Speaking of Murder by Tace Baker

Author:Tace Baker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: edith maxwell, tace baker, amateur sleuth, cozy mysteries, cozy mystery, female sleuth, linguistics, murder mystery, mystery, mystery series, traditional mystery, video forensics, women sleuths, barking rain press, mystery crime
Publisher: Barking Rain Press
Published: 2012-09-18T00:00:00+00:00

My aunt was a woman who took spring cleaning seriously. The late afternoon sun shone through the large windows of Louise and George’s sunroom. No dust or rain splatters blocked the light. I settled into a pink-and-green striped armchair while Louise busied herself in the kitchen. In the oval perennial garden outside, lines of recent raking circled points of green pushing their way lightward with promises of full bloom in a month or two. A dozen raised beds stood in formation farther back in the yard, several covered with mini hoop-houses. The scene looked like a Lilliputian’s landscape nursery.

My aunt had earned her Master Gardener certification, and her gardens had been featured in Organic Gardening Magazine.

“Here we are, dear.” Louise placed a tray on the wicker coffee table. “Sherry or tea?”

I smiled and accepted both, as well as a shortbread cookie.

After we talked for a few minutes, she said, “And how are Jackie and her new friend doing?”

“I’m not really sure. Fine, I think.” Why was she asking me?

“I wanted to apologize to her again for George’s bad behavior at Easter.”

I nodded and waited.

“He really has a good heart, Lauren. He’s just a bit opinionated. Gruff. You know.” Louise studied her porcelain teacup then looked up with bright little smile. “Let me show you his latest!” She stood and beckoned to me.

Mystified, I emptied my sherry glass before joining her.

Louise led the way to a large open box in the spare bedroom. “Look!”

Four kittens slept nestled together in a soft bundle. One opened its eyes and stretched. A pink tongue started to work, licking a tiny paw, then licked its littermate’s ear as if they were a single creature.

“How sweet they are.” I pointed out a black kitten who was gazing up at us with a puzzled look. They were all awake now, stretching and grooming. “This is George’s latest? Do you mean he raises kittens?”

“He fosters them for the shelter.” Louise beamed. “You know, kittens whose mothers can’t be found. He bottle feeds them and is as gentle as a new mother himself. It’s all his project, not mine. Of course, I help out when he’s at work. This litter’s mother had been hit by a car.”

“Are they going to be adopted?” I picked up the black kitten, wondering how Wulu would react to a little feline sibling. Yeah, right. Cute little kittens grow into big cats. That was all I needed in my small condo—two pets who might not even like each other.

“It’s pretty easy to place kittens once they’re neutered and have their first shots.”

Driving home, I thought back to the several strange incidents involving George lately.

His behavior at Easter had been rude and bigoted. He hadn’t been particularly kind to me the night I’d found Jamal’s body, grilling me on my whereabouts as if he hadn’t been my uncle for the last twenty years. The time after my evening class when he’d challenged me for even being in the building. Lockhart Hall, where my office had been for seven years.

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