Sweet Friend of Mine (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 8) Read Free Page B

truck pulled up and the driver maneuvered it into position angling the back end as close to the edge of the ditch as was possible. The man jumped out and worked a metal cable down to the red car where he attached it and then pressed on something that caused the cable to go taut.
    Angie wanted to walk around the car before it got towed away. She made eye contact with Chief Martin. The chief nodded, walked over to the tow truck operator, and then turned to Angie and waved her down.
    Jenna took her twin sister’s elbow. “I’ll go with you.”
    “Not me.” Ellie planted herself firmly where she stood.
    Courtney leaned into Ellie. “Why don’t you go get the cats and we can have them take a look around.” She touched Mr. Finch’s arm. “Shall I help you down?”
    “I think I’d better not attempt it, Miss Courtney. The embankment appears unstable. I’ll remain here with Miss Ellie.” He nodded to the young woman encouraging her to descend the slight hill.
    Courtney, Jenna, and Angie walked a few slow circles around the car and peeked inside to see the front and back interiors. As Angie leaned down to look through the passenger window, she rested her hand on the side of the door. Tiny jolts of electricity bit at her fingers and she pulled her hand back in surprise. Shaking it, she again gently placed her hand against the metal and while the shocks flashed against her skin, she closed her eyes and tried to open her mind to any sensations from last night that might have lingered on the air. A wave of anxiety washed over her, but the feelings were vague and unfocused. She lifted her hand and shoved it into her pocket.
    Angie could feel Euclid staring at her and she turned to see the huge orange cat sitting at Mr. Finch’s feet at the edge of the road, his plume of a tail flicking back and forth. The urge to get away from the car ran through her veins and she hurried up the hill. “Anything?” she asked Finch.
    “I have a feeling of unease and worry rushing over me. However, I don’t have a clear sense of the origin. Perhaps it is just the normal concern that anyone would experience knowing that a young man has gone missing.” Finch leaned on his cane.
    Angie looked down at the cat and Euclid met her gaze and let out a low rumble from deep in his throat. She told Finch and the cats about the jolts that bit into her fingers when she placed her hand on the car.
    Finch narrowed his eyes. “Puzzle pieces begin to gather.”
    Ellie came up to them, her long hair blowing out behind her in the breeze. “Why does the puzzle always have to be so difficult?”
    “Where’s Circe?” Angie turned her head from side to side scanning the area for the black cat.
    “She was here a second ago.” Ellie flicked her eyes around trying to locate the ebony feline.
    “Angie.” Jenna called from below. She waved at her sister to come down.
    When Angie joined her two sisters and the chief next to the red car, Courtney pointed. Circe was furiously pawing and sniffing at the frozen ground near the passenger side front tire.
    The chief said, “Let’s get the car out of the way.”
    Jenna scooped up the cat and Chief Martin gave the truck operator a wave to start the engine and tow the red car up the embankment. The group stepped back as the truck engine roared to life and the squealing and grinding of the tow line against the metal pulley filled the air. The old car lurched and moved slowly up the hill like a fish on a line.
    The three Roseland sisters and the chief stared at the spot where Circe had pawed near the tire. When the car was finally back up on the road, the four stepped forward, with Jenna still holding the cat in her arms. Something on the ground sparkled in the sunlight and Courtney went to inspect. She knelt and leaned forward. “There’s something here.” Keeping her hands away from the object so as not to compromise any fingerprints, she gestured to the spot on the ground.
    Chief Martin put on a surgical-type