Miranda James - Classified as Murder

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgements

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

TWENTY-FIVE

TWENTY-SIX

TWENTY-SEVEN

TWENTY-EIGHT

TWENTY-NINE

THIRTY

THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-TWO

THIRTY-THREE

THIRTY-FOUR

THIRTY-FIVE

PRAISE FOR

Murder Past Due

“Combines a kindhearted librarian hero, family secrets in a sleepy Southern town, and a gentle giant of a cat that will steal your heart. A great beginning to a promising new cozy series.”

—Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author

“Courtly librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon cat, Diesel, are an endearing detective duo. Warm, charming, and Southern as the tastiest grits.”

—Carolyn Hart, author of the Bailey Ruth Mysteries

“Brings cozy lovers an intriguing mystery, a wonderful cat, and a librarian hero who will warm your heart. Filled with Southern charm, the first in the Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series will keep readers guessing until the end. Miranda James should soon be on everyone’s list of favorite authors.”

—Leann Sweeney, author of the Cats in Trouble Mysteries

“ Murder Past Due has an excellent plot, great execution, and a surprising ending. This book is a must read!”

— The Romance Readers Connection

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Miranda James

MURDER PAST DUE

CLASSIFIED AS MURDER

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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South Africa

Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

CLASSIFIED AS MURDER

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

PRINTING HISTORY

Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / May 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Dean James.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form

without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in

violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

eISBN : 978-1-101-51435-1

BERKLEY ®PRIME CRIME

Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

BERKLEY ®PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of Penguin Group

(USA) Inc.

http://us.penguingroup.com

In loving memory of my cousin,

Terry James (1955–2009), who left us far too soon.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The unfailing and ever-enthusiastic support of Michelle Vega, my editor, has made a difficult year bearable; I owe her more than mere words can express. Nancy Yost, my agent, has also been there when I needed a sympathetic ear, and I appreciate that very much indeed. Eloise L. Kinney, copyeditor extraordinaire, saved me from many gaffes.

The Tuesday night crew, as always, gave me valuable input on much of the manuscript. Thanks to Amy, Bob, Kay, Laura, Leann, and Millie for their unfailingly helpful suggestions. Once again, special thanks to Enzo, Pumpkin, Curry, and their two-legged staff, Susie, Isabella, and Charlie, for providing a pleasant and inviting place to gather and work.

Terry Farmer, Ph.D., proud mom of three Maine coons, Figo, Anya, and Katie, continues to serve as my technical advisor in all matters having to do with Maine coon cats. Any mistakes in my portrayal of Diesel and his behavior are mine and not hers. Carolyn Haines has gone out of her way to help launch this series, and as always, I am amazed and grateful for her unceasing generosity to other writers. As with every book I write, I must thank Patricia R. Orr and Julie Herman for being there to encourage me and egg me on. I couldn’t do it without them.

ONE

When I was a boy growing up in Athena, Mississippi, forty-odd years ago, the public library occupied a large one-story house built in 1842. The town bought it in 1903 and converted the front rooms to one large space, full of bookshelves, chairs, tables, and the checkout desk. Windows with shades protected the books and furnishings from the sun. I remember it as a cool, slightly dusty place where I could roam among the shelves to find all kinds of treasures. There was a feeling of age, of time reaching back deep into the past, in that house. The way a library should feel, I’ve always thought.

I moved back to Athena from Houston a few years ago, and after I settled into my late aunt Dottie’s house, I made a beeline for the library. To my dismay, I discovered the town had built a new library, a larger facility with little character and no distinguishing features—think 1980s “municipal bland.” The old library sat empty and ill kept, like a derelict widow who had outlived all her family. I never drove or walked past the place if I could help it. If buildings could look sad, this one surely did.

As much as I missed the charm of the original building, I would admit—if pressed—that the new building had a few advantages. More than one toilet, for example, and space bigger than a broom closet for an office. The new building provided several offices for a full-time staff of six. I shared one of them with Lenore Battle, a cataloger, the days I volunteered.

Having been head of a branch in the Houston system before retiring, I could turn my hand to just about anything that needed doing at the Athena Public Library. Sometimes I cataloged—my preference—but more often I worked reference or the circulation desk.