Black-Eyed Moon (A Guinan Jones Paranormal Mystery #1) by Callista Foley

I hung back and edged my way toward the rear of the church. I'd removed the neck brace, but I felt self-conscious about my face. Fortunately, most people weren't paying me much attention.
    Dean noticed that I'd left the line and hung back, too. While Tamzen joined the line, he cut through the crowd and appeared at my side.
    "I don't blame you," he said, loosening his tie. " I'd rather remember her as she was."
    "I wish I could, but I saw her in the woods. I don't want to look at her again."
    He furrowed his brow. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that." His eyes traveled from my white blouse and to my dark-blue skirt. "We kind of match."
    As the crowd moved toward the door, we stepped outside. It was still hot, but mercifully cooler than it had been. A warm breeze ruffled my hair. I leaned my head back and pretended it was cool air. My arm throbbed a bit. I'd skipped this afternoon's dose of narcotics so I could be clear-headed. I looked at Dean, who had his hands in pants pockets. He was watching me.
    I cleared my throat. " Is your aunt going to be all right?"
    "Yeah, but with three kids and a husband who travels for work, it's kind of rough."
    "You're a good nephew. "
    He blushed and scratched his cheek.
    Tamzen walked up to us and stood beside him. "I don't think I'm going to the cemetery. Mind taking me home?"
    "I called you earlier," I said. The tension between us was weird, and I hated it. Yesterday, she was crying at my hospital bedside. Now she acted like she was angry. "I want ed to get together before I leave."
    Her face relaxed a little. "Still going on Saturday?"
    I looked toward the people milling around the church entrance. "My parents and my grandfather want me out of Ridge Grove."
    She raised an eyebrow. "And you want to stay to solve the murder, right?" She smirked and poked Dean with her elbow. "I'm gonna faint out here. Hate to pull you away, but..."
    She put an arm through his and pulled him toward the parking lot. He looked back, shrugged, and mouthed, "See you Friday."
    I waited by my grandfather's SUV, which reminded me of Skeeter. I dialed the hospital and asked about him. A nurse said he'd regained consciousness that morning, but he was asleep at the moment. I considered dialing his room directly but changed my mind. He needed all the rest he could get. What I had to say could wait.
    At the cemetery, a large crowd stood around Kate's grave while the pastor led prayers and a hymn. I got tired of trying not to cry and let it out. My grandfather put his arm around my shoulder, and I leaned into him. I cried for Kate and for having to leave Ridge Grove. I thought of Zeke's kiss and the developing whatever I had with Dean. Did I really like him like that , or was I just using him because Zeke was unavailable?
    I wiped my eyes and looked around the cemetery. The decayed bodies in the ground left no lingering thoughts behind. Their souls were gone. They were only memories now. One day I'd be only a memory, and maybe my daughter or granddaughter would listen to my last thoughts. When Grandma died, I hadn't read hers, and Granddad hadn't as ked me to. I would have refused, anyway.
    I turned my head in the direction of her grave. My mother had brought two sets of flowers, and she'd placed one on her mother's grave as people gathered around Kate's. From the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the distance. Someone leaned against a tree at the edge of the woods. It was Zeke. Hands in his jeans pockets, he watched the service. He waved, and I waved back.
    "Who are you waving at?" my mother said.
    I looked at her. "Oh, it's just..." When I turned to look at Zeke, he was gone.

Chapter Thirteen
     
    When the doorbell rang in the early evening, I practically skipped downstairs. I yelled out, "I got it!" Good. Tamzen wanted to talk. We'd been friends since before I moved here, and I didn't want to leave with us not speaking.
    "Would you be careful?" My mother stood at the foot of the stairs. "You want to end up in traction to