Rita Braun - The Litter Of The Law

The Litter of the Law is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2013 by American Artists, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Bantam Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company, New York.

BANTAM BOOKS and the HOUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC.

Illustrations copyright 2013 by Michael Gellatly

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Brown, Rita Mae.

The litter of the law : a Mrs. Murphy mystery / Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown; Illustrated by Michael Gellatly.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-345-53048-6

eBook ISBN: 978-0-345-53857-4

1. Haristeen, Harry (Fictitious character)Fiction.

2. Murphy, Mrs. (Fictitious character) Fiction.

3. Women detectivesVirginiaFiction. I. Title.

PS3552.R698L58 2013

813.54dc23

2013007940

www.bantamdell.com

Jacket design: Beverly Leung

Jacket illustrations: Daniel Pelvin (cat),

Shutterstock/MisterElements (yarn)

v3.1

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Cast of Characters

The Really Important Characters

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Dedication

Other Books by these Authors

About the Authors

Cast of Characters

Mary Minor HaristeenHarry, just forty-one, a Smith graduate who wound up being Crozet, Virginias, postmistress for sixteen years, is now trying to make some money by farming. She survived breast cancer and prefers not to think about it. She more or less lives on the surface of life until her curiosity pulls her deeper.

Phararond Haristeen, D.V.M.Fair specializes in equine reproduction. After graduating from Auburn he married his childhood sweetheart, Harry. He reads peoples emotions much better than his wife does. He is a year older than Harry.

Susan TuckerOutgoing, adept at any and all social exchange, shes Harrys best friend since cradle days. She loves Harry but worries about how Harry just blunders into things.

The Very Reverend Herbert JonesA Vietnam veteran, Army, he is pastor at St. Lukes Lutheran Church, which is well over two hundred years old. He is a man of deep conviction and feeling. Hes known Harry since her childhood.

Deputy Cynthia CooperTall, lean, and Harrys next-door neighbor as she rents the adjoining farm, she loves law enforcement. Harry meddles in Coopers business from time to time but the Smith graduate has an uncanny knack of finding important information.

Tazio ChapparsShes an architect in her early thirties often assisted by her yellow Lab rescue, Brinkley. Italian African heritage gives her dazzling good looks. She hails from St. Louis, Missouri.

Buddy JanssA huge fellow and a successful farmer; he can be counted on to pitch in for fund-raisers. He and Harry like to discuss crops, weather, and new equipment.

Hester MartinA middle-aged graduate of Mary Baldwin, she runs a roadside produce stand. Odd, opinionated, but blessed with a good heart, she drags people into her projects.

Aunt Tally UrquhartThis 101-year-old aunt of Marilyn Sanburne, Sr., does what she wants when she wants. Shes not in too much evidence in this volume, which gives everyone a rest.

Marilyn Sanburne, Sr.Big Mim, known as The Queen of Crozet. She runs everything and everyone except her aunt. Big Mim is a political animal.

Marilyn Sanburne, Jr.Little Mim has just had a baby, Roland. Her mother doesnt like the name. Often Little Mim doesnt like her mother.

Miranda HogendobberA second mother to Harry, a devout member of the evangelical Church of the Holy Light, she, too, isnt much in evidence in this volume. Like Big Mim, shes in her seventies and has no idea how she got there so fast.

Sheriff Rick ShawThe sheriff of Albemarle County, he is overburdened, underfunded, and overworked. Despite that, he likes law enforcement and has learned to trust Cooper. Originally, he wasnt thrilled having a woman in the department.

Neil JordanThe treasurer for St. Lukes, Neil can be picky, picky, picky. He drives Harry crazy and vice versa but they have to work together as both are on the vestry board. He owns a fertilizer business that is lucrative.

Wesley SpeerHes also on the vestry board and brings a business perspective. He works sometimes with Neil since Wesley owns an upscale realty firm. Hell often refer clients to Neil. Wesley, like any high-end Realtor, is slick.

BoomBoom CraycroftAnother childhood friend of Harrys, she had an affair with Harrys husband years back. It was a mess, of course. Everyone has recovered and in many ways is the better for it. BoomBoom runs her late husbands concrete business. She is conventionally beautiful.

Alicia PalmerNow heres a showstopper. Alicia was a movie star in the fifties, whipped through a few husbands, affairs, etc., made pots of money, inherited more from an old flame. She returned to Crozet, fell in love with BoomBoom, and is blissfully happy.

Sarah PriceHester Martins niece comes up to Crozet from Houston.

Paul DiazTazios boyfriend, who trains Big Mims horses.

The Really Important Characters

Mrs. MurphyShes a tiger cat who is usually cool, calm, and collected. She loves her humans, Tucker the dog, and even Pewter, the other cat, who can be a pill.

PewterShes self-centered, rotund, intelligent when she wants to be. Selfish as this cat is, she often comes through at the last minute to help and then wants all the credit.

Tee TuckerThis corgi could take your college boards. She is devoted to Harry, Fair, and Mrs. Murphy. She is less devoted to Pewter.

SimonHes an opossum who lives in the hayloft of the Haristeens barn.

MatildaShes a large blacksnake with a large sense of humor. She also lives in the hayloft.

FlatfaceThis great horned owl lives in the barn cupola. She irritates Pewter, but the cat realizes the bird could easily pick her up and carry her off.

ShortroA young Saddlebred in Harrys barn who is being trained as a foxhunter. Hes very smart, young, good-natured.

TomahawkHarrys older Thoroughbred. Theyve been friends a long time.

The Lutheran Cats

ElocutionShes the oldest of the St. Lukes cats and cares a lot about the Rev, as his friends sometimes call the Very Reverend Herbert Jones.