Silence Is Golden (A Pet Psychic Mystery No. 3) by Shannon Esposito
Authors: Shannon Esposito
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see this. I think this scar would disqualify her from showing. She wanted Goldie here to be the first golden retriever to win the Westminster Dog Show. That's all she talked about."
Westminster? That's where Frankie said that white dog was poisoned. So, Victoria was shooting for the big win? Bigger stakes, more to lose. That makes it all the more plausible a rival would want Goldie out of the competition.
Just then Charlie came out of the back. Josie stood up as I introduced her to Charlie as Victoria's cousin.
"Nice to meet you. Like your tattoo. Looks fresh," Charlie said, admiring her forearm.
Josie twisted her arm, giving us a better view. It was a black and white sword, a skull with an eye patch and pirate hat overlaid on it and a ribbon with the word: Eternity. It did look red. "Yeah, just got this one." She adjusted her large bag on the other shoulder. "Have a few I wish I didn't but this one has meaning. It's in memory of my dad. Even if he could be a jerk, he was still my dad."
Charlie nodded and grew serious. "So sorry about your cousin. Were you two very close?"
"We were getting there. We've had our family issues plus... I've lived in Vegas for almost seven years now so we didn't see each other much anymore. I spent some time here last summer and we hung out. She was a good person, though. I always looked up to her. She took good care of my dad. We lost him recently, too. That's why I came here, for his funeral."
Well, good grief. She lost her dad and her cousin? How awful.
"I didn't realize you had lost your dad so recently, Josie. Let me fix you some hot tea." It was the only comfort I could think to give.
She planted one more kiss on Goldie's snout and then followed me over to the table. "I'm not sure what to do." She sighed. "I probably should just sell dad's house and stay in Vegas. It's where I'm me. If that makes sense." I nodded. She took the cup I offered her. "Thanks. Plus, God knows I need the money." Then she pulled a flask out of her bag and poured a generous dollop of something that smelled like whiskey into the tea. I pressed my lips together to keep my mouth from falling open. She took a swig and closed her eyes. "Mmm. That's good. Thanks."
"It's raspberry." After I spoke, I realized she probably couldn't taste the tea anyway. I glanced over at Charlie, who was straightening out a display shelf nearby and biting her lip, which meant she was trying not to laugh.
"Course, getting a fresh start in a new place would be good, too," Josie continued, glancing out the window. "Life gets so... complicated when you're in one place too long."
I sipped my tea, nodding. I had no idea what she was talking about but it seemed like she needed someone to talk to, so I listened.
"Now that dad's house is mine, I could stay. If he doesn't haunt me." She broke out into something like a laugh and then sniffed. "He didn't leave it to me, you know. The house?" She looked at me with one brow raised. "Isn't that something? He left it to Victoria, instead of his own daughter. But, jokes on him now cause it's mine anyways." She laughed again, but in a way that was painful to hear.
I blinked in surprise. Why would he leave his house to Victoria instead of his own daughter?
Josie drained half the cup and then said, "You don't believe in ghosts, do you? I mean when people die they die, right? Of course they do." She waved a hand at me and drained the rest of her cup. "Listen to me sitting here blabbering on." She looked at me and patted my hand. "You're real nice. I need to go but hey, I don't know many people here. Let's do drinks one night, all right?" She threw her oversized leather bag over her shoulder and tugged on her tight skirt.
"Sure, Josie. You know where to find me." I went to unlock the door for her.
"You take good care of Goldie now." She turned back to me. "You don't want Victoria coming back to give you hell." She snorted at her own joke and wiggled her fingers at me before making her way
Westminster? That's where Frankie said that white dog was poisoned. So, Victoria was shooting for the big win? Bigger stakes, more to lose. That makes it all the more plausible a rival would want Goldie out of the competition.
Just then Charlie came out of the back. Josie stood up as I introduced her to Charlie as Victoria's cousin.
"Nice to meet you. Like your tattoo. Looks fresh," Charlie said, admiring her forearm.
Josie twisted her arm, giving us a better view. It was a black and white sword, a skull with an eye patch and pirate hat overlaid on it and a ribbon with the word: Eternity. It did look red. "Yeah, just got this one." She adjusted her large bag on the other shoulder. "Have a few I wish I didn't but this one has meaning. It's in memory of my dad. Even if he could be a jerk, he was still my dad."
Charlie nodded and grew serious. "So sorry about your cousin. Were you two very close?"
"We were getting there. We've had our family issues plus... I've lived in Vegas for almost seven years now so we didn't see each other much anymore. I spent some time here last summer and we hung out. She was a good person, though. I always looked up to her. She took good care of my dad. We lost him recently, too. That's why I came here, for his funeral."
Well, good grief. She lost her dad and her cousin? How awful.
"I didn't realize you had lost your dad so recently, Josie. Let me fix you some hot tea." It was the only comfort I could think to give.
She planted one more kiss on Goldie's snout and then followed me over to the table. "I'm not sure what to do." She sighed. "I probably should just sell dad's house and stay in Vegas. It's where I'm me. If that makes sense." I nodded. She took the cup I offered her. "Thanks. Plus, God knows I need the money." Then she pulled a flask out of her bag and poured a generous dollop of something that smelled like whiskey into the tea. I pressed my lips together to keep my mouth from falling open. She took a swig and closed her eyes. "Mmm. That's good. Thanks."
"It's raspberry." After I spoke, I realized she probably couldn't taste the tea anyway. I glanced over at Charlie, who was straightening out a display shelf nearby and biting her lip, which meant she was trying not to laugh.
"Course, getting a fresh start in a new place would be good, too," Josie continued, glancing out the window. "Life gets so... complicated when you're in one place too long."
I sipped my tea, nodding. I had no idea what she was talking about but it seemed like she needed someone to talk to, so I listened.
"Now that dad's house is mine, I could stay. If he doesn't haunt me." She broke out into something like a laugh and then sniffed. "He didn't leave it to me, you know. The house?" She looked at me with one brow raised. "Isn't that something? He left it to Victoria, instead of his own daughter. But, jokes on him now cause it's mine anyways." She laughed again, but in a way that was painful to hear.
I blinked in surprise. Why would he leave his house to Victoria instead of his own daughter?
Josie drained half the cup and then said, "You don't believe in ghosts, do you? I mean when people die they die, right? Of course they do." She waved a hand at me and drained the rest of her cup. "Listen to me sitting here blabbering on." She looked at me and patted my hand. "You're real nice. I need to go but hey, I don't know many people here. Let's do drinks one night, all right?" She threw her oversized leather bag over her shoulder and tugged on her tight skirt.
"Sure, Josie. You know where to find me." I went to unlock the door for her.
"You take good care of Goldie now." She turned back to me. "You don't want Victoria coming back to give you hell." She snorted at her own joke and wiggled her fingers at me before making her way
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