A Sister's Sense

By Jennifer Oberth

The original story won Honorable Mention in the Sisters In Crime Chicagoland Short Story Contest 2017.

Even though Ella has the flu, Doris coerces her to help to solve a murder. Can Ella figure out who killed the man Doris stumbled over? A body in a house Doris definitely was not breaking into? Can Ella stay conscious long enough to try?

This is the 10th story in the Ella Westin Mysteries.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Oberth
• Release date: Feb 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9798201536916

Jennifer Oberth

Jennifer Oberth is a sweet, gorgeous, intelligent gal with a great sense of humor. She likes long walks on the beach.Oh, this is an Author Bio? In that case...Ahem,Jennifer Oberth is a sweet, gorgeous, intelligent gal with a great sense of humor. She likes to take long walks on the beach where she thinks up delicious ways to murder people and give them motives, means, opportunities and fake alibis.Don't randomly ask her what she's thinking because she'll tell you. She doesn't want a repeat of that time she was with a group of strangers and she blurted out her frustration at her car. "How on earth am I expected to kill somebody in the woods without being seen when I can't turn off the automatic headlights?"She didn't know why they shrank back and gave her a wide berth the rest of the evening.She didn't know why no one offered advice to get around this tricky annoyance.It's a coincidence she then started writing cozy mysteries set in 1875...Jennifer Oberth (the sweet, gorgeous, intelligent gal with a great sense of humor) has two cats (Copper & Outlaw). When she's not at work, cursing the computer when it doesn't work, she can be found at home, cursing the computer when it doesn't work.

Book preview

A Sister’s Sense

Ella Westin #10

By Jennifer Oberth

Copyright 2024 by Jennifer Oberth

Smashwords Edition

Cover by Ellie Oberth

http://www.jenniferoberth.com

The original story, A Sister’s Sense, won Honorable Mention in the 2017 Sisters in Crime—Chicagoland Chapter 30th Anniversary Short Story Contest.

This story is 7,585 words and then contains back material for your perusal.

Dedication

To all the sisters out there

Sisters by blood

Sisters by bond

Sisters by marriage

Sisters by choice

A sister is both your mirror—and your opposite.

-Elizabeth Fishel

I smile because you’re my sister. I laugh because there’s nothing you can do about it.

-Unknown

Acknowledgements

My thanks go out to my writers’ group including Renae, Julie, Dan, Pearl, Sandy, Peggy, Sheila, Gigi, Izabelle, and Anne.

My heart goes out to my wonderful beta readers including Cammie, Dana, Aunt Sue, and Mom.

Another special thanks to Sabrina—your historical help is invaluable.

Table of Contents

A Sister’s Sense

The Ella Westin Mystery Series

Books by Ellie Oberth

Books by Renae Janecek

Connect With the Author

Disclaimer, Credits, and License Statement

Ella Westin #10

A Sister’s Sense

Date of Incident: January 1828

Location: Should be in bed. Port Bass, Maine

Mission: Not die of influenza

Report filed: Private files

Incident: Solve murder despite fever

"Oh, Ella, sister dear."

I cracked open a crusty eye and spied Doris bringing me steaming broth and tea on an ornately-engraved silver tray. She glided across the warm room in all her evening glory, full of life in a scarlet dress, gorgeous ruffles across a beautiful bodice. Even blurry, she exuded the cheery radiance of a cheery angel, a cheery glow emanating from her cheery feminine curves as though slapping me in the face.

You look terrible, she cooed.

I allowed my weary eye to shut tight, snuggling deeper into my heavy quilts. Not the best way to start 1828—though better than how my father-in-law had begun the year. I heard the familiar clink of an oil lamp set on the wooden table next to my bed, and I wondered how late it was. A gentle, bejeweled hand came to rest on my sweaty forehead.

You poor thing.

Doris never invoked the sister dear routine unless she needed a favor. And Doris never needed a favor. Not from me. I would have been suspicious, alert, and insatiably curious if I hadn’t felt like all I wanted to do was burrow even deeper under the covers of my massive