She starts to take off, and I snatch her by the back of her dress. Nicki trips and stumbles to the ground, taking me right along with her.
“Get off of me!” she riots as she struggles to rise, but I manage to pin her down with my elbow. “So what if I lied about Devin? Who cares about that ridiculous girl?”
“You did lie about Devin,” I pant as I search the ground as if looking for clues. “Oh my God, it was you who wanted children! You wanted to have Perry’s kids, and he wouldn’t give them to you. You were obsessed with him, and it wasn’t enough that you got to work alongside him. You wanted him as your own in every way.”
“I did.” She closes her eyes and winces as if the truth hurt to verbalize. “I loved him. And I knew that he would love me. He said he tried, but that I wasn’t the one for him. I gave him everything. But he wanted Devin. She’s just using him. He came out for fresh air that night of his show, and I followed him. We had an argument. I tried to tell him that Bud is Devin’s boyfriend, not her brother, and he laughed at me. He said I was a nutcase. He said I couldn’t have him. He said I could never have him. I tried to hold him and he pushed me away. I went for him a second time and my hand hooked onto his gun. I was out of my mind with grief. If I couldn’t have him, nobody could. So I killed him.”
A breath expels from me.
A confession. I’m not sure why, but it’s more than I was expecting tonight.
“You’re going to tell the detective exactly what you told me.”
“I’m not speaking.” She gives a little laugh. “And unfortunately, you’ll be unable to say a single word—ever again.” She snatches the lumbering award from my hand and bashes me over the head with it before I can process what’s happening.
A horrid groan comes from me as the pain ricochets long after she stops.
I try to reach for the brass statue just as she’s about to crash it down over me once again, but I catch her wrist instead and we struggle for it.
“You don’t knock me over the head and get away with it,” I grit the words through my teeth as we wrestle it out. Nicki turns me over and pins me to the ground. And just as she’s about to deliver another blow with that brass bruiser, I buck her off and the statue goes flying.
I pop to my feet and land my foot over her back just as a small crowd thunders in this direction.
“Bowie!” Shep roars as he reaches for his gun, and Opal, Tilly, and Richard Broadman come running out after him.
“She confessed.” I take a stumbling step back as Nicki starts to crawl away on her hands and knees. But Shep has her in his arms and handcuffed before I can catch my next breath.
“She killed Perry Flint,” I say as she turns my way, tears streaming down her face. “She was the stalker. She admitted everything. She used Perry’s gun to kill him.”
Nora Grimsley appears with her weapon drawn, and in just a few minutes, the place is crawling with sheriff’s deputies.
Opal shuffles over and lifts my chin with her finger. “You’re a keeper, kid. Don’t expect a raise.” She gives a little wink before heading back inside.
Tilly hops over. “Don’t worry, Bowie. I know where she keeps the good stuff. You want me to pour you a stiff one?”
I shake my head. “But thanks for the offer.”
She pulls me in for a quick embrace. “You’re a tough cookie, Bowie Binx. I’m glad you’re one of the good guys.” She takes off, and I think about her words.
I’m not one of the good guys.
I’m one of the bad guys on the run.
Nora takes off with Nicki, and I spot Richard talking to one of the sheriff’s deputies.
Shep steps up with his hands in his pockets, and those eerie glowing eyes of his are pinned on mine.
“You okay?”
“I’m great.” It comes out without the proper enthusiasm. “I suppose you want me to apologize for interfering in your case.”
He shakes his head. “No apology necessary. It’s over. I’m a big believer in forgetting the past and moving on.”
I close my eyes a moment.
My God, how I wish the whole world felt that way. But would I really want to go back to Hastings?
When I arrived in Starry Falls, I thought this was the backward upside-down world. And now that I’ve spent a little time here, soaked in the freedom and the beauty of this place, I’m starting to believe it was the other way around.
A hand warms my arm, and I open my eyes to find Shep’s lips curled as he nods my way.
“Let me take you home.”
Shep drives me back to the cabin and walks me to the door.
“Bowie?” I look back before heading inside. “If you need anything, anything at all, I’m right next door. Come by anytime. Any hour.” He nods as if beckoning me to do so.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “Goodnight, Shep.”
I head inside, but I don’t go to bed. I can’t sleep, so I work all hours into the night on that little gift I’m making for my Uncle Vinnie and I finish the very last stitch just as dawn breaks.
I’m safe.
Meow.
Chapter 19
I did it.
Less than a day after Nicki Magnolia’s arrest, I came up with an idea that landed both Opal and me swimming in a sea of green.
I was in the library, holding Molly and petting King, with an entire swarm of attention-hungry kitties corralled around me, when a lightning bolt struck.
Cats in the library.
What on earth could possibly be more inventive than that?
I would have paid money to spend time cuddling up with a furry friend. Curling up with a good book would simply be a bonus. And speaking of bonuses, instead of demanding a cover charge for our new event, the way Opal insisted, I suggested a donation jar to help care for the cats. And judging by the way it’s been filling up and overflowing, the cats, Opal, and I will all be taken care of nicely. The cats won’t mind sharing. It’s only fair Opal and I get our cut.
So today, Opal has opened the doors to the manor library for its very first reading with cats program. For three hours every day, people of all ages are invited to sit and lounge in the manor library and chase down all the cute kitties while reading some good books.
We even went a step further and got the local library to bring out a couple of rolling carts of an assortment of books. The cozy mysteries seem to be a favorite among the Stitch Witchery crowd, and there are enough thrillers, young adult, and chapter books to appease just about everyone. But the real stars of the show are the furry creatures filling every nook and cranny of this place. Tails are whipping around with glee, while the sound of purring amplifies throughout the room.
Flo and Mud are manning the literary fort, so I head back to the café where I spot Tilly talking to Lee.
“Bowie Binx.” Lee grins, and ironically it’s the only time he actually doesn’t resemble his brother. Other than the sexy grin, they’re just about interchangeable.
He pulls a set of keys out of his pocket and dangles them before me.
“Your chariot awaits. I took her for a spin, and even topped the tank off for you.” He lands the keys in the palm of my hand, hot as flames.
“Oh my goodness,” I say as I close my hand around them. “Thank you. How much do I owe you?”
His shoulders jerk. “Seeing that my brother considers you a friend, I’ll let it slide this time. But be good to Wanda.” He gives a little wink. “And she just might be good to you.”
“Thank you.” I blow out a breath as I look at the keys in my hand. Right now, they’re a portal to another universe entirely, and yet not a single part of me wants to go. I packaged up that pillow I made for my Uncle Vinnie and addressed it to the pizza shop he owns. I could drive to Woodley and mail it before heading up north and getting lost in Canadian mountains, thick with pines.
Tilly snaps her fingers in front of my face.
“Earth to Bowie?” she hums. “I said we’re bugging out. Lee’s taking me to Granby for dinn
er. Jessie is with her dad, and I am free for the entire weekend.” She takes up his hand and swings it. “We’re ducking out of the country for a little not-so-friendly getaway. Cover my shift, would you?”
“Granby, Canada?”
“Yeah, Quebec.” She frowns slightly. “Are you okay?”
“Oh yes. A thought just came to me.” I nod her to the side. “Would you mind if I gave you something to drop in the mail for me once you got there? I’m sending an old friend a little something. And you know what? I bet they would be thrilled if it came all the way from Canada.” I pull a few too many bills out of my pocket. “Keep the change.”
“You better believe I will.” She snatches it from me with glee as I quickly retrieve the package for her.
They take off, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
It’s happening.
I’ve made my decision, and I’m not running off to Canada anytime soon. I don’t see the harm in staying in Starry Falls for a little while longer—maybe even forever.
I head behind the counter, taking a few orders, and as soon as I finish up with the customers, Shep strides in, looking sharp in a dark blazer and a tie that matches his pale eyes.
He’s heart-stopping in just about every capacity, and how I hate that my heart demands to stop in homage of his good looks.
But it’s more than that. I like Shep as a person. And if I’m really honest with myself, I’m falling for him—hard.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Shepherd Wexler,” I tease.
“Well, well”—a slow spreading smile takes over his face just the way it did in my vision the other night—“if it isn’t Stella Santini.”
The smile drops from both his face and mine.
And just like that, I may never have anything to smile about again.
*Need more Starry Falls? Pick up A Dreadful Meow-ment (MEOW FOR MURDER 2) coming up next!
Love talking pets? Need the next book in the Country Cottage Mysteries series? Pick it up today!
Cat Scratch Cleaver (Country Cottage Mysteries 8)
Book Description
The Country Cottage Inn is known for its hospitality. Leaving can be murder.
My name is Bizzy Baker, and I can read minds. Not every mind, not every time, but most of the time, and believe me when I say, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
The inn is being featured in a movie, and it seems as if all of Hollywood has descended on Cider Cove. But something sinister is happening. One of the lead actors ends up dead, and to make things worse, someone is terrorizing the guests of the inn. The guests may be on edge, but I’m determined to put an end to the killer’s reign of terror.
Bizzy Baker runs the Country Cottage Inn, has the ability to pry into the darkest recesses of both the human and animal mind, and has just stumbled upon a body. With the help of her kitten, Fish, a mutt named Sherlock Bones, and an ornery yet dangerously good-looking homicide detective, Bizzy is determined to find the killer.
Cider Cove, Maine is the premier destination for fun and relaxation. But when a body turns up, it’s the premier destination for murder.
1
Eleven Years Earlier
It’s cold, dark, and by the looks of those purple welts in the sky, it’s going to pour at any moment.
“I don’t get why we had to come all the way out to the shore at midnight.” I pull my sweatshirt on as Hezzy, Roxy, and I huddle in a circle on the sand. “It’s the middle of summer, but it feels like winter. ‘Midnight knows no season,’ my father always says.”
Hezzy scoffs. “New rule. No one brings up their parents, especially not you, Leeny. This is serious. And if you’re not going to take it that way, we can just go back.”
The whites of Roxy’s eyes glint in the night. “Who goes first?” Her voice quivers.
Roxy always pretends she’s brave for Hezzy. I’m so sick of it.
Hezzy looks my way and bleeds a dark smile.
“No way.” The words sputter from me.
“Yes.” Hezzy’s voice is tight as the wind blows her hair into the sky. “We’re all taking turns tonight, so it doesn’t even matter.” A thick silence crops up. “Fine, you big crybaby. I’ll go first.”
“I’ll do it,” I hear myself say. I guess I like to pretend I’m brave for Hezzy, too. And the last thing I want is for her to call me a crybaby for the next two years. Besides, I can lie about what I see. I can make up anything. I can scare the pants off both Hezzy and Roxy from ever wanting to try something like this again. And yet a part of me is curious as to what lies on the other side as well. I wouldn’t be on the sand at this late hour if I wasn’t. After all, it was my fascination with the afterlife that got the ball rolling.
“Lie down,” Roxy instructs as she helps me onto one of the beach towels we dragged out with us. “Close your eyes,” she says, and before I do, I see Hezzy placing her own towel over my face.
“Hey.” I push her off. “What are you doing? I’m going to hold my breath, remember?”
Hezzy rolls her eyes. “People don’t die by holding their breath. You’ll pass out at best. Once you pass out, I’ll hold this over you for a few extra seconds. Long enough for you to get a glimpse.” Her lips curve as she looks to Roxy. “And then we’ll wake you right up.”
Roxy nods. “I swear, I will stomp on your chest if I have to. You’re not staying on the other side. You’re just going for a little visit.”
“Fine. But don’t press that thing against me so tight,” I say, flicking the towel in Hezzy’s hand. “It freaks me out.”
“Whatever.”
I close my eyes and hold my breath as Hezzy lands the towel gently over my face. My life blinks before my eyes. Not in the way they say. But I can’t help thinking of my parents, my sister. Thank God this isn’t real. But I can’t shake this dark feeling.
I hold my breath until my lungs feel as if they’re about to burst and I take a quick, hot gasp of air from the towel. I try to push it from my face and it’s pressed down over my nose and mouth even harder.
“Not yet,” I hear one of them say.
“Knock it off,” I mumble as I struggle to free myself from it, but one of them pins down my hands over my head.
I scream. I fight.
My entire body writhes as I try to get out from under their stronghold.
Can’t breathe.
Help me.
I don’t want to die.
My entire life plays out like a movie, quick and in snatches.
Please stop!
My hands break free and they pin them down again. The towel presses so hard over my face it feels like fire.
My mind fades in and out until I succumb to utter darkness.
And then I’m floating, rising above the scene. I see Roxy holding me down. Hezzy with both hands pressed over my face, her body right over mine as she bears all her weight into the effort.
I rise higher into the night.
My poor body, I muse as I soar into the black sky as it turns navy, then purple as the stars brighten all around me. A white light sits up ahead and I’m flying now, soaring.
This is unstoppable.
Inevitable.
It’s really happening now. But I want to go back. I’d give anything to go back.
I didn’t do this. I didn’t want this.
Hezzy and Roxy did this.
And I won’t let them get away with murder.
Present Day
My name is Bizzy Baker, and I can read minds. Not every mind, not every time, but it happens, and believe me when I say, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Like now for instance.
Look at that tramp. The older brunette next to me snarls at the scene before us. I see that come hither look she’s giving my husband. And what’s worse? The entire world sees it, too. I know she’s slept with him. How else could she have possibly gotten the job? It’s safe to say the casting couch is very much alive.
My mouth is agape just listening in on her private musings.
&nb
sp; I’m standing behind the counter at the Country Cottage Café, the beachfront eatery attached to the Country Cottage Inn, which I’ve been managing for the last four years. The inn itself is set in coastal Maine, right up against a turquoise blue cove from which it derives its name, Cider Cove, my hometown.
It’s a late evening in the middle of a sweltering summer, and the café has been taken over by a local production company filming a movie entitled Cat Scratch Fever, about a young woman who does whatever it takes to climb the corporate ladder, including sleeping her way to the top.
And after inadvertently listening in on this poor woman’s thoughts, I’m beginning to think the same is true of Heather Kent, the lead actress currently belting out her lines.
I adjust the tray of s’mores bars on the counter in front of me.
My best friend, Emmie, who works at the café, actually made them for the cast and crew, but the director thought they would look good in the scene they’re in the middle of shooting.
He said they would add a flair of authenticity. And they certainly add something, with their graham cracker cookie base, layered with chocolate, marshmallow frosting, and graham cracker crumble on top. The cast and crew haven’t been able to keep their hands off them. Lucky for all of us, Emmie made enough to feed all of Maine.
The Country Cottage Café is a cozy, pet friendly diner on most days, but this evening it’s been transformed into a cinematic warzone with dozens of people milling around from the production team, ranging from hair, makeup, sound, cameramen, and about a billion others who are all seemingly important to the crew.
When I was approached by Peter Olsen, the director, a few weeks ago, I thought it would be fun to have a few shots taken inside the café and around the inn. I had no idea we’d have to shut the café down to the guests of the inn for an entire day. Worse yet, our rival café, Bread and Butter from down the street, has been called in to cater the event. And to add insult to injury, they offered to cater to the guests as well. I couldn’t say no and let my guests go hungry, so the Bread and Butter it is.
An Awful Cat-titude (MEOW FOR MURDER Book 1) Page 15
