Pawsitively Lethal (Silver Springs Cozy Mystery Series Book 3)

by Ginny Gold

  Maggie wonders where Karl got his information. She doesn’t let on that she’s surprised about her lack of a conversation with Karl. “I was hoping you could give me any details you remember about what you heard or saw on Saturday night.”

  Valerie leans back in her chair, relaxing a bit. “I wondered when someone would finally ask me that. I heard a scream, a gunshot and then I saw someone run away from the house. Just like it said in the newspaper. But I never talked to anyone.”

  Maggie makes some notes. “Why do you think Karl quoted you if you never talked to him?” she asks. Where did Karl get his information? That one question won’t leave Maggie’s mind.

  Valerie shakes her head.

  “I was hoping you’d be able to offer more than what Karl claimed in the paper.”

  “I don’t remember anything else. I just saw a person dressed all in black running away from Ginger Rae’s house.”

  “How tall was this person?” Maggie asks, happy to be getting somewhere.

  Valerie tips her head back and forth before answering. “Maybe just under six feet.”

  “Would you guess that it was a man or a woman?”

  “I don’t know. I couldn’t see details well enough. And they had a black winter cap on so I couldn’t see if they had long hair.”

  Maggie presses on while she has Valerie talking. “Where were you so that you had a clear view of the person?”

  “I was in my bedroom. I heard the shrill scream and I got out of bed. I was reading. I couldn’t see outside with the light on, so I turned it off and saw someone jump out of the window and run toward the trees at the back of the house.”

  Maggie leans forward but can’t see Ginger Rae’s house from the sun room. “Could we go upstairs so I can see it for myself?”

  Valerie uncrosses her legs and Maggie stands in anticipation of her request being met. “You said you’re with the newspaper, right?”

  Maggie nods and sits back down, not wanting to press too hard.

  Valerie hesitantly leads Maggie upstairs to her bedroom. “I was standing just right here,” Valerie says, and plants her body in front of her bedroom window facing Ginger Rae’s house.

  Maggie sidles up next to her and looks around. She has a clear view of the open window she noticed on Ginger Rae’s second floor. It’s over a bay window, with just enough ledge for someone to climb onto, and a large tree right next to it.

  “Did you notice anything in the room itself?” Maggie asks. She remembers there were lights on, making it easy for someone to see inside.

  Valerie doesn’t answer right away. “No. I didn’t make it to the window until someone was on the ledge and about to climb down the tree. They jumped from several feet off the ground.”

  “Do you know your neighbors well? Can you think of anyone who might have wanted Clara dead? Or who might have been the one to talk to Karl and use your name instead of theirs?” Maggie asks.

  Valerie shakes her head, her body stiffening again. “I don’t know Ginger Rae at all. She’s not my kind of person. She’s a fine neighbor, but she’s too loud for my taste in people. And Clara, you said? I never met the girl. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some things to do. You can see yourself out.”

  Valerie waves her hand toward the bedroom door and turns back to the window. Maggie doesn’t waste any time leaving the bedroom. Her handbag is still in the sun room, so she walks back through the house, slowly, taking in any missed details.

  Who is Valerie Hunt? She’s closed off to the outside world, including her own neighbors. Why?

  Where did Karl Jacobs come up with his information if it’s true that he never spoke with Valerie? Was someone impersonating her? Or is she lying to Maggie about not talking to him?

  Maggie returns her tablet to her handbag and walks back out the front door, across the street and to her car. She doesn’t see Valerie’s face in a window at the front of the house, watching her every move.

  CHAPTER 19

  Opal stretches her claws on the trunk of a pine tree. She wants to let any dogs know that she was in the area. A cat near the dog park will throw them off.

  Early this morning, before her human was even awake, Opal slipped silently off the bed, out of the bedroom and through the dog door. She hates that term—dog door. Any animal could use it.

  Opal was on a mission. She’d listened closely last night as her human and her friends discussed the missing cat collar and the keys that seem so important. Maybe the group of cats she’s landed among knows something she doesn’t.

  She climbs the tree she just marked and finds a thick branch partway up. She crouches low, hoping any dog won’t look up and see her but will smell the mark she just left at the base of the trunk. Opal thinks back to her conversation with Jester as she sits patiently and listens to everything being said in the dog park.

  “Who exactly was there?” Jester asked this morning when Opal showed up at the abandoned house. Most cats were still away for the night, enjoying the luxuries that Opal basks in with her human—plenty of massages, as much food as she can eat, and a comfy bed.

  “Maggie and Clem,” Opal started.

  “Of course, it’s their house,” he interrupted her.

  “And they called the other ones Ginger Rae, Winona and Erline.”

  Jester walked away from her, the stub of his tail pointing straight toward the ceiling. “Just as I thought. And they each had a key?”

  “Just the three visitors.”

  “But they were all accounted for?” he asked menacingly, facing her again and staring her down.

  She cowered and immediately regretted giving in to his intimidation. “Yes. Each one had a key.”

  “Good. So it’s just the missing collar. I can’t believe you let it go so easily.”

  Opal could tell he wanted to growl the words but she hadn’t known the importance of the object on the collar when it disappeared.

  “It had to be the dogs. You have to keep a close watch on Suzie and Oscar. They must know where it is. There has been talk about the dogs giving it away. They have to know what that would mean.”

  “Who would they give it to?” Opal asked. “And why?”

  “They want to give it to the same people with the keys. But they want the humans to use the powers instead of destroying everything. We have to make sure everything is destroyed once they have possession of all four pieces. Imagine the greed of humans and what they would do with time travel. They would change the course of history. They would plunder the past and destroy the future before they even knew what they were doing. They have no regard for other species. We have to make sure these are destroyed.”

  Opal’s whiskers twitch and she’s brought back to the present. Jester’s words still ring in her ears and she knows he’s right. Even if these trinkets aren’t as powerful as he thinks, most humans can’t be trusted.

  Below her on the ground, Opal spots Suzie. She stops at the tree and sniffs Opal’s scratch marks, just as Opal had planned. Suzie never looks up, but continues to make a circle of the dog park, ending up by the road and sitting behind a bench. Opal wishes she could hear everything Suzie hears and says, but she’s too far away.

  It’s not long before Suzie approaches the dog park’s fence and talks to a bulldog on the other side. They are still out of earshot, but they soon make their way back toward Opal and she can hear their whole conversation, just as Jester told her she’d be able to.

  By the end of their exchange, Opal knows that Suzie is aware of the location of her missing collar. And she’s confident that she’ll be able to recover it before it’s too late.

  CHAPTER 20

  Maggie sits in her car outside Valerie’s house but is unsure of where to go next. She’d really like to talk to Marla and David but she doesn’t know where they’re staying. She pulls out her phone and calls Ginger Rae to find out.

  “Hi Maggie. Everything okay?” Ginger Rae asks when she answers. She sounds relaxed and Maggie is glad that she has such good frie
nds during this ordeal.

  “Everything’s fine. How did writing the editorial with Ellen go at the Silver Times?”

  “We have an article written. She had me keep it about Clara, which I don’t think I would have done if I was writing it alone.” Ginger Rae chuckles. “And she put Karl on probation for future articles. Everything he writes has to go through more revisions, and he’s taken off big stories.”

  “Glad to hear it. I just talked to Valerie. You’re not missing out on a friend, don’t worry. She was a little less than welcoming. I’m not sure I got anything useful, but at least I started the conversation with her.” Maggie leaves out the part about Valerie never talking to Karl. She doesn’t have to give Ginger Rae another reason to want to demolish Karl’s career.

  “That’s great.”

  “I wanted to talk to Marla and David today too. Where are they staying? Do you think I could talk to them without upsetting them too much?” Maggie asks.

  “Let me ask. They’re with me right now at Winona’s.”

  Maggie hears muffled talking away from the phone before Ginger Rae’s voice returns.

  She speaks more quietly than before. “They’re fine with that. I didn’t tell them you’re working with the police, so just come and offer your condolences. Anything you can get out of them as a friend will be as good as it gets.”

  “Thanks.” Maggie hangs up and pulls away from the curb, not looking back at Valerie’s house.

  Winona’s house is busy. Maggie can hear voices inside before the door is opened. Unlike yesterday when she met Karl for the first time, there is no laughter today.

  “Hi Maggie.” Winona answers the door. “Marla and David are with Ginger Rae in the living room. I’ll give you all some space.”

  “I don’t think that’s necessary,” Maggie counters, thinking that Winona will join them.

  “No, really. It’s fine. Barney and Pluto are out back and could use a walk up the street anyway.” She shows Maggie into the living room, where she’s been plenty of times before, and then retreats to the backyard.

  Before sitting down, Maggie introduces herself to Marla and David. They are friendly enough, but not inviting.

  “You’re a friend of Ginger Rae’s?” Marla asks. Maggie can tell right away that she’s the talker in the relationship, the one who takes charge. David leans back into the couch cushions while Marla stays upright on the edge of her seat.

  Maggie sits and says, “Yes. I’ve known her my whole life.”

  Marla’s head tilts to one side. “Seems like a strange friendship to have when you were a kid.”

  “She was good friends with my parents,” Maggie explains and Marla’s hardened expression softens.

  “Was?”

  Maggie nods. “My parents were killed last spring.”

  Marla’s shoulders relax even more. “So you understand what we’re all going through.”

  “Unfortunately,” Maggie answers, twisting her fingers together in her lap.

  “I just can’t understand what Stewart was thinking. They didn’t have a relationship anymore. He left her. Why did he have to continue coming after her?” Marla rants, leaning back next to her husband who has yet to say anything.

  Maggie notices how quickly she points her finger at a possible suspect. “You think Stewart did this to Clara?” Maggie asks.

  Marla scoffs. “Who else could it be?” She even rolls her eyes, eventually landing on Ginger Rae.

  Maggie follows her gaze. Ginger Rae is sitting silently, staring at nothing, a blank spot on the rug.

  “I don’t know,” Maggie says, returning her eyes to meet Marla’s. “What makes you say it was Stewart so quickly?”

  “He’s in town, isn’t he?” Marla’s voice has grown defensive.

  “I did hear that, yes. Have you spoken with him?”

  Marla shakes her head vehemently. “I have nothing to say to him. He killed my daughter.”

  “What would have motivated him to do such a thing?” Maggie asks gently, hoping to keep Marla engaged in the conversation.

  She scoffs again. “When he left Clara, he blamed her for the disaster that was his life. He took no responsibility for his debt, his poor choices, his enemies. He said it was all because of Clara’s drinking and drug habits that he had nothing.”

  Maggie nods and Marla pauses. “But you don’t believe that,” Maggie encourages.

  “Of course not. He’s an adult. He has to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. As a couple, they were a team. And he just abandoned Clara.”

  “So why wait to kill her? Why divorce her and not kill her back then if he really wanted her completely out of his life?”

  “Insurance money,” Marla says, satisfied with her answer.

  It’s Maggie’s turn to tilt her head to one side in question. “What do you mean?”

  “Clara only recently wanted to change the beneficiary on the life insurance plan we bought on her when we adopted her.”

  “Oh? Who did she want to change it to?” Maggie asks.

  “Ginger Rae.”

  “Not you or David?”

  Marla shakes her head. “I’m sure you’ve heard that we didn’t get along famously.”

  Maggie nods. “I have heard. I’m sorry about that.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. It’s just the way it was.” Marla’s voice is unconvincing.

  Maggie’s phone rings and she pulls it from her handbag. Detective Daniel Stevens is calling. Maggie debates whether to answer it but she’s almost positive the conversation with Marla is nearly over. She excuses herself and walks quickly outside, leaving her bag on her chair.

  “Hi Daniel.”

  “Maggie. I have something I wanted to tell you. It’s about Marla, Clara’s adoptive mom.” His voice is hurried.

  “I know who she is. I was just talking to her actually. She thinks—”

  Daniel interrupts before Maggie can tell him Marla thinks Stewart is guilty. “Whoever she thinks is guilty is just a cover. She had strong motive and didn’t live far enough away to be ruled out.”

  “What do mean? Not getting along with her daughter can barely be called a motive.” Maggie can’t believe she’s defending Marla but she hasn’t heard anything that sounds like the woman is guilty of murder.

  “No? What about being the beneficiary of her daughter’s life insurance plan?”

  CHAPTER 21

  “What? How can that be? She just told me Stewart was still the beneficiary but Clara wanted to change it to Ginger Rae,” Maggie says, walking further from the house in case someone decided to walk outside.

  “I’m sure she did. But that’s not the whole truth. When Clara and Stewart divorced, the beneficiary went back to Marla by default. Clara was in the process of changing that to Ginger Rae and Marla got wind of it.”

  Maggie is silent, speechless.

  “There’s more. Marla and David run their own business. And they recently got themselves into hot water financially. They’ve filed for bankruptcy,” Daniel continues.

  Maggie leans against her car in the driveway and faces the house. She doesn’t see anyone in the windows but wouldn’t put it past Marla’s conniving attitude to be spying on her right now. “And an alibi for Saturday night? They don’t even live in Silver Springs.”

  “You’re right, they don’t. But they don’t live far. And no alibi that someone other than the two of them can confirm. They claim to have gone for a late night walk. It was their anniversary and they didn’t have the money to do anything fancy.”

  “Isn’t that convenient,” Maggie says under her breath.

  “What?” Daniel asks.

  “Nothing. I’m going back inside. David hasn’t said a word. I want to try to get him to open up.”

  “Good luck.”

  Maggie hangs up and stares at the phone in her hand for a moment. She had no reason to suspect Marla or David before talking to Daniel, but now they look as guilty as anyone. Even guiltier than Stewart, who had be
en top on Maggie’s list.

  Back inside, Maggie sits and listens to memories about Clara. Ginger Rae sounds the most nostalgic. Marla has an edge to her voice and David is still silent.

  “If you’ll excuse me for a moment,” Marla says during a lull in the conversation. She stands and heads toward the bathroom.

  Maggie watches her go, noticing an evident limp in her stride. She immediately suspects one of two things: Marla couldn’t be the one Valerie saw running away from Ginger Rae’s house on Saturday night because she’s even having trouble walking; or she underestimated her agility and injured herself when jumping out of Clara’s window.

  “How long have you and Marla been married?” Maggie asks David, hoping to draw him out of his shell.

  He looks surprised that she’s speaking to him. “Forty years, just this Saturday.” He looks proud of himself for remembering.

  “Congratulations. That’s quite a feat these days.”

  David chuckles. “It hasn’t all been easy. What with the challenges of raising Clara, then her messy divorce from Stewart, and running our own business. Sometimes it seemed like we were just complicating our lives with every decision we made.”

  “What kind of business?” Maggie asks.

  “Construction. But ever since the financial crisis, we haven’t been able to recover. It looks like we might have to return to the general work force in our sixties.”

  “That must be tough,” Maggie says, hoping that her empathy will open him up more.

  David nods, his eyes lighting up. “But we’ll make it through.”

  Marla comes back into the room, her limp slightly less prominent. “Are you okay?” Ginger Rae asks her, staring at her bad leg.

  Marla waves her hand as if it’s nothing. “Oh yeah, just an old injury acting up.” She turns to her husband. “What will we make it through?”

  “I was just telling them that our business has been suffering,” David says nonchalantly, but Marla’s eyes grow wide.

  “That’s none of Maggie’s business,” she whispers loudly to David. “Your sister, fine, but Maggie’s a complete stranger.”