Death Drops by Chrystle Fiedler Read Free Book Online

love it! Good doggie, good Qigong!” Qigong wagged his tail.
    “I believe we have a winner,” I said, and smiled at Merrily.
    “I think so, too. But I’d better get back to what I was doing.”
    “Merrily, that can wait. Why don’t you go home?”
    “I can’t go,” she said, misting up. “Not yet. I’ve got a few more calls to make about the memorial service.”
    I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you so much, Merrily. You’re a lifesaver.”
    “For Claire,” she said. “Anything.”
    After she went back out to the store, Qigong curled up in a corner of the comfy couch and promptly went to sleep. It seemed like a good idea, so I grabbed a pillow from one of the chairs, lay down at the other end of the couch, and pulled a blanket over both of us.
    When I woke up an hour later, Merrily had gone, leaving me a note on the desk that she’d see me in the morning. Alone again, I felt the darkness creep over me, and the tears came.
    After the crying jag ended, I realized I was very much alone, and I suddenly felt afraid. Would Aunt Claire’s murderer come back? Should I be staying here by myself? The other choices were to stay in a hotel, which I’m sure wouldn’t allow dogs, or with my mother or sister, ditto. Nick lived in a tiny one-bedroom cottage in East Marion, so that was out, too. I had taken self-defense classes in college, so I knew I could protect myself. I decided to be brave and stay the night.
    Next I realized I needed to check on my mother. I tried Natasha first, but when the call went to voice mail, I called the ER and was only told by the nurse on duty that my mother was to be admitted, but as a precaution, since she was stable. They were just waiting for the results of a few more tests. Nice of Natasha to let me know.
    I was grinding my teeth together in aggravation over Natasha’s selfish behavior when there was a knock on the door. Nick walked in looking completely devastated. I was surprised to see him after our last conversation.
    Now, wordlessly, he came over to me and hugged me. If it was possible, I could feel that his heart had been broken. He seemed so frail, instead of his usual robust self, ready for anyadventure. He had accompanied Aunt Claire around the world three times.
    Nick’s focus over the past decade, though, had been on meditation and yoga, which he taught in the studio on the second floor. His classes on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday mornings were always well attended. His style was gentle and inspirational, yet practical. He encouraged his students to master the postures but never to the point of straining. People left feeling relaxed and renewed. I’d taken his classes many times over the years.
    Dressed in his usual garb of polo shirt, jeans, and brown Crocs, he, like Aunt Claire, looked a good ten years younger than his actual age of sixty-eight. Eating vegetarian, teaching yoga, practicing meditation, and thinking Zen thoughts will do that to you.
    He spotted Qigong and his eyes lit up. “Who have we here?”
    Qigong wagged his tail but stayed put.
    “He’s a rescue,” I said, and told him what had happened.
    “Good for you. Claire would have approved.”
    “I know.”
    He patted Qigong on the head and sat in the chair opposite Aunt Claire’s desk. Up close, I could see that his piercing green eyes were red from crying. Being alone with his thoughts must have been hell.
    “I’m surprised to see you out,” I said.
    “I wanted to bring this to you,” he said, pulling a letter out of his pocket and handing it to me. “I thought you should see it right away.”
    “What is it?” I turned the letter over and saw that Aunt Claire had printed For Willow on the envelope.
    “I don’t know. She told me to give it to you if something happened to her.”
    “When did she write this?”
    He shifted in his chair. “I’m not sure. Something had been troubling her lately, but she wouldn’t talk about it. Believe me, I tried to find out.”
    I prepared