The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer (A Paws and Claws Mystery Book 2) by Krista Davis Read Free Book Online Page B

took her in a circle around the bonfire. I followed her as fast as I could without running, trying to be calm, so she wouldn’t sense my desperation to catch her. Just as I bent over and reached for her, she took off, her nose still to the ground. Ugh. Undoubtedly on the scent of an evil squirrel.
    I didn’t dare leave the fire, but on the other hand, I didn’t want to lose sight of my two rascals, either. Trixie was getting farther away. She zoomed by the Wagtail Springs Hotel. In the night with no one else around, it looked unbelievably spooky. No wonder people thought they saw ghosts in the eerie windows.
    Frantic barking started. It had to be Trixie. I listened carefully for a clue to her whereabouts.
    I jogged a few steps. “Trixie? Trixie?”
    The furious barking continued. Where was Dave?
    Like magic, he strode up, dressed in his uniform—an oasis of calm in the night. I waved at him and ran after Trixie. I would explain as soon as I had Trixie and Twinkletoes safely in my arms.
    The light from the street lamps didn’t stretch far as I rounded the hotel. I slowed down, stepping through the grass carefully while my eyes adjusted to the darkness away from the fire. Without the light of the moon, the expansive lawn in back of the hotel would have been treacherous. The huge gazebo shimmered faintly. The barking grew louder. But where were they? I squinted and scanned the lawn for any sign of their white coats. “Twinkletoes! Where’s my pretty kitty?” I tried to sound relaxed so they would come to me.
    Meep.
Twinkletoes didn’t speak much, but that sounded like her cute little mew.
    Were they in the gazebo?
    Twinkletoes darted out at me and swiped a paw at my leg as I neared the structure. I wasn’t quick enough to grab her.
    She scampered into the gazebo.
    “Trixie!” I called. “I have treats.” At this point I would have said anything to get them to come to me. But they didn’t.
    Trixie hadn’t stopped barking, either.
Yap, yap, yap.
    Built at ground level, the gazebo contained a mineral spring in the middle. I had played there as a child, joyfully splashing my cousin. Shallow water covered ancient stones, worn to smoothness. Simple wood stairs led from the decking into the pool.
    As I approached, Trixie ran around the deck of the gazebo, yipping. I sighed. This would be an aggravating exercise in futility because she could simply scamper around in a big circle, always keeping out of reach.
    She would sense my desperation. I tried to be calm and called her softly. She backed away, and backed away.
    I stepped onto the decking and squinted in the darkness. Why hadn’t I brought a flashlight?
    Trixie’s white coat gleamed in the moonlight. She whined at the water—and at the person floating in it, facedown.

Five

    Trixie stopped barking when I screamed.
    My purse dropped to the floor. The contents clattered as they spilled onto the wooden deck.
    I yelled for Dave.
    There was only one thing to do and no time to think about it. I had to turn the person over. I plunged into the cold water. It came up just over my knees.
    A filmy white dress floated around the body. Long silvery hair caught the glow from the light of the moon. I flipped her and dragged her to the side, but even though she was a slight woman, I couldn’t lift her out of the shallow pool. The gauzy white fabric caught on her arms and mine, wrapping us like mummies. After several tries, I managed to maneuver her shoulders up against the edge of the deck. Where was Dave? I yelled his name again.
    Minutes mattered. I couldn’t allow her head to drop back into the pool. Pinning her with my shoulder to keep her from sliding down, I hoisted her legs up enough to roll her over onto the deck, dislodging the wig she wore.
    Copper hair fell to the floor. Mallory! Shock flooded through me. The young woman who dreamed of her wedding didn’t appear to be breathing.
    I tried to recall the first aid classes I had taken years ago. I leaned Mallory on her