Mysterious Paws (Kitten Witch Cozy Mystery Book 13) by Corrine Winters

Author:Corrine Winters [Winters, Corrine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-07T23:00:00+00:00

Nineteen

“Two turtle doves will show thee

Where my cold ashes lie

And sadly murmuring tell thee

How in tears I did die”

― Nikolai Gogol

* * *

Ember slogged through the mud over to Kirchner’s side. The rain pattered off the system of tarps trying—with moderate success—at keeping the crime scene dry. He tucked a long, thin boxy device into his pack and straightened up, rubbing his back.

“I might have some good news for you. The perp had to be physically close by when Livingston died.”

“He did?” Ember cocked an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

“Our perp tried to use a grounded wire to inundate the pond with electricity initially,” Kirchner said, holding up the cable in a gloved hand. “The problem was, according to my calculations, this wouldn’t have put out more than fifteen, sixteen mA, tops.”

Cedric scratched the back of his head. “Um, what exactly does that mean, Kirch?”

Kirchner gestured at the pond. Livingston’s body had been recovered and now lay on the mossy banks, attended to by Kirchner’s interns. “What it means is, the current was insufficient to cause Livingston’s death.”

Ember blinked in confusion. “Then what killed him?”

“Oh, he was electrocuted all right,” Kirchner said. “I’m getting to that part. So, not only is fifteen mA not lethal, it’s insufficient to cause paralysis or contractions of the muscle groups.”

Ember gasped. “So Livingston could have been able to get himself out.”

“He’d have gotten a good sting while he remained in the water, but he should have been able to make it out. But, our perp reacted. He threw a second cable into the water, and he didn’t’ bother grounding this one.”

“Which shorted out the generator.” Cedric nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Hey, remember what Mitch told us?” Ember gestured at the pond. “How he heard a splash, then a second later Livingston screamed, and then—”

“And then there was a second splash.” Cedric crouched down and examined the gnarled roots forming the pool’s rim. “This scrape mark looks fresh.”

Ember nodded. “They look fresh, indeed. So what if our perp hung out waiting for his trap to be sprung, watched Livingston stumble into the pond, and then realized he was about to escape?”

“The perp must have knocked him back in,” Cedric said.

“Right. Then he tosses in the second, ungrounded wire and shorts out the generator, but, in the process, generates enough juice to finish Livingston off.”

“Your perp has at least a smattering of knowledge about electricity,” Kirchner said. “I wouldn’t have thought to look, but one of my interns is minoring in electrical repair.”

“Well, thank goodness you got lazy, Kirch,” Cedric quipped. “Are you sure it was electrocution?”

“Not entirely, but I’m sure Dalton can verify it for you. Seems likely, he’s got all the earmarks of a massive inundation of electricity.”

“Sounds like you can pack it in, Mr. Coroner. Thanks as always.”

“It’s a job,” Kirchner said. “With you two, at least I know I’ll never be bored. It’s always something weird in Cauchemar.”

“Part of the charm,” Ember said. She and Cedric moved back to the main pavilion. Ember noticed Steven Richards deep in conversation with John Willie.

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