#SampleSunday: My New Cozy Mystery, THE LADYBUG SONG, Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Ladybug Song, Book #3 in the Isabel and Alma Cozy Mystery Series. Phyllis Garner refuses to believe her best friend Ladybug Miles’ death is an accidental drowning. Phyllis thinks it was murder and asks her friends Isabel and Alma to do some snooping in Quiet Anchorage to dig up the truth and catch the guilty killer. For you dog lovers, Isabel and Alma’s pooch Petey Samson plays a key role in investigating the murder mystery.

Chapter 1

After the local authorities recovered Ladybug Miles’s dead body from the Coronet River, Phyllis Garner was reluctant to identify her best friend. Her preference was to remember Ladybug as she had been in life. Nonetheless Phyllis, with Sammi Jo accompanying her, went to the morgue. The attendant had dressed Ladybug in a tacky purple robe, and Phyllis gave him the stink eye. She couldn’t wait to leave after she did her duty. She cried out all of her tears on the way home, and Sammi Jo shed a few, as well.

One of Phyllis’s fondest memories was the time she and Ladybug had first met in the third grade during lunch period. Ladybug tapped Phyllis on the shoulder and asked if she’d like the other half of Ladybug’s twin-stick Popsicle. Since it was grape, Phyllis’s favorite flavor, she said, “You betcha and thanks.” They soon giggled at each other’s grape purple lips and tongues. Ladybug’s simple act of generosity started their lifetime friendship. Phyllis was now frank in stating her opinion that Ladybug had not died in an accidental drowning.

“Ladybug was murdered,” said Phyllis who looked on the downhill side of sixty, but she’d only admitted her age to Social Security. “There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

“I hear you, Aunt Phyllis,” said Sammi Jo, the twentysomething with the open smile, wheat blonde hair styled short, and the athletic build of a women’s lacrosse player. “Sheriff Fox hasn’t come out and said one way or the other about how he thinks she died.”

They sat on the almost new sofa with the pillows, velvety and turquoise-colored, in Sammi Jo’s efficiency apartment over the town drugstore. She’d painted the walls a tasteful forest green with the trim done in matte white before she moved into her first place. She’d also mounted framed pieces of Amish artwork depicting barnyard scenes and quilt designs on the opposite walls. She’d bought the artwork while on a bus trip to the Amish country in Pennsylvania. Her only quibbles with her digs were its lack of space and the traffic noise created below on Main Street, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

Phyllis’s haggard face showed her grief, and she hadn’t worn her customary bag lady wardrobe. The room felt a bit chilly here in mid-October.

“Sheriff Fox had better get it right,” she said. “Ladybug did not drown while she was swimming in the river. Who else but a penguin would go into it for a dip now?”

Sammi Jo shrugged. “I imagine the water temperature is still comfortable enough from the summer heat.”

Phyllis didn’t relent. “Ladybug’s sneaky killer made it appear as if she drowned, but I’m not fooled by it.”

“If she was murdered, how will you convince Sheriff Fox of it?”

“Certain physical details will come to light. Does her body show any defensive wounds, for instance?”

“He’ll notice if any suspicious cuts or abrasions are found on her body.”

“So you’d like to think until we take into account his dismal track record.”

“He did better after Isabel and Alma stepped in and helped him investigate the murders of my dad Ray Burl and before that Jake Robbins. They are like a pair of bloodhounds in old lace, not that either sister is a fan of old lace.”

Phyllis nodded. “Two bloodhounds are just what I need.”

“Your hope is Isabel and Alma will get busy again and prove Ladybug’s death was murder.”

“I’m certain as the nose on my face somebody killed her,” said Phyllis. “I don’t care how long it takes, or how tough it turns, but I’m going to prove it and see that justice is done.”

Sammi Jo sized up her aunt. She was firm in her conviction, and when Phyllis dug in on something, there was no stopping her. Sammi Jo didn’t want Phyllis traipsing from house to house, buzzing door chimes, and asking the townies if they’d noticed a bloodthirsty killer slinking by lately. Sammi Jo decided her smartest course of action was to go along with Phyllis.

“All right, we’ll give your way a try,” said Sammi Jo. “When are you going to see Isabel and Alma?”

Elated Sammi Jo was now in her camp, Phyllis smiled. “Do you think they will consider taking my case right away?”

“Alma will be raring to go since she lives and breathes this private eye stuff, but Isabel won’t be so much these days.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She has grown leery about taking on any new cases because she says investigating mysteries leaves her drained. That’s a problem because they are a team, and they can’t unravel a homicide mystery unless they work together.”

“Aren’t they a private eye firm? Didn’t they get a state license to make it official?”

“They started out that way, but they have since let their license expire. Their aim is still the same, but now they work less formally.”

Phyllis turned more thoughtful. “As much as I want to catch Ladybug’s killer, I don’t want to put Isabel on the spot or be a pest. Is there anything we can try?”

“There might be one way if we are serious.” Sammi Jo leveled her eyes on Phyllis. “Are we serious?”

“We are nothing but serious so spill it.”

“First off, we approach Alma who I believe will listen to us. Once she is on board, maybe—but that’s just a maybe, you see—she can sway Isabel to accept your request. Alma is the only person I know of who can win over Isabel.”

“That’s great but how much pull does Alma have with Isabel?”

“Just enough for our purposes, I hope.” Then Sammi Jo frowned a little at her next thought. “It almost got by me, but there is a larger roadblock for us to overcome.”

“Oh no, what is it?”

“Scrabble.”

Phyllis smacked her forehead with her palm and gave a frustrated groan. “Don’t tell me they’re in the middle of a Scrabble marathon. We’ll never get their attention if they’re spelling out the words I’ve never heard of by arranging those little wooden tiles on the game board’s squares.”

“Ah, they’ve also cajoled you into playing Scrabble with them.”

“Have they ever. Isabel never misses a trick. Anytime I step into their foyer, she’s dropping hints all over the place. Don’t get me wrong because I love both women dearly, and I enjoy playing a game or two of Scrabble, just not on every visit. Why can’t we play Monopoly for a change of pace? I love squeezing the play money in my fist and snapping up the swanky properties like Park Place and Boardwalk.”

“Isabel is fixated on playing Scrabble like you are on playing Quiet Anchorage’s bag lady.”

Phyllis didn’t agree. “The difference is I’m pretending to be a bag lady for the kicks, but Isabel is all serious about Scrabble.”

“You should get a hold of Alma and lay out what our favor is. Be sure to tell her everything you gave me. Better yet, we both can talk to Alma. Then she’ll hit up Isabel when the time is right.”

“Suppose Isabel really has called it quits? What if she balks at Alma’s suggestion they should help us?”

“Aunt Phyllis, we have to put our faith in Alma’s ability to make Isabel change her mind. Alma can be tenacious when she has to be, so I like our chances. She has never let me down in all the time I have known her.”

Phyllis held up a hand with all her fingers crossed. “We’ll think positive Alma will come through for us.”

End of Chapter 1.

Sample Chapter 1 taken from THE LADYBUG SONG: An Isabel & Alma Trumbo Cozy Mystery Series Book 3 after QUIET ANCHORAGE (#1) and THE CASHMERE SHROUD (#2).