Ник Сайнт - Purrfectly Hidden. Purrfect Kill. Purrfect Boy Toy

“Yeah, we’ll talk to Opal and Harlan,” Odelia chimed in. “I don’t think they’ll fire you over a glass of alcohol that you secretly drank.”

“More like two bottles,” said Helga, wiping away tears from her round cheeks.

“Two bottles!” said Gran, emitting an incredulous laugh.

“Maybe three,” said Hector, who was now also staring at the floor.

“We’ll pay her back,” said Helga. “We’ll pay her back everything we owe.”

“She can take it out of my paycheck,” said Hector. “And George. Don’t forget George.”

Both Helga and Hector had gotten up and Helga’s hand suddenly disappeared between her bosoms, before unearthing a small golden key. It was attached to a chain, which she now took from around her neck and handed to Odelia.

“Here. I betrayed Mr. Harlan’s trust. I don’t deserve to carry his key anymore.”

“Maybe it’s all for the best,” Hector sighed. “Never put the cat with the milk is what my mam used to say,” he added. “I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused.”

And with these solemn words, they both turned on their heels and walked out, leaving Odelia and Gran lost for words. Whatever they’d expected, it clearly wasn’t this.

Chapter 19

Odelia and Gran returned to the living room, where they were met by Opal and Harlan. They both looked up when they entered, clearly anxious to find out what they’d learned.

“Here,” said Odelia, handing Opal the small golden key.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Oh, I think that’s mine,” said Harlan, taking the key from Opal. He was dressed in a very smart smoking jacket now, and looked as distinguished and handsome as before. He shared an uncanny resemblance with George Hamilton, Odelia thought, and wondered if that was what had attracted Opal.

“It’s the key to my liquor cabinet,” Harlan explained. “I gave it to Helga for safekeeping when you told me I should stop drinking so much, remember?”

“So why did she return it?” asked Opal, snatching the key back from Harlan’s hands, much to the latter’s disappointment.

“She and Hector came clean just now,” said Gran, who couldn’t suppress a grin.

“Clean? Don’t tell me they’re behind the attempts on my life!”

“They’re behind the attempts on Harlan’s liquor cabinet,” said Odelia.

“Hector and George found the temptation of all of that liquor just sitting there too hard to resist, so they persuaded Helga to open the cabinet for them,” Gran explained.

“And managed to raid your stash.”

“Oh, no!” said Harlan, taken aback. Opal merely looked grim-faced.

“And I don’t think Helga was as innocent as she claims to be,” said Odelia with a smile. “I think she joined in quite eagerly.”

“They drank my liquor!” said Harlan. “Of all the dastardly—” But Opal placed a hand on his arm.

“Let them finish, darling. So what’s the upshot?”

“Well, as I understand it you’re three bottles down of the good stuff,” said Odelia. “Though to assess the damage I guess Harlan will need to do a full sweep of the cabinet.”

“Give me that key and I’ll go and check right away!” said Harlan, indignant.

But Opal held the key out of his reach. “It’s fine,” she said.

“Fine! They stole my finest liquor!”

“Well, someone had to. And I’m glad they drank it instead of you. I told you to get rid of your stash, not to keep it behind lock and key and appoint Helga its guardian.”

“You told me to pour it down the sink. You do realize that those bottles are worth a small fortune?”

“Your health is worth more than a small fortune, Harlan,” she said, giving his arm a squeeze. “It’s priceless. Now do as you’re told and get rid of it.” She handed him the key.

“But…”

“Oh, just do it already.” She shot him a meaningful look. “Or else I’ll do it for you.”

He hesitated, then handed her back the key. “You do it, darling. I don’t think I can.”

And with these words, he walked away. His back was ramrod straight, but there was something poignant about the way he left the room.

Opal shook her head. “I should have gotten rid of that stuff myself.” And with these words, she walked off after her boyfriend, a set look on her face and clutching that key tightly in her fist.

“I think that liquor cabinet is going to be raided once more,” said Gran.

“Yeah, one last time.”

“And in the meantime we’re still no wiser about who could possibly be behind these assassination attempts.”

“No, we’re not,” Odelia agreed.

“What a case,” said Gran. “What. A. Case.”

Just then, Odelia’s phone chimed and when she took it out, she saw that it was Chase.

“Chase—what’s new?”

“Well, your uncle called in a favor from a friend of a friend, and your Serge Brimley was arrested for underage drinking at the age of sixteen—sixteen years ago. Nothing else since.”

“Underage drinking? That’s all?”

“Yup. As you can see, the man is a hardened criminal.”

She sighed. “Oh, Chase.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, babe.”

“It’s fine. We just excluded the cook and the server, too. They did have a secret, but it involved liquor.”

“Just like Serge.”

“So what happened to my uncle? Did you wear him out?”

“I guess I did.” She could hear loud snores in the background. “Trouble is, the moment we got back he dropped down on the bed and fell asleep. And we only have the one single bed.”

“Can’t you just roll him over?”

“Tough. Your uncle contends in the heavyweight division.”

“Well, you’re used to pushing weights, aren’t you? So push this one.”

“Babe, I can bench press two-fifty, but moving dead weight around is beyond me.”

“Did you just call my uncle dead weight?”

“As much as I love the guy, at this point I do.”

She laughed and disconnected.

“And?” said Gran. “Serge?”

She shook her head. “Arrested for underage drinking sixteen years ago. I wonder why his record hasn’t been expunged yet.”

“That doesn’t sound like the stone-cold wannabe killer we’re looking for.” Gran lifted her arms and dropped them again. “Day two and we’re still nowhere, honey. Nowhere!”

“Oh, well. Tomorrow is another day. Maybe we’ll get lucky.” And maybe her cats would come up with a vital clue—they often did.

Chase stared at the inert form of Chief Alec. He’d already tried rolling him over but that risked dropping him to the floor, and he didn’t want to do that to his friend and colleague. Shoving him sideways wasn’t possible, because of his spread-eagle position and the friction of his clothes against the sheets. And then he got it. He took a firm grip on the sheet and started pulling. It worked: Alec nicely shifted along with it.

Unfortunately, the police chief chose this exact moment to shift over to his side. And since he was on the edge of the bed by then, he simply plunged into the void, landing on the floor with a dull thud.

Amazingly, he didn’t even wake up—just kept on snoring like a lawnmower.

“Thanks, buddy,” said Chase, and dropped down on the bed and dozed off.

Chapter 20

We’d been hiding underneath that desk for what felt like hours and hours and hours.

First Odelia and Gran had left the room, but then soon after, just when we thought the coast was clear, Harlan had come stalking in, followed by Opal. They’d argued back and forth about the liquor cabinet for a while, until Harlan had watched as Opal opened the cabinet, which was indeed located right next to the desk, and had taken out all of the bottles, and carried them out of the room, followed by a wildly gesticulating Harlan.