Рита Браун - Probable Claws

“How can people stop building? Really?” Tazio questioned. “Ok, the area is incredibly important, not just for a short time, but as we’ve been reading at least two hundred and fifteen million years. There’s no easy answer.”

“No,” Cooper agreed.

“So millions really are at stake and not just this project but future projects. Have you thought that Rankin Construction did not act alone?” Harry was trying to put it together.

“It has occurred to us. State agencies will push into our research and future research, and so will the federal government. Our little county sheriff’s department is about to be overwhelmed by people who think they’re smarter than we are, but we cracked the case. Sean denies everything.”

“I did!” Pewter shouted. “I saved everyone!”

“So back to the Ducati.” Harry pressured.

“We think the bike was either bought or rented by the parent company, again for lack of a better word, and trailered here. Once Gary was killed, Darla drove it back to a rendezvous place or a garage used by the company, where it would be picked up. Again, clever. Almost impossible to trace especially if a dealership is owned by this company. They have fingers in many pies to cover their tracks. Certainly they have a ready supply of unregistered guns. A great deal of crime money is hidden in purchasing small or midsize companies. Sometimes they are silent partners. Sometimes they take the profits and run. The once-legitimate partner can’t report them.”

“We’re naive, aren’t we?” Tazio suggested.

“People have no idea of the extent of organized crime. One of the reasons they have so much money is they don’t pay taxes on the big money makers, like this type of operation or drugs, especially drugs. Not a penny goes back to the public, but if drugs, like alcohol, were legal, monies would be available for rehab. And people might be more willing to come forward for help. If they do so now, they’re a criminal.”

“That will be a hard sell.” Harry had mixed emotions about this.

“You’d think Prohibition would have taught us something.” Cooper sighed. “But Darla is a rich woman. She liked her work. She was good at it. Only a phobia saved you all.”

“God bless that spider,” Tazio murmured.

“The spider really was after me. Darla got in the way. A killer spider. You all are here because of me!” Pewter announced.

Pirate opened his mouth but Mrs. Murphy rubbed against the puppy’s chest to distract him.

“You’re right, Pewter,” Tucker lied.

“I solved the murder. Will I get any credit? Of course not.” Her whiskers twitched.

“Well, you solved who killed Gary and Lisa.” Harry half smiled at Cooper. “I can’t say that I feel good about this but I’m glad I know. Two wonderful, involved people wiped out because of money.”

“Money, power, sex, revenge, reputation.” Cooper sighed. “The usual. It’s almost always one of those.”

“What becomes of the scientific treasure under Richmond?” Harry wondered.

“We’ll never know.” Cooper shrugged. “That primordial swamp also runs under Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, part of North Carolina.”

“Wouldn’t it be funny if a brontosaurus is under the White House?” Harry grinned.

“That would get everyone’s knickers in a knot.” Cooper used the old expression.

“Getting back to spiders, I read somewhere that spiders are one of nature’s most successful species. You are never more than three feet away from a spider unless you’re in the Arctic or Antarctica,” Tazio ruminated.

“Never fear,” Pewter boasted. “I fought a dinosaur spider, a giant spider with eight big legs and lots of nasty red eyes. I saved everyone. Me!”

Noticing the fire needed more logs, Harry rose, walked over to the special large brass kettle, picked out a log, and didn’t a spider, not huge but noticeable, jump off the log.

Harry, startled, recovered, tossing the log on the fire.

“A killer. Rabies. Save yourself.” Pewter shot out of that room at top speed.

The other animals laughed at the frightened cat.

The humans beholding the speedy exit, complete with sound effects, just watched.

“What gets into her?” Harry mused.

“You don’t want to know,” Mrs. Murphy and Tucker replied in unison, as the spider ducked into the bookcase.

Dedicated with love

to

Carolyn Maki,

who knows value can’t be assigned,

it’s intrinsic

Books by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown

WISH YOU WERE HERE • REST IN PIECES • MURDER AT MONTICELLO • PAY DIRT • MURDER, SHE MEOWED • MURDER ON THE PROWL • CAT ON THE SCENT • SNEAKY PIE’S COOKBOOK FOR MYSTERY LOVERS • PAWING THROUGH THE PAST • CLAWS AND EFFECT • CATCH AS CAT CAN • THE TAIL OF THE TIP-OFF • WHISKER OF EVIL • CAT’S EYEWITNESS • SOUR PUSS • PUSS’N CAHOOTS • THE PURRFECT MURDER • SANTA CLAWED • CAT OF THE CENTURY • HISS OF DEATH • THE BIG CAT NAP • SNEAKY PIE FOR PRESIDENT • THE LITTER OF THE LAW • NINE LIVES TO DIE • TAIL GAIT • TALL TAIL • A HISS BEFORE DYING • PROBABLE CLAWS

Books by Rita Mae Brown featuring “Sister” Jane Arnold

OUTFOXED • HOTSPUR • FULL CRY • THE HUNT BALL • THE HOUNDS AND THE FURY • THE TELL-TALE HORSE • HOUNDED TO DEATH • FOX TRACKS • LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE • CRAZY LIKE A FOX

The Mags Rogers Books

MURDER UNLEASHED • A NOSE FOR JUSTICE

Books by Rita Mae Brown

ANIMAL MAGNETISM: MY LIFE WITH CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL • THE HAND THAT CRADLES THE ROCK • SONGS TO A HANDSOME WOMAN • THE PLAIN BROWN RAPPER • RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE • IN HER DAY • SIX OF ONE • SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT • SUDDEN DEATH • HIGH HEARTS • STARTED FROM SCRATCH: A DIFFERENT KIND OF WRITER’S MANUAL • BINGO • VENUS ENVY • DOLLEY: A NOVEL OF DOLLEY MADISON IN LOVE AND WAR • RIDING SHOTGUN • RITA WILL: MEMOIR OF A LITERARY RABBLE-ROUSER • LOOSE LIPS • ALMA MATER • SAND CASTLE • CAKEWALK

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

RITA MAE BROWN has written many bestsellers and received two Emmy nominations. In addition to the Mrs. Murphy series, she has authored a dog series comprised of A Nose for Justice and Murder Unleashed, and the Sister Jane foxhunting series, among many other acclaimed books. She and Sneaky Pie live with several other rescued animals.

ritamaebrownbooks.com

To inquire about booking Rita Mae Brown for a speaking engagement, please contact the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau at speakers@penguinrandomhouse.com.

SNEAKY PIE BROWN , a tiger cat rescue, has written many mysteries—witness the list at the front of this novel. Having to share credit with the above-named human is a small irritant, but she manages it. Anything is better than typing, which is what “Big Brown” does for the series. Sneaky calls her human that name behind her back after the wonderful Thoroughbred racehorse. As her human is rather small, it brings giggles among the other animals. Sneaky’s main character—Mrs. Murphy, a tiger cat—is a bit sweeter than Miss Pie, who can be caustic.