Choked in Cherry Hills

By Paige Sleuth

Fundraising can be fatal.

January's Furry Friends Foster Families animal rescue fundraiser turns deadly when the guest of honor ends up murdered. Now it's up to amateur detective Kat Harper to figure out who killed popular local radio personality John Sykes.

As Kat soon discovers, this isn't going to be a straightforward case. Between an ambitious coworker desperate to advance his career, a bevy of lovestruck fans, and an oddly frosty wife, John Sykes could have been targeted by practically anyone in attendance that night. To complicate matters further, the more Kat learns about the victim, the more she realizes he may have had a dark side hidden beneath his charming public persona.

Fortunately, Kat has a secret weapon in her sleuthing arsenal. His name is Sundae, and finding a home for the tabby cat with fudge- and caramel-colored markings may be the only way Kat can still salvage something from this tragic event. It also doesn't hurt that introducing him to prospective pet parents is a wonderful way to interview everyone on her lengthy suspect list.

She just has to be careful not to let the innocent feline fall into the hands of a killer, or else this may end up being the one case Kat regrets taking on for the rest of her life.

All of the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery books can be enjoyed as standalones but will be better appreciated as part of the series. The books are light, fun cozy mysteries featuring an animal-loving female amateur sleuth, lovable and not-so-lovable quirky characters, and a page-turning mystery that needs solving. None of the books include cliffhangers, bad language, or graphic scenes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marla Bradeen
• Release date: Jan 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370742622

Paige Sleuth

Paige Sleuth is a pseudonym for mystery author Marla Bradeen (http://www.marlabradeen.com/). She plots murder during the day and fights for mattress space with her two rescue cats at night. When not attending to her cats' demands, she writes.Please join her readers' group so she can keep in touch: http://hyperurl.co/readersgroup

Book preview

Choked in Cherry Hills

A Cozy Cat Caper Mystery

Book 13

Paige Sleuth

Copyright © 2017 Marla Bradeen (writing as Paige Sleuth)

All rights reserved.

Published by Marla Bradeen.

This book or portions of it (excluding brief quotations) may not be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher/author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), actual businesses, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If this ebook copy was not purchased by or for you, please purchase your own copy before reading. Thank you for respecting this author’s work.

Fundraising can be fatal.

January’s Furry Friends Foster Families animal rescue fundraiser turns deadly when the guest of honor ends up murdered. Now it’s up to amateur detective Kat Harper to figure out who killed popular local radio personality John Sykes.

As Kat soon discovers, this isn’t going to be a straightforward case. Between an ambitious coworker desperate to advance his career, a bevy of lovestruck fans, and an oddly frosty wife, John Sykes could have been targeted by practically anyone in attendance that night. To complicate matters further, the more Kat learns about the victim, the more she realizes he may have had a dark side hidden beneath his charming public persona.

Fortunately, Kat has a secret weapon in her sleuthing arsenal. His name is Sundae, and finding a home for the tabby cat with fudge- and caramel-colored markings may be the only way Kat can still salvage something from this tragic event. It also doesn’t hurt that introducing him to prospective pet parents is a wonderful way to interview everyone on her lengthy suspect list.

She just has to be careful not to let the innocent feline fall into the hands of a killer, or else this may end up being the one case Kat regrets taking on for the rest of her life.

All of the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery books can be enjoyed as standalones but will be better appreciated as part of the series. The books are light, fun cozy mysteries featuring an animal-loving female amateur sleuth, lovable and not-so-lovable quirky characters, and a page-turning mystery that needs solving. None of the books include cliffhangers, bad language, or graphic scenes.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

DROPPED DEAD IN CHERRY HILLS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER ONE

Something was coiled around Katherine Harper’s neck. She could feel it encircling her throat, cutting off her airway. Whoever was choking her had a hold on her head, keeping her immobilized and helpless. She wanted to scream, but that was impossible when she couldn’t draw air into her lungs. Terror spread through every cell in her body. She was only thirty-two, much too young to die.

Kat’s eyes flew open in a panic, her heart racing in her chest. Gasping for breath, she reached up to fight off her assailant. Her fingers landed on something soft and warm, something that felt quite familiar.

Tom flicked his tail in her face and adjusted positions. Kat let out a strangled laugh, her heart starting to return to its normal rate. The attack had been a dream, one perpetuated by a certain big cat’s insistence on sleeping on her pillow.

Kat levered herself up on one elbow and turned on the bedside lamp. I thought you were trying to kill me, she scolded the brown-and-black feline.

Tom pried one eye open. The expression on his face suggested he wasn’t above such a deed if he deemed it necessary.

Kat ruffled his fur. You can’t fool me with that tough-guy attitude. I know you’re a big softie at heart.

Tom shut his eye and relaxed. Pretty soon, the sound of his purring filled the room.

Kat snuggled closer to Tom while she petted him, savoring this moment for as long as she could. January mornings could be cold in Cherry Hills, Washington, and she would like nothing more than to stay buried under the covers all day.

Unfortunately, she had to start getting ready for work soon.

Kat checked the bedside clock. On the off chance that Matty, her yellow-and-brown tortoiseshell, failed to rouse her for breakfast according to her usual strict schedule, the alarm was programmed to go off in half an hour. Kat moved the knob to the radio setting instead.

Let’s see what John Sykes has to say this morning, shall we? she suggested to Tom as she adjusted the dial.

She rarely listened to talk radio, but since John Sykes had volunteered to auction off an evening out in his company to benefit Furry Friends Foster Families, she figured she should tune in to the local radio personality’s show at least once.

. . . totally agree, Bob, a melodious male voice boomed through the speakers when Kat found the proper frequency. Fitness is a lifelong commitment. Speaking for myself, it can be a challenge to find the time, but this year I’m making a point to show up at the gym at least twice a week. What about you, listeners? Anyone want to join me in my pledge to better health?

Kat swung her legs out of bed, frowning when she noticed the stiffness in her calves. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been inside a gym.

For those of you just tuning in, we’re talking New Year’s resolutions. Have one? Hate ’em? Call in and let us know where you stand.

Tom turned his head toward the radio and meowed his two cents before leaning back to groom his tummy.

You’re not into resolutions either, huh? Kat replied.