Mind Your Own Murder (Persephone Pringle Cozy Mysteries Book 1) by Patti Larsen

Author:Patti Larsen [Larsen, Patti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Whiskered Mysteries
Published: 2021-10-05T16:00:00+00:00

11

I should have anticipated Mitch’s arrival, though when he hurried through the kitchen door to the garden I felt, as I had with the sheriff and deputies, an unhappy twinge that so many seemed to take my cottage rental as a throughfare. Mind you, this was Mitch’s house, so he had a good reason to be here, though his concern for me rather than his property endeared him after the fact.

“Persephone,” he almost tripped on his way down, wringing his hands, anxious expression and trembling voice all for me, “I’m so sorry you’re having such a horrible experience.” He shook his head, glancing at the gate to the beach. “How simply awful for you. This is just a disaster.”

Tell me about it. “I’m sorry too, Mitch,” I said, “but the moment the sheriff clears me,” he’d better, and fast, “I’m leaving.”

The cottage owner nodded heavily, big hands clasping together in front of him as if in an attempt to stop their shaking. “Of course,” he said. “I’ve already refunded your full deposit.” He looked up again as a deputy appeared, lugging something heavy.

They couldn’t be serious. With a fury that shocked me, I stormed to the gate and planted myself in the way, the young man’s eyebrows shooting up, the body bag he held impacting him as whoever was on the far end was forced to a halt.

“No.” My jaw ached from gritting my teeth. “Just. No.”

The deputy actually gulped, bobbed a nod and jerked his head to the other one at the far end of the body. They retreated, though Lou Savoy and Sheriff Perkins apparently didn’t get the memo, the two of them wandering through the gate while the deputies took the long way around.

“I’ll do the autopsy right away,” Lou said to Perkins before nodding to me. “Ms. Pringle, a delight to meet you, though I wish under different circumstances.” He mopped at his face with that same damp handkerchief. “I’ll have Linda stop by to see Candace, poor kid.”

“Thanks, Lou.” Perkins slapped the round man on the shoulder before turning to Mitch who shared a short greeting with the departing coroner. “Mitch.”

“Tommy, this is crazy.” My host gestured toward me. “You know my guest had nothing to do with Kendall’s murder. There are more than enough locals who wanted him dead.” Hadn’t I said that very thing myself?

Perkins hadn’t softened his stance any. “I’m the law around here, Mitch, not you.” He glanced sideways at me before tipping his hat to my host. “I’ll be in touch.” He sauntered out, again through my side gate, while I bit my tongue until he was gone.

“Does no one respect privacy around here?” I suppose it made sense to use the garden gate, but this wasn’t a public road.

Mitch shrugged, apology written all over him. “Everyone knows everyone,” he said. “And where keys are kept. It’s a small community, Persephone. Even in tourist season people hate to lock their doors. We’re pretty close knit and though Kendall was a general pain to everyone, he was one of us.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.