Cat's Got Your Arsenic

by Tara Meyers

  CAT’S GOT YOUR ARSENIC

  A Secrets of Sanctuary Cozy Mystery

  Book #3

  TARA MEYERS

  Cat’s Got Your Arsenic

  Copyright © 2018 Tara Meyers

  Forest Grove Books

  Editor Christina Schrunk

  Cover art design Copyright ©Dreams2Media

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

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

  Books by Tara Meyers

  Find these titles on her AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

  The Chris Echo Files

  A Distant Echo (a short story)

  Echo of Fear

  Secrets of Sanctuary Cozy Mysteries

  You Can Lead a Horse to Murder

  Man’s Best Alibi

  Cat’s Got Your Arsenic

  If you have enjoyed these books, you might want to check out her other titles written as Amazon bestselling author, Tara Ellis. These include a fun middle grade mystery series, a young adult science fiction trilogy, and a true stories of survival series!

  Find these books on her AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

  Table of Contents

  Books by Tara Meyers

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  RECIPES

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ONE

  “You didn’t seriously bring me another pie?”

  Ember Burns watched as her best friend and coworker carefully set the covered pan on the front counter of the Sanctuary Veterinary Clinic. Michelle Johns―Mel for short―then plucked off her fur-lined hat, shook out her glossy black hair, and tossed the hat next to the pie, along with her bright red mittens.

  “Delilah brought us a fresh batch this morning.” Mel smiled evilly. She pulled the foil off dramatically, revealing a perfectly baked pumpkin pie. “Don’t tell me you can say no to this!”

  Shaking her head, Ember took a step back. The smell was making her mouth water. “Mel, it’s only December fifteenth, and I’ve already gained three pounds this month. I think you need an intervention.”

  Laughing, Mel produced two plastic forks from an inside pocket of her winter jacket. “The only intervention I need is for learning how to say no to work. Between here and Nature’s Brew, I don’t even know when I sleep anymore. Now, are you going to help me eat this? Because I’m on a fifteen-minute break.”

  Mel worked as Ember’s veterinary assistant during the week and, lately, most weekends. She lived across the street from the clinic in the basement of the town’s only coffee shop, Nature’s Brew. As she’d gained more hours at the clinic, she dropped most of her shifts at the coffeehouse, but she still filled in when needed.

  While Nature’s Brew always had a nice selection of local pastries, they’d begun selling pies made by the owner of a new resort. Mel was obsessed with them.

  “Did Mrs. Emerson find her cat?” Mel asked around a forkful of orange filling.

  Ember broke down and took the offered fork. Frowning, she stabbed at the pie. “No. Unfortunately, Mittens is probably another victim of the coyotes. He was such a beautiful Persian.”

  The small town of Sanctuary was a secluded oasis hidden away in the middle of the Cascades in Washington State. Part of its lure was the isolation provided by the steep wooded mountains surrounding it, but it also lent some unique challenges. That time of year, the coyotes became more desperate for food and therefore bolder. The craggy foothills were buried under several feet of snow, making the hunting scarcer for the smaller predators.

  Ember gazed out the large windows lining the front of her clinic and deftly ate the amazing pumpkin pie while watching large snowflakes tumble silently from the sky. It was almost twilight, which came early that time of year. She’d just finished with her last scheduled appointment of the day and could close up soon. She was looking forward to starting a fire in the large river rock fireplace in her home. There was something about December in the mountains that held a certain magic. Like a breath of excitement being held and slowly let out.

  Waving a hand in front of Ember’s face, Mel chuckled. “I’ll bet you’re thinking about seeing Nathan tomorrow!”

  Blushing, Ember blinked away the glare of the snow to focus on her friend’s face. She didn’t know why she was embarrassed about admitting her feelings to Mel. It wasn’t like it was a secret. “Actually, I was thinking about a warm fire, but I’m definitely looking forward to tomorrow! I wish he’d been able to come back tonight.”

  Nathan Sparks was a local park ranger and one of the nicest guys Ember had ever met. The day before marked the six-month anniversary of her mother’s unexpected death due to a car accident, the event that brought Ember back to her hometown, and while she’d met Nathan shortly after moving back, it had been a process for them to acknowledge their interest in each other due to other circumstances. Just after they’d crossed that milestone, Nathan was sent to a month-long training program in a neighboring state. It was a good step in his career and meant a promotion, but Ember desperately missed him.

  “How about you?” Ember asked, shifting her focus. “Got any big plans for this exciting wintery Saturday night?”

  Mel pushed the pie aside and hopped on the counter, something the petite woman often did. Ember suspected it was because it put her at eye level with her. At twenty-five, Mel was only three years younger than her and bore the geekiness they shared much more openly than Ember.

  “I’m afraid my commoner appearance doesn’t draw in the courters like your fairness, m’lady,” Mel said in her best British accent.

  She was referring to Ember’s unique bright-red hair and green eyes. They were tokens of her father’s Scottish family line, while her coppery skin and build came from her mother’s Lakota Indian ancestry.

  “I believe I saw you speaking with your handsome liege, Cody Walker, earlier over a tall latte?” Ember replied with her own British accent.

  Cody was the local sheriff’s son, and even though Mel frequently jested about a past involvement, Ember hadn’t yet gotten the whole story out of her friend. She only knew Mel liked to make light of it, but it was obvious she still had an interest in the younger man.

  “You spy on me?” Mel gasped in mock surprise.

  “You were standing on the sidewalk in front of the clinic, Mel,” Ember said, dropping her poor attempt at an accent. “So your public display was fair game. Is Cody home from college for winter break?”

  Mel jumped off the counter with a loud thud and grabbed her hat. “Something like that,” she said, keeping it vague.

  Daenerys, Ember’s cinnamon-colored labradoodle came running at the noise. Even the dog was getting neutralized to the pie smells, Ember observed, noting that her canine companion hadn’t already come out begging.

  “How’s my favorite pooch?” Mel babytalked. Kneeling down, she grasped Daenerys’s face in her hands. “I’ve missed you today!”

  Ember
adopted the labradoodle the week she moved back to Sanctuary, and the two had been inseparable ever since. She brought the dog with her to work at the clinic every day. She’d become a favorite of everyone, including her client’s owners. Ember had to make a rule about giving her treats; otherwise, the dog would be grossly overweight by now.

  “Did you decide to take her snowshoeing tomorrow?” Mel asked. Looking up at Ember, she smiled broadly. “Because I’m still available if you want me to babysit.”

  Nathan was all about the outdoors, whether it was summer or winter. Ember hadn’t been surprised when he’d suggested the outing for their first date after his return.

  Looking again at the darkening winter landscape, Ember shook her head. “It’s been years since I’ve gone snowshoeing, but I remember enough to know that Daenerys will be too heavy for all that fresh snow. We’d spend most of the time trying to pull her out! I’m sure she’d love to spend the day with you, but she’s gotten really good about being left at home. She’ll be okay for the six hours or so that we’ll be gone. You don’t have to come over.”

  Standing, Mel pulled her mittens on. “And pass up the opportunity to lounge in your amazing family room all afternoon and drink your coffee? Plus,” she continued as she headed for the door, “then you wouldn’t have to worry about getting back in case things got…delayed.” Winking dramatically, she threw the door open and almost ran headfirst into Marissa Thomas.

  Scoffing, the older woman pulled up short and swung a cat carrier out of the way. “Mel! You never could watch where you were going.” Her gray brows pulled into a stern frown, and Marissa turned abruptly away from Mel to address Ember. “Dr. Burns, this cat is very ill and needs emergency care.”

  Ember did her best not to laugh at the face Mel was making behind her old co-worker and waved absently at her as she left. Marissa Thomas worked for the previous veterinarian for nearly thirty years as his office manager and never got along very well with Mel. Ember offered her old position to her when she’d first reopened the clinic that summer, but Marissa made her retirement official. Since then, Ember had only had a few encounters with her. Unfortunately, they hadn’t gone very well.

  “I didn’t know you had a cat,” Ember said, taking the carrier as she spoke. The stench of vomit almost made her gag.

  “I don’t,” Marissa said curtly. “It’s been hanging around my property a few times this past month, and today I found it retching in my witch hazel. A nasty mess.”

  Marissa followed her back to the first exam room, and Ember paused as she unlatched the crate door. “Oh, I love witch hazel! My mom always kept some growing along the back fence, and as a child, I would make a snow fort under it, pretending that the flowers were magical.”

  Marissa huffed, unmoved by the story. “Are you going to examine it?” she demanded, smoothing back some stray hairs from the tight bun atop her head. She hadn’t removed her heavy white fur coat, and she looked like a large marshmallow, low and squat.

  Ember pulled the poor cat out without answering and did her best to ignore the other woman’s rudeness. She knew it wasn’t personal.

  The black cat was small and had a curious white patch of hair on its lower back that resembled a heart. She remembered Mel telling her about a similar cat with the unique mark.

  “I think it belongs to the woman who opened the Crystal Haven Resort. You know, the one who makes those amazing pies?”

  Marissa took a step back when Ember swung the feline her way and waved a hand defensively. “Don’t turn it toward me! It’s got fluids coming out of every orifice. If you know the owner, I’d appreciate you giving her the message to kindly keep it out of my yard. Good luck.”

  Spinning on her heel, she left the room without another word, and Ember heard the front door chime shortly after.

  Alone in the silent aftermath, she gently set the poor cat down and stroked its head. It was obviously sick, but it didn’t feel like it had a fever. In fact, it was rather cool. Peering into the carrier, Ember saw what looked like blueberries in the vomit.

  “It’s probably a good thing you got all of that out,” she murmured. “I’ll bet you’re already feeling better. We’ll get some fluids in you and then go find your mom.”

  Daenerys poked her head through the door opening and whined, her tail thumping rhythmically against the hardwood floor.

  “Another victim of Christmas dessert,” Ember told her dog. “This is why you need to believe I have good intentions when I don’t feed you from the table.”

  Although confident in her initial diagnosis, Ember pulled the towel out of the crate to get a better look at it. Squinting, she used a pen to poke at the sludge before digging a small plastic container out of the nearby cupboard. After scooping up some of the contents, she set it aside and then focused on rendering aid to the cat.

  While it was likely a bad reaction to something the cat ate, there was a nagging sensation Ember had come to recognize as her unique ability to recognize an anomaly. She’d take care of the cat, but she was definitely going to make a house call to Crystal Haven Resort.

  TWO

  It took nearly two hours to get the cat feeling well enough to move her, but with enough fluids and anti-nausea meds, Ember finally judged it was safe. She would drive near the resort on her way home and could drop her off. However, when she tried to call the resort, no one answered.

  “I hope I don’t end up having to take you to my house,” Ember cooed to the sleeping feline. “Peaches might not like it.” Peaches had been her mother’s cat. He was a large black longhair who got his name because of his love for the fruit that grew in the backyard. Although Peaches was tolerant of other animals, Ember didn’t know how he’d react to another cat being inside.

  After selecting one of her own clean carriers, she locked up the clinic and loaded the cat and Daenerys into her old Ford pickup. That was another thing she’d inherited from her mom. Though it had certainly seen better days, it was still reliable. It was also good for moving animals around, as well as the equipment she sometimes needed for the large farm animals. Besides, it had four-wheel drive, and while she enjoyed her very economical sedan parked in the garage at home, she needed the truck to maneuver the snowy roads.

  Daenerys whined at the carrier when Ember settled it into the space behind the bench seat. She wore such an expression of concern that Ember couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Don’t worry, girl,” she assured her dog. “We’re going to try and find her home.”

  The snow had been growing in intensity throughout the day, and several inches covered the tracks she’d made that morning. Though used to driving in the snow, it had been several years since Ember spent a winter in Sanctuary. A small stirring of anxiety made her pulse race, and she took a deep breath before backing out onto Main Street.

  It was only six at night, but it was as dark as midnight. Twinkling Christmas lights lined the street, entangled in the fresh evergreen garland draped between the antique light posts. Sanctuary was quaint on any given day, which was why it was popular with tourists, but during Christmas, it was hard to beat.

  After two blocks, Ember turned east toward Crystal Lake. It began just beyond the city limits and extended for several miles toward the sweeping mountains. It earned its name from the crystal-clear quality of the water fed by glacier runoff. Ember’s twenty acres sat at the northeastern end and was the last house on a gravel road.

  Turning away from the road that led to her house, she followed a street with the very unoriginal name of Lakefront and watched for the resort sign. She’d passed it several times since the new business opened in July but had never been there.

  As Ember rounded a gentle curve that followed the shoreline, she was greeted by strobing red and blue lights that made the curtain of snow look as if it were dancing in the air. Momentarily blinded, she slowed and blinked rapidly before realizing the display was coming from her destination.

  A large wooden sign marked the Crystal Haven Resort entrance
and blocked out the dizzying display for a moment as Ember passed it. It appeared that the resort grounds consisted of a large sweeping vista of the lake, dotted with towering evergreens and four tidy cabins. A bigger lodge was in the distance, and Ember assumed it was the main dwelling for the owner.

  However, the narrow gravel road was blocked by two Haven County police cruisers. She pulled up next to the plainly marked SUV that Ember knew belonged to Sheriff Walker and sat for a moment, contemplating her next move.

  It was clear some sort of crisis was unfolding. There were multiple large tire marks surrounding the police vehicles. Two of them extended into the grass where the tell-tale clumps of green and dirt were kicked up from where they’d been stuck.

  An ambulance? Ember wondered.

  She tapped at the steering wheel and chewed her bottom lip. Obviously, this was why the owner hadn’t answered her phone when Ember tried to call. Her options were to leave with the cat and try again later or go looking.

  The door to the small cabin closest to the vehicles was open, and Ember could see shadows moving inside. She knew both the sheriff and deputy well, but she still hesitated to walk into a scene. She had a habit and a bit of a sordid reputation for finding trouble, so she avoided it whenever possible.

  A small pathetic meow came from behind Ember and helped solidify the decision she’d already made. It was probably just a medical call for one of the guests. She was sure the owner would be relieved to have her cat back.

  “Stay,” Ember said firmly to Daenerys. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  Stepping into the frigid night, she pulled her winter coat closed and cinched up the hood. Off the road, the snow was nearly over the top of her boots, and Ember carefully picked her way toward the idyllic cabin.