Pawsitively Deadly (Silver Springs Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) Read online

  Pawsitively Deadly

  Silver Springs Cozy Mystery Series

  by Ginny Gold

  Copyright © 2015 Ginny Gold

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author and/or publisher. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the writer’s imagination and/or have been used fictitiously in such a fashion it is not meant to serve the reader as actual fact and should not be considered as actual fact. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication / use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 1

  Maggie can’t believe today is the day. One month since her parents died, ruled suicide by the police. They were found in their running car, locked in the garage. She believed it at first, but now she isn’t so sure. This is her parents. She can’t think of a single reason they’d kill themselves. She’s heading home.

  She packs up her house and loads the few things she’ll need over the next two weeks in Silver Springs into her car, including her calico cat Opal. Ever since she let her neighbor’s son cat-sit she hasn’t left the cat alone for more than twenty four hours.

  She’s promised Clementine that she’ll stay for two weeks. That she’ll give her investigation that long before agreeing with the police. Maggie doesn’t want to think of what will happen if she doesn’t find anything to negate the suicide ruling. Clem will never forgive her; she already thinks Maggie should have dropped everything a month ago and come home instead of closing out her own business before dropping everything to make the move. Their already tenuous relationship as twin sisters has been stretched too far, and not solving their parents’ death to Clem’s liking could bring it to the breaking point.

  Going back to Silver Springs means Maggie has to put her own job on hold. “For two weeks,” Clem reminded her countless times over the phone leading up to today. “It’s just two weeks.”

  Well, if it’s just two weeks, then Clem should be able to close her own shop and help her.

  “But you’re the private investigator. I wouldn’t even know what to do,” Clem told her.

  Maggie didn’t respond. She kept her snide remarks to herself, not wanting to push her sister even further away.

  Opal protests in her cage on the floor behind the passenger seat of Maggie’s silver Prius and Maggie shushes her as she switches to her prescription sunglasses and glances at her reflection in the mirror. She looks the same today as any other day—short cropped dark brown hair, no roots or grays showing because of her religious hair appointments every other week, brown eyes hidden behind her black shades, and just enough makeup to make it look like she isn’t wearing any.

  She pulls away from the curb and leaving Denver today feels more final than it should. It’s just two weeks, she reminds herself with a bitter grin and a second glance in the mirror.

  These two weeks scare Maggie back into her teenage self when she and Clem were still inseparable. High school was the perfect time to be identical twins. They could play jokes on friends by dressing the same and they even fooled a couple teachers by going to each others’ classes. But by senior year, something had changed and Maggie couldn’t wait to get away while Clem looked forward to her future in Silver Springs.

  Maggie’s car climbs the Rocky Mountain roads and brings her closer to her hometown than she wants. Tucked away between high mountain passes on every side, Silver Springs is the perfect place for those wanting to get away. But Maggie wanted to get away from Silver Springs when she was eighteen and she never looked back.

  Thirty four years later, Maggie worries more about spending two weeks in her hometown than the reason she’s there and the guilt builds with each passing mile.

  “I didn’t think you were really coming,” Clem says when Maggie finally parks outside their childhood home.

  That same bitter grin flits across Maggie’s lips before she wraps her sister in a half hearted hug. “Of course I’m here. I’m doing this as much for you as I am for me.” It’s a half truth that she knows Clem will overlook.

  “Come inside. Mom’s friends are here. They want to talk to you.” Clem takes a step toward the front door but Maggie turns back to her car.

  “I just have to get Opal.”

  The tension in Clem’s shoulders is immediately obvious and Maggie keeps her back to her sister so she doesn’t see the annoyance on her face. “I thought I reminded you I was allergic to cats.”

  Maggie bends down and picks up Opal’s carrier before answering. “Don’t worry, I won’t let her in most of the house. I’ll take my old bedroom on the first floor and keep the bathroom window cracked so she can go in and out. You won’t even know she’s here.”

  “Fine. But Suzie and Oscar will know right away.”

  Clem turns back to the house and Maggie mimics her sister under her breath. Clem has always been a dog lover and Maggie should have known she’d be stubborn about Opal showing up unannounced and uninvited.

  As soon as Maggie steps through the front door, the commotion almost knocks her off her feet. Suzie, the Australian Shepherd, has her nose right in the cat carrier’s metal door and Opal hisses with all her might. Maggie feels the weight shift to the back of the cage and she lifts the cat carrier higher to keep Opal out of Suzie’s way. Oscar doesn’t care about the cat but jumps on Maggie, almost tipping her over.

  Maggie manages to maneuver through the tangle of tails, noses and paws and deposits Opal’s cage in their new home. Just for two weeks, Maggie promises herself again. With the bedroom door closed, Maggie opens the carrier and Opal makes her way out cautiously. Her eyes are big black circles, fear oozing off of every single strand of fur standing upright on her back and tail.

  Maggie attempts to pat her fur back down but Opal dives under the bed. “Fine, just abandon me to deal with all this,” she says, then places two bowls on the floor of the attached bathroom and fills one with food, the other with water. She places a litter box on the floor and fills it. “Whenever you’re ready, the place is yours.”

  Then there’s nothing left to do but face her past.

  ***

  Maggie emerges from the bedroom to find Clem sitting in the living room with their mother’s three best friends: Winona Landis, Erline Dowd and Ginger Rae Speed. The last time she saw the three of the
m together was at her parents’ funeral, and before then it could have been at her own high school graduation. She’s kept in touch with each individually, but not the group as a whole.

  Their energy nearly takes the breath right from her. At 81, Erline is the oldest and looks it, but she can pack a punch. Her hug is bone crushing and too long, in Maggie’s opinion. She’s not a toucher and hugs should last only the briefest of moments.

  Next comes Winona. She grew up with Maggie’s parents in Silver Springs so she has always been Maggie’s favorite of the group. She’s also the quietest and most reserved, making Maggie more comfortable than Erline’s and Ginger Rae’s fireballs of energy.

  Last, Ginger Rae, the youngest at 75, wraps Maggie in a bear hug and won’t let go. “I knew you’d come back,” she says, but Maggie can’t tell if she’s happy about it. She finally releases Maggie and steps back, her hands on Maggie’s shoulders so she can really examine her. Maggie takes that chance to study Ginger Rae as well. Her afro of orange hair sticks out in every direction from her round head, the round glasses on her face only accentuating the circles of her body.

  Finally, Maggie sits next to Clem on the couch they’ve had since childhood and that Clem recently had reupholstered. The green fabric makes it feel new to Maggie.

  As Maggie leans back and gets as comfortable as possible in this group of lifelong friends, Clem moves a little further away so their legs don’t touch.

  Clem breaks the silence. “So, Maggie is going to stay until she finds out what really happened to Mom and Dad,” she says, looking at the group of seniors across the coffee table on their own couch. The three of them nod and smile.

  Maggie looks at Clem but her sister refuses to acknowledge the lie she just told. “Well, I’ve put everything on hold in Denver, and I have my own job to get back to, so I’m planning to be here two weeks at the most,” Maggie clarifies, trying to keep a straight face and not lunge across the couch at her sister’s throat.

  “That sounds reasonable,” Erline starts, her small voice cutting the air like butter. “But if you don’t find anything by then you’ll stay longer.” The matter of fact way she says it makes Maggie cringe on the inside. She can’t say no to her.

  “I mean, you brought your cat, so I figured you’d be here a while,” Clem says, finally looking at Maggie. The coldness of her eyes mirrors her voice and makes Maggie want to leave right this moment.

  “You know,” Maggie starts, not taking her eyes off of Clem’s, daring her to keep directing Maggie’s plans in front of their mother’s best friends, “I’m going to want to talk to all of you tomorrow, but for now I think I just want to get settled.”

  Winona stands first and gives Maggie another quick hug. “Of course you want to get settled. It’s been a while since you spent a night here, hasn’t it? I can’t even remember the last time you slept under the same roof as Clem.”

  Maggie can remember. It was the day she graduated from high school.

  “We’ll be in touch,” Ginger Rae assures Maggie and places a quick kiss on her cheek. Maggie almost flinches but remains calm. Ginger Rae holds onto Maggie’s hand as she continues. “We always have coffee at The Coffee Bean at eight. We’d love to have you join us. You know, just to get you reacquainted with the town and introduce you to some people who might be able to help you. If you want,” she adds, almost as an afterthought.

  “Thanks. If I’m up I’ll see you there.” For the first time in Maggie’s life, she can’t wait to get to bed, just to be alone.

  “It’s on Main Street, you can’t miss it.” Ginger Rae finally lets go of her hand and Maggie crosses her arms over her chest.

  Clem lets the three women out the front door. Maggie isn’t sure what to say to her sister. She feels like they’ve let things go on without talking about their past for so long that she doesn’t know where to even start to put everything back together.

  “I’m going to the shop,” Clem tells Maggie.

  “On a Sunday?” She hears the judgment in her voice and cringes. Once Maggie started her own private investigating firm with her long time business partner, Garth Redd, she made sure never to go to the office on Sundays to make sure she had at least one day off a week. But that doesn’t mean Clem has the same rule for herself.

  “I just have a few things to do. Did you want to come? I could use your help at the shop while you’re here.”

  Of course she can. Looking into Mom and Dad’s supposed suicide isn’t enough. “Yeah. I’ll come with you,” Maggie surprises herself by saying.

  Clem must be surprised too because she stops on her way to the kitchen with three empty tea mugs and turns back to Maggie. “R-Really?” she stutters.

  Maggie’s response is just as cautious. “I mean . . . unless you don’t want me to. It’s just . . . I haven’t been there in so long . . . I thought you were inviting me.” Her hands wave in front of her without her permission.

  Clem’s face starts to relax and a real smile crosses her face for the briefest of moments. “Of course you can come. You’ve never taken me up on the offer before.”

  They drive across town together without saying a word. Maggie takes in her surroundings, places she hasn’t really looked at in the thirty four years since she left. But if she’s going to go digging around to find what really happened to her parents, she needs to know where she is.

  Once inside Clem’s recently inherited business, Two Sisters Antiques and Imports, the good memories from Maggie’s childhood start flooding back unasked. She’s held them at bay so long she didn’t realize they could still surface.

  Clem disappears into the back office and Maggie walks around, touching the things that have been there since her parents started the shop before they had kids. There’s the grandfather clock that someone asks to buy at least once a week but it isn’t for sale; the piano that used to be in their house and her father would play every night after dinner; and Maggie’s personal favorite, the propeller from a plane dating back to the 1920s.

  Maggie used to pretend that the plane could fly her anywhere in the world. She and Clem would go on safari in Africa and then head to Paris to climb the Eiffel Tower before coming back home for dinner.

  There are plenty of new items in the shop as well that Maggie has never seen. Lots of furniture, that always moves the fastest. And shelves of books. There is a section for imports from different continents that aren’t antique but help attract a wider variety of customers. Selling antiques in Silver Springs would never last without the diversity of new items from India, Tanzania and Israel.

  After a full loop of the shop, Clem still isn’t back out from the office so Maggie starts over, looking at the smaller pieces and the ones that are new that she ignored on her first lap. In one corner, she finds a whole English telephone booth that she’s never seen before and she steps inside, wondering what it would have been like when they were on every street corner. She never took Clem to England in their make believe airplane.

  Maggie is about to open the door and step back out when the phone rings. She looks around but doesn’t see Clem coming her way so she picks it up. “Two Sisters Antiques and Imports,” Maggie says, the same thing she heard her parents say any time they answered the phone when she was a kid.

  “Maggie?” a familiar voice asks and Maggie drops the phone.

  CHAPTER 2

  Maggie stares at the phone dangling at the end of its wire. She doesn’t know how much time passes, but she picks it up again with a sweaty palm.

  “Hello?” she asks into it. She can’t believe that the voice she heard was real.

  “Maggie. Don’t hang up,” her mother says.

  Maggie waits, still unable to believe that she really has her mother on the other end of the line. Did she fake her own death?

  “I know why you came home. Thank you for that.” Her mother’s voice sounds too real for this not to be happening. “Your father and I didn’t commit suicide. We’d never do that. We love you and Clem too much.” Here
she pauses and Maggie waits. “We were murdered.”

  There’s another pause on the other end and Maggie’s brain goes a mile a minute. Her mother just told her she was murdered. So she is dead. But she’s on the phone right now.

  “Clem won’t forgive you if you don’t solve this. And you two will need each other now more than ever. I can’t tell you more right now, but this is where you can find me.”

  The silence on the phone now is different. It’s not a pause before her mother continues talking; her mother is gone. Again.

  Maggie holds the phone to her ear longer even though she knows she won’t hear her mother again. She’s still in the phone booth with the phone to her ear when Clem comes out of the back office. She taps on the glass door to the phone booth and Maggie jumps.

  “You know that’s not hooked up, right?” Clem says, impatience in her voice. “You ready to go?”

  Maggie replaces the receiver and closes her mouth that’s been hanging open since she first heard her mother say her name on the phone. She’s shivering and cold and wants to curl up in bed. Not the bed here in Silver Springs, but her bed back in Denver. She doesn’t want any of this to be real. She just spoke to her mother—well, listened to her mother. So this could be a dream. She can’t hear dead people.

  “Let’s go. I have to go feed the dogs. Oh, that reminds me, I don’t really have anything to eat at home. We can stop and pick something up on the way home if you want.”

  Clem rambles on and Maggie follows her out of the shop. She waits while Clem locks the front door and then they both get into the car to drive back home. It’s after seven and starting to get dark. For May, it’s not too cold yet. It could still freeze, or even snow, at this elevation, but right now Maggie is perfectly comfortable with a light jacket.

  “You haven’t said a word since we left the house,” Clem observes as she puts the car in gear and drives away from the curb in front of the shop.