone. Nothing made me feel more like a failure than to realize I’d been chasing something pretending to be Greg. A demon? A ghost? I wasn’t sure although Paul had to talk me into calling off the search.

Ivy had a poster with Greg’s picture on it, decorated with glitter, propped on the sideboard of my dining room. The missing person flyers that were passed out were far more normal, thankfully.

Ivy, I’m sorry but there’s nothing new about Greg. We’ve got a killer on the loose and it’s keeping us pretty busy. Matt refilled his mug of coffee. He was a detective with NOPD, which gave us the insider information that helped with our paranormal investigations.

I followed him to the kitchen and grabbed a cornbread muffin. Paul had started a second pot of coffee.

He kissed me quick. Work. I’ll see you for dinner.

Bye. I felt like the world was rushing around me. Matt, what kind of killer?

I want to say serial except only two bodies have turned up so far. Both young men from the same fraternity house at a local university. The killings have already been connected and there are two more frat boys who are freaking out, Matt said.

I can help, I offered.

De! Ivy huffed. She was wrapped in a canary yellow robe while a blue polka-dotted towel made a turban on her head.

I felt, as always, underdressed in black jeans and a purple T-shirt.

Ivy, you need to focus on the club. We’ve got the missing persons report. We check with the monks and nuns and everyone church-related regularly, they know to call us if they hear anything. If I work on something else, maybe I’ll shake this psychic block of mine loose, I suggested.

Ivy nodded. I ran off to Europe without telling anyone. I’m trying not to panic but Greg isn’t as stable as I am.

He’s been going through a lot between breaking up with Mary Lou, his struggle over going back to the religious life and Eli. For all we know, he went on a pilgrimage to holy sites to find his path. I hugged Ivy and tried to relax the tension.

Matt cleared his throat. We have a watch on his passport. He hasn’t left the country.

She shook her head. See? He’s a mess, hiding out somewhere.

Please, there are shrines all over the US. One pilgrimage started at a Chicago shrine and people would walk to one or two more from there. I have to believe if he was in mortal danger, I’d be able to feel it. Or Frankie. He can’t pick up on Greg, either, I said.

Ivy sighed and went for more coffee. Your brother is more construction manager than psychic detective lately.

You’d be surprised how much practice he gets vetting construction crew members. I think Darla is working on him, too. Greg is strong enough that if he doesn’t want to be found, he’ll block us. I put a bagel in the toaster. You need to get back to normal and so do I.

Ivy nodded. I need to change.

She dashed upstairs.

Matt sighed.

What? If you don’t want me along, I get it. I haven’t worked criminal investigations as much. Unfortunately, I can’t fix this missing person issue or this religious lunatic. I wish the Vatican had dungeons to keep Eli locked up. I grabbed the butter from the fridge and snagged a knife from the drawer.

Maybe they do? He hasn’t been seen for a while. Don’t say his name or he might show up, like Beetlejuice. Matt laughed.

Where’s Gunner? I asked. If Matt was home, his boyfriend usually at his side.

Getting some stuff for our new house. We have some work to do on it but we’ll be moving out before you know it. Matt smiled.

No rush. Construction and remodels take longer than you think. Is Mary Lou doing okay? I’ve been trying to give her space since she and Greg are really over and it seems strained. I felt like my group was splintering and moving on.

Mary Lou, Matt’s widowed sister-in-law, would be okay. Charity and society were things she understood. Matt and Gunner