Murder of An Open Book: A Scumble River Mystery (Scumble River Mysteries Book 18) Read online

  PRAISE FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SCUMBLE RIVER SERIES

  Murder of a Needled Knitter

  “Denise Swanson shows once again why she’s one of my favorite cozy mystery authors . . . another phenomenal hit.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “One of Swanson’s best chapters of her Scumble River mystery series.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  Murder of a Stacked Librarian

  “A fun adventure in a small town with lovable characters and an intriguing plot.”

  —Romantic Times

  “A well-plotted, intriguing mystery. . . . Each book in the series is like a little gem.”

  —MyShelf.com

  Murder of the Cat’s Meow

  “Swanson serves up another romance-sweetened tale of murder in the endearingly zany town of Scumble River.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  “Well-crafted. . . . From normal to nutty, the folks of Scumble River will tickle the fancy of cozy fans.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  Murder of a Creped Suzette

  “Another great book by this master of the small-town mystery.”

  —Crimespree Magazine

  “A Swanson novel is always going to have tongue-in-cheek humor, complex motives, and unique murders. The latest cleverly crafted tale is another entertaining mystery.”

  —Romantic Times

  Murder of a Bookstore Babe

  “In the latest installment in her cozy Scumble River series, Swanson serves up another irresistible slice of romance-spiced mystery.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  Murder of a Wedding Belle

  “Carefully crafted . . . a charming heroine who is equally skilled at juggling detection and romance.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  Murder of a Royal Pain

  “The series remains fresh and dramatic; a great combination, which translates to an enjoyable and intriguing reading experience.”

  —Once Upon a Romance

  Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry

  “[A] cleverly crafted plot . . . with a generous dash of romance.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  Murder of a Botoxed Blonde

  “Endearing . . . quirky . . . a delight.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  Murder of a Real Bad Boy

  “Another knee-slapping adventure in Scumble River.”

  —The Amplifier (KY)

  Murder of a Smart Cookie

  “Smartly spins on a solid plot and likable characters.”

  —South Florida Sun-Sentinel

  Murder of a Pink Elephant

  “The must-read book of the summer.”

  —Butler County Post (KY)

  Murder of a Barbie and Ken

  “Another sidesplitting visit to Scumble River . . . with some of the quirkiest and most eccentric characters we ever have met.”

  —Butler County Post (KY)

  Murder of a Snake in the Grass

  “An endearing and realistic character . . . a fast-paced, enjoyable read.”

  —The Herald News (MA)

  Murder of a Sleeping Beauty

  “Another delightful and intriguing escapade.”

  —Mystery News

  Murder of a Sweet Old Lady

  “More fun than the Whirl-A-Gig at the County Fair and tastier than a corn dog.”

  —The Charlotte Austin Review

  Murder of a Small-Town Honey

  “Bounces along with gently wry humor and jaunty twists and turns. The quintessential amateur sleuth: bright, curious, and more than a little nervy.”

  —Agatha Award–winning author Earlene Fowler

  PRAISE FOR THE DEVEREAUX’S DIME STORE MYSTERY SERIES

  “Veteran author Swanson debuts a spunky new heroine with a Missouri stubborn streak. . . . Readers will like this one for its slightly zany, mutigenerational take on small-town mores.”

  —Library Journal (starred review)

  “Swanson puts just the right amount of sexy sizzle in her latest engaging mystery.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  “A new entertaining mystery series that her fans will appreciate. . . . With a touch of romance in the air, readers will enjoy this delightful cozy.”

  —Genre Go Round Reviews

  “Swanson has a gift for portraying small-town life, making it interesting, and finding both the ridiculous and the satisfying parts of living in one. I wish Dev a long and happy shelf life.”

  —AnnArbor.com

  Also by Denise Swanson

  SCUMBLE RIVER MYSTERIES

  Murder of a Needled Knitter

  Murder of a Stacked Librarian

  Murder of the Cat’s Meow

  Novella: “Dead Blondes Tell No Tales”

  Murder of a Creped Suzette

  Murder of a Bookstore Babe

  Murder of a Wedding Belle

  Murder of a Royal Pain

  Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry

  Murder of a Botoxed Blonde

  Murder of a Real Bad Boy

  Murder of a Smart Cookie

  Murder of a Pink Elephant

  Murder of a Barbie and Ken

  Murder of a Snake in the Grass

  Murder of a Sleeping Beauty

  Murder of a Sweet Old Lady

  Murder of a Small-Town Honey

  DEVEREAUX’S DIME STORE MYSTERIES

  Dying for a Cupcake

  Dead Between the Lines

  Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death

  Little Shop of Homicide

  OBSIDIAN

  Published by New American Library,

  an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

  This book is an original publication of New American Library.

  First Printing, September 2015

  Copyright © Denise Swanson Stybr, 2015

  Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.

  Obsidian and the Obsidian colophon are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

  For more information about Penguin Random House, visit penguinrandomhouse.com.

  ISBN 978-0-698-17787-1

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Version_1

  Contents

  Praise for Denise Swanson

  Also by Denise Swanson

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  CHAPTER 1: LOL—Laugh out Loud

  CHAPTER 2: Sup—What’s Up?

  CHAPTER 3: Kk—Okay

  CHAPTER 4: GTG—Got to Go
/>   CHAPTER 5: :(—Frownie Face

  CHAPTER 6: AWHFY—Are We Having Fun Yet?

  CHAPTER 7: BRB—Be Right Back

  CHAPTER 8: FWIW—For What It’s Worth

  CHAPTER 9: FAQ—Frequently Asked Questions

  CHAPTER 10: TMI—Too Much Information

  CHAPTER 11: FYEO—For Your Eyes Only

  CHAPTER 12: RUOK?—Are You Ok?

  CHAPTER 13: LD—Link Dead

  CHAPTER 14: F?—Are We Friends?

  CHAPTER 15: STAN—Stalker Fan

  CHAPTER 16: GNOB—Good Night Open Book

  CHAPTER 17: TTYL—Talk to You Later

  CHAPTER 18: F2T—Free to Talk

  CHAPTER 19: THX40—Thanks for Nothing!

  CHAPTER 20: OBO—Open Book Official

  CHAPTER 21: RDV—Rendezvous

  CHAPTER 22: EOD—End of Discussion

  CHAPTER 23: BGWM—Be Gentle with Me

  CHAPTER 24: KISS—Keep It Simple, Stupid

  CHAPTER 25: YBS—You’ll Be Sorry

  EPILOGUE: E2EG—Ear-to-Ear Grin

  Special Excerpt from Between a Book and a Hard Place

  Welcome to my new great-niece, Emma Graham

  Acknowledgments

  Once again, I have to thank my amazing street team, the Swanson Sleuths. And a huge hats off to my new personal assistant, Mr. S.

  CHAPTER 1

  LOL—Laugh out Loud

  Skye Denison-Boyd adjusted the straps of her bathing suit, then kicked off from the edge of the swimming pool. Her goal was to make it to the other end without losing her breakfast. Not that a couple of soda crackers and a cup of tea was much of a meal, but that was all she’d been able to tolerate in the mornings for the past month. And some days, even the saltines didn’t stay down.

  Refusing to think about tossing her cookies—or to be more specific, crackers—Skye concentrated on improving her butterfly stroke. Seven years ago, when she first returned to her hometown and started working as a psychologist for the Scumble River school district, she had swum most weekday mornings and often on Saturdays and Sundays as well. In the summer, she used the local recreational club, a lake formed from a reclaimed coal mine. And when it was cold, she did laps in the high school’s highly debated pool.

  Due to the source of its financing, the swimming pool was a hot topic among the Scumble River citizens. A while back, the district had received some extra tax money from the construction of a nearby nuclear power plant, but instead of buying more up-to-date textbooks or employing additional teachers, the school board had spent the funds on athletic equipment and a pool.

  The board members had been hoodwinked by a fast-talking salesman and a group of parents with their own agendas. It was the one time in anyone’s memory that the board president, Skye’s godfather, Charlie Patukas, had lost a vote. Because of that, she’d always felt a little guilty when she used the facility.

  Those ambivalent feelings had helped her make excuses to skip her daily swims until eventually she rarely, if ever, swam at all. But a couple of months ago, after returning from her honeymoon, Skye had vowed to get back to her previous exercise routine. And a little bit of nausea was not going to stop her. Besides, the doctor had said that swimming might actually help the morning sickness.

  Which reminded her, when she wiggled into her bathing suit at home, she’d noticed a definite baby bump. Up until now, because of her already generous curves, there hadn’t been much danger that anyone would notice the three or four extra pounds she was carrying. Evidently, that anonymity was about to end.

  She and her husband, Wally, would have to make some kind of announcement soon, or speculation would sweep the town. Scumble River’s main drag wasn’t known as Blabbermouth Basin Street for nothing.

  Skye and Wally’s motives for keeping mum about the blessed event were due in part to Wally’s concerns about revealing the pregnancy prior to the completion of the first trimester. Furthermore, they hadn’t wanted to take the spotlight away from Skye’s brother and sister-in-law’s baby shower, which was scheduled for Saturday.

  However, the most compelling reason for them to keep quiet as long as possible was Skye’s mother. May had a tendency to be a bit overbearing—okay, a lot overbearing. And as soon as she found out her daughter was pregnant, she would try to take over her life. Compared to May, D. B. Cooper was an amateur skyjacker.

  May had waited a long time for grandchildren. Both Skye and her brother, Vince, had married relatively late—Skye had been thirty-six and Vince nearly forty—which meant May had been ready to be a grandmother for close to twenty years. And although Skye hoped her mother would be distracted by Vince’s baby, she was pretty darn sure May would find the time to drive her daughter crazy as well. As an equal-opportunity meddler, May would make sure neither of her children felt neglected. She wouldn’t want either of them to think the other was her favorite.

  Wincing at the thought of her mother’s reaction to her pregnancy, Skye reached the opposite end of the pool. Performing a perfect flip turn, she started back, happy that she felt less queasy and determined to put May out of her mind.

  Willing herself to relax and enjoy the sensation of the water sliding over her skin, Skye focused on her dolphin kick. Because the butterfly was one of the most exhausting strokes and she hadn’t yet rebuilt the strength to swim more than a few lengths of the pool before having to rest, she wanted to put the time she had to the best use.

  March in Illinois had been chillier than usual, but in the heated pool, Skye could pretend that she was back on her honeymoon. Even though the cruise had been full of surprises—including a dead body—she and Wally had both been able to unwind from their demanding lives and have an unforgettable trip.

  Wally, as the chief of the Scumble River Police Department, had been badly in need of a break. Although the town’s population was just a shade over three thousand, between the devious mayor and several murders, the community in no way resembled Mayberry. Which meant that Wally’s work was no Andy Griffith kind of job.

  Skye’s position as the sole mental-health professional for the entire school district kept her stress level in the head-about-to-explode range as well. Add planning a wedding during the frantic Christmas holidays and her psych-consultant contract with the PD, and she, too, had been more than ready for a vacation.

  Their honeymoon had been wonderful, but now that they’d been back for two and a half months, Skye had a feeling that their downtime was about to end. This was the final week before spring break, which in Skye’s world meant frazzled teachers and students with cabin fever.

  For Wally, kids out of school required preparing his officers for hordes of unoccupied teens with way too much time on their hands. Not many Scumble River families could afford to take off from their jobs and jet off to Florida or the Caribbean. So while they were busy making a living, their offspring were often left unsupervised and looking for something to do.

  Skye finished her fifth lap, and as she rested against the side of the pool, she checked the clock on the far wall. It was only six thirty. Staff was required to be on duty at seven twenty, while students started their school day at ten to eight. Allowing half an hour to style her hair, slap on some makeup, and put on her clothes, she had fifteen minutes before she had to get out of the water and start to dress.

  Because of her nausea, Skye had been up an hour before her normal time, and she’d gotten to the pool much earlier than usual. When she’d turned in to the school’s driveway, there hadn’t been a single car in the parking lot. Even the custodian’s old red Silverado pickup wasn’t in its usual spot by the Dumpster yet.

  She’d used her key to enter through the back door of the empty building and made her way to the gym. The pool area’s only entrance, except for an alarmed emergency exit, was through the student locker rooms. As she’d passed through the girls’ side, she’d stripped off
her sweat suit and placed it and her bag on one of the benches. The locked duffel held what she would need to get ready for the school day, as well as her purse and the leather tote full of files she’d brought home on Friday to work on over the weekend.

  Most mornings there were other staff members using the pool, but because she’d arrived so early, the place had been deserted. At the time, even though Skye knew she shouldn’t swim without a buddy, she’d been happy to have the water to herself. It was nice not to have to worry about colliding with another swimmer or slowing someone else down. However, now it felt as if she was no longer alone. Had someone else arrived to take a pre-workday dip?

  Skye glanced from side to side. Almost the entire wall of the pool enclosure was made up of frosted blue safety glass. She squinted. Was that someone peering through the partition? She called out a greeting, but no one answered. That was odd. Her imagination must be getting the best of her.

  She shoved her swim goggles up on her head and looked around for a second time. With the exception of a couple of safety rings and a pole with a hook on the end leaning against the wall, the area was empty. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing heart, but the scent of chlorine overpowered her. Uh-oh! Now she felt queasy again.

  Swimming over to the ladder, Skye had just begun to climb out of the water when she thought she heard retreating footsteps. A chill ran up her spine. Had someone been watching her? No! That was silly. Why would anyone spy on her? Was pregnancy making her paranoid?

  Skye shook her head at her own foolishness and heaved herself out of the pool. She hurried into the locker room and peeled off her swim cap. Catching a glimpse of herself in a mirror, she sighed. While the cap kept her hair dry, it also left it a snarled mess. Bending over, she ran her fingers through her long chestnut curls in an attempt to fluff out the strands.

  She was busy trying to work out a particularly stubborn tangle when a hand descended on her shoulder and someone snapped, “You need to leave immediately.”

  With a scream, Skye straightened. Clutching her chest, she said, “Blair! You scared me to death. What are you doing here?”

  Blair Hucksford taught junior and senior level science and coached girls’ volleyball. Although she’d been teaching at Scumble River High for nearly four years, Skye didn’t know her very well. Blair hadn’t sought out Skye’s help with any of her students, and she rarely attended pupil personnel services conferences. PPS meetings, a multidisciplinary forum intended to assist students identified as exhibiting academic, social, or physical needs through supportive and preventative strategies and services, was Skye’s main contact with most of the school’s staff.