Софи Келли - Faux Paw

Owen grumbled in protest.

“Cinnamon rolls are definitely not cat food,” I told him.

His expression said he wasn’t convinced.

I reached for my cup. I’d left a smear of icing behind on the blue porcelain. And my fingerprint in sugar, butter and vanilla.

I shook my finger at Owen. He followed it, looking almost cross-eyed. “That’s how we can prove who Rena Adler really is.”

Owen shook his head and focused on my face instead.

“Marcus said that there was one partial print from one of her robberies. All we need to do is get Rena’s fingerprints.”

The cat looked at me, almost as though he was wondering how I was going to do that. I looked over at the mixer sitting on the counter.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I have a plan.”

17

Marcus liked to tease that I thought pretty much any problem could be solved with a plate of brownies. That wasn’t true. I thought a blueberry muffin or a nice coffee cake would also work.

“This problem calls for a coffee cake,” I told Owen. He licked his whiskers.

I reached for my phone and called Maggie. “I didn’t take you away from some romantic moment, did I?” I asked.

She gave a snort of laughter. “Not unless you think snaking the toilets at the shop is romantic. What’s up?”

“It doesn’t look like the library is going to open for a few more days. I was thinking of making a coffee cake tomorrow and wondered if you were up for a coffee break Monday morning. You’re going to be in your studio, aren’t you?”

“Uh-huh,” she said. “I’d love some of your coffee cake.”

“Are Ruby and Rena going to be around?” I asked. “Maybe they could join us.”

“What are you up to?” Maggie said.

“I’m not up to anything.” I was glad that she couldn’t see my face.

Somehow Owen knew it was Maggie on the other end of the phone. He was trying to push his face in against it. “Owen’s trying to say hello,” I said.

“Hey fur ball,” she said.

He heard her. He leaned his head against my hand and started to purr.

“He’s purring,” I said.

“And you’re not being straight with me, Kath.”

I exhaled softly. “I just want to talk to Rena and I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

“Does this have to do with what happened at the library?” Maggie lowered her voice. That told me that someone probably was with her, most likely Brady Chapman.

I hesitated. I didn’t want Maggie mixed up in the middle of this.

“I won’t help you if you don’t tell me what you’re up to,” she said. I was surprised by the determination in her voice. “We could have lost you in that fire before Christmas.” She stopped and I heard her swallow.

Maggie, Owen and I had been caught in a burning building back in December in a fire started by the person who had killed Brady Chapman’s mother. Maggie had managed to get out, but Owen and I had been trapped for a while. Maggie still blamed herself for not being able to get us out.

“Mags, I’m fine. I’m not going to do anything dangerous or stupid.” I knew I had to tell her more. “I want to talk to Rena because I think maybe . . . maybe she hasn’t been completely honest about her background. Remember that art dealer Gavin and I went to Minneapolis to talk to?”

“Yes,” she said slowly.

“Not all of his business is legitimate, and I think Rena may know him.”

“Does Marcus know what you’re doing?” she asked.

For a moment I thought about lying. “No,” I said.

“Are you going to tell him?”

“If there’s anything to tell, I will.” I shifted Owen sideways a little so I could reach my cup. That meant he couldn’t keep his head next to the phone. He made a face at me.

“All right,” Maggie said. “It had better be a really good coffee cake.”

“Rhubarb streusel.”

“Give the furry one a kiss from me,” she said.

“Thanks, Mags,” I said.

I put the phone on the table. Then I picked up Owen and kissed the top of his head. “From Maggie,” I said. I knew he understood what I’d said because he started purring again.

• • •

I got to Riverarts at about five minutes to ten on Monday morning. I carried the coffee cake up to Maggie’s top-floor studio. She was standing in front of a large piece of particleboard propped on her easel. I tapped on the open door. “Good morning,” I said.

She turned around. “Hi, Kathleen,” she said. “Is it ten already?”

I nodded. “Uh-huh.”

She rolled her eyes. “That means I’ve been standing here staring at this for the last twenty minutes and I’m still no closer to figuring out what color I want to use on the background.”

“What are you working on?” I asked.

The piece of wood was at least two feet wide by three feet high.

“It’s a collage for Riverwatch, all things I found washed up on shore. They’re starting a public information campaign to make people aware of what’s ending up in the water.” She moved over to her sink and reached for the kettle. “And you wouldn’t believe what ends up in the water.”

“I hope it helps,” I said.

“Me too,” she said. “Sometimes it’s easier if people see what goes into the river instead of just hearing about it.”

She filled the kettle and plugged it in. I set my cake keeper on the counter. I knew Maggie had plates and forks, but I’d brought napkins.

She picked one up. “I like these,” she said with a grin. The design was cartoon cats on a dark blue background. “That one looks like Owen,” she said, pointing to a cat in the upper left corner. “Where did you get these?”

“My mother found them somewhere,” I said. “She thought that cat looked like Owen and the one just to the right of the middle could be Hercules.”

Maggie squinted at the paper square. “She’s right,” she said. “I forgot to tell you, she e-mailed me on Friday.”

I took off my heavy sweater and draped it over one of the stools at the work island in the middle of the room.

“My mother e-mailed you?”

Maggie nodded. “You know that she’s taking one of her classes to New York for a theater weekend.”

I nodded.

“She said she’s going to join the crowd outside the Today show and see if she can get Matt Lauer’s autograph for me.” Maggie’s blue eyes were sparkling.

“If anyone can do it, my mother can,” I said.

Ruby poked her head around the doorway then. “Are we having cake?” she asked. Her hair was mint green with a black streak at the front.

“Rhubarb streusel coffee cake,” I said, grinning at her.

“Is Rena around?” Maggie asked.

“She’s downstairs,” Ruby said. “I saw her about fifteen minutes ago. You want me to ask her to join us?”

Maggie nodded. “I’ve been wanting to ask her about maybe doing a workshop when we get the new space finished at the shop.”

“Be right back,” Ruby said.

Maggie gave me a look and then went to get plates and forks from her storage cabinet. “Tea or hot chocolate?” she asked.

“Hot chocolate, please,” I said. Despite Maggie’s efforts, I wasn’t a big fan of herbal tea, but I liked cocoa almost as much as coffee.

Rena Adler paused in the doorway of the studio when Ruby returned with her. “Are you sure I’m not intruding on anything?” she asked. She was wearing gray yoga pants with her hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

“You’re not intruding on anything,” Maggie said. “Kathleen brought coffee cake.”

I turned from where I was slicing the cake and smiled. “Hi, Rena,” I said.

“Hi, Kathleen,” she said.

“Tea or cocoa?” Maggie asked.

“Cocoa, if it’s not too much trouble,” Rena said.