The Morelville Mysteries Collection Read online

  Relic

  The Morelville Mysteries – Book 1

  Anne Hagan

  To my wife, my partner in love and mayhem

  PUBLISHED BY:

  Jug Run Press, USA

  Copyright © 2014

  https://annehaganauthor.wordpress.com/

  All rights reserved: No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed or given away in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without prior written consent of the author or the publisher except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages for review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or deceased, is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  Chapter 1 - Dana

  Chapter 2 – Dana in Deep Doo Doo

  Chapter 3 – They Meet Again

  Chapter 4 - Mel

  Chapter 5 – Mel and Dana Meet a 3rd Time

  Chapter 6 – Dana

  Chapter 7 – Mel

  Chapter 8 - Dana

  Chapter 9 – Motocross & Madness

  Chapter 10 – Dana’s Dilemma

  Chapter 11 – Mel & Mayhem

  Chapter 12 – Cases Collide

  Chapter 13 – Stalkers and Smugglers, Oh My!

  Chapter 14 – A Meeting of the Minds

  Chapter 15 – Relic

  Chapter 16 – Mel: Death Defying

  Chapter 17 – Waterlogged

  Chapter 18 – Dana: Attorneys and Gangbangers

  Chapter 19 – A Plan Forms

  Chapter 20 – Finding Relic

  Chapter 21 – Ops

  Chapter 22 – Dana’s Game

  Chapter 23 – Teamwork

  Chapter 24 – Two to Tango

  Chapter 25 – Down to Business

  Chapter 26 – Thwarted

  Chapter 27 – Regroup

  Chapter 28 - Reset

  Chapter 29 – Crawl, Walk, Run

  Chapter 30 - Rodeo

  Chapter 31 – Denouement

  Busy Bees | The Morelville Mysteries – Book 2

  Chapter 1 – Prologue

  Chapter 2 – Is it Murder?

  Chapter 3 – Taking Liberties

  Chapter 4 – Inquest

  Chapter 5 – Dana

  Chapter 6 – The Truth...Maybe

  Chapter 7 – Tap Dancing

  Chapter 8 – The Hive

  Chapter 9 - Homecoming

  Chapter 10 – Double Trouble

  Chapter 11 – County Mountie

  Chapter 12 – Home on the Range

  Chapter 13 – TGIF...or Not

  Chapter 14 – Eye of the Survivor

  Chapter 15 – Family Fun Day

  Chapter 16 – Back to the Grind

  Chapter 17 – Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

  Chapter 18 – Twofer

  Chapter 19 – Pants Down

  Chapter 20 – Comparing Notes

  Chapter 21 – Sticks

  Chapter 22 – Bzzzz

  Chapter 23 – A Brilliant Idea

  Chapter 24 – Swirling Vortex

  Chapter 25 – Just a Friend

  Chapter 26 – Confessions

  Chapter 27 – Jonesing

  Chapter 28 – Home Locked Home

  Chapter 29 – Kelly Did or Kelly Didn’t

  Chapter 30 – Beans

  Chapter 31 – Soft Evidence

  Chapter 32 – Big Sandy

  Chapter 33 – Coon Ridge

  Chapter 34 – Denouement

  Dana’s Dilemma | The Morelville Mysteries – Book 3

  Prologue

  Chapter 1 – Manic Monday

  Chapter 2 – Putnam Hill Park

  Chapter 3 – Settling Up

  Chapter 4 – Money, Money, Money

  Chapter 5 - The City Club

  Chapter 6 – Feed Store and More

  Chapter 7 – An Ex Comes a Calling

  Chapter 8 – Meet Up

  Chapter 9 – Trouble

  Chapter 10 – PI Dana?

  Chapter 11 – Ex Pest

  Chapter 12 – We Have a Floater...

  Chapter 13 - Evidence

  Chapter 14 – Breaking Amish

  Chapter 15 – Witnesses

  Chapter 16 – Crane is a Drain

  Chapter 17 – Blow Back

  Chapter 18 – Lions and Tigers and Lawyers...

  Chapter 19 – Escape

  Chapter 20 – The Past Revisited

  Chapter 21 – Bright Lights

  Chapter 22 – Indictments

  Chapter 23 – Aggie

  Chapter 24 – Mel

  Chapter 25 – On the Move

  Chapter 26 – Secrets

  Chapter 27 – Troutman is a Douche

  Chapter 28 – Losing Hannah

  Chapter 29 – Ransom

  Chapter 30 – Collared

  Chapter 31 – Catching a Kidnapper

  Chapter 32 – Denouement

  Hitched & Tied | The Morelville Mysteries – Book 4

  Prologue

  Chapter 1 – Yes

  Chapter 2 – Falling

  Chapter 3 – Cue it Up

  Chapter 4 – It’s all About the Fair

  Chapter 5 - Carnival of Animals

  Chapter 6 – Heat Wave

  Chapter 7 – Sharks

  Chapter 8 – When Pigs Fly

  Chapter 9 – Show Time

  Chapter 10 – Claim Check

  Chapter 11 – Sold!

  Chapter 12 – Free Day...or Not

  Chapter 13 – Last Ride

  Chapter 14 – Just Another Fun Day

  Chapter 15 – Sterling Moon

  Chapter 16 – Sayonara

  Chapter 17 – The Best Laid Plans

  Chapter 18 – Feeling Low

  Chapter 19 – Huntress

  Chapter 20 – Stakeout

  Chapter 21 – Place your Bets

  Chapter 22 – Gossip

  Chapter 23 – Meet the Rossi’s

  Chapter 24 – Back to Business

  Chapter 25 – The Setup

  Chapter 26 – The Sting

  Chapter 27 – Hitched

  Chapter 28 – Tied

  Epilogue

  Viva Mama Rossi! | The Morelville Mysteries – Book 5

  Chapter 1 – The Morning After

  Chapter 2 – The Smokies

  Chapter 3 – Gone

  Chapter 4 – Cabin Fever

  Chapter 5 - Lost

  Chapter 6 – Bullets and Casings

  Chapter 7 – Found

  Chapter 8 – MYOB

  Chapter 9 – Coffee Klatch

  Chapter 10 – Lifted

  Chapter 11 – PI Moms

  Chapter 12 – Positive ID

  Chapter 13 – The Sordid Side

  Chapter 14 – On the Road

  Chapter 15 – Manicures and Truth

  Chapter 16 – Home Sweet Home?

  Chapter 17 – Report!

  Chapter 18 – Bereaved?

  Chapter 19 – Family Fun Day

  Chapter 20 – Boo Boo

  Chapter 21 – Trash or Treasure

  Chapter 22 – Ah Ha Moments

  Chapter 23 – A Haunting We Will Go

  Chapter 24 – Seized

  Chapter 25 – Denouement

  A Crane Christmas | The Morelville Mysteries – Book 6

  Chapter 1 – Newbie

  Chapter 2 – The Ropes

  Chapter 3 – Robbed!

  Chapter 4 – ‘Napped!
>
  Chapter 5 – Stop, Thief

  Chapter 6 – Prized Pooch

  Chapter 7 – Hoity-Toity

  Chapter 8 - Disaster

  Chapter 9 – Stakeout!

  Chapter 10 – Family Time

  Chapter 11 – Second Impressions

  Chapter 12 – And Again...

  Chapter 13 – What’s Up?

  Chapter 14 – Boo to You

  Chapter 15 – Done ‘Fer

  Chapter 16 – Hannah in the House

  Chapter 17 – Two and Two

  Chapter 18 – Making a Case

  Chapter 19 – Go Time

  Chapter 20 – Boo?

  Chapter 21 – Joy

  Chapter 22 – Bar Bash

  Chapter 23 – Re-Boo-t

  Chapter 24 – Merry Christmas Epilogue

  Mad for Mel | The Morelville Mysteries – Book 7

  Chapter 1 – One Week | Warren Brietland

  Chapter 2 – Dreaming | Dana

  Chapter 3 – Breaking Loose | Mel

  Chapter 4 – Warfare | Mel

  Chapter 5 – Regroup | Victor Voll - Chief

  Chapter 6 – Replay | Mel

  Victor Voll – Chief

  Chapter 7 – Do Over | Mel

  Dana

  Chapter 8 – Meddling Mothers

  Chapter 9 – On Assignment | Dana

  Chapter 10 – Tripped Up | Mel

  Chapter 11 – Nabbed | Dana

  Chloe

  Chapter 12 – Interrogation | Mel

  Mel

  Chapter 13 – Try, Try... | Dana

  Chapter 14 – Boar’s Head | Mel

  Chapter 15 – Tailed | Dana

  Chapter 16 – SRT | Janet Mason

  Mel

  Chapter 17 – Freaky Friday | Mel

  Dana

  Chapter 18 – The Big Day | Mel

  Chapter 19 – Report | Dana

  Chapter 20 – Come Together | Mel

  Mel

  Chapter 21 – Anointed | Victor Voll

  Mel

  Chapter 22 – Date Night | Dana

  Mel

  Dana

  Epilogue | Mel

  Hannah’s Hope | A Morelville Mystery Thriller

  Anne Hagan

  Chapter 1 – Lady with a Baby | Mel

  Chapter 2 – The Whole Story?

  Chapter 3 – Plans? | Mel

  Chapter 4 - Assistance | Dana

  Hannah

  Chapter 5 - Gone

  Dana

  Mel

  Chapter 6 - Shunned | Mel

  Chapter 7 - Goner | Mel

  Chapter 8 - Torn | Dana

  Mel

  Chapter 9 – Kin

  Dana

  Chapter 10 – Nap Time

  Mel

  Chapter 11 - Canvass | Mel

  Chapter 12 – Stunned | Dana

  Mel

  Dana

  Chapter 13 – Amiss | Mel

  Chapter 14 – Witness

  Chapter 15 – A Fight | Hannah

  Chapter 16 – A Find | Dana

  Chapter 17 - Victorian

  Chapter 18 - Sketch | Mel

  Chapter 19 - Conniving | Dana

  Chapter 20 – Nabbed | Mel

  Chapter 21 – Snooping | Dana

  Chapter 22 – Co-inky-dink

  Chapter 23 – Bereaved? | Mel

  Chapter 24 - Dilemma

  Chapter 25 – More Questions

  Chapter 26 - Confession | Dana

  Chapter 27 – A Word with Mama | Dana

  Chapter 28 – A Slight Deception

  Chapter 29 – A Sighting | Mel

  Chapter 30 – Now What?

  Chapter 31 – Baby? | Mel

  Chapter 32 – Young International | Dana

  Chapter 33 – Loose Ends | Dana

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  Also Written by the Author

  Chapter 1 - Dana

  I had a little more than three weeks to gather the Intel I needed to stop a major shipment of counterfeit goods from entering the country and being distributed unfettered. Everything my crew and I had done so far to solve the case had turned up a big, fat zero.

  I sat with my back against the far wall at 'The Shanty', a hole in the wall pizza joint in the sleepy village of Morelville, Ohio near the Blue Rock State Forest. A TV blared up high in the opposite corner – some ‘true crime’ show. A couple of tables away, an Amish man stared intently at the screen while he sat and ate a sub.

  “So, do you have any idea who the new boss is?” I asked the lean and dusty hired farmhand across the table from me.

  Brice Buhler signaled the waitress for a refill. His dirty John Deere cap shaded his eyes. He looked bedraggled and tired. Wordlessly, he shook his head.

  I was wearing worn Levi’s and a heavy work shirt too. I had my light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. I was trying for a look that would let me blend in a bit with the locals. Strangers stood out in little towns like this one in Ohio’s Appalachian foothills. Strangers in dark business suits and button down shirts usually looked too ‘Government Issue’ and, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, were likely to be shot, no questions asked.

  The cutesy blond waitress came over to refill Buhler’s cola. She eyeballed me up and down and smiled but I didn’t flirt back. Out here, that might get me shot too.

  When she left, I picked up where I left off. “It’s really rough, I know. The economy stinks and now even hands are getting laid off. Just what the hell are you supposed to do? Where do you go now?”

  “Nobody knows anything and everybody’s lookin’.” Brice drained the glass again and set it down. “I can barely put food on the table for me and my girl, I’m telling you. It’s too cool and wet to plant yet and it’s too early for calving too.”

  I dug my wallet out and slid him a couple of twenties. “I feel your pain. I know what you’re going through.”

  Brice quietly tucked the cash away. He looked around nervously but the Amish man was still staring at the screen, paying us no mind. Whispering, he said, “I’m not a snitch, ya know?”

  I nodded toward him. “You have to eat. I’m not going to ask you for anything that would get you in any kind of bind. I just need something to prove to my boss that I’m on this.” I leaned back and tried to appear casual.

  Brice looked around nervously again. Leaning toward my retreat and speaking almost without moving his lips, he admitted, “I’ll brew a little batch of ‘shine from time to time, when the weather breaks.”

  “On your own, or do you pay someone protection?”

  “Nope. It’s just me these days. I bootleg it myself too.”

  “Your secret’s safe with me.”

  I didn’t completely believe him about doing it all on his own but the information wasn’t really helpful to me anyway and pushing him for more would get me exactly nowhere.

  Maintaining Brice as a Customs informant had been a long slog that I hadn’t relished. At least ATF wasn't onto him yet for the ‘shine. I'd had about enough of those guys stepping on my toes.

  I nodded my thanks to him, got up from the table and paid the tab at the counter.

  I stepped outside into a sunny late March day in Ohio. I regretted wearing the heavy work shirt but the weather was just so unpredictable this time of year anywhere in the Midwest. I headed up the main road, a state route actually, but I got sidetracked when I spotted an ATM sign in the window of the local everything and more store. I stepped in and drew out the $100.00 maximum the machine would let me have.

  Drinks at the Shanty and my little advance to Brice had cleaned me out of ready cash. The service wasn't paying to grease informants these days. The money had come out of my own pocket.

  Wanting to get the lay of the land, I walked further along, nodding at a couple of locals as I went. Pickup trucks, the occasional car and a few Amish buggies passed by along the road. The bug
gies tended to stop near the store or the post office but most of the other traffic went right on through the tiny village.

  I ambled into the only gas station in town and grabbed a sweet tea out of the cooler. That ought to help me blend in just a little, I thought to myself.

  As I turned toward the counter to pay for my drink, I all but smacked right into the most stunning butch woman I had ever laid eyes on. She took my breath away. My brain went into overdrive. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Then, my ex flashed into my mind. I shuddered and tried to shake both thoughts away. This trip was all business and neither line of thinking was welcome.

  The object of my attention reached out a hand to steady me. Taking hold of my elbow, she grinned and said, “Hey there. Easy does it.” She had a nice smile but, though she wasn't young, I noticed no smile lines. Smiling obviously wasn't an asset she used often.

  I shook my head again, mumbled my thanks and strode to the counter. I handed the cashier a twenty and waited for my change. She picked up one of those counterfeit detection pens and attempted to mark the bill. Her line turned black. She pushed the bill back toward me.

  “I'm sorry. I can't take this. It's no good. What else 'ya got?”

  “I got that bill out of the ATM in the store not three minutes ago. If it's fake, then they're passing them.” The Customs Agent in me was slipping out, unbidden, as my anger level ratcheted up.

  The cashier leaned right and eyed someone behind me.

  The butch beauty stepped to the counter and asked, “Is everything okay Kris?”

  Her voice was strong and low and smooth like butter. I hadn't noticed before. I didn't turn. I just bristled and dug in my pocket for another twenty. I handed it over. The cashier marked it too and then made change.

  As I turned from the counter, I felt a hand on my elbow again. I looked up into those deep brown eyes asking the obvious question with my own. Not realizing I spoke out loud, I said, “What the hell?”

  “We need to talk about where you really got that bill.”

  Now quite angry, I asked, “And just who are you?”

  Smiling again, the woman that was fast moving from dream to nightmare in my mind took out a badge.

  “I'm Mel Crane, the county Sheriff.”

  Crap! Just what I don't need! I looked her up and down more carefully this time. Tall for a woman at over six feet and broad shouldered, she was quite a specimen. Her jet black hair was cut short but with plenty on top for a good spike or to run your fingers through, if you were so inclined. I wasn’t, just now. That’s what I told myself, anyway. She was in khaki pants and a plaid shirt – the butch uniform anywhere else in the world but in this middle of nowhere, backwater. She absolutely exuded sex appeal.

  “I'm in a hurry. I really need to get moving.”

  “I'll make it quick.” She smiled yet again. My legs became jelly.