“Because that’s what Izzy was mumbling about when I tried to listen to her, before they started the treatment and took her to the hospital.”
“Are you sure?”
She took a sip of Brody’s wine. “Mmhm. Pretty sure. Yup. Very sure. Positive.”
“Brody,” I said rising from my chair, “take me to the morgue.”
“What...now?”
“Right now.”
WE ARRIVED TEN MINUTES before closing time and made a dash for the elevator. It seemed like the slowest elevator in the world, but eventually we made it to the red steel door and went inside.
“Miss Howard, Sheriff...and Miss Ruby! To what do I owe the honor,” Dr. Goodbody said with a thin smile.
“Is the wedding dress still here, Doctor?” I asked him without any preliminary pleasantries. “The one the deceased was wearing when her body was found?”
“Why yes, yes...”
We blew past him and into the autopsy room. I grabbed the big clear-plastic bag and tore it open.
“That’s still in evidence, Miss Howard! Here!” he said, offering me a box of latex gloves.
I pulled two out and put them on. Then I looked at Brody, and he gave me a nod of encouragement.
“What are you looking for, Miss Howard,” The doctor asked.
“Maybe nothing. Maybe something.”
I was focused on the white dress. It had been cut all the way down the front so the body could be easily removed. I looked at the back and saw that it had several small eye-hooks, like my dress. Then I jumped up on the large stainless-steel table and, standing on my feet, began shaking the dress. It wasn’t long before I heard the tiny click of something hitting the table beneath me. I took a deep breath and I got down from the table, setting the dress on the next table.
And there it was. In the middle of the steel table, all by itself.
I smiled at Brody, and he and Ruby smiled back at me. Brody walked to the counter and brought me a small zip-lock evidence bag.
“I don’t understand,” the doctor said. “What is it?”
I put it in the bag and smiled at Goodbody. “It’s a golden acrylic fingernail with a French tip of silver.”
“Ahhhh!” Ruby said in astonishment. “Like the one that Izzy was missing at the gala the night of the murder!”
I nodded. “She always caught her nail on those eye hooks when she was getting a bride...”
“Or a corpse,” Brody added.
“...into a tight wedding gown.”
I sealed the bag and handed it to Brody.
“Now, we’ve solved the case, Sherlock.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re Sherlock, Watson, and Mike Hammer on this one, Mercy.”
“And Columbo and Matlock and Jessica Fletcher!” Ruby added as she gave me a hug. But the look on her face was sad.
“I know, Ruby,” I said putting my hand on her shoulder. “That means our new friend, Miss Isabel Lima, is a murderer. Let’s go to the hospital and see her!”
“I don’t understand,” Goodbody said. “I was told that the killer’s name was Antionette.”
Brody held up the bag with the fingernail for the doctor to see. “I’ll get this to Sheriff Atwater.”
IZZY WAS SITTING UP eating her hospital dinner of chicken and Jell-O when we arrived. She put on a big smile and opened her arms as the three of us entered the room.
“Mercy! Sheriff! And Ruby! It’s so nice of you to come and visit. And, Mercy, I’m told that you were very helpful in getting me the right treatment from the ambulance crew. Thank you so much!”
I gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“How are you doing? Are you okay?”
“I’m feeling great, and the doctors says I’m going to be just fine. I’ll be leaving in the morning!”
“Or maybe sooner,” I said.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. Hey! I have something for you, Izzy.”
“Really? You didn’t have to bring me something! What is it?”
I pulled Brody’s handcuffs from my pocket and jangled them in front of her.
“I don’t get it,” she said.”
Brody walked over. “You’re under arrest for the murder of...” Ruby whispered the name in his ear. “...Petorina Verducci.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said with a bright smile but fear in her eyes. “Antoinette Summersong is the killer. They found the poison in one of her nail polishes. She’s already been arrested. And she tried to kill me too.”
Then Sheriff Atwater and two large deputies stepped into the room. Atwater stood in the center of the doorway with one deputy at each side.
She sighed a breath of defeat. “How did you know?”
I pulled the plastic evidence bag from my pocket and held the golden fingernail in front of her. She gulped and nodded slowly.
“I see. I was afraid of that. I was hoping it would be found backstage or in the pool, but...”
“But it was in the wedding gown. Tell me, Izzy,” I said, sitting on the side of her bed now, “Do you really love Dandy Dan so much that you were willing to kill one woman and send another to prison for a crime she didn’t commit?”
“Love him? My God, I hate that man. I despise him. I just wanted to take away all the things he loved.”
I hadn’t thought of that.
“Tell me, Mercy,” she continued, “what would you do if you found out that your fiancé was sleeping with two other women right under your nose?”
I looked at Brody and thought about it. Then I held out two fingers on one hand like a scissor, and then brought them quickly together.
“Snip!” I said, which garnered an extremely pained expression from my honey.
“That might have been a better course of action,” Izzy said.
“Though still very illegal, I might point out!” Brody added.
Brody came over and took the cuffs from me.
“No,” Izzy said. “I want you to do it, Mercy. I know it was you who figured it all out. You should get the honor.”
“It’s not an honor, Izzy. I really liked you. A lot.”
“Please,” she said. “And I like you too. I just wish you had figured it out sooner so I wouldn’t have to practically kill myself.”
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
“Well, I was starting to worry that no one would make the connection to the nail polish, so I had to ask Antoinette to do my nails with that same polish.”
More light bulbs were turning on now. “And so, you made sure that there would be a team from St. Mark’s there with a cyanide kit well before it killed you.”
“Yes. I called them the minute she was done. I didn’t realize how fast it would act on a small body like mine. Petorina didn’t keel over for half an hour. I figured I would just pretend to go into convulsions or something before they arrived. But I didn’t have to pretend.”
I nodded. “It did seem odd, though, that the killer would keep the poison in her kit after the murder and then try to kill again the same way. And it also struck me as odd that you asked her for the red polish, when you told me you would never wear red nail polish or lipstick.”
Izzy let out a sigh. “never thought that you would turn out to be a truly astute detective, Mercy,” she said holding out her wrists for me now, as Atwater and his deputies stepped closer.
“Sorry,” I said. “You’ve got to put your arms behind your back before I can cuff you, Izzy. Rules, you know. I’ll let the Sheriff read you your rights, though. I really wish this had turned out differently.” I cuffed her tiny wrists together, wondering if she was so small that she might be able to get right out of them.
She smiled as I stepped away. “Me too, Mercy. Me too.”
THE TRIP BACK TO PAINT Creek was low key. I think we were all exhausted from the big city hustle and bustle and as well as the murder mystery. Brody and the boys made it home a few days later and unfortunately or fortunately, they never spotted Bigfoot or whatever was stalking t
hem in the forest.
I got the wedding gown of my dreams and for that I'm eternally grateful to Miss Petorina Verducci. Now, to walk down the aisle with my honey. Let's hope for a scandal free day.
DON’T MISS MY NEWEST book series The Lucky Dill Deli:
A Yuletide Wallop
Haunted Homicide
The Leprechaun’s Loot
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Catalog of Books
Triplet Witch Sisters Mystery Series
Two’s Company, Three’s a Coven
Resting Witch Face
Bewitched and Bewildered
Triple Toil and Trouble
WITCH DETECTIVE SERIES
Payback’s a Witch
Come Witch or High Water
Witch Boots on the Ground
THE WITCH SISTERS OF Stillwater
Hoodoo and Just Desserts
A Shade of Murder
That Ol’ Black Magic
A Whole Lotta Witchin Goin On
The Beast Cometh
Secrets and Sorcery
THE LUCKY DILL DELI Mystery Series
A Yuletide Wallop
Haunted Homicide
The Leprechaun’s Loot
THE SINISTER CASE SERIES
Mirror, Mirror Murder Them All
A Wicked Enchantment
A Scorching Spell
THE GRUMPY CHICKEN Irish Pub Series
A Frosty Mug of Murder
Treachery on Tap
A Highball and a Low Blow
Cursed With a Twist
A Whiskey Sour Wipeout
OLD SCHOOL DINER COZY Mysteries
Murder at Stake
Murder Well Done
A Side Order of Deception
Murder, Basted and Barbecued
Murder Ala Mode
The Candy Cane Killer
THE CURIOSITY SHOP Cozy Mysteries
The Curious Case of the Cursed Spectacles
The Curious Case of the Cursed Dice
The Curious Case of the Cursed Dagger
The Curious Case of the Cursed Looking Glass
The Curious Case of the Cursed Crucible
WITCHY WOMEN OF COVEN Grove Series
THE WITCHING ON THE Wall
A Witching Well of Magic
Witching the Night Away
Witching There’s Another Way
Witching Your Life Away
Witching You Wouldn’t Go
Witching for a Miracle
TEASEN & PLEASEN HAIR Salon Series
A Hair Raising Blowout
Wash, Rinse, Die
Holiday Hooligans
False Nails & Tall Tales
CAESAR’S CREEK SERIES
A FROZEN SCOOP OF MURDER
Death by Chocolate Sundae
Soft Serve Secrets
Ice Cream You Scream
Double Dip Dilemma
Melted Memories
Triple Dip Debacle
Whipped Wedding Woes
A Sprinkle of Tropical Trouble
A Drizzle of Deception
SWEET HOME MYSTERY Series
Creamed at the Coffee Cabana
A Caffeinated Crunch
A Frothy Fiasco
Punked by the Pumpkin
Peppermint Pandemonium
Expresso Messo
A Cuppa Cruise Conundrum
The Brewing Bride
WHISPERING PINES MYSTERY Series
A Sinister Slice of Murder
Sanctum of Shadows
Curse of the Bloodstone Arrow
Fright Night at the Haunted Inn
THE CHRONICLES OF AGNES Astor Smith
The Peculiar Case of Agnes Astor Smith
The Peculiar Case of the Red Tide
The Peculiar Case of the Lost Colony
Baked Apples Ala Mode
Ingredients:
6 cooking apples
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
Wash, core and pare the apples. Place apples in a greased baking dish. Prepare the syrup of sugar, water and butter in a pan on the stove. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly.
Pour the syrup mixture over the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve the apples warm with a scoop of ice cream if desired.
Recipe by my Grandmother, Lorene Forgey