The Pit List Murder Read online

  The Pit List Murder

  A Barkside of the Moon Cozy Mystery Three

  Renee George

  Barkside of the Moon Press

  Contents

  Blurb

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Paranormal Mysteries and

  About the Author

  The Pit List Murder

  (Barkside of the Moon Mysteries Book 3)

  Copyright 2018 Renee George

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the copyright holder.

  Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement by the author of this work.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters and storylines in this book are inspired only by the author’s imagination. The characters are based solely in fiction and are in no relation inspired by anyone bearing the same name or names. Any similarities to real persons, situations, or incidents is purely coincidental.

  Print ISBN-13: 978-1-947177-16-1

  Created with Vellum

  Pit Bulls are Sweet . . .and that’s no mystery!

  * * *

  Lily Mason and her adorable pittie Smooshie both have a nose for murder, but this is one cougar-Shifter who would give her left paw to never find another dead body. All she wants is to enjoy a simple life in her new town, her fixer-upper house, while working a job she loves. Besides, the mystery of whether Parker Knowles, her boss at the rescue shelter, will or won't finally ask her out gives Lily plenty to keep her guessing.

  * * *

  But when an abandoned pit bull puppy leads Lily and Smooshie to the corpse of a local Lothario, she is once again drawn into the seedier side of small town living. Even though she's warned off the case by the local sheriff, Lily is determined to find the killer. It doesn't help matters that more nasty notes are showing up around town, making Lily wonder if the two things are connected.

  * * *

  Lily and Smooshie need to crack the case of the dead Don Juan, while navigating what it means to live in an all human town, before the secrets of the people she cares for are exposed.

  For all the furbabies who have been

  rescued or need rescuing.

  May you all find your forever home.

  Adopt Don’t Shop

  .

  I am proudly a Bully Hero for Missouri Pit Bull Rescue. It takes a lot to keep a shelter running, and this organization goes above and beyond when it comes to taking care of these rescued babies. I encourage everyone who loves dogs to donate to this group (www.mopitbullrescue.org) as they build their new shelter that will allow them to house even more rescues until they can be placed in foster or forever homes.

  Second, I have to thank two hardcore ladies who were with me every step of this book, Michele Bardsley and Robbin Clubb. I don’t know what I’d do without either you.

  Third, I want to thank my niece Jeanna Settles, who really pays attention and calls me out if I screw up a timeline or forget how many kids a character has. I love you, darling!

  Fourth, I need to kiss the ass of my editor Kelli Collins who turned the edits around on this book in record breaking time. You are a complete rock star!

  Fifth, I want to give a shout out to my rebel readers. I’m so much better with you than without you! Thank you for being such great fans and readers.

  Chapter 1

  My mother used to say, “I’d rather be disappointed than have no hope.” For the longest time, I didn’t understand what she’d meant by those words. After she and my father were killed, hope was a scarce commodity. I’d come to expect that bad things happened, that I would never be able to command my own life. Growing up in a town full of Shifters and witches, I learned early on that my worth was based on my contribution to the community. I had nothing to offer the town. At least nothing they valued. I am small for a werecougar and economically challenged. Neither one of those things will win you most popular in a Shifter town.

  After I quit high school to support my little brother, I’d worked as a waitress, a dishwasher, and a cashier. My last job before I put my hometown in the rearview mirror had been a stocker at the local grocer. In other words, all minimum-wage jobs that required no skills other than good shoes and a strong back. The only thing I owned was my beat up mini-truck Martha. I think that’s why I cherish her so much.

  Anyhow, like I said before, I hadn’t known what Mom meant about a lack of hope and its correlation to disappointment…until I moved to Moonrise, Missouri. Now, I was full of hope and, unfortunately, I felt the keen sting of disappointment all too sharply as a result.

  Two months had passed since I’d revealed my Shifter secret to Parker Knowles—my boss at Moonrise’s pit bull shelter. I know, ironic, right? A cat that helps dogs, ha.

  After I’d shown Parker my true nature, he’d kissed me in the woods near a great oak I’d dubbed “the money tree.” Why? Because that’s where I found stolen bank money and had gotten a $120,000 finder’s fee. I donated half to the rescue, and Parker hadn’t wasted time in getting the foundation poured on the new kennels. The walls were up, and it had a roof. I sometimes wished I would have donated all the money, but the other half of the money paid off the mortgage on my property, which meant I didn’t have to get a second job away from the pit bull rescue shelter.

  You’d think that breath-stealing kiss meant that Parker was down with the whole paranormal thing, but you’d be wrong. At least he hadn’t told me to stop coming to work. The rescue shelter and my companion, a large and loving pit bull named Smooshie, were the only two things that kept me putting one foot in front of the other these days.

  I didn’t know what to do about the distance growing between Parker and me. He’d confessed he was falling in love with me, kissed me, and then he’d walked away. I supposed finding out the girl you wanted to be with was a giant cat some of the time could mess up anyone.

  The way Parker avoided me most of the time, I wondered if maybe I should take Ryan Petry, the local veterinarian, up on his offer to work at his office. I loved working at the shelter, but I was beginning to believe my presence there was too much additional stress for Parker. He already suffered from PTSD from his military service, and twice since he’s known me, he’d had a gun pulled on him. Finding out that I’m not exactly human and no stranger to violence could not have had a positive influence on his feelings for me.

  “Should I wear the studs or the hoops?” Reggie asked.

  Reggie’s question drew me out of my thoughts and back to the present moment. I was with my two human besties, Reggie Crawford, a local doc and the town coroner, and Nadine Booth, a deputy sheriff and my uncle’s main squeeze.

  Reggie’s black shoulder-length hair was pressed straight. She wore a blue and turquoise wrap blouse and a pair of black jeans with blue suede pumps. She held a small diamond up to one ear and a gold quarter-inch-wide hoop earring near the other.

  “That shirt is crying for those hoops,” Nadine Booth said before I coul
d say “wear the studs.”

  Both women were flashier than me, so it should have come as no surprise that the big gold hoops got both their votes. Reggie was a general surgeon, and she’d taken on the role of coroner after the last one, Tom Jones, had been arrested for murder. And attempted murder—mine.

  I stifled a shiver as goose bumps raised on my arms. I hated even thinking about Tom, but since his trial was going to start in six weeks, he’d been on my mind a lot. I’d been grilled upside down and sideways by the prosecuting attorney in preparation for my testimony. I still can’t believe Tom had recanted his confession. It made me sick to think about how he’d nearly killed me.

  Nadine put her hand on my shoulder. “Earth to Lily. Where’d you go there, sweetie?” She brushed her luminous brown hair off her shoulder, the LED lighting from Reggie’s mirror making her pale-green eyes glow. At that moment, she reminded me of a Shifter.

  I shook off the sudden melancholy and forced a smile. “Nowhere.” Both women gave me a skeptical look. “I’m fine. Really.”

  Reggie’s daughter, CeCe, was graduating from Moonrise High School in a few weeks. Nadine and I both agreed to go with her since it would be the first time she’d have to see her ex-jerkface since the divorce one year earlier. I had planned on attending anyways because Addison “Addy” Newton, a teenager who volunteered at the shelter, was also graduating. Addy had a shaky past, but over the past several months, he’d proven himself to be a really great kid. The fact that he reminded me of my younger brother Danny only added to my fondness.

  “How do I look?” Reggie asked.

  “You look beautiful,” I said. “And you’re going to be drop-dead gorgeous at the graduation, and that ex of yours will have no choice but to eat his heart out.”

  Reggie snorted. “That would require him to have a heart.” The middle-aged doctor was only seven years older than me, which put her in her early-forties. My nonhuman status made me look a lot younger. Still, Reggie’s fine lines gave her a grace I wish I had. I blinked when I realized her grace wasn’t the only thing I envied. I also wished I was human. It would certainly make my life less complicated.

  Reggie smoothed down her already smooth hair. “I’m nervous about seeing David.” She leaned toward her mirror and wiped the bottom right corner of her lip in a move to fix her burgundy lipstick that didn’t need fixing. “I moved all the way across the state to get away from him.”

  “If he looks at you cross-eyed, I’ll throat punch him.” I gave her a feral smile.

  Nadine nodded. “And if he gives you any trouble, I’ll show him how effective a Taser is in controlling unruly ex-husbands.”

  Reggie laughed. “I’m simultaneously grateful and afraid that you two are my friends.”

  Nadine bumped her shoulder against Reggie’s. “We love you, too.”

  Both Reggie and Nadine helped to make life bearable. Especially since Parker had built the wall of silence between us. He and I had been close before he found out about my dual nature, so the lack of contact was deeply painful. We kept our conversations short, sweet, and mostly business related. I missed having coffee and toast with him in the mornings. I missed the occasional spaghetti dinner he would make for me. But most of all, I just missed him. Sure, I saw him almost every day, but his emotional withdrawal made me ache.

  “Who are you thinking about?” Nadine asked.

  “What makes you think I’m thinking about someone?”

  “You have a wistful look.” The young deputy narrowed her eyes at me. “Almost pining.”

  “I don’t pine,” I said, irritated at how easy I was to read.

  “You really have the look down pat for someone who doesn’t pine,” Reggie said.

  I stood up. “You two got your signals crossed is all.” I grabbed my purse. “Are we going to Dally’s Tavern or are we staying here like a bunch of clucking hens ready to lay eggs?”

  Nadine laughed. “People are going to start mistaking you for a local if you keep talking like that. I can’t wait to tell Buzz what you said.”

  I gave her a wry look. “Who do you think taught me the line?”

  Reggie grabbed her purse. “Well, I for one have no intention of laying eggs. Let’s get out of here before we start molting.”

  Dally’s Tavern & Grill on State Street was packed wall to wall with men and women of all ages. Since Nix’s Bar burned down, it had become more than a college hang-out. The students had no choice but to share their space with all of the locals—in other words, the not-so-young-and-perky crowd.

  Tuesday was ladies’ night, which meant cheap drinks and food, and it was a standing girls’ night for Reggie, Nadine, and me.

  “Buzz texted,” Nadine said after we grabbed a table. She held up the phone and showed me a picture of my female pit bull, Smooshie, holding a squeaky monkey in her mouth.

  I resisted the urge to pet the picture. “I think Smooshie has a crush on Buzz.”

  “Her and every other woman in town,” Nadine said. She smiled, but I could see the real concern in her expression.

  “Oh, Nadine,” Reggie chided. “That man’s crazy about you, and you know it.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know why I said that.” Her eyes darkened as she lowered her gaze to the table. She rapped her knuckles on the wood top. “I think we need a round of drinks.”

  “Heck yeah,” Reggie said. “Now you’re talking.” She waved her hand at a wandering waiter, a young guy named Donnie.

  “Hey, ladies. What can I get you all to drink tonight?” Donnie stood over six feet tall, and he was built like a swimmer, large upper body, narrow waist and hips. He had the kind of smile that could and probably did break hearts.

  Reggie leaned forward, appreciating the view. “I’ll take a Gin Rickey.” She glanced at me.

  “Beer,” I said.

  “I’ll take a peach wine cooler,” Nadine said.

  I snorted.

  “What? They’re delicious,” she said. Her raised right brow dared me to say different.

  I wasn’t taking the bait. “I’d love some triple-cheese, chicken-bacon nachos,” I told Donnie.

  He nodded, flashing his flirty smile at the three of us.

  Reggie leaned forward and murmured, “That boy is dangerous.” She finished the statement off with a grin. “They didn’t make ’em like him when I was young.”

  Nadine shook her head at Reggie. “You need a date and soon.”

  Our friend ran her finger along the edge of her hoop earring. “I’m too old to start over again.” She looked at me. “Don’t you think?”

  “You’re never too old to live your life to the fullest.” I wished I could take my own advice.

  “Besides,” Nadine added. “You’re gorgeous.” She shook her head. “This ex of yours has really done your head in if you think otherwise.” Donnie passed by at that moment, hands free of his drink tray. Nadine stopped him. “Hey, you think my friend Reggie here is beautiful, right?”

  “Nadine!” Reggie admonished. She looked at Donnie. “I’m sorry,” she told him. “My friend is trying to make me feel better.”

  The corner of Donnie’s mouth curled into a smile. “For the record, you are beautiful, and I’m all for making beautiful women feel better.” Someone called his name a few tables down from us. He smiled and nodded. “Duty calls.” He winked at Reggie. “But you just holler if you need anything. Anything at all.”

  After he left, Reggie let out the breath she’d been holding. Nadine and I both waited as she composed herself. I really thought Reg was going to give Nadine what for, but instead, she started giggling, which made me giggle, and then Nadine joined in.

  Reggie fanned herself. “That kid is something else. I might need to find a block of ice to sit on.”

  “You know he’s twenty-four,” Nadine said. “He’s getting his master’s degree at Southeast Missouri State University, and he teaches as an adjunct at the community college here in town.”

  I looked at Nadine. “And how do
you know all this?”

  Nadine laughed. “He called about a break-in at his house a few days ago. I took the call. He’s a chatty charmer.”

  “Did you catch the thief?”

  “Turned out nothing was taken,” Nadine said. “You know…he just lives a mile or two down the road from you on the Jessup property. He’s renting to own.” She wiggled her brows. “Maybe that boy could break your cold streak.” She shrugged. “Unless you’re still holding out for Parker.”

  Before I had to defend my choice not to date anyone, we were interrupted.

  “Ladies,” a male voice crooned from a few feet away.

  I looked up and groaned. Jock Simmons was one of the few people in town I really disliked. And a drunk Jock was ten times worse than a sober one. Jock was a local lawyer. He was married to the only other paid employee at the rescue shelter, Theresa Simmons. Theresa was also the sheriff’s daughter, which always made me wonder why Jock would push the envelope the way he did. The man had a reputation for tomcatting, and I suspected he sometimes took a hand to his wife. I’d seen bruises on Theresa more than once.

  As if he read my mind, he put his arm around Reggie’s shoulders. He was angled over us enough to encroach on our personal space even more. His breath reeked of bourbon. “You three are looking purtier than five-dollar bills on quarter night.”

  Reggie’s dark eyes widened at me.

  He ogled Nadine, his eyes glassy as he looked purposefully at her breasts. “You should come dance with me, darling.”