Leann Sweeney - The Cat, The Professor and the Poison

“And if they do, you call me right away,” Candace said. “I don’t care if it’s three in the morning. See, this fits, Jillian.

When I was out at the farm this morning, I confirmed what I thought I saw last night. The grass was pretty trampled around the outside of that chain- link fence, probably by whoever took those cats. It looked to me like they’d cut a path to the empty property next door.”

“Did you find anything over there?” I asked.

“Nope. And county records show the place has been empty a long time. I looked in the windows. No sign of anything amiss except that trampled grass,” she said. “Not even a stick of furniture inside that I could tell.”

“Not much cause for a search warrant if there’s no homicide ruling,” Tom said.

“You see why I’m a cranky-pants today?” she said. “Frustrating as hell that Lydia ’s dragging her feet about getting a pathologist.” Candace lowered her head.

But her head snapped back up when a man came up behind her. “Let me help you out, then,” he said. “You need relaxing, I’m your guy.”

Tom stood and put out his hand. “Why, Darryl Tillson. Didn’t I just see you, fella?”

The two exchanged happy greetings while Candace gave me an eye roll. Darryl owned the local feed store and had been trying to date Candace for the last six months.

I had to agree with her decision not to jump at the chance, though. The man often smelled of manure, which would not top my list of characteristics for potential suitors. But in truth, I didn’t know him well enough to judge.

Tom said, “I put security cameras at Tillson Cattle and Feed last week.”

“Going high-tech on us, Darryl?” I said.

“Gotta keep up with the times, but I think my daddy might be rolling over in his grave at the thought that I even need them,” he said.

Candace kept her face down, her head supported by fists at her temples. “When you’re being robbed blind, you do what you gotta do,” she said.

“Candace, here, investigated the feed thefts. She’s a smart cop for a girl. She’s the one recommended you, Tom.” Then Darryl caught sight of me for probably the first time. Candace was his priority, after all. “And, Miss Hart. How’s the cat family? They like that new kibble I persuaded you to buy?”

“They love it,” I lied. I knew Darryl’s intentions were good, but in truth, Chablis refused to eat even one piece and moped the entire day. Syrah almost hissed at the dish, and Merlot walked off after one sniff. The next day I’d tossed out the bag and went back to their old standby. “But you do have to rotate with cats. Picky eaters. Next time I’m in, I might try something different.”

“Y’all was talking it up, and I interrupted,” Darryl said. “But I had to stop and say hey. See you all at the store.” He walked around our table and into Belle’s Beans.

As soon as he was gone, Candace stood. “I do not want to be here when he comes back out. Besides, I have to call Morris about that van.” She pointed at me. “You will phone me if you remember anything else?”

“Of course.” I came around the table and hugged her good-bye before she took off.

Tom and I talked for a few more minutes, and then I said, “I’m pretty tired myself. Mind taking me home?”

We walked back to the Main Street Diner, where we’d parked, and during the five- minute ride back to my place, we didn’t speak.

I was thinking hard, though.

When he pulled up behind Kara’s car, he turned off the ignition and said, “Don’t beat yourself up.”

“What are you talking about?” I said.

“You’re kicking yourself for not remembering that van right away, for not paying attention.”

I looked sideways at him. “Am I that transparent?”

He smiled. “You’re getting to be. As hard as you’re trying to stop me, I am actually getting to know you.” And with that he leaned over and kissed me. A soft, gentle kiss on the mouth.

The following morning, I awoke to the smell of coffee and the memory of a kiss. And last night’s guilt was fresh in my mind, too. I felt as if I’d betrayed John. Especially when I’d walked into the house last night and the first thing I saw was his daughter. Kara had been talking on her cell phone and waved at me in a friendly enough manner to warm my heart. Maybe there was hope for us after all.

I hadn’t wanted to interrupt her, so I’d gone straight to my bedroom. Sure, John would want me to find another partner. But that darn guilt still kept me tossing and turning for a good hour before I’d finally fallen asleep.

Now I sat up, stretched and checked the clock on my nightstand. Eight a.m. Kara must have made coffee, and I almost felt pampered. Then I realized my cats weren’t in the room. That bothered me. Routine is soothing, and this was a break from routine. I realized Chablis might be downstairs guarding her friends. But I wondered where my boys were.

Thinking about my visiting cats downstairs gave me a terrible thought. Dame Wiggins and her litter. Darn. I didn’t fill her dish last night, I thought, getting out of bed. I nearly tripped as I rushed out of my bedroom and headed down the hall.

Kara was in the kitchen, and I said, “Good morning. Coffee smells great,” as I hurried past her toward the basement door.

Kara seemed to know just what I was up to because before I made it to the basement door, she said, “Don’t worry, Jillian. I fed her and gave her fresh water. But perhaps you could do the litter box?” she said.

I stopped and looked at her. “Oh. Thanks.” I don’t know why I was so surprised by her thoughtfulness. I guess it had just been a long time since I had been living with someone else.

“Don’t you ever eat?” she asked. “I mean, you’ve got next to nothing but yogurt and tea. Tuna salad was good for lunch yesterday, but it’s not really my favorite breakfast food.”

“We can go to the Piggly Wiggly later. Or you can make a list and I can go,” I said.

“I’ll do the shopping.” She wore shorts and a tank top and was leaning against the counter holding her coffee cup. “I’m meeting with Tom today, and I’ll stop at the store after we’re done. That way I can pay for the week’s food.”

Okay. Lots of info. She has enough money to pay for food, she’s staying for at least a week and she’s meeting with Tom. I smiled and said, “Sounds perfect. And thanks for feeding Dame Wiggins.”

“Believe me, she came up here and told me to do it,” Kara said.

“She left her litter?” She must have been as hungry as when she’d showed up at Ruth Schultz’s farm to do that.

Kara smiled. She was so lovely with her flawless skin and gentle curves, and a decent night’s sleep and a better attitude only accentuated her assets. “Go down and check out what’s happening,” she said. “It’s great.”

So I did. Merlot and Syrah were lying in the middle of the game room again. Waiting for Chablis to grant them admittance to the bedroom? Probably. When I went to the door, I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud-which would have surely hurt Chablis’s feelings. Chablis lay on Dame Wiggins’s quilt with those four babies cuddled close to her. Dame Wiggins sat at the food dish and stopped eating long enough to offer a sweet little meow.

I knelt next to Chablis, and I swore her purrs could have been heard in the next county. Apparently this was a dream come true for her. I stroked her head, and she closed her eyes. Yup, a litter of kittens was the best thing that had happened to her since John and I rescued her from that shelter.

I guess she’d been wanting a family all this time.

After I came back upstairs, I told Kara I was off to shower and then had quilting orders to attend to. When I came out into the kitchen an hour later, she was gone. Off to meet with Tom, I guessed. I consumed the last two yogurts and then took my coffee down the hall. Syrah and Merlot bounded into my sewing room ahead of me.