Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon Page A

Emily’s heir, it does tend to put a different slant on the picture.”
    â€œI didn’t kill Miss Emily.” I stood to go. This meeting had been a colossal waste of time.
    â€œI’m sure you didn’t, Miss Gardner. Just as I’m sure you will be seeing your way to selling that house as soon as possible.” He spit out the word house as if it were a cuss word. “I understand you are an intelligent woman.”
    â€œWhat does that have to do with me selling the house?”
    â€œI just feel it would be in your best interest. Now, if there’s nothing else?”
    I turned to leave, clearly dismissed.
    â€œYou should expect a visit from Mr. Ammond in the next few days. Don’t worry, Jill, he’ll give you a good profit on your investment.”
    Red, all I saw filtered through red. I should have just kept walking. I turned at the door. “My friendship with Miss Emily wasn’t an investment. If I find out you had any part in her death, I swear . . .”
    â€œYou swear what? Remember, my office has a twenty-four-hour voice tape-recording your threat for future prosecution.” Smugly, the rat called our Honorable Mayor went back to reading his e-mail. “Good-bye, Miss Gardner. You may want to expect a visit from Detective King, if you turn down Mr. Ammond’s offer, that is.”
    I slammed the door as I left. Amy jumped at her desk. “Jill, are you all right?”
    â€œHe is the worst person I’ve ever met! And he’s a crappy mayor.” I said the last part directly to the door, hoping his taping system would pick that up for everyone to hear.
    â€œAmen, sister!” A voice came from the back row of blue chairs. “I’ve been saying the same thing about Mayor Bird for years.”
    I traced the voice to Esmeralda. The Gypsy woman sat with a pure black shorthair cat on her lap.
    She walked up to me, the cat lounging in her arms. Her green eyes glimmered underneath the long, curly black hair bursting out from the patterned scarf she had tied around her head. Her black boots somehow worked with the layers of skirts and patterns swirling around her legs while she walked. She reached out, touching my shoulder.
    â€œDeath surrounds you. You’ve lost one and will soon lose another.”

Chapter 4
    E smeralda’s black cat hissed at me, reaching out a paw to warn me away. For the second time this week, someone’s pet had taken an instant dislike to me. Miss Emily’s wish for me to get a dog appeared more unlikely by the minute. At least a dog that liked me.
    â€œSorry, I’m not popular with animals lately.” I slowed my breathing to calm down after my blowup at the mayor.
    Esmeralda smoothed her hand across the cat’s back, comforting her. “Your aura is disturbing the animals. Your emotions are mixed up. They can feel your distress.”
    Her explanation made sense in a weird, Gypsy Oprah kind of way. “It’s been a rough week,” I admitted.
    â€œYou have death floating around you.” She grabbed my arm, her long, painted nails digging into my flesh. “You have suffered a great loss. Jill, I see that your pain is not over. Someone else close to you will also be lost. Have faith—everything is not how it seems. Be ready. Stand true.”
    The air around us felt electric. Esmeralda’s eyes were vacant as she talked. A cloud passed over her face, and she let go of my arm.
    â€œGood to see you, Jill. Come by the house anytime and we’ll do that reading.” She turned and addressed Amy. “The mayor can see me now?”
    Amy nodded. Esmeralda opened the door and walked into the mayor’s office. Without another word, she shut the door behind her.
    â€œDo you believe that?” My body involuntarily shook, like a cat coming in from a rainstorm.
    Amy stared at me like I was the circus sideshow rather than Esmeralda.
    â€œI don’t think she realized what she