Probable Paws (Mystic Notch Cozy Mystery Series Book 5) (18 page)

“All’s well that ends well,” Otis said as they walked toward the building, dodging the activities of the humans. The fire had been put out, and there was now a flurry of activity as they rolled up hoses and inspected the basement for damage. All the other cats had left. Inkspot and the others from Elspeth’s gang had gone back to the barn. Only Obsidian, Pandora, and Otis remained behind to see it to the end.

“Not
all
is well. The historical society has been damaged,” Pandora pointed out. “I hope your home is not ruined, Obsidian.”

“Nah, the fire was contained in the basement. I never liked those displays that are stored near the door anyway. One is on wolves and canines of the White Mountains.” Obsidian shivered. “Thankfully the important displays are still intact upstairs. Like the one from the early days of the notch, featuring Hester Warren and my ancestor.”

“And the Egyptian display with the great cat god Bastet,” Otis said.

“Yes,” Obsidian agreed. “It would be a tragedy if anything happened to that. The humans need to view that more and learn how important our kind really is.”

“Or maybe it’s better they don’t so we can fly under the radar,” Otis said then added, “Hey, if you need a place to stay, you can come back to Elspeth’s barn with me. You will be most welcome.”

Pandora suppressed a cat-like smile. “Otis, you better stop being so nice, or you’ll ruin your reputation.”

Otis scoffed. “Never you mind, little one. I still have plenty of grouchiness to go around.”

They stopped in front of Willa’s Jeep. “I’ll wait here for my human. She’ll worry about me if I run back on my own. Will you be okay to go back to the barn without me?” Pandora slid a glance at Otis.

Otis puffed his chest out. “Of course. Believe it or not, I have strong powers, though I choose only to use them when necessary.”

Pandora turned to Obsidian. “Will you be okay in the museum tonight?”

“Yes, I have a cushy sleeping area in a nook upstairs, far from the fire. I will be fine.”

“Very well, then. I suppose we should all part ways.” Otis nodded at Pandora and then Obsidian. “’Til next time.” Then he trotted across the asphalt and disappeared into the dark shadows of the woods.

“I thank you for your help, Obsidian.” Pandora bowed to the big black cat.

“It’s the least I could do for one who has talked to my ancestor.” Obsidian paused and appraised her with his golden eyes. “So the story is true—my ancestor guarded the box entrusted to his human even after his nine lives ran out.”

“Yes. He was a brave hero.”

Obsidian’s whiskers twitched proudly. “I’m honored to share his name, then.” He glanced back at the parking lot. Gus had finally crammed Marion into the police car, the firefighters had reeled the hose back into the truck, and Willa and Striker were walking toward them, their hands clasped together. “Looks like your human is almost ready to leave. I hope we meet again.”

“As do I.” Pandora hopped up onto the hood of the Jeep to wait for Willa. She curled up into a ball, one eye on her human, the other closed tight. She was in dire need of a catnap. She’d barely slept in the past few days, preferring to remain awake to ensure that Fluff or his human didn’t pull a fast one. But now, the book was safe, and Willa was one step closer to believing in magic. Pandora could finally rest, knowing that everything was right in Mystic Notch. At least for now.

T
he end
.

U
SA Today Bestselling author Leighann Dobbs
has had a passion for reading since she was old enough to hold a book, but she didn’t put pen to paper until much later in life. After a twenty-year career as a software engineer with a few side trips into selling antiques and making jewelry, she realized you can’t make a living reading books, so she tried her hand at writing them and discovered she had a passion for that, too! She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix, Mojo, and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty.

F
ind
out about her latest books and how to get discounts on them by signing up at:

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T
hanks
so much for reading my cozy mystery, “
Paws and Effect
”. I hope you liked reading it as much as I loved writing it. If you did, and feel inclined to leave a review, I really would appreciate it.

This is book 5 of the Mystic Notch series. I plan to write many more books with Willa, Pandora and the rest of Mystic Notch. I have several other series that I write, too - you can find out more about them on my website
http://www.leighanndobbs.com
.

This book has been through many edits with several people and even some software programs, but since nothing is infallible (even the software programs), you might catch a spelling error or mistake and, if you do, I sure would appreciate it if you let me know - you can contact me at
[email protected]
.

Oh, and I love to connect with my readers so please do visit me on facebook at
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ignup to get
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* * *

T
his is a work of fiction
.

N
one of it is real
. All names, places, and events are prodducts of the author's imaginnation. Any resemblance to real names, places, or events are purely coinciddental, and should not be construed as being real.

P
robably Paws

Copyright © 2016

Leighann Dobbs

http://www.leighanndobbs.com

All Rights Reserved.

N
o part
of this work may be used or reproduced in any *crane manner, except as allowable under “fair use,” without the express written permission of the author.

C
over art by
:
http://www.tina-adams.com/design