We had Bethann’s address, so I saw no reason not to pay her a visit. I thought she’d prefer that to us showing up at her workplace again. Especially since Jayne was determined to get some answers about the paternity of Bethann’s child.

Chad hadn’t said much about it, but I knew he wanted that answer too. He’d worn himself out last night just as much as he’d worn me out. He’d apologized to me as I’d been getting ready for bed and promised to stay as low-key as he could until this was all over. As a result, he’d gone quiet again.

I could still sense his presence; he was definitely with me. But he was conserving his energy and letting me do the same. As possessing spirits went, he was pretty agreeable. I could have done a lot worse. A lot worse. And now, all I really wanted to do was help the guy get some answers and find peace.

Also, I would probably never admit this out loud, but last night on stage had been amazing. I could see why performers got hooked on the attention. I understood my parents’ profession a whole lot more, too. No wonder they loved being on stage and the energy of the crowd. It was its own kind of high.

All that being said, I’d also be just fine never doing anything like that again. A performer I was not.

I drove us to Bethann’s. She lived in an apartment complex that wasn’t run-down but wasn’t fancy either. No pool, but there was a park area in the middle of the complex with a small playground, a covered pavilion, and an area to walk dogs. It was a very middle-class sort of place. Not the kind of place I’d have thought a woman who’d inherited a hundred thousand dollars would live.

But then, I didn’t know what she’d done with that money. She clearly hadn’t spent it on a house.

We parked and went to her apartment, 2C on the second floor. There was no elevator.

Jayne stood next to me as I knocked.

A bleary-eyed Johnny Lee Dixon opened the door. “What?” He stared at us.

We stared back.

His gaze tapered in recognition. “What are you doing here?”

Jayne frowned and made a little noise deep in her throat. “I was about to ask you the same question.”

Johnny Lee shook his head, his eyes mostly on me. “You’re no reporter, are you?”

“Well, you’re not exactly Bethann,” I countered.

The woman herself called out from deeper in the apartment. “Who is it?”

Johnny Lee sighed. “You’d better come in.”

I looked at Jayne. She shrugged. Seemed like we were both on the same page of not expecting any of this.

We followed him in. The place was neat and tidy, decorated in relatively new furniture, but nothing outlandish. Leather sofa, two tan fabric recliners, a big dark wood entertainment center housing a flat-screen television and some Elvis memorabilia. Baby dolls, a pink plastic stroller, some picture books and an assortment of blocks lay scattered about in the living room. A rocking horse sat in one corner.

Bethann was in the kitchen. She was at the table with a cup of coffee in front of her. Next to her was a three-year-old little girl in a booster seat who was attempting to feed herself cereal. A handful of Cheerios decorated the floor, and some spilled milk puddled on the table near her bowl.

Bethann looked at us, then frowned, but she didn’t look surprised. “That was Chad at the club last night, wasn’t it? I mean, it was you, but it was Chad singing, huh? Johnny Lee said there was a man who’d come in who sounded an awful lot like him. And the woman with him had blue hair. I figured it was you two.”

I nodded. “It was. We were just trying to talk to Johnny Lee. Trying to help Chad. He’d like to know the truth of what’s going on with your daughter.” He hadn’t actually asked, but I assumed he’d want to know. We did.

I realized a moment later she was no longer wearing the TCB lightning bolt necklace. Guilt, maybe?

Johnny Lee stood nearby, arms crossed over his chest. Without the Elvis jumpsuit and mutton chops, he looked shorter. He still had the hair, though. His eyes were glazed with suspicion. “You really get possessed by him?”

“Yes,” I answered. “You heard his voice come through me last night, didn’t you?”

Johnny Lee’s arms stayed crossed, although his expression softened. “Yeah. If that wasn’t Chad, it’d had to be Elvis.”

Jayne tipped her chin at the little girl. “She’s a cutie. But her daddy isn’t Chad, is it?”

Bethann sighed. “No. It’s Johnny.” She smiled at the little girl. “You be a good girl and finish your breakfast. Mama’s going to go into the other room and talk to these nice people, okay?”

“M’kay, Mama.”

Bethann got up, and we went into the living room. Jayne and I sat on the leather couch. Johnny Lee and Bethann took the recliners. She sat on the edge of the cushion, as if she anticipated having to get up quickly.

She cleared her throat. “Johnny and I started seeing each other about six months before Chad was mugged. Chad was so busy all the time, and I understood that. He had a lot going on. All kinds of business stuff happening. But I was lonely too.” She glanced at Johnny. “Johnny was good company. Paid a lot of attention to me.”

“Company was all it was,” Johnny Lee said. “Strictly friends. At first.”

He smiled at her. She smiled back. “I had every intention of telling Chad, I really did. But he was always so busy.” She looked at us again, sadness in her eyes. “I never got the chance.”

Jayne’s gaze held a piercing look. “You got Chad’s life insurance money, didn’t you?”

Bethann nodded. “I did.” She brought her head up, lifting her chin. “Look, I was with Chad a long time. I really did love him. Part of me always will. And I was faithful, up until Johnny. I did a lot for Chad and his business. All that time he promised to marry me, and he never did. I’m not saying I exactly deserved that money, but I didn’t not deserve it either.”

Johnny Lee spoke up. “She didn’t do nothing wrong.”

Bethann frowned. “I didn’t even put myself into his obituary. Didn’t seem right.”

Jayne let out a soft snort, clearly agreeing. “Where did all the money go? I realize that’s none of my business, but I’m curious.”

Bethann’s attention shifted to the little girl in the kitchen. “Savannah was born early. She had some complications. Most of that money went to pay hospital bills. I like to think Chad would have understood.”

She looked at me, eyes pleading for understanding. “Can you ask him? And can you tell him that I’m real sorry? It wasn’t planned. It really wasn’t. Like I said, I loved him. Still do. If I didn’t, would I keep up his social media? But things … happened.”

Chad? You want to say anything to her?

No.

But I sensed he wasn’t done.

Tell her I loved her and that I was faithful, and I had every intention of marrying her.

He was deeply wounded by her confession, but also by who she’d cheated on him with. There was anger in him as well. Hard, brittle anger. All of that emotion pressed down on me, making my body feel like lead. I tried to breathe out some of the weight of those feelings. “He said he loved you and that he was faithful, and he did intend to marry you.”

Bethann made a little sob. “He’s angry, isn’t he?”

I wasn’t going to lie to her. “He’s very hurt and very upset.”

She sniffed. “Chad, honey, I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to fall for Johnny Lee. I didn’t. But he was there and he understood and—”

Chad rose up in me so fast my head spun. It was a good thing I was seated. “Did you kill me, Bethann? Did you and Johnny Lee get me out of the way so you could be together? Tell me the truth or so help me, I will find a way to haunt you.”

She gasped. “No, Chad. I swear it. On Savannah’s life. It was neither one of us. I would never do that.”

Johnny Lee shook his head and swallowed hard. “No way. Chad, if you’re really in there, I know you and I never got on so good, but I would never lay a hand on anyone. I didn’t mean to fall for your girl, either. I’m not that kind of guy.”

Chad wasn’t done with his questions and accusations. “Yeah? Then why haven’t you married her either?”

Johnny Lee sat up a little straighter. “I did marry her. About a month after your funeral. We kept it real quiet though. Out of respect. We still tend to keep it quiet. For all its size, Nashville’s just a small town.”

Bethann nodded. “I didn’t think it was right to make a big deal out of it with Chad just passed. We haven’t said much because like Johnny said, this is really just a small town.” She glanced at Johnny Lee. “Chad left a big shadow. It’s a hard thing to live under.”

I shoved Chad down, something that took more energy than I had to give, and nodded. “I can imagine.” I had a little strength left. Enough to ask one more question. “Do you know if he’d already signed with the agency out in LA that was trying to recruit him?”

Bethann glanced at Savannah before answering. “He was thinking about it, but I don’t think he was going to. Would have made things easier for us if he’d moved away, but I told him it was a bad idea. Nashville was his home. Being popular here didn’t mean he’d be popular in California. Plus, I know he had a pretty sweet deal at North Forty.”

Jayne moved closer to me and took my hand, the contact a very welcome thing. “What kind of a sweet deal?”

Bethann looked at Johnny Lee, who answered the question. “I never saw the contract, but when I signed my own deal with Glen Hewitt, he sort of mentioned that Chad’s deal with the previous owners wasn’t something he’d have ever agreed to.”

“Okay.” But Jayne wasn’t done. “Slim Jenkins doesn’t recall LeClaire Tillis throwing herself on Chad’s casket. Why did you make that up, Bethann?”

Bethann frowned and picked at the seam of her leggings. “She almost did. She cried enough for everyone there.”

Jayne pursed her lips like that was a lame answer.

I’d have agreed, but I was on the verge of passing out. I squeezed Jayne’s hand with the energy I had left. “Thank you for your time. We should go.”