Рита Браун: Hiss Of Death

“I can take care of the deer.” Tucker puffed out her broad chest.

“They’re nothing more than big rats.” Pewter was never one to keep her opinions to herself.

“Oh, but they’re so beautiful.” Mrs. Murphy loved watching herds of deer, with fawns still dappled, as they crossed the pastures and meadows before melting back into the woods.

The 1812 Overture began to play. Harry fished her cellphone out of her jeans’ hip pocket.

“Yes, baby.”

Her husband’s deep voice answered, “Good greeting.”

“What do you want?” She laughed.

“You and only you.”

Pewter could hear Fair’s voice, as could the other two animals, their senses much sharper than a human’s.

“So sappy.”

“Oh, Pewter, you’re such a spoilsport.” Tucker wagged her nonexistent tail.

“Heard anything from Miranda?” Fair asked.

“No. Latigo Bly picked us up himself. Drove her home, then me. He said not to worry. The company would take care of everything. The car was hauled to ReNu, where there’s a backlog. Latigo said they’ve been overwhelmed with claims. There were quite a few accidents during all that rain.”

“Never thought of that.”

“Fair, we aren’t in the insurance business.” She laughed.

Fair believed that if you did business with friends, you had the advantage of speaking with someone whose native language was English. Although growing fast, Safe & Sound still seemed like a local outfit to Harry’s husband. Fair got his insurance from Hanckle Citizens, as did Harry. Both their parents had used the company and been well served. “We’ll hear about it tomorrow. Herb sure had a tussle when he had his little accident. He could only use ReNu, when he actually wanted to use Tom Harvey’s garage. He told me Safe and Sound insisted on ReNu, since the repairs are cheaper. That was the only time I heard our Very Reverend Jones cuss a blue streak.”

Harry smiled. “I’d pay to hear that.”

“Called to tell you that I ran into BoomBoom”—Fair named a childhood friend of theirs—“and she told me to be sure to tell you if you intend to sell your sunflower seeds this fall, you ought to get down to the health-food store right away. Yancy Hampton is buying now.”

“Yancy is what? Why on earth now? The crop’s not nearly ready.”

“She didn’t say. Oops, call on the other line, and it looks like Big Mim. See you tonight, darlin’.”

Harry hung up with the thought that he’d be late for supper, as one of Big Mim’s best mares suffered from lactating problems and the foal needed that milk. If the mare couldn’t produce, Fair would need to find a surrogate. Since the stud fee had been $75,000 for this particular breeding and the foal was correct, it was imperative to keep the little guy healthy as well as get Mama back right.

Harry flipped shut her cellphone. She neither liked nor disliked Yancy Hampton, but, for Harry, neutrality bordered on suspicion. Still, money was money. She’d think on it.

It’s Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown’s

20th anniversary!

Don’t miss the return of Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeeen, along with sleuthing cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, corgi Tucker, and the other residents of Crozet, Virginia, in a new Mrs. Murphy mystery in Spring 2012!

Until then, look for

Rita Mae Brown’s new series featuring

wire-haired dachshund Baxter

and German shepherd mix King.

A NOSE FOR JUSTICE

Available now

and

MURDER UNLEASHED

Jeep, Mags, Baxter, and King are back for another Wild West adventure—this time to save a community of squatters living in a row of abandoned Reno houses. When things turn deadly, Mags, Jeep, and their intrepid canine companions must fight harder than ever to obtain justice—and snare a killer.

On sale in October 2011