Craft Circle Cozy Mystery Boxed Set

by Stacey Alabaster

  "I saw your posters up around town. I think I have your dog. Please call me back on this number."

  My heart started beating faster as I quickly tried to return the call, but Ryan entered the room again just before I was about to dial.

  "Can I go now?" I said to Ryan, standing up before he could say anything. "I just got a call about my lost dog. And unless you are going to charge me with something, you've got no right to keep me here."

  Chapter 7

  Ryan refused to look me in the eyes as I was escorted from the station. I knew he was only doing his job, and I could cut him some slack for that, but, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to meet his eye either. I also wasn't in much of a mood to speak to him any time soon.

  I almost dropped my phone on the pavement, I was in such a hurry to return the call.

  "Hello?" I said frantically once a woman's voice had answered. "You said you've found my dog?" My words came out so quickly that they sounded blurred together. Yousaidyou'vefoundmydog? I took a deep breath and started over again. "This is Georgina Holt," I said, a little more calmly. "I received a call from you in relation to a lost dog?"

  The woman on the other end of the line took a second to collect herself. "That's right." I could hear her fumbling with something in the background—It almost sounded like she was crumbling paper. After asking her a few questions, I managed to find out that she lived off Sunday Avenue. I paused for a moment, confused.

  Sunday Avenue was on the other side of Pottsville. "How did Casper get so far from home?" I asked.

  Again, it seemed to take a century for the answer to come. "I guess he is a fast little thing."

  "She," I said, correcting the woman. "Casper is a female dog."

  There was no answer so I had to push the point. "Let me write down your exact address. How soon can I come by? It will take me about half an hour to walk, but I will leave right away." I couldn't wait to see Casper again.

  "Erm, can you come by tomorrow?" the woman asked.

  "Tomorrow?" Why couldn't I get Casper right then?

  "I'm sorry," a suddenly croaky voice replied. "It's just that I'm feeling a little under the weather and was about to turn in for the night." I glanced at the time. Almost 6:00pm. A little early for bed, but maybe she'd caught the same bug I had, or the same bug that Brenda had pretended to catch.

  "Very well," I said with a sigh. "Casper is safe though, right? Is she doing well?"

  "Oh yes, very well," the voice replied a little too chipperly. Not so croaky this time. "I have to go, dear," she quickly said, correcting herself, the croak magically reappearing. "See you tomorrow."

  "Where on earth are you?" Brenda's text message read.

  "I'm sorry, I need to do something important," I replied back. "I'll be there in time for the judging, I promise."

  It took me a long time to reach Sunday Avenue and the address of the lady who I'd spoken to yesterday. It was a half-hour walk from town and if I wanted to get back to the festival in time for judging, I'd pretty much have to grab Casper and run back to town with her in my arms.

  Jasper had sulked with me that morning when I'd left him at home. Two days alone for him was almost unheard of. But all would be right again when I returned with Casper later that evening. He'd have his little playmate back and I'd be back in the good books, with all wrongs forgiven.

  I frowned when I got to the front of the building and double-checked the address. It was a little sunken wooden cabin that backed off onto the lake with no fences surrounding the property. Not the best place to have kept a dog for over a week. Especially a small one with a habit of running away. Had this woman even let Casper outside at all?

  I eyed the lake carefully as I approached the door. I didn't like the thought of Casper being so close to it. I wasn't sure she could swim, and she was such a tiny dog for such a large body of water.

  The sooner I get you out of here, Casper, the better.

  I knocked on the door and a woman in her mid to late forties with straw-like blonde hair answered. She had weather beaten skin and was smoking a cigarette. I don't usually like to judge, but if Casper was cooped up inside all day, that air couldn't have been good for her. Was she getting any fresh air at all?

  "Hello, I'm Georgina Holt. Most people just call me George, though," I said, introducing myself. I extended a hand but she didn't take it.

  "I'm Patty," she said, looking me up and down. "Lisa told me you were offering a reward?"

  Lisa? What did Lisa have to do with any of this?

  "I, um..." I hadn't been prepared for her to ask about the reward. I decided to answer with confidence. "Yes. You may come into my store—George's Crafts—and pick out anything you desire."

  Her face dropped into a look of disgust. She shook her head. "Turns out I was mistaken," she said.

  "Mistaken? About what?" I tried to peer into her house. Was she really trying to bribe me into giving her more money in return for my dog?

  "Mistaken about your dog being here," she said, stepping in front of me so that I could no longer get a look inside.

  "Please," I said, trying not to beg, but still letting her know how important this was to me. "Okay, I can give you a better reward other than store credit. I..." I remembered the festival, and the prize pool of twenty thousand dollars. Maybe I really had a shot at placing in the top three. "I can offer you a thousand dollars if you give Casper to me. Possibly even more, depending on how today pans out."

  If it took much longer, I was going to completely miss the judging. I glanced down at my watch. "Please," I said. "You'll just have to take my word on it."

  Patty's face fell even further. She shook her head and sounded genuinely full of regret as she spoke. "I'm sorry. I can see how much you want your dog back, but she just ain't here, I'm afraid." She stepped out of the way and let me get a look. I could see all through her cabin. There was a tiny kitchenette combined with a dining room, and a section at the back for a bed. Everything was in view except for the bathroom, and I doubted Patty was hiding Casper in there. She'd be barking to get to me if she was trapped.

  "Right," I said, stepping away. "I see."

  "I'm sorry," Patty said but I had already turned around, hurrying away from her cabin. I didn't want to hear her weak attempt at an apology.

  I must have been lured there under false pretenses. I shook my head, trying to fight back the tears. How cruel to use my beloved missing dog as bait to get me there?

  They probably wanted me away from the festival.

  A thought occurred to me.

  So that I'd be out of the running for the prize.

  Maybe the same person who killed Erika, who'd lured her to town early, had lured me away as well.

  Lisa.

  Lisa told me you were offering a reward.

  I glanced down at the four-inch heels I was wearing. They weren't the highest heels I owned—I actually referred to them as my 'walking shoes'—but they were still not the most ideal footwear for a half-hour, uphill sprint back into town. "All right, girls," I said to my shoes. "You are coming off." I took a deep breath and gave thanks that the heat wave had broken before I'd had to run the marathon of a lifetime.

  I ran back, heels in hand, panting, sweating, and cursing the day I'd ever met Lisa Riemer as I clawed my way back up the hill. It took me fifteen minutes to reach the top, and after that, the descent back down into town seemed like sweet relief. But the journey wasn't over, and I had to run, skip, and hop back down to the heart of the festival, my feet flying out from underneath me as I finally made it....just not in time.

  I was doubled over, panting and nursing a pain in my side, ready to throw my heels to the ground.

  I'd made it in time for the ceremony. For the big announcement.

  They were just announcing the winner. "Congratulations, Lisa Riemer!"

  Yes. Congratulations indeed.

  Chapter 8

  I stared at the whiteboard, Jasper lying dutifully at my feet. There was a new face
sketched there now, a woman in her mid-forties with short brown hair, who could almost have passed for Brenda's twin except that she did occasionally smile.

  I sketched the gold trophy as well, and a check with the prize money on it. It was all starting to fall into place now. And it was all starting to fall into place for Lisa as well: her master plan, I mean. Lure Erika to town a week early, get rid of her, lure away her next biggest competition (me), and then claim the prize for herself. All while trying to frame me for the murder by snooping on me and telling the cops. She was clever, but she wasn't clever enough to get away with it.

  "Lisa had to have done it, Jasper. I just have to figure out how." I glanced down at him and saw his ears prick up a little, before they dropped again. He had a sad, rejected look. "Especially if I want to stay out of jail."

  I went to the pantry and fetched one of the treats I'd bought for him at the festival in order to try and cheer him up. There was no way for him to humanly know what had taken place at Patty's cabin, but he seemed to feel it somehow. It was like all the hope had gone out of him.

  I petted his head while he chewed on the pig's ear. "Don't worry. We're going to get Casper back." I stared at the whiteboard, the fresh sketch of Lisa Riemer staring back at me. "And I am going to get Lisa back for what she has done."

  I could see the silhouette of her sitting, knitting, through the window. It was dark out but I wasn't going to let that stop me.

  But something else almost did.

  A cop car pulled up beside me and rolled the window down, Ryan sticking his head.

  Cripes.

  I wouldn't have been in the mood to talk to him even if it had been the best of times, and this was definitely not the best of times.

  "You shouldn't be walking around here after dark."

  "Is it a crime?" I asked, not quite turning around to meet him. I don't like giving people the cold shoulder, but in this case, it was justified.

  "No..."

  "I'm just taking my dog for a walk. I'm pretty sure you can't arrest me for that." I kept my voice cheery and chipper, yet cold at the same time.

  Ryan cleared his throat. "In front of Lisa Riemer's house?"

  I forced a surprised expression to my face while Jasper tugged on his leash. "Well, look at that," I said, nodding towards the house. "So it is. I had no idea where we even were." I shrugged casually while Ryan sighed and started to roll the window back up. "I'm only trying to warn you, George."

  "I don't need your warnings. I'm a big girl."

  I pretended to walk away from Lisa Riemer's house until his car was out of sight, then quickly scooted back down the road and ran up her driveway, a not very eager Jasper in tow. I thought we'd better make it quick in case Ryan decided to head back down the street.

  "Hello, Lisa!" I exclaimed when she answered the door. "I just thought I'd drop by and congratulate you on your big prize." I widened my grin. "I saw it on the news. You looked really good on screen."

  Lisa wasn't able to resist the thrill of being paid a compliment and I saw the smile curl on her lips, even though she probably didn't want to give me the satisfaction.

  "Can I see the trophy?" I asked, practically breathless in my adoration now. I let out an exaggerated sigh. "I mean, I know I never have a shot of winning it myself but I would love to hold it in my hands."

  Lisa considered my request for a moment, but in the end, my flattery won her over. "Come inside," she said, looking down at Jasper. "He can come in too. I'll give him another bowl of water."

  This time, Jasper actually lapped up his water, though I kept a sharp eye on Lisa while she ran the tap and placed the bowl on the ground. Would she really stoop so low as to hurt a dog? Considering what else she was capable of, I wasn't about to take any chances. I watched and waited until Jasper had finished and then made sure he didn't leave my side until we were back in the den. I was actually a little surprised that Lisa let dogs into her house; Brenda always made me tie Jasper up outside whenever I dropped by her house.

  "This is it," Lisa said, picking up a heavy gold statue that she just barely managed to lift into the air. She paused a moment before she handed it to me.

  "Impressive," I murmured, and I actually meant it. It weighed a ton in my hands and just for a second, I found myself wishing I had actually won it. It would look good inside my glass house. I looked at Lisa. If not for her, it might actually be sitting in my house right then.

  "I know what you did, Lisa."

  "Excuse me?"

  I placed the trophy back on the shelf and stared at it while Lisa went back to her seat and picked up her knitting again like I hadn't said anything. Jasper, much to my shock, walked over to her seat and sat in front of her. Talk about a traitor!

  "I'm talking about Erika," I said quietly. "And me. And Casper. And the lengths you went to win that competition. Was it all worth it?"

  She turned her head away from me and went back to her knitting. The trophy glistened on the shelf behind her. "I have no idea what you are talking about," she said innocently, frowning at her knitting as though it was the most complicated stitch in the world and required all of her concentration.

  She really was stone cold.

  A stone cold killer?

  I took a step closer to her, wondering if Ryan's police car was still circling the neighborhood. I might actually need him. Much as I didn't want to admit it. Much as I wouldn't admit it, not until the very moment my life was in danger, and maybe not even then.

  I looked down at Jasper. You realize you need to be on my side if anything goes down? Lisa reached down and petted Jasper's head slowly, while she kept her eyes fixed on me. "I can't figure out what's gotten you so upset, Georgina."

  Stop petting my dog.

  "I know that you lured me down to Patty's cabin to get me out of the way..."

  Lisa let out a shrill laugh and abruptly stopped petting Jasper. "Out of the way of what?"

  I flipped my hair over my shoulder. "I was going to be a finalist. You were worried that I was going to beat you. So you had to get rid of me."

  Lisa just stared at me in disbelief. "Georgina. You'd better be very careful what you are accusing me of. Last time you came here flinging around accusations, I only threw you out of my house. I might not be so nice this time." Her voice was low and dark. A warning. A threat.

  After staring me down for what felt like a full minute, she went back to her knitting.

  "You don't even deserve that trophy," I whispered, looking at the giant statue behind her. That thing could land quite an impact if someone wanted to use it as a weapon.

  Lisa eyed me over the top of her yarn. "And I suppose you do deserve it?" She let out a laugh. "Don't flatter yourself, Georgina. If I wanted to get someone 'out of the way,' as you put it, there are hundreds of people I would have picked before you. You might have gotten some praise from that judge, but that doesn't mean you had any real chance of actually winning. He was probably only flirting with you. I wouldn't go getting a big head, Georgina."

  She looked at me with a satisfied expression, as though that settled the matter. As though that made perfect sense. She had a very good way of making a person feel paranoid even when that person's suspicions were completely founded.

  I wasn't going to let her get to me or allow her to make me second-guess myself.

  "I don't believe you," I said, my head held high in the air. "It's not the first time someone has tried to knock my confidence in my creations, in my jewelry, when really, they have a lot of merit. I had a chance of winning. A good chance. And you used my lost dog to get me out of the way. How do you sleep at night, Lisa?"

  "You had no chance of winning." Her knitting needles clicked against each other. "And I sleep very well, thank you. I have a chiropractic mattress."

  "Jasper, come here," I said, bending down to call him to me. He looked up at Lisa for a second, as though asking for permission, and she nodded. Only then did he walk back over to me. This time, I clung to his collar, determined
not to let him return to that maniac who inexplicably had some kind of power over him.

  "You never told me where you were on that Friday night," I said to Lisa.

  A wide, sly grin spread across her face. "Oh, that's right, I never did," she said. She sounded almost gleeful. "I suppose I really should tell you."

  She put her knitting down and got up, walking toward a cabinet. Getting just a little close to the heavy gold trophy for my liking. I backed away, taking Jasper with me. She opened a drawer and pulled something out. From a glance, they looked like airline tickets. "This ought to clear a few things up for you," she said, smiling as she handed them to me.

  I looked down at the tickets in my hand. No. No. No.

  Lisa's self-satisfied expression magnified as she explained, even though I needed no explanation. The evidence was clearly spelled out in my hands. "I flew into Chicago on Wednesday night and didn't return until Saturday evening. As you can clearly see."

  I looked up at her, sharply. Yep. Just as smug as I had expected. "Call the airlines, and the hotels too, if you like." She winked at me. "The police already have."

  I wrapped my coat around myself tightly as I escaped Lisa's house. It seemed to have dropped about ten degrees during the half an hour I'd been inside her house.

  Jasper was barking at me. "Yes, boy," I said, distracted. "We'll go home and get your dinner now."

  He wagged his tail excitedly and started pulling on his leash. I didn't have the strength to try and rein him in so I let him lead me home, even though it is terrible dog ownership to allow your dog to lead the owner like that.

  That was it then. She couldn't have done it. A rock solid alibi. The feeling was like a pit in my stomach. Like a rug had been pulled out from underneath me. Not only had Lisa not been in town when Erika had been killed, she hadn't even been here the day before when Erika had arrived. She was in the clear. It wasn't her.

  How could I have been so certain of something and been so wrong?