Pet Psychic Mysteries Boxset Books 5-8 (Magic Market Mysteries Book 2) by Erin Johnson (simple ebook reader .txt) 📕

sighed. “I tried to talk to the head zookeeper, Libbie Brown, and get her to turn over information that would prove that that place is no sanctuary for animals.”

I raised my brows. “How’d that work out?”

He dropped his head into one hand and massaged his temples. “It was a mistake, outing myself like that.” He lurched upright. “But I thought it was a sure thing with Libbie. Malorie stole Libbie’s zoo, paid her like dirt, gave her no benefits.” He threw his hands up. “I could tell Libbie was there because she cared about the animals, just like we do at WWAAC.”

I winced. “But it was a no go?”

“No!” Zane shook his head, mouth open in disbelief. “Libbie told me she wanted no part of my investigation.” He shrugged. “I was hoping Libbie would have some stories of abuse or putting animals down before their time or unsafe conditions for visitors. We wanted something we could use to get the place to either be more open or to get it shut down and release the animals to more aboveboard facilities.”

I thought of all those cages, all those strange-acting animals trapped inside them. “Or the wild?”

He splayed his hands. “Yes, if the animal’s fit to be released.”

Peter nodded. “What happened after you told Libbie your real motives for being there?”

Zane pressed his eyes shut and shook his head. “She turned me in to Malorie, who told me to leave and never come back. She said if she got any whiff of WWAAC snooping around in her business again, she’d sic her lawyers on us.”

Daisy’s tail wagged. All true.

I was again slightly disappointed that Malorie’s threat hadn’t been juicier—no threats to his life or anything that’d give us a serious motive for murder.

A manila file magically appeared on the table in front of Peter in a flash of blue light. He opened it and removed a photograph of our Jane Doe, with the gash in her chest and the talon on a chain lying beside her. I looked quickly away, my stomach turning.

Peter turned the picture to face Zane and slid it across the table. “Do you recognize this woman?”

Zane leaned forward, eyes narrowed before he suddenly recoiled and shoved his chair back from the table. “Snakes!” He gaped at Peter, then pointed a trembling hand at the photo. “Is that a dead body?”

I knew how he felt. I could barely look either.

Peter nodded. “Do you recognize her?”

Zane darted a glance at the photo, then covered his mouth and averted his eyes. “I’ve never seen her in my life.”

Daisy whined. True!

I frowned. “WWAAC couldn’t have sent her to the party last night?”

“No way!” Zane gulped. “Is that the murder you came here to ask me about? Because I have never seen that woman in my life.”

I tipped my head from side to side. “Yeah… well, it’s one of them.”

Zane paled again. “There’s more?”

Peter licked his lips. “Malorie Rutherford was also killed last night. Do you know anything about that?”

“Snakes, no! You think I could’ve—?” He blinked and huffed. “No, I respect life—I don’t want to take it.”

Peter lifted a broad palm. “You respect animal life… would you kill Malorie to free her animals?”

Zane hesitated. “No.”

Daisy tipped her head to the side and eyed the curly-haired man. She let out a quiet bark. Partial truth.

I raised my brows at Zane, who seemed to already understand Daisy had called him out.

His shoulders slumped. “Okay—I honestly don’t know, but I can tell you I absolutely did not kill Malorie or that other woman in the picture.”

Daisy whined. True.

Peter and I exchanged glances. It didn’t seem like Zane was our man. Peter raised a brow, I shrugged one shoulder, and then he turned to Zane. “Alright. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Zane’s face relaxed.

Peter pointed at him as we rose and Daisy stretched then got to her feet. “We’ll be in touch.”

Zane nodded and showed us back out to the front. Once outside, Peter’s pocket buzzed, and he fished the communication device out and popped it in his ear. He nodded, murmured a few words, then pulled it back out again.

“That was the station. They’ve cross-checked missing persons reports, the guest list, and statements—no one’s reported our Jane Doe missing, no one saw her at the fundraiser, and she wasn’t on the guest list.”

I shook my head, at a loss. “Who was this lady? And why did she look like she was straight out of the ’70s?”

Peter jumped as the device began to buzz again. He still held it in his fingers and popped it into his ear. “Okay… yep… right away.”

He turned to me, brows pinched in apology. “I’m sorry—there’s a nearby call I’ve got to answer. Daisy and I are the closest officers.”

I waved it off. “No worries. I just remembered I’ve got to go by and talk to Madeline about what she found.”

He grinned. “Why don’t we meet up later?”

I nodded. “Sounds perfect.”

I rose on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Be careful.” I pointed at Daisy and whined. You be careful, too.

I didn’t know dogs could roll their eyes, but Daisy did. Thanks, Mom.

Peter started off, but I suddenly remembered something. “Oh—the file?”

He spun around, brows raised.

“Could I borrow it? I just want to look it over. Our Jane Doe is driving me crazy.”

He grinned. “You sound like a cop more and more every night.”

I shook my head. “I’m not sure that’s a compliment.”

“From me it is.” He kissed my head, and the manila file magically appeared in my hands. “See you soon!” And with that, Daisy and Peter took off up the mountain, while I headed in the opposite direction, back to the Darkmoon District.

25

Madeline

I headed down the winding cobblestone streets to a lower level of the island and climbed the stairs through the old, dilapidated warehouse that was the local paper’s headquarters. By the time I pushed the dinged metal door open and stepped onto the chaotic floor of The Conch, my thighs burned.

I threaded my