Pawsitively Fatal (Silver Springs Cozy Mystery Series Book 4)

by Ginny Gold

  “Not that I know of. And I’m pretty sure Detective Daniel Stevens would have let me know about that by now.” She’ll have to ask him today when she calls about Travis’s whereabouts.

  “Well, if I was alive, my focus would be on Kami and Anya.”

  “What about Mona?”

  “No. I’m almost positive she didn’t do it. We got on great.”

  Maggie had her suspicions yesterday that Mona wasn’t being completely honest about the finances of Flower Power, but James’s comments change that instantly. “You know there were some fishy things going on with the books, don’t you?” she asks.

  James sighs again. “I guess now that I’m dead there’s no use in hiding that. Yes, I knew. It wasn’t on Mona. It was on me.”

  That only further confirms for Maggie that Mona is innocent. She thought that maybe Mona had been cooking the books and James had found out about it and threatened her. But now it looks like none of that is the case.

  “Okay, Anya and Kami. I’m on it,” Maggie says, but there is no response.

  CHAPTER 22

  Maggie replaces the receiver and leaves the phone booth. She sighs as she sits in Clem’s office again. With her feet up on the desk, she leans back and relaxes. She needs a plan to get Anya and Kami into the store but nothing comes to mind.

  The front door opens and Maggie stands, the chair banging against the back of her knees with her sudden movement. “It’s just us,” Ginger Rae calls.

  Maggie is relieved. She’d rather not have to make small talk with strangers whose business she needs. She’s not a salesperson. Eventually Clem will figure that out and Maggie will have to earn her keep some other way.

  “We come bearing coffee,” Winona says when Maggie walks out of the office.

  Maggie’s shoulders drop in thanks. She hasn’t stopped thinking about coffee and the women must have read her mind.

  “Let me get some more chairs,” Maggie says and heads back into the office. She pushes two chairs with wheels toward the cash register so there is enough seating for all four of them around the small table. They all take a seat.

  “We knew you’d need more caffeine after your late night and early morning,” Erline says once they’re all comfortable with their to-go cups of dark liquid gold.

  “You know me too well.” Maggie smiles.

  “And we bring news, too,” Ginger Rae announces with a broad grin and wide eyes.

  “Oh?” Maggie asks, taking a sip. It’s the perfect temperature, having cooled down in the short walk from The Coffee Bean.

  All the women nod excitedly and exchange glances. Finally Erline speaks up. “Tess wasn’t at work today.”

  Maggie shrugs. “That’s barely news worthy.”

  “But her boss, Sylvie, doesn’t know where she is. She was beside herself with anger. The coffee shop was buzzing with customers and one of her two employees doesn’t show up? Seems like Tess might be up to no good,” Ginger Rae rattles off.

  Maggie thinks back to her conversation with James. Was he not telling her everything? Why would he want to protect Tess if he thought she could be guilty? It doesn’t add up. “I don’t know,” Maggie says, skepticism lacing every word.

  Winona shrugs and smiles. “We just thought you’d want to know. Come on ladies, clearly we’re not needed here. And I have dogs to take to the dog park.”

  Winona stands but Maggie isn’t ready to be alone again already. “Wait,” she says, holding up her left hand, her right holding her coffee possessively. “I do need someone’s help.”

  Winona sits back down, a satisfied smile on her lips. “Okay,” she says, not committing to anything, but Maggie can tell she’s ready to help.

  “I have to be here all day, but I want to talk to Kami and Anya. Can you figure out a way to get them here?” Maggie knows that once they’re here, talking about Travis’s arrest—she’s still hopeful Daniel has caught him—and disappearance from James’s estate will be a conversation they’re both all too willing to have. But the key is to get them to Two Sisters.

  “Oh, I think we can manage that,” Ginger Rae says, smiling from ear to ear, pleased to be asked to get into the thick of things.

  The front door opens again and Maggie excuses herself to help new customers she doesn’t recognize. “Can I help you find anything?” Maggie asks.

  The husband nods. “Yes. We heard that you’ll be getting some new inventory soon and we wanted to put down a deposit.”

  Maggie raises her eyebrow. “New inventory? I guess we’re always getting new inventory.”

  The man chuckles. “This isn’t just anything. There are three carvings coming from James Vaughn’s estate.”

  Maggie is shocked. Who is this couple and how did they hear about James leaving items to Two Sisters?

  “I can tell from your expression that I’m correct. Now,” he pulls his wallet from his back pocket, “how much can I put down to ensure that no one else will purchase them?”

  Maggie holds up her hand to stop him. “I’m sorry. We don’t take deposits.”

  The man’s face falls. “This is a guaranteed sale,” he protests.

  “Yes, but it’s not our policy.”

  “I don’t think you understand,” he says aggressively and takes a step closer to Maggie, shrinking the small space between them. His wife gently touches his arm but it has no effect on his demeanor.

  Maggie doesn’t back down and she closes the gap between them even further. “No, I don’t think you understand.” She consciously doesn’t raise her voice or point her finger at his chest like she so desperately wants. “I would be happy to take your name and number and give you a call once the carvings are in our possession. Until then, I think it’d be best if you leave.”

  The man huffs and removes a business card from his wallet. He thrusts it into Maggie’s hand and turns on his heel, his wife meekly following after giving Maggie an apologetic smile.

  Maggie returns to her seat with her friends and picks up her coffee. She reads the name on the business card—Thomas LeClair—and knows this isn’t the end of their interactions. He must be related to Anya.

  “Did you know him?” Maggie asks the three women who are all staring at her, expectant looks on each of their faces.

  They all shake their heads in response. “And I don’t think I want to know him either,” Ginger Rae says dramatically. She stands before another customer can come in and adds, “We better get going, ladies. We have work to do.” Ginger Rae’s eyes sparkle in excitement. “Kami and Anya aren’t going to show up here on their own.” She smiles and all three of them strut to the front door.

  Maggie is alone again. She cleans up the empty coffee cups and returns the extra chairs to Clem’s office, making herself as busy as possible. When still no customers come inside, Maggie has to get creative to stay entertained. She pulls out her cell phone and calls Daniel. She’s itching for an update on Travis.

  “Hi Maggie,” Daniel answers. She’s still always thrown by everyone having caller ID on their phones.

  “Hi Daniel. I wondered if you found Travis last night and what’s going on with that,” she says, jumping right into the reason for her call.

  “Sorry I didn’t call you sooner. We found him and arrested him. You don’t have anything else to worry about.”

  Maggie breathes a sigh of relief. One item checked off her list of things to worry about.

  “I wondered if you’d heard about Tess’s disappearance though,” Daniel continues.

  Maggie pauses. “I heard she didn’t show up to work today,” she says vaguely, though that’s all she actually knows. “Why are you asking?” Maggie has her suspicions that Tess could be involved in James’s murder because her name keeps appearing, but she doesn’t have nearly enough information to put her at the top of the suspect list. Anya and Kami occupy the first two spots now that Travis has been confirmed innocent. Of James’s murder, at least.

  “Her roommate alerted me to her absence. And we confirmed wit
h her employer, Sylvie Moseby at The Coffee Bean, that she didn’t show up for work either.”

  “So a missing persons case has been opened?” Maggie asks.

  “Not yet. It’s still too early. I just wondered if you’d heard anything.”

  “Nothing that can be of use. But I’ll keep my ears open.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  They say quick goodbyes and the front door of Two Sisters opens just as Maggie hangs up. She hears hurried footsteps and looks up to see Mona staring at her, tears streaming down her face and fear in her eyes.

  CHAPTER 23

  Maggie slips her phone back into her handbag and turns her full attention to Mona. “What’s wrong?” she asks, touching Mona’s arm gently and guiding her to sit in the chair opposite Maggie.

  Mona pulls a tissue from her pocket and wipes at her eyes. It takes her several attempts to compose herself but finally says, “I don’t know what happened to Tess. She went out late last night and I haven’t seen her since. She never spends the whole night out. And then I heard from Gina at The Coffee Bean that she didn’t show up to work. I’m worried something happened to her and the police won’t do anything about it. They say it’s too early.” Once she gets talking she can’t seem to stop, the words spilling from her mouth in a torrent of panic.

  “Okay,” Maggie says calmly. Her heart rate picks up but she manages to keep her voice quiet and composed. She hopes that will help Mona settle down. “When did she leave?”

  Mona shakes her head. “Before midnight. I remember hearing the front door slam. She didn’t tell me where she was going. I’m worried she knows I came to you and told you she didn’t have a good relationship with James.”

  “That’s hardly a reason to get upset with you,” Maggie reassures her.

  Mona nods but her face reveals that she doesn’t believe a word Maggie is saying.

  “Where might she have gone? A boyfriend’s place? Any family in Silver Springs or nearby?” As they talk more, Maggie starts to wonder if Tess’s past with James could be worse than anyone knows; if she could hold such a strong grudge that she could kill him.

  Mona nods again and looks at her hands in her lap, her fingers twisting around each other. “There’s one place. But I’ve been afraid to go and look.” She looks up and meets Maggie’s eye. “She might have gone to the river.”

  “In the middle of the night?” Maggie blurts out before she can stop herself.

  Mona nods. “She’s gone before when she can’t sleep.”

  “Even in the middle of winter?” Last night was especially cold.

  “Mm hmm. But she always comes back within an hour or two. And there was no sign of her this morning. I never heard her come back in either.” Another round of tears flows freely down Mona’s cheeks.

  Maggie looks at the clock. It’s not yet noon and business always picks up after lunch. Would it really be so bad if she closed for half an hour to go to the river with Mona? Tess’s life could be in jeopardy.

  Or she might not have gone there at all. If she’s guilty of James’s murder and thought she was suddenly at risk of getting caught, she could have fled town last night. Either way, Maggie wants to know. And Detective Daniel Stevens will want to know as well.

  Maggie makes up her mind and picks up her handbag. “Let’s go check to see if we can find her car.”

  She stands confidently and Mona follows her lead. Maggie quickly locks the back door, then meets Mona at the front of the store. She turns the sign to Closed and locks up. She doesn’t let herself think what Clem would say if she knew. And there’s a good enough chance that she’ll find out through word of mouth when she returns.

  Maggie walks toward the end of the block like she’s on a mission and Mona has to jog every few steps to keep up. “My car is over by the town offices. We’ll drive together. Do you know where at the river she might have gone?”

  “I think so,” Mona says between deep, calming breaths. Maggie slows her feet down, but only slightly. Every second counts and Tess has been missing for nearly twelve hours already.

  Maggie unlocks her Prius and they both get in without a word. “Where to?” Maggie asks as she drives out of the parking lot and toward Main Street. They’re only two blocks from the Spring River on the east end of town but there are miles of bike trails that would be perfect for winter walking.

  “Head south,” Mona says when they reach River Road, and Maggie turns right.

  She drives slowly, waiting for more directions, but nothing comes for a few miles. She glances at Mona several times and her eyes are trained on the passing parking lots. All of them are empty so far and it crosses Maggie’s mind that she could be going on a wild goose chase.

  “There,” Mona suddenly shouts, pointing across Maggie toward the upcoming pull-off. “That’s Tess’s car.”

  Maggie’s stomach drops at the sight of it. She turns left and parks alongside the small sedan. The driver’s door is wide open and Maggie gets out of her Prius to take a closer look.

  Maggie feels Mona follow her but she can tell that Mona doesn’t actually want to be there. She doesn’t want to see whatever clues will point toward Tess’s fate.

  Maggie is careful not to touch anything, leaning into the car but keeping her hands clear of any car parts. She doesn’t want to leave any trace that she’s been inside the car.

  The first clue—after the open driver’s door—that something is amiss is the car keys in the ignition. Maggie can’t come up with a single reason why Tess would have left the keys in the car. She’s not sure if Mona has seen this detail so she doesn’t say anything, not wanting to upset her even further.

  “Look,” Mona says and Maggie turns around.

  Mona is pointing at the snow. There are tracks leading away from the car, a single set of footprints and a wide path next to them, like the owner of the footprints was dragging a deadweight.

  Maggie follows the footprints and her heart sinks further. Blood spatters make her pull out her cell phone and call Daniel at the police station.

  CHAPTER 24

  Detective Daniel Stevens arrives minutes later with Officer Joan Malin. Maggie has been carefully following the footprints as far as she’s comfortable, but she wants to stay in sight of the parking lot. She can see that the trail heads toward the river but turns around and walks back to Tess’s car to talk to Daniel.

  “You were right to call,” Daniel tells Maggie after he scans the footprints, the trail of something being dragged, and the clues in the car pointing toward what might have happened to Tess overnight.

  “What do you think happened?” Maggie asks, concern in her voice. She glances at Mona sitting in Maggie’s Prius, her phone in front of her face. Maggie didn’t want Mona to hear any more details than absolutely necessary.

  Daniel follows her gaze before he answers. “It certainly doesn’t look good for Tess. We’ll have to go through the car to look for fibers or DNA to find out if someone else was here, but with the bloody trail, I wouldn’t call this a rescue mission. More like a recovery.”

  Maggie knows that’s a gentle and obscure way of telling her Daniel thinks Tess is dead.

  Maggie nods once and Daniel turns toward Officer Malin. They discuss their game plan and Maggie knows she’s been dismissed. She heads back to her car and sits heavily in the driver’s seat.

  “What’s going on?” Mona asks. Tears have returned to her eyes and Maggie wishes she knew how to comfort her.

  Maggie meets Mona’s gaze and holds it before answering. “Detective Stevens and Officer Malin are going to look for clues as to where Tess might be.” She pauses. “Is there someone I can call for you? Or somewhere I can bring you?”

  Maggie doesn’t want to be heartless, but she has a business to run and she’s been too lax about it for the past two days.

  “Just back to Flower Power. I have to get back to work. Krystal will be worried about me and it’s not fair for me to leave everything to her.”

  Maggie star
ts the car and turns the heat on high. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, but the air isn’t even remotely warm.

  They drive silently back to Main Street and Maggie drops Mona off in front of the flower shop. She parks at the town offices again and enters Two Sisters through the back door, making sure to immediately unlock the front door and turn the sign back to Open. As soon as she turns around, the bell above the door clangs and Maggie turns to see Anya LeClair entering.

  Maggie takes a deep breath to calm herself. She wants to talk to Anya, but after the last hour, she’d much rather have some downtime with no customers, or suspects, showing up.

  “Hi Anya,” Maggie says as friendly as she can muster.

  “I understand Travis has been arrested and will no longer be working on James’s affairs. You had a hand in this. Is this your way of prolonging an already painful process?” Anya’s eyes bore holes into Maggie’s head.

  Maggie takes another deep breath, wondering what Ginger Rae told her to get her to come to Two Sisters. “Why don’t you come sit. Can I get you some tea?”

  Anya looks dumbfounded, her mouth hanging half open. She was clearly looking to get a rise out of Maggie, some kind of heated response. Maggie’s calm, friendly question catches her off guard.

  Hesitantly, Anya follows Maggie. “Yes . . . tea would be . . . nice,” she says to Maggie’s back as they walk toward the back of the store.

  Maggie takes her time with the water and tea bags. She finds more hidden in Clem’s desk drawers. She wants to put as much time as possible between Anya’s initial anger and their upcoming conversation so Anya can calm down. Finally, she has nothing left with which to distract herself and she’s forced to bring the mugs, water and tea bags to the small table between the two chairs next to the cash register.

  “Thank you,” Anya says, picking up the kettle and pouring hot water over her selected tea bag—ginger, Maggie notices. Not her favorite. She finds it too strong, with a bite.