Миранда Джеймс - File M For Murder

“You’re right,” I said. “Azalea’s definitely out, but I want to check with Stewart and Justin, just in case.”

“I’ll call them.” Sean pulled his cell phone out. “I don’t think either one of them was in the house when I dropped Diesel off here. But I suppose one of them could have come back to the house after I headed to the hospital.”

“While you check, I’m going to get some water.” Diesel preceded me into the kitchen and disappeared in the direction of the utility room, where I kept his food and water bowls and his litter box.

Frank and Laura were deep in conversation when I walked in and at first didn’t appear to have noticed me. I greeted them, and they both started. I smiled as I filled a glass with tap water and drank it down thirstily.

“Laura’s brought me up to date on everything, sir.” Frank stood and walked over to near where I stood by the sink. “I’m really concerned for her safety, and I want you to know I’ll do whatever I can to help keep her safe.”

“My knight in shining armor.” Laura’s tone was teasingly affectionate.

Frank flashed her a grin. “Sir Frank at your service, milady.” Then he sobered. “Seriously, I can arrange to be with her a lot of the time she’s on campus, and when I can’t, I think I can arrange for a couple of students to help.”

“That’s kind of you, Frank.” I was touched by his offer. “I appreciate your concern for Laura.” Then I had a flash of fear—what if Frank was the one who had attacked Laura? What if his devotion to her was simply a screen for some darker motive?

I tried to keep my expression bland, and Frank didn’t seem to have noticed anything. Then another terrifying thought hit me: What if Frank killed Connor Lawton to make sure he couldn’t woo Laura back?

TWENTY-TWO

For a moment I couldn’t breathe. Diesel must have sensed my distress, because he rubbed against my legs and warbled loudly.

Frank smiled as he looked down at the cat. “He sure is affectionate. I’ve never been that fond of cats, but this guy could make me change my mind.” He bent slightly to rub Diesel’s head, and Diesel meowed at him. When Frank stopped rubbing, the cat butted his head against the man’s leg.

As Frank laughed at Diesel and petted him again, I relaxed. Diesel liked Frank, and I took that as a strong endorsement that Frank was okay. In the time since I first rescued a hungry kitten from the public library parking lot three years ago, I had learned that Diesel had an uncanny ability to judge character.

If Frank noticed any oddness in my manner, he gave no sign. Sean walked into the kitchen then, and I welcomed the diversion.

He brandished his cell phone. “Neither one was here to let anyone into the house.” He slipped the phone into his pocket.

“What does that mean?” Laura asked.

I hastened to explain about the missing thumb drive. “Sean called both Stewart and Justin to ask whether they’d been home this morning while we were all at the hospital. And whether they’d let anyone into the house.”

“Dad and I couldn’t find any signs of forced entry.” Sean threw up his hands. “So if nobody broke in or was let in by someone who lives here, then what the heck happened to that dang thumb drive?”

“You’re sure you left it on the dresser?” I asked. “You didn’t perhaps squirrel it away somewhere?”

“I left it on the dresser. I didn’t even consider hiding it.” Laura shrugged. “It must be here somewhere.”

Diesel meowed and rubbed against my legs.

Four pairs of human eyes slowly focused on one large kitty. Then the humans exchanged glances.

“I never thought of Diesel taking it.” Laura shook her head. “Does he take things?”

“Every once in a while,” I said. “He’s like most kids. He likes toys and shiny things. Did you leave your bedroom door open this morning when you left?”

“I did.” Laura stretched a hand toward Diesel. “Here, sweet kitty, come here.” Diesel chirped and walked over to Laura, who took his large head in both hands and bent to kiss his nose. “Did you take my toy, Diesel?”

Diesel meowed, and we all had to laugh. I felt some of the tension slowly drain away. “The trick now is going to be finding it,” I said. “He likes to hide his toys and then pull them out when he wants to play with them.”

“Why don’t you just ask him where it is?” Sean laughed. “You’re always talking to him, and he sure seems to understand a lot of what you say.”

I caught Frank exchanging a skeptical glance with Laura. Neither of them had of course spent as much time around Diesel as Sean, so I couldn’t really expect them to believe it could happen.

“Might as well try.” I shrugged. “Come here, Diesel.” I squatted to put my head on a level with his. For the moment, however, Diesel didn’t appear too interested in doing what I wanted. He remained with Laura.

“Go on, Diesel, go to Daddy.” Laura gave the cat a gentle nudge on the backside to propel him toward me.

Diesel twitched his tail a couple of times, but he did what Laura told him. When he was close to me, I stroked his head. “Diesel, where’s your toy? Go find your toy.”

The cat cocked his head sideways and gazed into my eyes for a moment. I repeated the instruction to find his toy. He chirped and pulled away from me. We all watched as he trotted out of the kitchen. Sean made a move to follow him, but I called him back.

“Let him go on his own,” I said as I straightened.

“Might as well sit, then.” Sean suited actions to words. I took my usual spot at the table, and Frank sat down by Laura.

Diesel reappeared then, carrying something in his mouth. As he moved closer to me I could see that it was one of the catnip mice I buy him every so often. He stopped right in front of me, dropped the mouse at my feet, and sat back on his haunches. He warbled.

“You’re a very good boy,” I told him and scratched his head. “Thanks for bringing your toy. But I need another toy. Will you go get it?”

Diesel gazed up at me for a moment, and I could almost have sworn that he sighed before he turned and ambled away again.

“How many of those things does he have?” Frank asked.

“Over a dozen, at least,” I said. I hoped he wasn’t going to end up bringing in every single catnip toy before this was over.

That, fortunately, didn’t happen. I did, however, have a small pile of mice at my feet—with Sean and Frank ready to start ripping the house apart—before Diesel finally returned with a shining thumb drive protruding from his mouth.

I gave Diesel even more praise as I accepted this final gift. I quickly handed it over to Sean, who scurried upstairs with it. A glance at my watch showed me that Kanesha’s promised hour was almost up. I hoped Sean could copy the files on the drive before she arrived.

Next I went to one of the cabinets and found the box of special treats Diesel loved. I thought he deserved several, and he watched with great interest as I shook some out in my hand. He reared up on his hind legs in his eagerness to get one of the semi-crunchy bits, and I bent to let him take them from my hand.

After he ate the last crunchy treat, he licked my hand and meowed. I told him again what a good boy he was, and Laura and Frank echoed me.

The doorbell rang, and this time I knew it had to be Kanesha.

Laura looked straight at me and smiled. “‘But screw your courage to the sticking -place, and we’ll not fail.’”

Frank frowned. “ Macbeth ? Isn’t that what Lady Macbeth says about murdering Duncan?”

“You’re right,” Laura said, wrinkling her nose. “I’d forgotten the context. That’s what I get for quoting Shakespeare without stopping to think.”