Museums & Murder

By Sara Tiger Ryan

The Queen is unamused by the many accidents and thefts in the country's museums, and the Royal Spymaster and his operatives are busy securing the town and palace for the Prince's upcoming handfasting. The Queen is concerned that it is only a matter of time before one of the accidents —some indecently posed—will escalate till someone dies. So she hires Miss Kitty's to find the culprit.
Unfortunately, all of Miss Kitty's partners are time-ill from their recent foray into the past. Besides, Dusty already has an important case—and dragon-senes to integrate. And Thane just got in a new case.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sara Tiger Ryan
• Release date: Oct 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005236519

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

Museums & Murder

Miss Kitty Mystery 20

Sara Tiger Ryan

All characters herein are entirely fictional.

Author's Note:

Herm is short for hermaphrodite.

All the work herein is copyright Sara Tiger Ryan, Tiger Moon Press. Smashwords Ebook Edition, September 2022.

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.

Table Of Contents

01 A Royal Summons

02 No Help Here

03 A Scrid of Help

04 Nakerty, Lyy Again

05 Treblen’s Fate Museum

06 Viable Suspects

07 Wise Traders

08 Dangerous Gossip

09 Fairhand, Incorporated

10 A Command Letter

11 The Cousin Masque

12 Aftermath

13 A Dire Prediction

14 An Illusionary Painting

15 Drawing Answers

16 Something Too Horrible For Words

17 A Telling Clue

18 Kicking The Baddie

19 A Furious Trial

Appendices

About Sara

Other Books by Sara

All My Miss Kitty Mysteries

The Next Miss Kitty Mystery 21 Knives & Knaves, first chapter

Chapter 01

A Royal Summons

Spale Year of 1900

Laughing Fates Season 5

Dancing Fates 1

AngelDancingday

Sazzy entered the palace with trepidation. The Queen had sent an order this morning for her to come immediately but hadn't said why.

Royal Guard Waller, her usual palace escort, awaited her just inside the palace doors and conducted her to the Queen's smaller, side waiting room. At least it wasn't the throne room or main court hall, meaning whatever she—or Miss Kitty's—had done couldn't be that dire.

Sazzy checked Waller's expression but it gave nothing away. Or he knew nothing about the reason for the summons.

Waller ushered her into the room and shut the door behind her. Her Majesty was pacing the far side of the room with her hands shoved in the pockets of her amber satin tunic.

Sazzy stopped warily just inside the door. She truly couldn't think of anything Miss Kitty's had done lately to warrant such agitated pacing. She and her partners had mostly been taking things easy, recovering from their back-in-time trip to the Kissing Wings Nesting solving a case for the dragon people there. Thane was mostly all right now, but Dusty was still getting used to his newly and accidentally acquired dragonsenses. All three of them had needed to let their Seek talents heal.

The Queen spun on her, took her hands—fists—out of her pockets, and studied her.

She couldn't retreat; there was a closed door and wall behind at her back.

Her Majesty stalked to a spindle-legged desk and picked up a sheaf of papers.

There was a whole sheaf of things they had done wrong?

Since you have done such good work, Her Majesty said, even though it has made my reign difficult for me, We are hiring you to look into the rash of museum thefts and accidents.

Sazzy braced herself against the wall. Feon? she asked, then said, Thane. Thane, her third partner, had come to breakfast battered this morning and attributed it to another accident at Feon Lyy's Artifact Museum.

Feon is exactly why I want your agency to solve this issue immediately. My spymaster has spread himself thin trying to cover all the museums, while preparing for my son's handfasting gala. He is now needing to pull his men in to secure the palace and city. The Queen tapped the papers on the desktop several times. You will need all your partners. The one and only witness is a cat. If you brought Cady Longwish along as well, We wouldn't complain. Her Majesty pointed to the spindly chair that matched the desk. Sazzy crossed the room and sat. Her Majesty retreated behind the desk. The thief is treating death like a joke. It's indecent.

Death?

Stupid thefts. Accidents. Posed accident scenes made to look like death scenes. Her Majesty tapped the papers on the desk several more times. No, no actual deaths yet, but only for the Wild Fates' luck. Little thefts, like that beaded reticule Feon lost that he said you couldn't find. Her Majesty paused and waited.

Thane brought me a picture of it that Feon had drawn. I couldn't get anything from it, I couldn't understand what herm had drawn enough to redraw it. And, right now, it still hurt to Seek.

Ah. The Queen tapped her fingers on the papers again, then continued, Accidents like what happened to your friend Thane. Making me fear Feon barely escaped some humiliating death. Everyone may see Feon as flittery and useless, but I do not. Herm's little magics are priceless. Two of the museums belong to the Lyy. They certainly aren't going to hire you. I want this indecency stopped immediately.

Miss Kitty's had never been that good at immediate solutions.

Agree, the Queen ordered, then I can send you down to my spymaster so he can have someone fill you in on the case so far.

Your Majesty, she said politely.

The Queen eyed her. I require an actual agreement.

Sazzy took a breath and said anyway, I have two partners, we are all equal partners. Cady is his own person. She paused.

The Queen waited pointedly.

Sazzy said the expected words a bit reluctantly, I can only agree for myself.

The Queen waved the sheath of papers at her irritatedly, then held them out. Have the other three send up their agreement before afternoon two.

Sazzy reached for the papers.

The Queen slapped them into her hand and stood. Thank you. I know I can count on your company to do a thorough job. The Queen pivoted in a swirl of turquoise satin skirts and amber tunic, and stalked from the room.

Sazzy stayed a moment recovering, then turned towards the hall door.

Waller, looking amused, nodded to her from the now open doorway. The Spymaster is waiting for you. I'll be your liaison. You'll need most of the morning to talk to the operatives who have investigated the several incidents. He waved for her to proceed him. She fell into step with him instead. After a moment, he continued, Spymaster Reyhard sent one operative to each of the five museums, including Elite Feon's—

Is Feon in the palace?

No, miss, herm is worrying at the museum today. Waller grabbed out and caught her arm. Miss Jinn?

She glanced at him questioningly.

He flushed and let got of her arm, muttering, You were going to walk into a statue.

If her time illness was acting up already (after a double-dose of potion with breakfast), she wouldn't be able to stay at the palace long.

The Royal Spymaster had a toppling pile of papers in the center of his desk and a cadet on the floor sorting more papers into five piles. Spymaster Reyhard said as she entered, Yes, they do all belong to the case her majesty just gave you— Thank the Fates. I am up to my ears in trying to secure the palace against—or with—whatever—dragons, of all...people. He scrubbed his hand over his dun-colored hair. Of all the people in the world, Prince Lyzan could handfast... Never mind. Please sit and let me fill you in. Or should we wait for your partners? I know the Queen wanted all of you on the job. Especially your creature Seeker, since the only witness we've been able to find is a cat—or we are supposing it is a witness, since it was locked in the room with the boy who had the 'accident'.

Thane came to breakfast all battered from his accident at the museum. He said he'd just checked the exhibit and it was solid...until he walked by this morning.

Then, likely I'll have another report on my desk for you later, once my operative in town finds out about the accident. And, yes, we've been calling them accidents, even though they are getting more and more suspicious with each incident. Miss Jinn?

Sazzy looked up, and realized she'd knocked a handful of papers off the corner of his desk. Sorry, I'm talent-ill. She paused. If you say my name every little bit, it will help.

Miss Jinn.

You'd better make it Sazzy. Her Majesty seemed most upset by the 'posed'? accidents.

The few 'accidents' where the person was found unconscious had been, what my operatives guess, posed, some rather obscenely or disturbingly. The Spymaster sat back. I'll give you the gist, then you can take the copy of my files to read...over lunch. He half-smiled. Of which I, then, might actually get time for some today. He shuffled papers a moment, then neatened the stack. So, we are thinking this started quite awhile ago, since Feon is convinced the stealing of the antique snuff box and reticule that was taken two winters ago relates.

Herm—or Thane rather, asked me to Seek it. The drawing wasn't...clear enough.

The Spymaster laughed shortly. Feon sent me a drawing of each item. If your drawing was anywhere close to the ones I got, I can see why you can't Seek from them. In the papers here, there are a few items that are clearly rendered enough that you might be able to Seek them. Unfortunately they are from one of the Lyy museums and I hear you are not welcome still at any of them.

I usually go in disguise now, if I need to. She hadn't been since she had gone in disguise to the Nakerty Lyy Museum and looked at Kimeriel Magictouch's Conundrum painting to make certain she had solved that case.

Miss Sazzy. The five museums that have reported accidents and thefts are: Feon's; your ancestor's Jinn Treblen's Younger Fates Entire Museum; the Museum of Oddities in Mylea Roses West; The Wishing Rock Museum of Music and Musical Instruments; and the three Lyy museums: Nakerty, Six Hearts, and the Royal Lyy Museum of Rare Books in Destiny.

That's six.

Sorry. The book museum just reported in this morning. It sounded like, since two of their museums had problems, all of their museums were taking an inventory and the book one came up on rare book short that had been substituted by a—You'll appreciate this—Miss Nellie of a similar title.

She laughed shortly, then again to think of one of the stuffy museum Lyys encountering the trade of a Miss Nellie romp for a serious book.

The Spymaster pushed the pile of paper at her. If you have any questions, Waller probably knows the answer. So far none of the accidents have led to a death, but it is likely a matter of time and a little less luck. Thank you.

You were going to let her talk to our operatives, Waller interjected.

The Spymaster waved a dismissive hand. Not today. Let her read the reports first so she has the background. He turned to her. Everyone is busy; I'll send them down to you one by one as they report in. And the most current information as soon as Snap— He waved a hand toward the cadet on the floor. —finishes.

Sazzy stood. Waller took the hefty sheaf of pages from her and nodded for her to precede him. He carried the papers to the front gate, hailed a chair runner, paid the woman, and held out the pages, saying, Most of the reports are saying: we don't know why we were asked, it was just an old book, toy, purse missing, nothing big.

If nothing big had been taken, why had the Queen called Miss Kitty's in? To keep them tied up in a little case until the Prince's handfasting to Kinsal Erel, the dragon girl, was over?

No one else was at Five Whippet West, not even their three cats, Evan their bookbinder tenant, or their new receptionist. The building was unnaturally quiet. Even their dance mistress upstairs and the children she taught were quiet today. The Cousin Rag and all the news scroll's comings and goings had moved to the Cousin Whimsy. She appreciated not feeling pressed to write twelve copies of the latest scroll a day. Never mind the added benefit that, if she locked the doors, they stayed locked until she unlocked them—especially with their new magic palm-locks.

Sazzy carried the report on the museums to her desk and found two of their cats. Miss Kitty sprawled across her desk top. Stripes, their slate on gray, overly-tailed Hyllyn Wiche cat, had the seat of her client chair. Sazzy set the Spymaster's notes on the floor next to her desk, sat, gave Miss Kitty a few strokes, then began reading...and discovered the Spymaster's five museums were really seven.

Chapter 02

No Help Here

Over dinner, Dusty, Thane, and Cady listened to her summary of their new case and each one came up with an excuse of why he couldn't help.

Sazzy frowned around the table.

Thane said, I can barely move right now, and your friend Vivalda ran Alley down today, putting him in the heal hall. I'm not leaving town till I know he's all right.

Viv ran your brother down? she repeated, How badly was he hurt? then she added before Thane could answer, She isn't my friend any more and she's sent several notes by to say so.

She nearly ran Kissana and me down last year, Cady said. She drives like a madwoman. She killed that Low Town boy and nearly killed Apothecary Loquan. It's a wonder she hasn't wiped out half the town.

Sazzy focused on him.

Cady said, I just started a new missing child case. I don't know how it will go. I can't just leave. My client paid me a deposit. Time usually means a lot.

She turned to Dusty, who looked away and said, I'm at the turning point in my new case. It's a Select boy in jeopardy. The missing boy is only ten. The parents' expect a ransom note, but they haven't received one yet. The boy is behind magic. Dusty glanced at Cady. As soon as I can coerce Sazzy into turning the boy's formal portrait into a magic Seeking drawing, I'd like you to give the Seek a try. Dusty paused, then added low, And I'm afraid for Saffie.

Sazzy straightened. Why? Is something new wrong?

No and yes. And Vivalda is the basis of my worry, as well.

Is she trying to run him down, too? Cady asked, not quite seriously.

Not in a carriage, Dusty answered and poked at his remaining fluff of mashed moonjots. Or not that I know of.

Is she going to throw him out of the Family because he has handfasted the notorious Dusten Kincaid? Thane asked with a glance to her, whose sister had thrown her out of the Family for not handfastimg.

Ha, Dusty said, running his hand through his maple-colored waves, I don't know what she's up to. I'll help out from here. I need to stay in town for now. Just let me know—

A muffled ‘eep?’ came from the hallway.

We're in here, Sinister, Dusty answered their black and white cat, at the same time as Miss Kitty, who sat on the threshold of the hall doorway, did with a, ‘Meow?!’

‘Eep,’ Sinister answered, sounding a few handspans from the meeting room door still. Why was the cat moving so slow? Usually the three cats raced from room to room. She hoped Sinister hadn't gotten hurt.

Oh-oh, Dusty, who sat in view of the door, said. That can't be yours.

Sinister Magic leapt awkwardly up on the chair next to Thane, who said, Where did you find that? Dusty's right, it can't be yours; it's all the wrong color.

Sinister Magic jumped onto the table and deposited...a mouse? in Thane's empty plate. No, not a mouse, a kitten. An extremely bedraggled dirt-colored kitten.

‘Eep, eep, eep!’ Sinister said, obviously explaining, as he headed for the dishes of scraps Dusty had set out for the cats at the start of the meal.

Sazzy glanced at the now mewling kitten. She didn't want another cat—especially a kitten that looked like someone had mopped the floor with it. Is it raining out? She glanced out the window—and didn't see any drops on their window panes.

Sinister says a big human threw the kitten out into a mud puddle, Thane reported, as he inspected Sinister's find. I think I'll take this little guy to Healer Hel and see if he won't give us both a buzz of healing. Thane looked up. Do you mind if I use your washing sink to clean him up some, Sazz?

Rinse it out afterwards. There's an old drying rag hanging on the stool rung.

Thane carried the kitten into her suite. Sinister Magic followed. Miss Kitty went to Dusty and complained, probably saying, 'You better not expect me to take care of that thing!' At least the kitten would be going home with Thane.

The kitten screamed.

Thane answered, I know you hate water, but you can't stay this dirty.

Shriek! ‘Wo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!’

She and Dusty winced, then Dusty asked, Have you done a premonition drawing on your new case yet? He pushed his plate to the center of the table.

Our new case, she corrected. The Queen mentioned each of us specifically, even Cady. No. But it was a good idea. Maybe the drawing would tell her the best museum to start with to clear the case up fast. Her majesty wants it all solved before Lyzan's handfasting.

And I thought I was brave to fall in love with a Lyy, Dusty said.

Tazsenzan is Mirror to Ta'Shen, Cady put in. Kinsal is pretty enough—but I couldn't stand to look at myself all the time like that. Our Prince is obviously braver than I am.

SkittersDelightday

The next morning, after breakfast, the men left the meeting room for their various offices, with Thane carrying his rescued cat from their Dragon Case, and his new clean and healed, now pale cream-colored kitten client.

As Sazzy sat at her desk, she remembered Dusty's suggestion of doing a premonition drawing on their new case. From her second desk drawer, she pulled her drawing pad and new box of colorsticks, a gift of the dragon artist, Pykrel. She ran her palm over the colors. Her foresight seemed excited by the extensive selection. She chose dark red to start.

Lightning Runners!

The colorstick leapt out of her hand and rolled across the floor.

Evan, their bookbinder tenant, answered the runner, coins clinked in the coin dish by the hallway door, then Evan's steps sounded coming down the hall.

It's for you, Evan said, appearing in her doorway.

She looked up. Did you do something to your hair?

Evan made a face. One of your pesky Pretty Babe friends decided he was tired of me looking so scruffy—in his words—and styled it.

It looks good. She glanced at the sheaf of papers he carried.

They're from the Royal Spymaster. Evan brought them to her desk. We have another of Dusty's books ready to bind, in case you have a drawing that would work on the cover. Is he going to be in later? He needs to pick end papers and cover material.

He was here a candleflicker ago. Which book? 'Mystery At Wildfire Lake', 'Mystery At Summer Lake', or ‘Mystery at Lost Lake’? So I'll know what picture to choose.

His second one: Summer Lake. It was on the counterfeiter's book copier, so it got done fast. The other two copiers are still working on books one and three. Evan stepped back into the hall. Luckily, he has a dozen or so lakes left to have mysteries at.

We're almost done editing book four.

Which lake is this?

Rose Lake—which is really a skating pond.

Do you need more talent-illness potion?

Why?

You've reached for that colorstick three times without touching it.

Sazzy sighed, got herself another dose of time-illness potion and returned to her premonition drawing. Several times she picked up the wrong color stick, so the end result looked more confused than usual. She set the drawing aside for Dusty to interpret, pulled the spymaster's lists of affected museums in front of her and scanned the list of museums that had been hit either with a theft or accident or both.

The near death that had prompted the Queen's involvement had been in Feon's museum—one of his female workers. Feon had been involved in a suspicious accident last season. Herm's Museum would be an easy starting place.

The most costly theft had been one of Kimeriel's paintings, the new one that one of Merriweather's side relatives had found in the attic. She wanted to start with that just because it involved Kimeriel Magictouch and she hadn't gotten to see the painting yet.

She ought to go to Nakerty Lyy first, since the most thefts had been there. Or Six Hearts, where the most suspicious accident had been. Except she didn't want to go to Six Hearts, which would remind her of how much she missed Kimeriel. Never mind that she didn't feel like tangling with the Lyys. Vivalda would likely take it personally if she didn't, though. And, if she did.

It still seemed to her, Feon's museum would be the most sensible start, since she could walk there, bring back anything she discovered to tell the guys over dinner, and schedule a trip to one of the other museums with the Jump Hunters for tomorrow.

Sazzy put on street clothes, got her private spy kit from the coat rack by the waiting room-foyer door, and told Evan where she was headed.

I won't be here when you get back, Evan said. I'll tell Tony.

Tony Welladay was their official receptionist now, after their last one, Holland Laurel, had gotten a job as a Crier artist, but she still relied on Evan most of the time.

Kappin, the youngest Jump Hunter, manned the front counter and offered her the whole of RainbowSleeping afternoon or just a trip to and from tomorrow. Because she figured she would have to go several times to each museum, she scheduled a trip for every other day for the next fortnight.

Do you want to pay half for all of them in advance or just for the next one? Kappin asked.

The Queen is paying, I'll give you a deposit on the first two, then you can requisition half of the rest from the palace as a deposit...and expect to wait a bit. They don't always pay quickly, but they will pay. If you need more as we go, just let me know.

We're doing good right now. Rew brought our books to a real accountant and she says we'll be able to pay our investors back some next moon passing.

Miss Kitty's will be happy still to take our payments in jumps. Thank you. She left for Feon's Museum.

As Sazzy reached to open the door to Feon's Museum of Artifacts, the door opened and a solid-built man started out, stepped back, held the door open for her and bowed slightly.

The man had ordinary features, ordinary brown hair, and he carried a small suitcase, and a doll with a wooden head under his arm. It's a gift for my youngest daughter's fateday, he said, half-hiding the doll behind his back. I had it specially carved to look like her.

She made no comment and passed inside.

Feon, with herm's hair dyed lighter, now looked a lot like Saffie. Herm had put on a little weight so no longer looked as if he would soon vanish. But herm appeared worried. Feon smiled to see her, though, and the worry lifted entirely. Daquery and I renewed our handfasting last night, herm said in greeting.

Congratulations. How's Daquery's book store coming?

He's scared and elated by turns. His customers are about half for him and half come to call him a criminal—including Viv. He's going all out with Saffie's decorating preference, making sure his shop looks nothing like Book Abbatt's. Hosaih comes by every day to check the progress, help, and talk. Daquery wants us to pay the boy's tuition at Ren Lade whenever he's ready to go.

He's one of my bonders, I'd intended to pay his tuition. Cady wants to pay some. But I won't arm wrestle you two for the privilege.

Feon backed into his office. I suppose you're really here about the accidents and thefts. Her Majesty thinks all the accidents and thefts in the country's museums are tied together. Her scryer made it sound as if it was going to get worse as the thief got bolder.

"I did a premonition drawing on the case, but I kept having talent-illness attacks doing it so I plan to do another when I get back to the office. But, since you are here in Vantage and my partners are all trying not to join the case,