NEVER BURIED

Copyright © 1999 by Edie Claire.

Originally published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Putnam, Inc.

First digital edition published in 2010 by the author.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Dedication

For my friends at IUMC.

Acknowledgments

This book would never have existed if not for the willingness of several individuals to provide the patience and/or persistence I lack. For graciously reading assorted chapters in paper-clipped stacks and unformatted text files, then hassling me mercilessly until I finished the book, I thank my first guinea pigs, Kim Gibson and Teresa Stewart. For their benevolent nitpicking and endless emotional support, I thank my fellow writing workshoppers, Hairy and the Maidens. And for their constant encouragement and occasional virtual kicks in the rear, I thank all my Compuserve Sisters in Crime, especially Paula Matter and Sharon Zukowski.

For technical assistance, I am indebted to Joe Szabat, Gregg Otto, Teresa Stewart (yeah, you get mentioned twice!), Laurie Lehew Rees (copywriter extraordinaire) and the real Avalon Chief of Police, Robert Howie. Any slight manipulations of the truth — or more likely, blatant errors — are entirely my fault and not theirs.

Last but not least I thank my family, especially my husband, for not insisting I get a real job.

Chapter 1

June 1999

The sounds filtered through Leigh’s sleeping brain, nagging her into consciousness. She knew them all too well. First the series of short, wet, hiccups — then the muffled splat. Her cat, Mao Tse, was throwing up. Again.

Leigh groaned and pried up an eyelid just long enough to read her clock.