Murder at Lab Lane

Book 13: Wagging Tail Cozy Mystery

by Cindy Bell

Genres: Mystery; Animal Cozy Mysteries

Synopsis

A dog-loving sleuth. A friend with secrets. A killer hiding in plain sight.

Nikki Green loves nothing more than spending time with the senior Labradors at her friend Alana’s rescue. So when Alana is found dead by the pond one morning, Nikki is determined to find out who did it and why.

But as Nikki and her best friend, Sonia, dig deeper, they discover that Alana’s life was far more complicated than either of them knew. A tangled web of family grudges, old resentments, and hidden motives soon comes to light, and almost everyone close to Alana seems to have a reason to want her gone. And when Alana’s will reveals a surprise that nobody saw coming, the investigation takes a dangerous turn.

Can Nikki, Sonia, and their lovable pooches collar the killer before someone else ends up dead?

If you like cute pups, endearing friendships, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end, you’ll love the Wagging Tail Cozy Mystery Series by USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling Author Cindy Bell.

Release date: August 13, 2026

Print pages: 144

Sample

CHAPTER 1

Somewhere within the depths of slumber, Nikki Green felt a cool breeze across her cheek. In her dream she ran along a warm sandy beach with Quinn’s hand clutched in hers. As waves lapped onto the beach, he turned to look at her with an adoring smile. He leaned close as another breeze brushed over her cheek. Only this time, it felt wet. Spray from the ocean? “Spots!” Nikki groaned as she opened her eyes. She’d dozed off on Quinn’s couch while waiting for him to finish getting ready for work. She’d been up most of the night pet sitting a puppy for a client who worked the night shift. The Dalmatian stood over Nikki with his tail wagging and his tongue aimed at her other cheek. “Not again.” Detective Quinn Grant laughed from the kitchen doorway. “Spots! You can’t keep waking her up.” Spots flopped contentedly beside her on the couch and rolled over onto his back to await an expected belly rub. “I’m so sorry about that.” Quinn handed Nikki a cup of coffee as she sat up. “Do you have a busy day today?” “Yes.” Nikki took the coffee. “We should take a beach trip sometime soon. Just soak up the sun. No crimes allowed.” “And no pets?” Quinn grinned. “Oh no, we definitely have to go to the dog beach! We can’t leave Spots behind.” Spots, hearing his name, jumped up and put his paws on Quinn’s legs, demanding attention from him. “Okay, you win, Spots.” Quinn gave the dog a scratch behind the ears, then looked back at Nikki. “Or, we could just spend the day here, and pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist.” “That’s so very tempting.” Nikki smiled. “But I have plans to meet up with Alana today. She just adopted out one of her Labs, and we celebrate together when that happens. I can’t miss it.” Alana Mercer ran a senior Labrador rescue called Lab Lane from her sprawling property on the edge of town. Nikki had been volunteering there over the past few months, and the two of them had grown close. “Fine, fine. I suppose I should show up for work in case there are any criminals causing trouble.” Quinn laughed. As Nikki sipped the coffee, she listened to the sounds that had become so familiar from her morning visits. There was the sound of Quinn’s razor, the bubble and spit of the old coffee maker he refused to replace, and the playful banter between Quinn and Spots. Quinn would give him his breakfast, tell him to eat, then Spots would bark and stamp his feet against the floor, demanding to play first. After a bit of an argument, Quinn would always give in and toss him a ball a few times before Spots finally dug into his breakfast. She had to admit to herself that she’d been longing to spend more time there with the two of them. Quinn had even mentioned her moving in, since he had the larger space compared to her tiny apartment. But when he did, something held her back. She still couldn’t figure out what. After giving Quinn a kiss goodbye, she grabbed Spots’ leash and headed out the door. Her life had changed quite a bit lately. Luckily, the best parts had stayed the same. She still spent her days as a dog walker, which meant getting to see her favorite furry friends every day. Her relationship with Quinn had grown into something more serious, something that felt like it could last a lifetime. That was different. Good, but different, and it came with its own pressures. As Nikki walked with Spots to pick up each dog from their house, she greeted them with a friendly hello and a few pets. All were eager not only to see her, but their dog pals. Coco, a German shepherd, had taken charge of their walks by always commanding the lead. Sassy, a curly-haired bichon mix with big floppy ears that Nikki had been walking on and off for years, made sure they never missed a single bug, butterfly, squirrel, or runaway leaf. One of her newest dogs, an American cocker spaniel named Chance, had just turned one, and loved to march between the two older dogs, learning from them along the way. She couldn’t think of a more pleasant way to spend her mornings. As they followed their usual stroll along the wide sidewalks that bordered large two-story houses, her thoughts traveled back to Quinn’s offer. He’d brought it up a while back, and when she hadn’t exactly answered, he hadn’t mentioned it again. She wasn’t sure if he was still waiting for an answer, or maybe had realized that it wasn’t the best idea. “Nikki!” An enthusiastic wave accompanied by a volley of barks alerted her to her friend’s approach. “Sonia, what are you and Princess doing out and about?” Nikki grinned as she watched the small Chihuahua demand the attention of the larger dogs with a few arrogant yaps and a pointed gallop toward them. Luckily, the dogs she walked were very well-behaved and responded with curious sniffs and mild barks. “It’s just such a beautiful day I thought we would go for a stroll. You know how my doctor has been on my back about making sure I get my steps in.” Sonia Whitter glanced at the new fitness tracking watch on her wrist, then fluffed her silver hair. “I have to show him my numbers at my next appointment.” “It’s good that you’re getting some fresh air. Do you want to walk together?” Nikki smiled at the thought. She and Sonia had become close friends despite their large age difference. While Princess was one of her favorite dogs to walk and pet sit for, she could be a little fussy about where she walked. Much like her owner, she had high standards. And despite her size, Princess had a huge personality. “Sure, I’d love to. I heard from Alana that you have a reason to celebrate today.” “We do! She placed one of her oldest dogs yesterday. We weren’t sure he would find a home with his chewing habit. Luckily, a qualified adopter was willing to be patient with him and help him work through it. So now she’s down to just the four dogs that have been there for quite some time. I think she’s a little relieved to have a break. Caring for them isn’t as easy for her as it used to be.” “Ah, yes, the senior years come for us all.” Sonia winced. “I’m glad that she has help.” “Me, too. Her caregiver, Bridget, has been with her for a couple of years now. She started out helping around the house and with the dogs, but after Alana had that bad fall and needed hip surgery, she became much more of a full-time caregiver. I don’t know what Alana would do without her.” “I hear you, Nikki.” Sonia rolled her eyes as she walked beside her. “I’m not ready to have any extra help in my home.” “I’m not saying that you are, I’m just saying it’s good to know that there are options out there.” Nikki braced herself for a fiery response from Sonia. Her friend didn’t like to be told that she couldn’t do something. “I’ll tell you what. When you move in with Quinn, I’ll think about my other options.” Sonia winked at her. “Stop!” Nikki laughed. “Why would I want to ruin a good thing?” “Why would living with the man you want to spend your life with ruin anything?” Sonia raised her eyebrows. The question hit a nerve. It was the same question she’d been asking herself ever since Quinn brought it up. As they rounded back, Nikki considered it. “I guess it’s just not how I pictured it.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’m a little old-fashioned, but I feel like if you live together, then what? What’s so special about getting married if you’re already doing everything a married couple does?”