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| Season of Danger Anthology |
Mistletoe Mayhem
by Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Novella in Season of Danger anthology
Love Inspired Romantic Suspense
A romance-shy veterinarian and a widowed health inspector
hunt the killer who used mistletoe extract to poison pets and people in a
Tennessee mountain town.
After being jilted by her fiancé, Kelly Granger buries her
broken heart in her work as a veterinarian in her home town of Abbottsville,
Tennessee, located in the Great Smoky Mountains. She and her assistant, Tim
Hallock, battle to save community pets from a violent and mysterious illness.
Is this sickness a danger to humans? Her question is answered when state health
inspector Matt Bennett is sent to investigate local eating establishments,
including Kelly’s sister’s restaurant, for the cause of poisoning among the
patrons. Kelly refuses to believe that her sister served toxic mistletoe
extract to her customers—yet mounting evidence points in that direction. Kelly
puts herself in harm’s way, facing down a vicious dog and even more vicious people,
to uncover a common denominator between the human and animal illnesses. Matt
has his hands full keeping up with her, as well as proving himself worthy of
her trust—and hopefully, her love. Unless she has her heart set on her
veterinary assistant, Tim Hallock. The question won’t matter if his
investigation sends Kelly’s sister to jail. She’ll never have anything to do
with him then. They need to uncover the truth. But will the answer cost them
more than their romance? Will it cost them their lives?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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| Jill Elizabeth Nelson |
ABOUT JILL ELIZABETH NELSON:
Jill Elizabeth Nelson is an award-winning author of mystery
and suspense. She writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned
with romance, humor, and faith. Jill speaks regularly at conferences, writer’s
groups, library associations, and civic and church groups. When teaching
classes for writers, she delights in bringing the “Ahah! moment” to her
students, so they can make a new skill their own. Jill and her husband live in
rural Minnesota where they raised four children and are currently enjoying
their grandchildren. Visit Jill on the web at: www.jillelizabethnelson.com or look her up on Facebook or Twitter:
Merry and Blessed Christmas to All!
Jill Elizabeth Nelson
www.jillelizabethnelson.com
EXCERPT FROM MISTLETOE MAYHEM:
Kelly Granger stared into Nick Milton’s bloodshot eyes and
suppressed a shiver. It wouldn’t do to betray her fear of him, any more than to
give that advantage to a wild animal.
Beefy face taut, Nick leaned toward her over the counter of
the veterinary clinic’s reception area. “If my dog don’t perk up and shake off
that drug you pumped into him, I’ll come lookin’ for you. He’s been layin’
around all afternoon, worthless as a tick.”
The slurred words betrayed the alcohol he pickled himself in
daily. How did Chelsea live with this guy?
“Mr. Milton, Brutus’s behavior posed a danger to himself,
the staff and other animals. In order to give him his check-up and
vaccinations, it was necessary to administer a mild sedative first. I assure
you, he will be himself by morning, barring a little stiffness in the
vaccination site, which will also disappear.”
There, she’d delivered a reasonable explanation, and her
voice didn’t even quiver. If she’d discovered any sign of abuse on Nick’s
Doberman, she would have turned the dog over to the SPCA to get the animal away
from his disgusting owner.
“Highfalutin, la-de-da doctor!” Nick shook a ham-sized fist
in her face. “I’m holdin’ you to them words.”
Kelly gripped the edge of the counter. She would not back
away. This creep might have a reputation for temper, but she was not going to be cowed. This was her clinic, and she’d done nothing wrong
. . . except send her assistant, Tim Hallock, home early. Tim might be half
Nick’s size, but at least he could have called the cops.
Nick turned and stomped out the door, admitting a burst of
chill air, which washed over Kelly. She allowed herself a shiver. Some people
needed a muzzle and leash more than their pets. She wouldn’t mind calling the
police to let them know that Nick Milton was driving drunk again, except he
wasn’t driving.
The Milton’s beat-up van sat in a parking spot outside the
clinic’s picture window. Nick’s son, Greg, perched behind the wheel. Kelly’s
glance met the teenager’s, and kid offered his usual juvenile leer. She marched
to the door and turned the deadbolt as the van chugged out of the parking lot,
spewing dark smoke from its tailpipe.
Releasing a breath, she looked out the picture window, which
revealed a panorama of white-topped mountain ridges looming over the struggling
business district. Even with Christmas nearly upon them, traffic was thin this
early evening. Vehicle headlights vied with the twinkle of Christmas lights
adorning the facades of buildings. Thankfully, no one seemed headed for the
veterinary clinic. She’d dealt with enough excitement for one day.
Brutus had been the easiest patient—a routine well-check.
Six other pets, cradled by distraught owners—one of them Kelly’s sister—had
been presented this afternoon, each animal exhibiting the same awful symptoms.
She was keeping most of them overnight on IVs to rehydrate them. Her patients
would live, but more by the grace of God than human skill. She’d never seen
anything like it and prayed she never would again.
Had Tim remembered to prepare the biological samples for
submission to the state lab? They needed to discover what had made the pets so
ill.
Kelly headed for the pharmacy, loafers squeaking faintly on
the linoleum. Her pharmacy was more like a large closet than a room. The
package lay wrapped and labeled on the counter. Kelly smiled. Reliable was
Tim’s middle name.
A note in his handwriting sat by the box. She picked it up
and read, “Courier service unable to make the pick-up until late tomorrow afternoon. One of the
hazards of living in a Tennessee mountain town.”
Kelly groaned. Compared to the frenzy of her Nashville vet
school experience, she’d loved returning to the gracious pace of life in
Abbottsville, nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. But around
here, tomorrow was soon enough for anything to happen. Might as well get home
and put her feet up.
On the drive to her modest bungalow, her thoughts refused to
wind down. What if the illness was an epidemic—something bacterial . . . or
even viral? Or maybe it was as simple as a contaminated batch of pet food? But
what if this was a contagion that could affect people? What if . . . Whoa, girl! No point in stressing over
what had hit the pets in Abbottsville until the lab returned results.
Darkness had fully fallen when she turned the final corner
onto her street. She accelerated and then eased off the gas pedal. What was up
with this? The automatic timer on her Christmas lights should have had her
place aglow with festive decorations, but the single-story home was dark. A
faulty timer? Better than some expensive electrical issue. It wasn’t a power
outage. The porch light glowed on the two-story house next door, but no holiday
decorations. Probably because her yet-to-be-seen neighbor had moved in only
yesterday.
Kelly wheeled the Explorer into the driveway, and the
headlights passed over a scene of Christmas decoration carnage strewn across
her snow-dusted lawn. What in the world? She halted the SUV at an angle and
scanned the mess of tinsel, strings of lights, straw from the crèche and holly
and pine garland. Her stomach knotted. Who would do such a thing? Then she
spotted the vandal, and her jaw dropped.
Excerpt. © Jill Elizabeth Nelson, 2011.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
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