Free Murder Most Howl: A Paws & Claws Mystery by Krista Davis Page B

Hobbs. My mom owns The Cat’s Meow.”
    “I was just headed to her store. What else do you do for The Blue Boar?”
    “Whatever they need. I bring them firewood, and fix dishwashers, and—”
    That sparked my interest. “You can fix appliances? Do you mow and do yard work?”
    “Sure, but usually not when there’s a foot of snow on the ground.” He grinned at me.
    “We could use some help around the inn. Would you be interested in doing some work for us?” I could try him out to see how he did.
    “Yeah, I’d like that. I’ll be over when I finish up here.”
    I waved at him and hurried toward his mom’s store. The front window of The Cat’s Meow featured an artfully displayed collection of items for cats and the people they owned. One of the resident cats, a long-haired tortoiseshell kitty named Mimi, sat in the middle of an assortment of stuffed toy cats and kittens, watching the snow fall. To her right, I recognized Zelda’s cat, Leo, draped over the perch of a fancy cat tree. Leo certainly got around.
    The store wasn’t open yet but I could see Delta Hobbs working inside. I rapped on the window. The bell on the door rang when she opened it. Trixie ran inside, eagerly sniffing everything she could reach. I had been in Delta’s store before but only knew her in a shallow sort of way.
    Delta smiled at me, pushing thick dark hair off her shoulder. “You’re an early bird today.”
    “I just wanted to leave this broom here. There’s a clue attached for Murder Most Howl.”
    “Oh my word!” Delta took the broom and spun it in her hands. “Thank you so much, sweetheart. I was hoping I’d get some clues that would bring them in here.” She paused for a moment, and one eye squinted. “I’ll put it in the store window. What do you bet half of them will walk right by it?”
    I thanked her in a bit of a hurry, knowing that they were probably getting anxious about the clue back at the inn. Trixie and I shot out the door.
    To my left, I spied Dave draping the area around the bench with crime scene tape.
    I hurried over to him. “Does this mean Norm was murdered?”
    Dave shook his head. “Nope. He’s dead, though. We’re waiting for autopsy results.”
    “Then why the tape?”
    Dave shot me a deadpan look. “I don’t know how he died.”
    I guessed that made sense from a law enforcement perspective. “Come by the inn for some breakfast when you’re done?”
    “Thanks, I’d like that.”
    When I walked past the window of The Cat’s Meow, Delta was arranging the broom among the other items on display.
    We were halfway back to the inn when a wind blew in, lifting the snow and obscuring everything. I knew where I was but the snow swirled around me so thick and fast that I could have easily lost my way. I called Trixie and bent down to grab her. Clutching her in my arms, I forged ahead, bent over against the stinging ice crystals that flew through the air. Trixie didn’t even squirm. I thought she probably wanted us to reach the inn soon, too.
    I breathed with relief when I could make out the front steps. Still carrying Trixie, I staggered up the stairs and into the warmth of the inn.
    Mr. Huckle swooped down on me and took Trixie. “Miss Holly! We were worried about you.” He unfastened Trixie’s coat and removed it.
    “We’re fine, but it’s a blizzard out there.” I shed my jacket and boots, and hurried to the center of the dining tables.
    “I would like to apologize to everyone for taking so long. Trust me when I say you really don’t want to be outside right now anyway. Let’s hope this snow dies down. Here’s the clue you’ve all been waiting for.” I hoped I remember the words of the children’s rhyme correctly.
’Twas a stormy night
When two little kittens began to fight. 

The old woman seized her sweeping broom, 

And swept the kittens right out of the room.
—Anonymous (circa 1880)
    Participants scribbled the words. A few called out for me to repeat it. I was happy to