8 Strawberry Bank Rd.

Suite 20

Nashua, New Hampshire

      "Yeah,” I said, “the lady is just concerned that large yellow fish is too big for his tank.” And to Maxine, “Let’s go.” I took her arm and led her from the pet shop and started walking down the street.
     “Will you help me?” she asked after we’d gone a short distance.
     “I’ll look into it for you, Maxine, but please don’t get your hopes up.”
     “Thank you,” she said, “and please call me Max.” She took an envelope from her pocket and handed it to me. “There’s five hundred dollars in there and some papers that will help you get going. Is that enough money to start?”
     “Sure, Max,” I said. My last big job paid fifty dollars and I almost got killed several times. “Give me a couple days to see what I can find out. Should I call you?”
     “You better not,” she said. “My husband is very jealous and he thinks I’m crazy with my murder ideas. Just stop at the book store and we can talk. “I better get back to work. And Jake—thank you.” She took my hands in hers for a second and then turned and swished back to the bookstore. I watched her go. Didn’t blame her old man for being jealous.

Chapter 2

     I stopped at the bank and deposited four hundred of the five that Max had given me. I bought a six-pack of Coronas and a lime and headed home. Back in the spacious conference room at Lawless Investigations, my kitchenette, I sat at my table and cracked open a beer. Margot and I had decided it was a good idea not to drink until after five on a workday. But she was in New York, and it must be after five somewhere. And I needed something to settle my stomach after my three-donut brunch.
     I opened Max’s envelope and emptied it. There were four pieces of letter-size paper. The first was a Photostat of a newspaper item and an obituary. The news item was dated April 22nd. Almost two months earlier.

WOMAN KILLED AT WOMACK STABLE

       A 28 year old woman was killed on Saturday when she fell from the horse she was riding. Imogene Aphrodite Fairweather-Smith apparently fell from her horse, Parsnip, and struck her head as she was riding along the North trail at Womack Stables. She was riding alone at the time and was discovered shortly after she fell by an unnamed rider who called 9-1-1 on his cell phone.
       Emergency crews rushed the unconscious woman to New Stratley General Hospital but she passed away on Sunday morning. Luke Womack, owner of the boarding and riding facility was shocked and saddened at Mrs. Smith’s untimely death. He said she was one of the best riders he knew and could only speculate what could have caused this tragedy.
     “Maybe a snake spooked the horse,” he said. He also noted he frowns on customers riding alone. New Stratley Police are calling this a tragic accident and are waiting for an autopsy to finish their investigation. Mrs. Smith’s family has been in seclusion since her death.

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