Ник Сайнт - Purrfect Advice. Purrfect Passion. A Purrfect Gnomeful

“A friend?” asked Harriet. “What friend?”

“I don’t remember the name. But she’s the scariest cat I’ve ever seen. A real killer. One of those cats that takes pleasure in murdering innocent mice.” She held out a paw and tapped mine. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Max. I’ll see you around.”

And with these words, she joined the throng as it filed out of our backyard.

We all looked at one another with surprise written all over our features. And then moved into the house as one cat, eager to discover who this wonder-cat could possibly be. I have to confess I had a good idea as to this scary cat’s identity, though, and I soon discovered I’d guessed correctly.

For who would be waiting for us inside but… Clarice!

“Hi, you guys,” the tough feline said good-naturedly. “I took care of your little problem for you. I hope that’s okay.”

“Okay!” I cried. “It’s more than okay! It’s a miracle.”

“Eh,” she said with her customary cool.

“Did you… eat them?” asked Dooley, wide-eyed.

“I didn’t have to,” said Clarice. “Nor was I allowed to, I have to add. Odelia strictly forbade me to tuck in. Pity. But there you have it. Anyway, as soon as I set foot in that basement, it was game over for Hector and Helga.” She spoke these last words with a grim expression on her face, and I could very well see how the mice would have been intimidated to a degree.

“Odelia asked you to come?” asked Harriet.

“Yeah, she thought you guys could use a paw, so I was only happy to lend you one.” She held out her paw, and the sharpness of her claws, and the pleasure she took in watching them catch a lone ray of sunshine, made me gulp a little.

“Too bad I wasn’t allowed to grab a couple of the fat ones,” she murmured. “I’m a little peckish, to be honest.”

“Oh, but by all means, have some of my food,” I said, gesturing to the kitchen.

“And mine!” said Dooley.

“No, take mine, please, Clarice,” said Harriet.

“Clarice will eat from my food or she won’t eat at all!” bellowed Brutus.

Clarice grinned at this, and said, “Thanks. Most kind.”

“One question, Clarice,” I said, as she ambled toward the kitchen. “Why did you come now, and not before, when we asked?”

She shrugged. “I like your human. She’s the first one that’s ever been nice to me. You guys—of course I think you’re all great, but if I have to come running every time a cat asks me to help them deal with some little problem I’d have a full-time job.”

I nodded. “Odelia is special,” I agreed.

She fixed me with a glance. “You have no idea.” And then she tucked in.

And I had to hand it to her: she gave us all the respect we required. In other words: she ate from all of our bowls in equal measure. Which is to say she ate it all.

But she’d earned it. Oh, had she earned it!

Chapter 37

That evening, Odelia was just about to head into her parents’ backyard for dinner when the doorbell chimed out a pleasant tune.

She’d just nipped back to her own house to grab an extra plate, and was still carrying it in her hand when she went to answer the door.

To her surprise it was Jacqueline. But when she saw what the woman was holding up, she let out a small cry of pleasure.

“My phone!”

“You left it at the conference this morning,” Jacqueline said. “I thought you probably wanted to have it back as quickly as possible, so I asked around and got your address.”

“Oh, that’s so kind of you,” said Odelia, and invited the woman in.

“I can’t stay long,” said Jacqueline as she passed into the living room. “Such a nice home,” she said, looking into the backyard, where Harriet and Brutus were lying on the grass, belly up as they sometimes liked to do when they were completely relaxed. “And what lovely cats you have.”

“Yeah, it’s small but cozy,” said Odelia, who was proud of her little home, in spite of its modest dimensions or furnishings.

“So what did you think of the meeting?”

“Oh, I thought it went very well. The two clubs coming together like that is a great accomplishment.”

“Too bad it took a tragedy to get us there,” said Jacqueline.

Just then, Max came padding into the room, and the moment he caught sight of Jacqueline he paused mid-step.

“How did you get involved with this whole Maria Power thing?” asked Odelia, still clutching her plate for some reason.

“I’ve always been fascinated by her,” said Jacqueline. “I saw my first Maria Power movie when I was a teen, and she’s been my favorite actress ever since. She has something quite… timeless, don’t you think? Timeless and remarkably striking. With a single gesture she can mesmerize an entire room of moviegoers.”

Max was making frantic gestures now, for some reason, and Odelia raised a questioning eyebrow in his direction.

“Also, she’s like a chameleon. She could transform into anyone she liked. Man, woman. Young, old. She could be anything. I think she’s the greatest actress of our time.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty great,” said Odelia.

“It’s her!” Max cried.

Odelia frowned. “So, um, do you maybe want to stay for dinner, Jacqueline?”

“Oh, no,” said the woman. “I just wanted to drop off your phone. Although…” She turned to the window and sniffed. “It does smell delicious.”

“It’s Maria Power!” Max cried, and Odelia snapped her head up.

“You know what? I don’t want to trouble you, but I do love a home-cooked meal,” said Jacqueline pleasantly.

“Yeah, no, that’s fine,” said Odelia. She held up the plate. “I was just grabbing an extra plate when you arrived.”

“Serendipity!” Jacqueline laughed.

“She’s Maria Power!” Max repeated. “I recognize her scent.” He frowned. “Which means… it was also her in Dan’s office that morning, with Heather Gallop. And it was her with Jack Warner, when he was killed. And it was her at Daisy Rayo’s house, when she tumbled down the stairs. All this time I thought it was the dress on the mannequin in Dan’s office, or the dress on the bed in Jack Warner’s hotel room, or the hat in Daisy Rayo’s fan room, but no scent would be that strong or linger that long. Not after all those years. It must have been Maria Power herself—in all three places—in disguise!”

Odelia gulped a little at this revelation. Jacqueline, meanwhile, was still smiling, and walking toward the sliding glass doors. “Do I go through here?” she asked.

“Yes—yes, right through there,” said Odelia. “And then through the hedge over there. You go on ahead, I have to grab… something.”

Jacqueline walked through, and Odelia studied the prominent nose, the chin, the glasses… and realized the woman was in disguise. With a prosthetic nose and chin!

“It’s her, Odelia,” said Max. “She was there every single time.”

“Which means…”

“Which means she just might be the killer,” said Max, finishing her train of thought. “She could have killed them all. Called Dan to get him out of the way and kill Heather. Set up that meeting with Jack and set Dan up to take the fall. And kill Daisy Rayo.”

“But why?” asked Odelia. “Unless…” She thought hard. “Remember the woman who said she saw Daisy enter the house twice?”

“The second time wasn’t Daisy,” said Max. “It was Maria Power, pretending to be Daisy.”

“It was Daisy’s day off,” said Odelia. “That’s what her supervisor said. She wasn’t supposed to be there that day, and yet she conveniently was, to catch Dan in the act.”

“And then she killed the real Daisy to cover her tracks.”