Lost Souls by J. Bishop (the giving tree read aloud txt) 📗

smiled, and it was the first genuine smile he’d seen from her in a week. Mason smiled back, and grabbed some silverware. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

**

The enchiladas served, Mason excused himself. “Be right back,” he said. “I’ll get more chips.”

“And grab the other pitcher of margaritas,” said Trick.

“I’ve got one arm, remember?” asked Mason.

“You want me to help?” Valerie started to sit up.

Mason waved her off. “No. Enjoy your food. I’ll manage.”

“Keep an eye on that bathroom,” said Rem. He shifted in his seat. “I may have to use yours in a minute, unless you’d rather I use the lawn.”

“I’d let him, Mason,” said Daniels. “He’d likely kill the grass.”

Rem smirked and Mason chuckled, and went into the house. Before going into the kitchen, he detoured into his bathroom, closed the door, and stared for a moment in the mirror. Smoothing his mustache, he noted the slight shake in his fingers. Gripping his injured shoulder, he let go a long breath, groaning through the discomfort. He opened the medicine cabinet, and eyed the bottles of pills on the shelf. One had been prescribed by his doctor for pain. Ignoring that one, he pulled out the other two, and read the labels. They were prescriptions for two other painkillers ─ one for Serita Avery and the other for Lydia Stanford.

He stared at them, thinking back. Closing his eyes, he recalled standing in Serita’s bathroom. After Chad had pointed toward the closet, Mason had made a hasty decision and tucked the pill bottles into his inside jacket pocket. After Lydia had shot him and he’d been thrown into the trunk, he’d slid the jacket off to staunch the flow of blood. The jacket had remained in the trunk and was still there when Mason’s car had been returned, the jacket untouched.

Looking at the pills, Mason questioned his sanity. He’d risked his career and reputation by taking them, but now that he had them, he told himself that keeping them wasn’t that big of a deal anymore. They were just pills. He figured somebody should have them.

Still staring at the bottles, he thought of his mother slamming the bathroom door. Was this why? Was she trying to chastise him? Get him to stop? Probably, he thought. She’d be furious, but even though Mason hated the thought of disappointing his mother, he didn’t see the point of stopping. It wasn’t like he couldn’t end it when he wanted to. He’d done it before and he could do it again.

Making a decision, he opened a bottle, shook out a pill, and swallowed it dry, then opened the cabinet beneath his sink and hid them in a box with his razors. If his guests were going to use his bathroom, he needed to keep them out of sight.

The bottles secured, he closed the cabinets, checked his reflection in the mirror, tweaked his mustache once more, and left to rejoin the party.

∞∞∞

Want more from J. T. Bishop? Sign up for her newsletter at jtbishopauthor.com to get her first book, Red-Line: The Shift and future books for free, in addition to extra content.

I hope you enjoyed Lost Souls, but there’s more to come when Trick joins the agency and Mason faces his demons, literally. Get ready for Lost Dreams, now available for pre-order.  Enjoy an excerpt below.

If you liked Lost Souls and this is your first foray into the world of J.T. Bishop and her paranormal thrillers, then you’re in luck. Check out the Family or Foe series, which introduces Detectives Daniels and Remalla. A killer with powerful abilities is out for revenge against those he believes wronged him. Can he be caught before he kills again? This series includes First Cut, Second Slice, Third Blow and Fourth Strike.

Or if you want to jump straight into Daniels’ and Remalla’s own series, then look into Haunted River which involves the ghost of a woman whose murder remains unsolved. When another woman turns up dead years later, are Daniels and Remalla next? This is book is followed by Of Breath and Bloodwhere our detectives investigate a cult leader and will have to rely on each other to survive. Of Body and Bone follows and is available for pre-order.

Or, do you enjoy light sci-fi with some paranormal and a delicious romance thrown in? Then check out Bishop’s first series, TheRed-Line Trilogy, or the sister series to the Red-Line trilogy, The Fletcher Family Saga. Either can be read first. Take your pick. Boxsets are available, too!

A Note from J.T.

I love to hear from my readers about their experiences with my books, and I’d love to know what you thought about Lost Souls. This book was a little challenging because I had to shift out of Daniels and Remalla mode, which I love to write, and focus on some new characters. Once I got into it, though, and Mason, Mikey and Trick started to blossom into full-fledged characters, then I was hooked. I embraced the Redstones and this new series. It’s going to provide lots of fun storylines to explore, plus offer opportunities for some crossover between the Daniels and Remalla series, which I kind of love. While Daniels and Remalla must cope with the paranormal events they witness, Mason is accustomed to it and expects it. It’s a nice new viewpoint to work from. (And we’ll see what happens between Remalla and Mikey.)

Reviews are a huge plus and big help for an author, and potential readers. I would love it if you could please take a couple of minutes to leave a quick review for Lost Souls. And if you’d like, please leave a few comments, too.

As always, thank you for your time and readership. It is deeply valued and appreciated.

Now, on to the next book!

Connect with J.T.

Website

Facebook

Amazon

Instagram

Goodreads

Bookbub

Other Books by J. T. Bishop

The Red-Line Trilogy

Red-Line: The Shift

Red-Line: Mirrors

Red-Line: Trust Destiny

Red-Line: The Fletcher Family Saga

Curse Breaker

High Child

Spark

Forged Lines

The Family or Foe Series, featuring Detectives Daniels and Remalla

First Cut

Second Slice

Third Blow

Fourth Strike

Detectives Daniels and Remalla

Haunted River

Of Breath and