Cold Clay (A Shady Hollow Mystery)

Chapter 1

As might be expected from its name, the village of Shady Hollow is nestled deep in the woods, covering a wide valley between two mountains. What might be less expected is the fact that the village residents are all animals, representing many species and temperaments. Just how can a rabbit live and work alongside a fox? Why do a sparrow and a bear read the same newspaper? On a more practical level, where are the rabbit and fox working, and what is the headline on the paper?

These are the sorts of questions a journalist asks. In her den, Vera Vixen was in fact asking herself exactly what the headline would be for the next issue of the Shady Hollow Herald and whether she could improve it. She loved the little town, but it usually was not the most exciting place in the world. Vera wasn't sure she could handle looking at another headline like "Mirror Lake Beach Closes Early" or "Best Walking Paths in the Whispering Woods." Those were not ledes to inspire.

"There must be something worth writing about today," she muttered. "I just have to find it."

As Vera prepared to leave her cozy home, she pulled a woolen scarf off a hook by the door and draped it about her shoulders, pleased with the way the deep evergreen color contrasted with her rich red fur. She adjusted the wire-­rimmed glasses on her nose, tipped her felt hat to a slightly jauntier and more reporterish angle, and then stepped outside to greet the day.

The early-­autumn mornings were rather chilly now, and quite often a layer of fog would slip into town at night, slinking through the quiet streets and curling up around the great trees in the park. Early risers had to brave a clinging mist that hid the details of the world, making Shady Hollow seem like a dream of itself. But soon the sun would rise over the distant ridge and burn away the fog until the last ragged strips retreated into the woods as the town bustled into action and animals emerged from houses and dens to begin their work or play. On this day, the fog was behaving in the most picturesque way possible, and Vera smiled as she breathed in the cool air. Despite the calm, she felt a thrill of excitement that only an autumn morning can supply. Something about the brisk air and the golden tips of the tree branches warned of change to come. But what sort of change? Ah, that was the question!

She trotted along the path toward the center of town, where the newspaper office could be found. When she crossed an intersection, a flurry of activity on the other end of Elm Street caught her eye. She paused for a longer look. A large covered cart stood parked in front of one of the empty buildings. Ferrets scurried about, carrying boxes and bags from the cart and nearly colliding with one another as they passed through the building's narrow doorway.

Vera's interest was piqued. That building had been for rent for some time; its first-­floor office had been looking lonely and drab on the otherwise busy street. Vera knew the upstairs was very large, but she'd never been inside. Someone must have taken out a lease on the place, and it must be a newcomer. A local would have mentioned it by now.

"Excuse me," Vera called, addressing the ferrets, who didn't look away from their work. "Excuse me!" She trotted closer, pausing just short of the commotion.

One ferret finally stopped, looking at her in alarm. "Hello, yes, what? We didn't break anything! Promise! We have a no-­break guarantee."

"I just wanted to know who's moving in," Vera explained.

The ferret shook his dark head. "Can't tell you. Sorry! We just move the freight."

"But who's paying you? You must know that!" she said. "Where did the shipment come from?"

"Freight moved upriver, ma'am," the ferret said, shrugging to convey his complete lack of knowledge in the matter. "Payment in cash. Sorry! Watch that lamp!" The last direction was howled at another ferret who seemed about to lose control of a fancy blown-­glass lamp. Vera's interlocutor dashed past her to save the object from being smashed to a thousand pieces on the ground.

Vera took the hint and didn't ask anything further of the workers. She would have loved to hang about and peek at the belongings of the town's newest resident for clues as to their identity, but now she had to get to the office. She couldn't wait to see if she had scooped Gladys Honeysuckle, the town gossip.

What would this new resident bring to Shady Hollow? Vera had learned that even in a small town, you just never know what could happen. Despite her annoyance with the current milquetoast headlines, Vera had no desire to revisit the shocking events of the summer and her own narrow escape from death. Never before had the residents endured the horror of not one b...