sit stay sleep 16 - enemy state, page 1
ENEMY ESTATE
SIT, STAY, SLEEP COZY MYSTERIES
BOOK 16
PATTI BENNING
SUMMER PRESCOTT BOOKS PUBLISHING
Copyright 2025 Summer Prescott Books
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication nor any of the information herein may be quoted from, nor reproduced, in any form, including but not limited to: printing, scanning, photocopying, or any other printed, digital, or audio formats, without prior express written consent of the copyright holder.
**This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, places of business, or situations past or present, is completely unintentional.
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
Also by Patti Benning
Author’s Note
Contact Summer Prescott Books Publishing
CHAPTER ONE
The leaves hadn’t begun to change yet, but that didn’t make the drive to Burns any less beautiful. Sadie Barton’s favorite season was just beginning, and she had the windows down so she could enjoy every last second of it. Her passenger, on the other hand, was less than thrilled with the whirlwind inside the SUV.
“My hair’s going to be a rat’s nest by the time we get there. Why do you hate me?”
“I said to go ahead and shut your window if you want.”
“But then the air pressure will go weird. I swear, I can feel it in my eardrums. If your window’s open, mine has to be too.”
Sadie sighed, though it was mostly an act. “Fine, if you insist, we can drive home with the windows shut and breathe boring filtered air the whole way back.”
“They invented cabin air filters for a reason. The leaves aren’t even crunchy yet. It’s not like you’re getting autumn smells. I might be able to be convinced if that was the case.”
Penny Montgomery, Sadie’s best friend and the co-owner of Sit, Stay, Sleep Motel and Boarding, had to stop complaining in order to gather the strands of her red hair up into the clip it had escaped from. Sadie’s own hair was pulled back in a sensible ponytail and hadn’t suffered a similar fate, but to be fair, Penny’s hair was much finer than hers was.
Sadie decided not to remind her friend that she had been enjoying the fresh air and lovely temperature just as much as her when they first set out. It wasn’t a real argument, not really, sometimes they both just wanted something to squabble over. Plus, they were getting close. She had to focus on the road and on the trailer she was pulling behind her.
“It’s still back there,” Penny said when she noticed Sadie glancing in the rearview mirror for the umpteenth time. “I’m pretty sure we hooked it up correctly.”
“I’m just not used to pulling something,” Sadie admitted. “The only other time I did it was when we moved down here and I had to pull the moving trailer, but at least that time, I knew a professional had hooked it up and made sure it was safe.”
“Well, it’s a forty-five minute round trip this time instead of nine hours. We’ll be fine. We’ll probably end up going home with the trailer empty, anyway. I have the feeling that the estate sale is going to be on the pricier side, despite what Calvin Deering said.”
Sadie laughed. “We should probably stop saying his name like that and just call him Bailey’s… friend, I guess. He spends a lot of time at Sunshine Desserts. We’re bound to keep running into him.”
“I just can’t believe Bailey’s seeing him. Calvin seems so uptight.” Penny sighed. “But you’re right, I’ll be nice. I guess I don’t really have a reason to dislike him.”
“I think we both got into the habit of it when we thought he killed his uncle,” Sadie said. “But since we know he’s innocent now, maybe it’s time to give him another chance.”
“He didn’t want to adopt his uncle’s dog, either, right? That chubby beagle?”
“I actually don’t blame him for not wanting to adopt her,” Sadie said. “I think it was the right choice. Norma had known her for years, so they already had a relationship, and even though Mulberry is getting too old to walk around town as much as she used to with Brian, she still gets to be a part of things and be visited by all her old friends since she spends all day with Norma at the hardware store. I think she’s happier than she would have been with Calvin.”
“Well, if you don’t think worse of him for that, then I won’t either,” Penny said. “And it was nice of him to tell us about this estate sale.”
“Let’s just hope they have what we want. I’d love to have the lobby redone by Halloween.”
They were planning to host a pet costume contest the weekend before the holiday, and Sadie wanted to leave a good impression on all the potential new clients who took part. The uncomfortable, ugly plastic chairs in the lobby wouldn’t go very far in winning people over.
Sadie’s GPS spoke up, and she braked to make the final turn into what looked like a very, very nice neighborhood. She had only been to Burns a handful of times since moving down to Georgia last year, and hadn’t explored the area around it. This area in particular seemed a lot more affluent than anything she would find around Greencreek.
“This must be it,” Sadie said, slowing down to park along the curb across from the property with an ornate sign on its impeccably trimmed lawn that read Estate Sale.
Penny let out a low whistle. “Does Calvin think we’re made of money? This place is nice. What do you want to bet that we’re going to walk in and see a ten-thousand dollar price tag on the couch?”
“I doubt anything will be that expensive. I’d imagine they would sell the really valuable stuff somewhere a little more secure. But there’s only one way to find out. Let’s go in.”
The house sat at the top of a small hill, with a gorgeous set of mahogany double front doors that were propped open. Next to them was a smaller sign that read, Welcome! Please check in prior to walking through the house. A few people were visible in the entranceway, speaking to an older woman near an ancient folding table. They moved deeper into the house as Sadie and Penny walked inside, and the older woman turned towards them, a warm smile on her face.
“Welcome, dears. Did you know the deceased?”
“No, we didn’t,” Sadie told her.
“Well, I’m Betsy’s sister, Mary-Beth. If you have any questions about the history of individual items, I may be able to help. Are you looking for anything in particular? I may be able to point you in the right direction.”
“We’re looking for furniture,” Penny chimed in. “A small couch or loveseat and two or three armchairs. Maybe a small coffee table, too. Oh, and an area rug.”
Mary-Beth chuckled. “I think you’re in luck. You’ll want to check the sitting room, which is just down the hall on your right, the den in the basement, and the bedrooms upstairs. If you find something you want, just record the item number on the tag and come back here to pay. I’m happy to hold any larger pieces of furniture for forty-eight hours if you need to arrange for delivery.”
“We brought a trailer,” Sadie said. “We were hoping to bring something home today.”
“Well then, it sounds like you’re all set…”
“Excuse me?” A young woman stepped out of a room next to the staircase. Behind her, an elderly woman hovered impatiently.
Mary-Beth gave them an apologetic look and raised one finger to indicate they should wait as she turned around. “Yes, Amy?”
“This woman here’s wondering if the price next to the ceramic figurines on the glass shelf in here is for just one doll, or the entire collection.”
“That’s for the entire collection. If anyone wants to buy a figure individually, please ask them to call back tomorrow to see if it’s still available. I would really prefer to sell the collection all at once.”
“Got it, thanks.”
Mary-Beth turned back toward them. “I’m sorry about that. Amy was my sister’s helper before she passed. Feel free to ask her if you have any questions about anything at all. She probably knows more about most of these items than I do. Anyway, just sign the guestbook, then you’re welcome to walk through the house at your leisure.”
They signed their names and recorded their phone numbers, then set off to see what treasures they could find. It was hard not to get distracted, because the huge house was full of interesting things, from artwork to expensive china and crystal collections, to jewelry and clothing… and, of course, furniture.
They decided to start upstairs and work their way down, and almost immediately got sidetracked in the master bedroom when Penny fell in love with the vanity and Sadie gazed at the ornate canopy bed, wondering if there was any way it would fit in her tiny bedroom in the apartment above the lobby.
Her dreams died when she read the price tag. She wasn’t about to spend eight-thousand dollars on a bedframe, not even if it was made out of solid gold.
Each bedroom had at least one chair, but none of them were quite what they were looking for. Wooden rocking chairs were nice, but not ideal for a motel lobby, and the plush, lacy, cream-colored armchair would only get stained.
After thoroughly enjoying their exploration of the second story, they went back downstairs and found the sitting room Mary-Beth had mentioned. As soon as Sadie saw the loveseat, she knew Penny was going to fall in love with it. Sure enough, her friend hovered impatiently while an older couple looked at it, then rushed over to glance at the price tag and then sat down on it.
“We’re getting this.”
It was a nice love seat, with velvety red upholstery and dark, aged woodwork. It was an antique, but clearly hadn’t been used much. Enamored as Penny was with the color red, Sadie knew arguing would be futile, so even though it was way nicer than their little lobby deserved, she sat down next to her friend and gave it an honest chance. It was comfortable, not too plush or too firm, and overall, an infinitely nicer place to sit than their current plastic chairs. She checked the tag; it was within their budget, barely. They might have to go a little over what they had planned to get everything else.
“What do you think?” Penny asked hopefully.
“It’s nice,” Sadie said. “I’m just worried it’s going to look out of place in the lobby.”
“I don’t think so, not once we’re done setting up the sitting area. It’s going to be a lot cozier than it is now, and if we do it right, it’ll feel like its own little space. Ooh, and look at that rug. That would tie everything together perfectly.”
Penny got up to check the price on the rolled up red and tan area rug that was against the far wall. As she turned to give Sadie a thumb’s up, another person entered the room and paused when he saw Sadie sitting on the love seat.
“Oh, are you thinking of buying that one?”
Penny hurried over with something shark-like in her eyes before Sadie could answer. “Yes, we are. We’re about to go pay for it.”
Sadie shot her friend a look. Penny wasn’t usually confrontational, but if the circumstances were right, she could get a little… rude.
“We are planning on getting it,” Sadie said, keeping her tone a little more friendly. “Were you interested in it?”
“No. Well, yes, but I’m not a customer. James Atkins.” He shook her hand, then Penny’s. “I’m Betsy and Mary-Beth’s nephew. I flew out here to help with the estate sale. Anything that doesn’t sell will be up for grab to family members. Have you been in the basement yet? The couch down there is great, and much better for a family or living room setup. It’s one of those big, leather sectionals that just about swallows you whole when you sit down.”
“I think that would be too big for us, unfortunately,” Sadie said. She hesitated. Penny’s face told her how much her friend wanted this couch, but she felt bad snatching it out from under someone else who wanted it. “Is the love seat sentimental to you?”
James paused for a second before speaking. “No,” he admitted at last. “Truth be told, I was mostly interested in the resale potential. I’m sure Aunt Betsy would prefer to see it go to someone who would actually use it. Don’t let me stop you if you want it.”
“I think I’ll go pay for it now,” Penny said, turning the tag over again so she could take a picture of it with her phone. “Are you okay with the rug, too, Sadie?”
“Sure,” Sadie said. She didn’t have much in the way of decor preferences as long as whatever they got didn’t clash horribly and wasn’t going to look grungy after the first week.
“Okay, cool. You should see if you can find a couple of chairs and a coffee table. Maybe even a small bookshelf!”
Sadie shook her head as her friend hurried away. They were definitely going to go over their budget.
In the end, they purchased the love seat, the area rug, two comfortable dark red recliners James showed her in the basement, a small coffee table that was scuffed and scratched but only twenty dollars, and a short, dingy white bookshelf that would need to be repainted, but was all they had the money left for.
Paying for the furniture was easy enough––Mary-Beth accepted online payments––but getting it out of the house was another story entirely. The bookshelf, coffee table, and rug they could carry out to the SUV easily enough by themselves, but Mary-Beth insisted on having James and a man named Hubert help them carry the larger items.
They carried the two chairs up from the basement and outside first, then went back in for the love seat. While Sadie and Penny were acting as spotters for the two men, to ensure they didn’t bump into anything valuable, Amy hurried over, flustered.
“You’re taking that couch? Hubert, I thought you wanted it.”
“Popular couch,” James muttered.
Hubert, an older man who seemed spry for being in his sixties or early seventies, shook his head. “I thought about buying it myself when I first got here, but I hardly have room for it at home. It’s all right, Amy. I’ve come to terms with Betsy’s life being sold off in pieces like this.”
“Man, you make it sound even more depressing than it already is,” James said.
“Are you sure?” Amy asked. “I’m sure they would accept a refund if you wanted to keep it.” She turned to Sadie and Penny, who was watching the situation like a hawk. “He and Betsy were involved, you see. I think this has been hardest on him than anyone, except for maybe Mary-Beth.”
“Amy, thank you for thinking of me, but I’m content to let them have the couch.”
Amy watched them go with a worried look, and Sadie felt a pang of guilt. Both of the men helping them wanted the very love seat they were carrying out to the trailer, albeit for different reasons. She felt bad, but on the other hand, if they hadn’t bought the gorgeous piece of furniture, then someone else likely would have before the day was up.
Hubert and James helped them load the trailer and secure the furniture before they returned to the house, where Mary-Beth was waving goodbye from the front door. Sadie waved back, then got into the driver’s seat while Penny buckled in next to her. Their budget might as well not have existed, but it was a price she was willing to pay if it meant never having to sit on those uncomfortable plastic chairs again.
CHAPTER TWO
Neither of their employees typically worked weekends, so Sadie and Penny had to unload the trailer and begin the process of rearranging the lobby on their own. Sam arrived later that afternoon, in time to help Sadie stack the eight uncomfortable plastic chairs behind the motel.
I thought you wanted to throw these away? he signed to her after she showed him the tarp she had bought to put over them.
“I want to,” she said. “Oh boy, do I want to. But I figured we might want some extra seating at some point, especially with that pet costume contest we’re hosting at the end of the month. I’d rather use chairs we already have, than have to go out and buy new ones.”
The chairs were easy enough to stack, and before long they were nothing more than minor eyesore under a dark green tarp, the edges of which were held down by a few loose bricks. The new furniture had been more expensive than she hoped, but she didn’t regret it, not if it meant there would finally be somewhere comfortable to sit in the lobby.
They went back inside, where Penny was putting the finishing touches on the cozy corner at the back of the room, opposite the cookie display case. They would have to find something to do with the space across from the front desk, so it didn’t look so empty. Sadie was already playing around with the idea of a small pet care section with boutique treats, toys, collars, and leashes… though all of that would have to wait until the motel’s coffers recovered.
“What do you think?” Penny asked. “Does it look good?”
Sadie stood back with her hands on her hips and tried to take the new lobby setup in with the eyes of a stranger. Other than the empty section of wall right across from the front desk, she thought it looked welcoming if not exactly cohesive. The back right corner held the display case for the gourmet cookies from a local cookie shop that they sold for a small markup, along with a cooler of water and some paper cups, courtesy of one of Sam’s landscaping clients who had been looking for someone to offload it on. The back left corner was Penny’s new sitting area. The red love seat sat against the wall with the bookshelf to its left. Across from it the two recliners sat at opposing angles to each other, and in the middle, the rug and the small coffee table tied it all together.
