Cat's Claw (A Pecan Springs Mystery)

probably sell the house,” Hazel said, taking her threaded needle from Jane and going back to her sewing. “And Sam can blow his cork at whoever buys it next.”
    “Maybe Ruby’s sister will buy it,” Mildred said. “You know, she finally left that husband of hers up in Dallas—they’ve had trouble for years and years—and she’s staying with Ruby. I heard she was looking for her own place. The Kirks’ house would be perfect for her, just three doors down from Ruby.”
    Ruby Wilcox was also a Texas Star, but since she worked during the day (she owned Pecan Springs’ only New Age shop, the Crystal Cave, and was the part owner of Thyme for Tea), she could only come to night meetings.
    “Or maybe Chief Dawson and her sheriff husband will buy it,” Jane suggested. “You know they’re renting Aubrey Drew’s mother’s house, across the alley from me, on Hickory Street. But Aubrey might want that house back, and of course it would be better for us if the chief and the sheriff would stay in the neighborhood. The Kirks’ place would be perfect.” She smiled archly at Hazel. “Except for poor Sam, who couldn’t get too mad at
them
, even if their garage does lap over the property line by two feet.”
    “Chief Dawson.” Ethel snorted. “For the life of me, I can’t think whythese modern women don’t use their right names. Their
married
names. Why couldn’t she be Chief Blackwell? She’s married to the sheriff, isn’t she?”
    “He’s not sheriff any longer,” Mildred pointed out. “I don’t understand why he quit. There’s been a Sheriff Blackwell in Adams County for as long as I can remember.” She shook her head sadly. “I’m sure his daddy would be disappointed, if he were still alive.”
    “I don’t suppose he gave up his guns just because he quit being sheriff,” Jane pointed out. “I heard he’s working as a private investigator, like on TV. Anyway, if anybody tries any funny stuff in this neighborhood, it’s good to have them right here to protect us. When the bad guys see the chief’s car parked in the driveway, they know they need to go somewhere else.”
    Hazel smiled wistfully. “I just think it’s so romantic, don’t you? Two law enforcement officers, falling in love and getting married. And Chief Dawson—why, she’s
beautiful
. If you ask me, she could have had a career in modeling. I wonder why she decided to be a cop instead. Doesn’t make any sense to me.”
    “Wonder if their kids will grow up to be police like their mommy and daddy,” Ethel remarked.
    “I don’t think a chief of police should
have
any kids,” Mildred said, and bit off her thread. “She wouldn’t find time to raise them right. And what would happen to the children if she got herself killed?”
    “Well, I personally don’t think a woman has any business being the chief of police,” Ethel asserted. “Or a policeman, either. It’s not natural.” She shuddered. “What if she meets some big huge man in a dark alley somewhere? Why, he could
rape
her and she wouldn’t be strong enough to stop him!”
    “She’s got a gun, doesn’t she?” Mildred asked tartly. “She’d just shoothis you-know-whats off.
I
would, if some man tried to put a finger on me.”
    “It’s policewoman, Ethel,” Jane said. “She’s not a police
man
, she’s a police
woman
.”
    “It’s police
officer
,” Hazel said. “I read that somewhere. They don’t want to be called policemen or policewomen. Officer is what they want to be called.”
    “Well, I think the chief and the sheriff should definitely buy the Kirks’ house when it goes on the market,” Jane said. “I personally would feel very safe with them living next door—with or without children.” She pushed back her chair and stood up. “It was my turn to bring the refreshments today, girls. I baked some curry and cardamom cookies from a recipe I got from China Bayles, over at Thyme for Seasons.”
    “That’s Thyme
and
Seasons,” Mildred amended.
    “Whatever,” Jane said, with a wave of her hand. “China made them for one of our craft workshops last month, and everybody raved, so I thought I’d give them a try. Oh, and there’s coffee, of course. Are you ready?”
    The Texas Stars put down their needles and nodded. They might not agree on everything, but they could achieve a strong consensus where cardamom cookies and coffee were concerned.

Chapter One

    Some herbs have hooks, designed to clutch and hold on to anyone or anything