Leighann Dobbs - Mystic Notch 02 - A Spirited Tail Read Free Page A

walked.” Augusta pointed to the west. “Bruce lived over there not too far and there’re a lot of trails in the woods. He could have been taking Ranger for a walk and maybe stumbled on the killer doing something he shouldn’t have been doing.”
    “I wonder why a killer would be here …” Ophelia glanced around uneasily.
    “Me, too,” Gus said. “But even more than that, I wonder why you are here.”
    “I’m listing the house,” Ophelia said. “Willa met me here to help appraise the book collection that is supposed to be in there.”
    “You haven’t been in?” Gus asked.
    “No.”
    Gus glanced over at the large house. “I thought this place was abandoned.”
    Ophelia explained how the sale of the house had been held up by the brothers of the previous owner and how the nephew had now hired her to sell it. “You don’t think that has anything to do with the murder, do you?”
    Gus pressed her lips together. “It’s hard to say.  I don’t know why Bruce would be out here. He was quite a recluse and I’d heard some say they thought he might be getting dementia. He was getting on in years.”
    “Not everyone who is getting on in years gets dementia,” Gertie bellowed from her position at the side of the body.
    A smile flitted over Gus’s lips. “True.”
    “Why would anyone want to kill an old man?” I asked.
    “That’s the question.” Gus fixed me with a pointed stare. “And I hope you don’t feel the need to take it upon yourself to find the answer.” 
    I plastered a look of innocence on my face and slid my eyes over to the house. I had no intention of getting involved in a murder investigation … but my new ghostly friend might have other ideas.
    “Can someone help me roll him over?” Gertie yelled, catching Gus’ attention. 
    Gus walked over next to Gertie, but as soon as she bent down, Ranger started to growl. 
    “Oh, come on now, Ranger.” Gertie stuck her hand out and the dog whined and licked her wrist just above the purple latex glove she wore. “Better get him out of here. He might not like strangers messing around with Bruce.”
    “I’ll call Mel at the dog pound and have him come,” Jimmy offered.
    “Pound?” My heart twisted at images of the grieving dog sitting in a cage, cold and unloved flooding my mind. He’d just lost his master—hadn’t he been through enough? “No way. I’ll take him until we can see if any family members want him.”
    “I don’t care where he goes, just get him out of my crime scene,” Gus said.
    “Is there any rope around here?” I surveyed the area near the house, but came up empty.
    “There’s some in the car,” Jimmy glanced at Gus. Gus gave a curt nod and Jimmy jogged off toward the Crown Vic.
    Gertie grabbed on to Ranger’s collar and led him toward me.  I squatted down and reached out, letting Ranger sniff me, which he did hesitantly.
    “Good dog.” I nodded up at Gertie, who let go of his collar. Ranger seemed to understand what was going on and let me tie the rope Jimmy had brought to the ring on his collar. 
    Ophelia cleared her throat and we all turned to look at her. “I don’t suppose we could go in the house now …?”
    Gus’ eyes slid from Ophelia to the house. “We need to check it out first. Do you have a key?”
    Ophelia held up a weather-beaten brass house key. “My client mailed me this … he said it should open the house but I haven’t tried it.”
    “Okay. Open the door and let Jimmy check it out. Stay outside until we say you can go in.”
    “Yes, Ma’am.” Jimmy practically saluted Gus and ran off to the front with Ophelia close behind. Gus stared after them, her lips quirking up in a smile. I knew she got a kick out of the way the young deputy idolized her, but I also knew she wasn’t on a power trip about it—she truly wanted to take him under her wing and teach him the ropes.
    Gus turned her attention back to helping Gertie roll the body over and I turned away, focusing my attention