Cousins & Cadavers

By Sara Tiger Ryan

Inconveniently, a killer has donated a body along with a wardrobe to the Merry Cousins Import charity auction.
Unfortunately the Import Cousins have just moved to Zamsiya city and 1886, and the local guards already consider them suspicious. So Cousin Jay comes to beg Sazzy's help in finding the killer so he and his sister don't get hauled off to the local jail.
Even though Sazzy has only a week before she has to head for Winter Deep at her partner's grandparent's estate, she feels she has to say yes to the Cousins’ request.
So, back Sazzy goes with Jay, back to 1886, without her partner, with no contacts. Where her Cousin JayJay wants her to find the killer quickly. And quietly ... which has never been Sazzy's style.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sara Tiger Ryan
• Release date: May 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463972267

Sara Tiger Ryan

Sara Tiger Ryan was born in New Hampshire. She now lives in Florida with her 2 cats. Make that minus one charming boy cat, add in a Mama cat who brought me 5 kittens--all of them adorable! Sara started writing novels in 1973 in high school study hall and hasn't stopped (for long) yet. She started out writing fantasy and added mystery. She also writes metaphysical non-fiction. Ryan was active in the small press in the mid 90's, and had her own 'zine, Star Triad.

Book preview

Cousins

&

Cadavers

Miss Kitty Mystery # 9

Sara Tiger Ryan

All characters herein are entirely fictional.

Author’s Note:

All the work herein is copyright Sara Tiger Ryan, Tiger Moon Press. Smashwords Ebook Edition, November 2017.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re—sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting this author’s work.

Dedicated

to

Linda Ann True

(1955-2016)

Table Of Contents

1 A Cousin Client

2 No Such Person

3 Cheerful Movers

4 Mail Call

5 Better Yet

6 For Charity

7 The Pettiforts Party

8 A Telltale Bureau

9 A Telling Coze

10 The D'Shat Family

11 Kildren D'Shat

12 Lavern, Ai'Bet

13 Face To Face

Appendices

Cast of Characters

Map of Conyor Ness

Map of Vantage

About Sara

Other Books by Sara

All My Miss Kitty Mysteries

Miss Kitty Mystery 10, Garlands & Ghosts, 1st chapter

Chapter 1

A Cousin Client

1897

First Fates Entire 5

Fair Fates 1

KnifeKissingday

Vantage, Conyor Ness

The portal to all times in the Sunshine Room flung open. Dusty cursed irritatedly. Sazzy shoved the file on Shalin Lyy she had been writing her closing notes in to the top of her desk and sprang to her feet. Grabbing her Forest Lord statue weapon in case, she hurried from her office into Dusty's to see who had barged into Miss Kitty's Private Spy Agency from the timetracks.

Dusty stood behind his desk, his antique iron/emergency weapon under his hand. The person who had come through the portal remained in the Sunshine Room hidden by the blinding light of the open portal.

Ow! Dammit, the person said. What in the Thunderlands do you have a file cabinet in here for? Not just for me to stub my toes on, I hope.

She and Dusty put their weapons down, and Sazzy went to the door of the Sunshine Room to answer her cousin, one of the Merry Import Cousins, Cousin Jay. The magic blast, when my first bad guy tried to break the Family Fatestone, imbedded the file cabinet in the wall. None of us have been able to get it out.

Good, you're here. Jay shut the portal. JayJay and I are in desperate need of your private spy services. She found a body in one of our wardrobes and, as sure as dirt, the local guards will try to pin the murder on us.

Sazzy went to garner a hug. Cousin Jay looked fine until she got closer, then she could see the smudges under his eyes and the droop of his eyelids—meaning he had been timetracking too long or too close. She gave him a long hug without commenting, and he patted her shoulder.

When she pulled away, she said, I only have a few days before Dusty and I have to leave to visit his grandfolks for Winter Deep.

Ten days, Jay answered. To go and return.

She has a maximum of a week, Dusty put in, sounding annoyed.

Sazzy added, I have a two-day seminar on foresight at the Syiin school this coming SingingHeart.

Jay waved her protest aside. We'll pay you.

Sazzy glanced at Dusty. They didn't have any important cases lined up because they had started to clear their schedule so they could spend the Winter Deep fortnight at Dusty's grandfolks' estate. She wanted to stay on her waywalking Cousins' good side. so they wouldn't write her out of their roster because Isan Yght had stolen all—or most of—her timewalking talent. Would going with Jay be more likely to prove she had lost it...or that she hadn't?

If she went, the Cousins might appreciate her enough not to throw her out like her older sister had thrown her out of the Family for not marrying (her sister's excuse) or, as Dusty maintained: because they had ruffled society's feathers by turning the Untouchable Molly Lyy in as a twenty-person killer.

We need someone intrepid, Jay put in. Someone that knows us. Someone who will chase down the truth, not just go with the easy solution—which appears, to JayJay and I right now, would be to stash us in the King's dungeon.

King?

Sardonic Yght is King in the time we are in.

She had met Sardonic Yght during her Cats & Crowns case. He also had the Yght talent to drain a person of magic—though he had appeared not to use it on her purposely. Jay and JayJay had helped her with several cases. She really couldn't say no. She slanted Dusty a quick look. He didn't look happy, but he looked as if he understood.

She turned to JayJay. Do I need clothes?

Some clothes might help, he drawled teasingly. We don't want to shock JayJay silly.

Nitwit, she answered and went to her closet. She chose two of her one-piece dragonsilk outfits. A cloak?

It's summer where we are, Jay answered from her sitting room, and her couch creaked. Ow, fiend! Jay complained, meaning one of the cats had found him...probably Stripes who liked to climb pant legs.

Sazzy chose her yellow walking dress and patted her neck. No, she hadn't put her truthstone on because she hadn't been going anywhere to need it. Now where had she left it? Not in her jewelry box. She checked her desk next, passing through her sitting room where Jay had fallen asleep sitting up with Stripes purring in his lap.

She found her truth stone necklace in the top drawer of her desk, lifted it out, and started to put it on. The ruby truth stone fell out of its setting in pieces. Sazzy made an unhappy sound.

What's wrong? Dusty asked from his office and came to their adjoining door to see.

My truth stone just broke in pieces for no reason.

It must have had a hidden flaw. Or you've tested one too many lies against it.

Ha. She didn't have another. She'd better take enough coins to buy a new one...along with pocket money. What am I forgetting?

Your mind? Dusty teased.

I can't say no...

He waved his hand at her. I figured. They helped us out enough when they were here.

Jay came out of her sitting room. If it gets late, Kincaid, call us from the portal: 'Sazzy back from the wardrobe case, call one, two, three', and give the time and date, starting with the year and including everything down to the time of day.

I Sought Magictouch from the portal, Dusty answered, speaking of her love who lived in the 1300's.

Good, you can keep a magic eye on her. I'll bring her back to you ‘on time any time’. Jay slung an arm around her shoulders. Stay with me, coz. Anything you've forgotten to pack, we can work out. It isn't as if our closets are bare. He nodded to Dusty, said, Kincaid, in farewell, and drew her through Dusty's office, into the Sunshine Room, and through the portal to all times.

As soon as the portal closed behind her, Sazzy panicked. She hadn't timetracked by herself since ...she couldn't remember when. All she remembered was that she had wailed for Das to rescue her on her way back from Kimeriel Magictouch's time, where she had stayed far too long, making herself extremely time-ill.

Jay hugged her to his side, stepped through time, and out, through a portal into a back store room full of jumbled furniture and oddments.

Umph, she complained.

We're only a few years back. This means you aren't allowed to go to Vantage, because you would meet yourself in time and be more time-ill than you've ever been.

It would be hard to be more time-ill than she had been when she'd returned from Chiary's time of 1438 when everything around her had strobed from time to time from one second to the next.

1886, Laughing Fates Season 2

Laughing Fates Entire 2

KnifeKissingday

You're back, JayJay said from the far doorway, her tone immensely relieved. And you coaxed Sazzy to come. Thank All The Fates Entire. JayJay came over and wrapped her in a hug. We've missed you anyway. How's it going?

That she feared she had lost all her timetracking talent to her last bad guy wanted to leap out. Sazzy managed not to say that, she said, I failed my last case. She'd gone to a party instead of after Shalin Lyy, so he had died of magic drain. She'd let Yght drain her— Oh, this might relate to you, too. Dusty and I discovered Headmaster Isan Yght has been draining people of their magic for as long as he has been headmaster.

Now that is grim news. I went there for two years, JayJay said.

Luckily I was too ill to go, Jay said.

I'll put seeing a talent healer on my list for later. JayJay focused on her, but said nothing, only led them into the next room—obviously a work room from the smell of paint thinner, lacquer, and wood dust. Sazzy wrinkled her nose and stifled a sneeze.

I don't know where it came from, JayJay said, sounding peevish as she waved a hand toward a tall, double-doored wardrobe with a carved facade on the top, a dressing mirror on the right hand door, and a candle shelf to either side. The dark, heavily grained wood had been well cared for and recently polished. Sazzy went closer.

It wasn't in the Jehan's townhouse, JayJay continued. It wasn't in the wagon when I left. People know we're collecting to do a charity for the Brighteyes Orphanage here. I figured, at first, whoever had donated it wanted to remain anonymous.

No doubt they do, Jay said dryly from the back doorway, earning a sharp laugh from her and JayJay.

JayJay continued, Jay says he never saw it before either. Our loaders say it was by the curb with the rest of the things and they just loaded it. They were in and out, bringing things out of the house. They didn't see who left it.

You didn't call the guards?

No. JayJay paused. We've already had a couple run ins with the local guards about where we acquire our furniture. Anyway, I remembered what you said about disturbing scenes of crimes and sent Jay after you first.

Where are we, anyway?

Merry Cousin Imports, Zamsiya. The back room. About ten years before your time. And thank the Fates I decided to open the door. I can just imagine if a customer had opened it first.

Did you polish it? Sazzy moved closer, then walked around the wardrobe. Did you do the back, too? The back was unfinished wood, meaning the wardrobe, as fine as it looked from the front was an inexpensive— Is it a copy?

It's Brodley Woodsmith's work. Sometimes he didn't finish the back, since the wardrobe would be going against the wall, if the person who ordered it wanted the prestige of his work without the usual exorbitant cost.

Sazzy pulled a magic signature disk from her private spy kit and ran it over the back, around one of the sides, and stepped back. Where would you touch this to carry it?

I am not that strong, JayJay said. Neither is my skinny little brother.

Ha, Jay said. I'm going to go pretend we have a parcel of customers to sell our lovely antique pieces to. As he opened the far door, sunshine streaked across the floor. Jay passed through the doorway, and shut the door behind him, dimming the room again.

JayJay continued, Our movers usually grab things like this at the top first, tilt them down on their side and carry it that way. I still can't imagine how anyone managed to leave it without anyone seeing. It isn't something you could just dart in and toss on the curb.

Since she assumed JayJay had polished the top when she'd done the sides and front, Sazzy checked the bottom of the wardrobe with her signature disk.

I had already polished it before I opened the door, JayJay said while Sazzy worked. It was covered with fingerprints from being moved. Oh, you're looking for magical signatures. Maybe there's some inside. I didn't polish it in there. JayJay reached to open the wardrobe door and paused. Wait, our loaders use gloves. So, you're right, I destroyed the evidence before I knew it was evidence and not just a mess. JayJay finished opening the door.

The body had been wedged in the left hand side of the wardrobe where one would usually hang long gowns or trousers. On the right hand side, the head rested on the first shelf and the forward arm on the second shelf. His knees were tucked under the narrower third and fourth shelves. A cedar apple had been stuck in his mouth.

We don't want to have to move to another time already, JayJay put in, perching on a nearby work table.

We might have to anyway, Jay said from the doorway to the other room. The town has never forgiven us for purchasing Lady Yizarian's Estate, when it expected her to deed it and its contents to them for a museum.

JayJay crossed her arms and glared at the wardrobe. The whole thing is irritating—starting with Queen Shiveree dumping Hessel Tishar's entire collection on the market without a thought to what a disaster that would be to the economy.

Sazzy checked JayJay's expression. It had been her actions that had led to Tishar's arrest...but she certainly couldn't have let her best friend become part of Tishar's collection.

I'm not blaming you, JayJay said. I'm just upset.

And frazzled and ferocious, Jay added from the other room.

JayJay muttered under her breath.

Sazzy advanced cautiously on the body and ran her magic signature detecting stone along the edge of the shelves and inside edge of the door.

When she closed her wardrobe door, she often grabbed the edge to close it rather than the handle. The stone registered something, but the colors it showed looked blurred.

As far as we know, the wardrobe didn't belong to the Jehans, JayJay said. I have a list of the contents of their house, along with a list of what they donated to the auction and what they sold us. The same with Lady Yizarian's Estate, which we cleared out the same day. That wardrobe wasn't in that estate either. The list of contents of the Yizarian Estate is certified by the King's tithe collector and the death tax woman.

We can't just leave him here, Sazzy said, backing away. He's starting to smell, despite his cedar apple.

JayJay made an exasperated noise. He's ugly, too. I need you to solve this quickly, coz, before it ruins our business. One more move and failing, and we may never recover.

Do you know who he is?

Not the faintest. We've only attended one Season affair so far, and a few selling fairs.

"He looks elite—or at least upper select, according to his clothes and hair style. He shouldn't be too hard to find. Someone