Wild Paws (Kitten Witch Cozy Mystery Book 11) by Corrine Winters

Author:Corrine Winters [Winters, Corrine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-01-30T23:00:00+00:00

Twenty

Ember and Kleen studiously ignored each other as they waited for Cedric and the coroner to arrive. Sage had to return to her general store to open for business, and the two friends parted with a hug.

“Good luck, sweetheart,” Sage said warmly, squeezing Ember’s hand. “Kleen’s enough to test the patience of a saint.”

Ember smiled and squeezed back. “You know it. Let’s get together again, soon.”

“Absolutely,” Sage said.

Ember watched her friend leave. Reluctantly, she turned her gaze toward George Franks’ body. She tsked herself for being glad her life was going better when there was a dead man nearby.

“Oh, finally, the real police have arrived,” Kleen said bitterly when Cedric strode into view along the exercise path.

Ember bit her tongue and instead smiled warmly at her husband’s approach. Cedric returned the smile briefly before standing near George’s body and shaking his head.

“We tried to warn him.”

“Yes, we did.” Ember glanced over at Earl Kleen, antsy like a child waiting to tattle to the teacher. “I think he wants to talk to you.”

Cedric shrugged. “He can wait. The dead body kind of takes precedence.”

Ember smiled, allowing herself a tiny bit of satisfaction at Kleen’s expense. “You don’t need to bother doing that. I checked already.”

Cedric glanced over at her from where he crouched near George’s neck. He used an ink pen to lift George’s collar slightly. “No fang marks, huh?”

“Not that I was expecting any. A vampire who’s lived as long as Tyrone would be better at hiding his kills.”

“Exactly,” Cedric gestured at George. “Tyrone knows we know he’s a vampire, so he wouldn’t leave a blood-drained body where we could find it.”

“Are you suggesting Tyrone did this as a smoke screen? Like he killed George in a non-specifically vampiric way and dumped him here on purpose?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. I am saying another interview with Tyrone is in order. Just standard procedure.”

Ember nodded. She closed her eyes and drew on her mental link with Kali. “Let me talk to my familiar. She was cruising around on my broom while Sage and I were on the path.”

“In plain sight of mundanes?”

Ember frowned. “Give Kali some credit. She knows how to be subtle…oh no.”

Ember laughed helplessly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Kali’s already at Tyrone’s. Apparently, they’re having a barbecue.”

“Oh dear.” Cedric sighed. “Your familiar certainly doesn’t think Tyrone is our killer.”

“Kali’s been wrong before, but not very often.” Ember looked down at her workout gear and frowned. “Do you think this is inappropriate?”

Cedric ran his eyes up and down her spandex-clad form. “Kind of, but I’m not complaining.”

Ember chuckled. “I think that counts as sexual harassment, but I’ll let it slide, Sheriff. Are there any mundanes about?”

“Kleen seems to have wandered off, so, no.”

“Good.” Ember imagined herself wearing the workout gear, then slowly overlaid it with her deputy uniform. She added in a minor spell which cleansed her skin of sweat and provided a lavender deodorant.

Ember and Cedric worked the scene, examining the area with a fine-toothed comb. Ember found a partial footprint, but not enough to be useful.

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