Mercury Rising (Tin Can Mysteries Book 1)

by Jerusha Jones

  Vaughn wrapped a hand around mine, pulled it over to rest on his thigh, and rubbed the back of my knuckles with his thumb. It was his trademark hand-holding method, and I liked it.

  “Good to see your fingers are intact,” he said.

  “What?” I squirmed to look at the side of his face.

  But Vaughn just held my hand tighter and interlaced his fingers with mine. “That’s how we knew Ian’s death wasn’t an accident or suicide. Defensive wounds. Three of the fingers on his right hand were broken, probably from trying to grab the paddle the same way you did while Lila was swinging it.”

  “Oh,” I whispered. It was a sobering thought.

  We sat quietly for several minutes, shoulders pressed against each other, breathing. I, for one, was enjoying being alive at that moment.

  “Brought your car back,” Vaughn finally said. “Got a tow truck to winch it out of the mud, and he just dropped it off in the marina parking lot.”

  I groaned.

  “What?” He angled his body to frown down at me.

  “Someday that old beast will well and truly die or get stuck and rust someplace where no one can retrieve it. It’s like it has a hundred and nine lives on top of its two hundred and thirty-eight thousand miles.”

  Vaughn chuckled. “I know what you did for my mom, too.”

  I groaned again.

  He elbowed me gently. “What I meant to say was, thank you.”

  “Anytime,” I whispered. I tipped my head, rested it on his shoulder, and closed my eyes, resigned. There really were no secrets at the marina. “Who talked?”

  Vaughn’s voice lowered to a pleasant rumble. “I first got wind of it at the station. Karleen had to file some paperwork—the usual. She filled me in on the basics. Then I had a confidential conversation with Cal.”

  “Mmmm.” It seemed an appropriate noise to make. I’m sure I’ve previously mentioned that Vaughn smells good. But it was worth noting again.

  “What are you doing tonight?” he asked.

  I lazily flicked my fingers at my propped-up ankle by way of friendly reminder. “Nothing.”

  “Not anymore. Willow called dibs on your evening. I saw her on my way down. She said to tell you that she’s been practicing omelets and she’s going to dazzle you with the improvement in her culinary skills. She threatened to conscript me as a taste tester too. Should I accept?”

  “Mmmm,” I said again, and this time I smiled.

  NOTES & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  There are a couple real cities mentioned in this story. You will be able to find them on a map:

  Portland—Of course. The largest city in Oregon and site of an international airport. Even though it is not the capital, it hubs a politically and economically powerful metropolitan area that carries a lot of weight in state politics.

  Scappoose—Really! The name is of Native American origin and means “gravelly plain.” It’s also a lot of fun to say out loud, emphatically. Rhymes with vamoose.

  However, the rest of the locations are fictional (but very representative of the area where the Willamette River flows into the Columbia River).

  None of the people are real, and that includes, especially, the politicians. So save your griping for the real characters, probably the ones you didn’t vote for but somehow got into office anyway.

  Thanks to my Airbnb host who let me experience floating-house living firsthand and who was willing to chat for a while, sharing insight into the psychological makeup of her neighbors, before she left me alone with her lovely rooftop deck and her cat. The marine community is a tight kinship. Never leave home without your floating key chain!

  Thanks also to author and illustrator April Bullard, who is contagiously enthusiastic about the houseboat-dwelling lifestyle and who answered—and continues to answer—all my questions from the most basic (What happens when you flush the toilet?) to the more existential (How do you prove your residence, and taxpaying status, when you don’t have a land-based address?).

  Once again, Debra Biaggi gave the manuscript her thoughtful perusal, this time on extremely short notice. What would I do without you? (Not laugh nearly so much, that’s for sure.)

  And deep gratitude to my mom for providing company and navigational assistance on several field trips for research purposes. We ate the results!

  I claim all errors, whether accidental or intentional, solely as my own.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jerusha writes cozy mystery series which are set along the rivers and amid the forests of her beloved Pacific Northwest. She spends most of her time seated in front of her attic window, engaged in daydreaming with intermittent typing or pinning Post-It notes to corkboards (better safe than sorry!). She also considers maple-frosted, cream-filled doughnuts an essential component of her writer's toolkit.

  She posts updates on her website www.jerushajones.com

  If you'd like to be notified about new book releases, please sign up for her email newsletter. Your email address will never be shared, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

  She loves hearing from readers at jerusha@jerushajones.com

  To see all Jerusha’s books on Amazon.com, including the Imogene Museum cozy mystery series and the Mayfield cozy mystery series, click here amazon.com/author/jerushajones

  Also by Jerusha Jones

  The Imogene Museum Cozy Mystery Series

  Rock Bottom

  Doubled Up

  Sight Shot

  Tin Foil

  Faux Reel

  Shift Burn

  The Mayfield Cozy Mystery Series

  Bait & Switch

  Grab & Go

  Hide & Find

  Cash & Carry

  Tried & True