Leann Sweeney - The Cat, The Professor and the Poison

I smiled and felt tears sting behind my eyes. “Wow. Thank you. That means so much to me.” I never thought I’d have children, but now I had a daughter, one who had so much of John in her.

Tom turned and gave me an “I told you so” look.

“And I also needed an investment,” she said. “I’ve been clinging to what Dad left me like it would keep me connected to him,” she said. “But that’s crazy. He would have wanted me to do something with all that money.”

“What’s the investment plan?” I asked, blinking enough to stave off the tears.

“The farm,” she said. “Professor VanKleet’s farm. Evan will benefit from the sale, and he needs the money for school. And I saw potential there. But that house has to go. It was too darn creepy, and falling down to boot. You want to help me design a little house where these two little kids can keep me company?” She wiggled her finger in front of the kittens, and one of them batted at it.

“I guess I could,” I said.

“You know you could,” Tom said. “You’ve got style. Share it with Kara.” He reached over and lifted my chin and gave me a small kiss.

“Keep it clean, you two,” Kara said with a laugh.

There was a knock on the door, and Kara called, “Come in.”

Candace walked in carrying a brown bag. She was wearing her uniform. “Hey, everyone.” She saw the kittens, came over and picked one up. She held the calico up to her face. “Aren’t you the cutest thing?” She rubbed her nose against the kitten and then gave it back to Kara. “Did you tell them your plan?”

Kara said, “I did. And they don’t want me to leave town on the next train.”

“There are no trains in Mercy, but you knew that,” Candace said.

“Just good people.” Then I added, “And family.”

Candace pulled a bottle of champagne out of her bag. “I’m officially off duty, so this is okay.”

I smiled. “Time for a celebration. New homes for kittens, and a new home for Kara.”

Tom reached for my hand, and I tried again not to cry at the thought of how lucky I was to have these three people and my three wonderful cats in my life.