If Austin Starr Could Talk to You *

By Kay Kendall

My dear friend Larissa is in big trouble. She just called me long distance to say she’s a suspect in a murder case. Good grief, it’s only been a year since my husband David was suspected of murder, and now it’s Larissa. This is too much. I’ll need to get a trench coat and fedora—pretend I’m a private eye—if I keep getting pulled into these cases on a routine basis. 

            Larissa wants me to fly across the continent to give her moral support. The Mounties say she’s the one who killed the leader of her women’s lib group. Of course she didn’t do it. The idea is ludicrous. And, I know I owe her, big time, and want to help her, but I don’t see how I can. Believe me, I’d leave right now if I could. But things have changed since we talked.

            The life-changing event is, well, I’m a mother now. Wyatt is three months old and cute as can be. I can’t possibly take him with me because last time I went sleuthing around, I was almost killed. However, I can’t go alone and leave Wy at home either. David would have a perfect fit if I asked him to babysit. Of course I juggle Wyatt’s child care with my own courses work, but that’s expected. After all, I mean, gosh, I’m the mom. Dads don’t do things like that—not much anyway.

 

           Still, I cannot leave Larissa in the lurch. She’s the only real friend I’ve made since I pulled up stakes and left my home and family in Texas to join my new husband up here, in the Great White North, Canada. You know, it really was kinda neat—how Larissa and I clicked right away. Usually I avoid anyone who is petite like she is. They make me feel like such an oaf. Here I am at five feet eleven, and Larissa is a good ten inches shorter. But she is so much fun, and smart too. The two years difference in our ages seems like nothing. She just turned twenty-one and is still an undergrad.
            I tell Larissa everything. For instance, she’s the only one who knows I was being trained as a spy by the CIA right before I married David. But I could never tell him that. He would not approve, that’s for sure. But Larissa knows and keeps all my secrets. Here’s a funny thing, though. Why didn’t she confide in me she joined a women’s lib group?

            Oh my gosh, the more I think about it, I must fly out to be with her during her time of trouble. I’ll have to put a plan in place. She’ll call me back in an hour and ask if I’m coming.

            Hey, maybe you can help me out. What do you think I should do?  

* Austin Starr is the amateur sleuth in Kay Kendall's two mysteries. Here Austin sets out on her second murder case, Rainy Day Women, the sequel to Kay’s debut Desolation Row. Both are published by Stairway Press.

Meet the author                                                                 

Kay Kendall is a long-time fan of historical novels and now writes atmospheric mysteries that capture the spirit and turbulence of the sixties. A reformed PR executive who won international awards for her projects, Kay lives in Texas with her Canadian husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. Terribly allergic to her bunnies, she loves them anyway!

Her book titles show she's a Bob Dylan buff too. Rainy Day Women  won two Silver Falchion Awards at Killer Nashville in 2016.

Visit Kay at her website  http://www.austinstarr.com/

or on Facebook 

 https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor