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  J shared a conspiratorial nod with the ghost before running off. Max turned to his partner. “What kind of trouble are you planning with that boy?”

  “Just some wholesome good times at a beach. Y’know, a little bonding time. Besides, it’s my duty as his uncle to teach him all the important things.”

  “Do I even want to know what those things are?”

  “Probably not. Think of it like the education you can’t provide because you have to be a good parent.”

  Max gazed at Sandra but she laughed. “Don’t look at me. You’re the one who brought this ghost into our lives.”

  With a flick of his hat, Drummond said, “Best decision he ever made.”

  Max turned back to his closet. He grabbed the yellow shirt, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it in the trash. “Now I’m ready to pack.”

  Sandra said, “Okay. No backing out. We’re going to the beach.”

  “That’s right. We’re going to the beach.” He leaned over and kissed her. “As a family.”

  Afterword

  Thank you, once again, for riding along with me, Max, Sandra, Drummond, and all the rest of the gang. This series will forever hold a special place in my heart, and from the comments you all send me, the same can be said for you. But before I offend Drummond by getting too mushy, let’s get into what you really want out of this Afterword:

  Of the history involved in this tale, the biggest event was the Lawson Family Massacre. Everything I wrote about it is entirely true. I took no liberties with this horrible event other than in describing the current state of the location. Since it is private property, I decided not to act like Max and trespass. I did, however, use available images from Google Maps to get a rough idea of the area. If you’re interested in learning about the Lawson family and finding out in great detail about everything that led up to the murders, the murders themselves, and the aftermath, then you should check out The Meaning of our Tears by Trudy J. Smith. This well-researched book relies heavily on firsthand accounts which give the book an authenticity and depth you won’t find anywhere else.

  Odd Fellows Cemetery is real as is the sad circumstances of its existence. The construction of Business 40 is real and ongoing as of this writing, though the tragedies surrounding it are mostly from my imagination. However, the history of the road is true, including the controversy over the Hawthorne Curve. Oh, and Lexington BBQ is a real and wonderful place to eat. If you’re ever in the area and want to try what the real thing tastes like, you can do no better.

  Tragedy groups, to the best of my knowledge, do not exist. I made them up for the story. Though, I admit, I would not be surprised to discover some version of the idea either once did or currently does exist. After all the years writing this series and all the research I have done, I don’t shock easily.

  I’d like to use this last bit of space to thank Dr. Darin Kennedy for his friendship and his medical knowledge, Francesca Resta for another incredible cover, my Launch Team for their vigilant eye and joyous encouragement, and of course, to my wife and son for their constant support.

  Most of all, I can never stop thanking you, my readers. None of these stories get to exist without you reading them. Thank you.

  More Max Porter will be coming soon!

  While you wait, try out Stuart Jaffe’s Parallel Society series!

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  About the Author

  Stuart Jaffe is the madman behind The Max Porter Paranormal Mysteries, the Nathan K thrillers, The Parallel Society series, The Malja Chronicles, The Bluesman, Founders, Real Magic, and so much more. His unique brand of old pulp adventure mixed with a contemporary sensibility brings out the best in a variety of SF/F sub-genres. He trained in martial arts for over a decade until a knee injury ended that practice. Now, he plays lead guitar in a local blues band, The Bootleggers, and enjoys life on a small farm in rural North Carolina. For those who continue to keep count, the animal list is as follows: one dog, two cats, two aquatic turtles, and fifteen chickens. The horse is now at a new pasture. She’s having a wonderful time hanging with a herd of thirty other horses. Much better for her. As best as he’s been able to manage, Stuart has made sure that the chickens do not live in the house.

  Copyright Information

  Southern Souls is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  SOUTHERN SOULS

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 2019 by Stuart Jaffe

  Cover art by Francesca Resta

  First Edition: November, 2019