Magic And Murder: A Sugar Creek Farm Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Sugar Creek Farm Paranormal Cozy Mysteries Book 1) by Anissa Patten

Author:Anissa Patten [Patten, Anissa]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2023-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

***

“Someone murdered Oswald on our property?” Aunt Ruth exclaimed after we got done telling her the story.

“Yes, and Coop thinks it was me,” I grumbled, still irritated that he had insinuated my guilt.

“There’s no way!” Aunt Ruth said in surprise. “Did he say that?”

“No, not in so many words, but he implied it pretty heavily.”

“I ought to whoop that boy,” Aunt Ruth asserted. “The nerve of Cooper Price! The same Cooper Price who lit the greasewoods on fire with his bottle rockets and tried to put it out with the garden hose! The same Cooper Price who knocked himself unconscious jumping off a train he had hitched a ride on! That Cooper Price?! I oughta go talk to his mama!”

Aunt Ruth’s diatribe actually got me to smile and I shook my head ruefully.

“No, don’t get Diane involved in this, Aunt Ruth. Cooper’s a grown man, and the Sheriff come to that, and there’s no point in talking to his mother.”

Aunt Ruth harrumphed but didn’t argue and Piper, who had let the tears flow once we were on our way back to the farmhouse, swiped her sleeve across her eyes, and asked, hiccuping slightly, “How can Cooper believe you had anything to do with this? It’s just horrible!”

“I know,” I sighed, “but I didn’t and we’ll just have to hope that the evidence is clear enough to show that. I mean, if I weren’t me, I’d be plenty suspicious about the whole scenario too. We got into a shouting match at the diner, he’s been harassing me to sell the farm, and it was clear to anyone who saw us together that we hated each other. Then he sued me. And not long after that, he was found dead on my property. I think I’m the one with the most motive, at least besides the real killer.”

“Then we’ll just have to find the real killer,” Piper said firmly, still rubbing at her eyes, and Aunt Ruth nodded her agreement.

“Y-y-you believe me, then?” I asked, gratitude unleashing the torrent of emotions I’d been holding back, tears stinging my eyes. “You believe that I didn’t do it?”

“Of course we believe you,” Aunt Ruth said staunchly. “Aside from the fact that we were together all morning, you’re much too smart to resort to murder to deal with Oswald. I have no doubt you would have much more finesse in the way you handled things.”

Relief flooded through me as I realized she was right. I had been with Aunt Ruth and Piper all morning, meaning that I had two witnesses placing me not at the crime scene. Someone else had snuck onto my land and killed Oswald, and to be frank, it wouldn’t have been hard. It was the border between his property and mine, and the fence wasn’t exactly in good repair.

“You know,” I said, wiping my eyes impatiently, “it’s possible that someone could have even lured him onto my land to murder him. I would be the obvious suspect. But how do we prove I’m innocent?”

This time it was Piper who answered, actually laughing lightly as she did.

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