Leighann Dobbs - Mystic Notch 01 - Ghostly Paws Read Free Page B

any clues?”
    “Two clues. The person was wearing a cape and had a big ring.”
    Pepper frowned. “A cape? Like a super hero?”
    I laughed. “More like a super villain. I’m not sure if her account is reliable … she only saw a shadow of the killer and their hand, so I think it could have been just a loose coat they were wearing. I mean, who wears a cape?”
    Pepper sipped her tea. “So what are you going to do?”
    I sighed, leaning back on the couch. I was starting to feel more relaxed—maybe Pepper’s tea had worked its healing magic as intended this time.
    “Well, I guess first I’ll have to ask the other shop owners if they saw anyone around the library early this morning,” I said. “Not too many people are here at that time.”
    “I know Myrna comes in to the coffee shop early,” Pepper said. “Maybe she saw something?”
    I glanced out the window toward the coffee shop. “I’ll pop down and ask her later. Lavinia said she was lighting a candle at church and that’s why she was here early. Maybe Pastor Foley saw someone.”
    “What about the police?” Pepper started to stack the teacups back on the tray. “Surely they’ll investigate?”
    “Yeah, that’s the problem,” I said. “It looks like Lavinia fell. I thought that’s what happened and I’m sure Augusta thought so, too. So, unless something comes to light, I don’t think there’ll be an investigation.”
    “But, Lavinia told you—”
    “Not Lavinia,” I said, cutting her off. “Lavinia’s ghost . And who’s going to believe I found out about the murder from her ghost? Nobody. In fact, it’s probably better if I don’t say anything to the police. I have a funny feeling that if I did, it would only point the finger of suspicion at me .”

    ***

    I woke up to Pandora digging her razor sharp claws into me. In my dream, I swore she was talking. Get up now. Now. Now.
    “Meow. Meow. Meow.”
    “Ouch!” Pandora was crouched on my chest. I swatted her away before her claw ripped a hole in my black knit turtleneck.  
    I glanced at my watch. Noon! Had I really fallen asleep in my bookstore?  
    I sat up and wiped the drool off my cheek. Good thing no customers had come in. Or maybe they had come and found me sleeping.
    Pandora trotted over to the large front window, hopped up onto the wide ledge where one of her overstuffed cat beds sat and stared pointedly down the street.  
    My eyes followed her gaze straight to the coffee shop— The Mystic Cafe . Come to think of it, I was getting a little hungry. The cafe had a great selection of sandwiches. I could close up for lunch, get something to eat and drink … and ask Myrna if she saw anyone this morning.
    I pushed up from the couch and wiped the cat hair off my sweater, then grabbed my wallet, locked the bookstore and headed down the street. I was halfway to the cafe before I realized my leg wasn’t even hurting anymore. I felt thankful that the pain was slowly lessening with time.
    The Mystic Cafe was abuzz with activity. Almost all the local merchants came here for lunch. It was off-season now—too late for the crowds that came for skiing and too early for summer tourists, so the cafe wasn’t quite as crowded.
    I made my way to the counter, nodding at the locals I knew, which was most everyone in there, seeing as I’d grown up here and most people didn’t leave Mystic Notch. Ever.  
    I was the exception, going “down south” as they called it, to become a journalist. I felt a pinch in my chest at the thought of my former life. Best not to think about that now. Fate had stepped in and I was happy to be home again and starting a new life at the age of forty-eight.
    As I walked through the cafe, I caught myself sneaking a peek at people’s hands to see if anyone was wearing a large ring. What was I doing? These were my friends and neighbors. A shiver went up my spine as I realized that anyone could be the killer—even someone I trusted and had known my whole life.