Молли Фитц - Kitty Confidential

“Angie?” my grandmother asked, blinking first at me and then at the tabby who stood at my side.

“What a nice surprise,” she exclaimed, motioning us in and saddling me with a huge hug. She didn’t even ask about the cat I’d randomly acquired since our last meeting. It all made me feel very guilty and like I should probably visit my nan more often.

She led us to the couch, and Octo-Cat immediately hopped up on her lap and began to purr.

“I like her,” he announced. “She reminds me of Ethel.”

“He likes you,” I told her.

“I like him, too,” she cooed. “Is he yours?” Today she wore an emerald green blouse with gemstones hand-sewn around the neck, and it suited her perfectly. I glanced down at the jeans and T-shirt I’d changed into after work, suddenly feeling underdressed for our visit. Then again, I was always coming up short compared to my elegant and talented Nan.

I shook my head and frowned. “No. Well, maybe. It’s kind of a long story.”

“I have time. Tell me what’s going on.” She continued to pet Octo-Cat while she listened to my tale of unexpected workplace terror.

Once I started talking, I just couldn’t stop. It felt so nice to be able to unload it all on someone I knew was actually paying attention for a change. I caught her up on all the evidence against Mr. Fulton and what were more than likely false accusations toward Bethany. Now that I thought about it, I definitely owed her an apology. A sincere and heartfelt one.

“It sounds like something straight out of an off-Broadway script,” Nan said, summing things up pretty accurately. “One thing I don’t quite understand, though, is how you suspected murder in the first place.”

I glanced toward Octo-Cat for guidance.

“You might as well tell her,” he said, leaving Nan to take up residence on my lap. “You can pet me, if it helps,” he offered selflessly.

“Thank you,” I mumbled.

“Thank you for what, dear?” Nan asked with an unassuming smile.

Why was I holding back? If I couldn’t trust Nan—the very woman who had raised me—then I had no hope left for this life, anyway. Besides, it would be nice to finally share my secret with someone outside of Octo-Cat.

I took a deep breath, pushing my fingers through his fur as I prepared for my big reveal. “Remember how you picked me up from the hospital earlier this week?” Man, could it really only be Thursday with all that had happened these past few days? My entire world had changed in the blink of a cat’s eye.

Nan nodded. “You said it was a mild electric shock. Was it something more than that?” she pressed, reaching for her bifocals so she could study my face more closely as we talked.

“It was an electrical shock, that part’s totally true. What I didn’t tell you, though…” I bit my lip. What would I do if Nan didn’t believe me?

“Go on,” Octo-Cat encouraged me. “She can handle it.”

“Go on,” Nan also said. Her wrinkled brow knitted with worry while she waited. As much as my forthcoming confession unnerved me, I couldn’t leave her hanging like that.

“I can talk to cats,” I blurted out, finally putting it out there for the wider universe’s consideration.

She glanced from me to Octo-Cat and back again. “Does he talk?” she asked considering my big reveal for a few seconds.

“Yes, he does,” I nodded enthusiastically. Did this mean she actually believed me? “He’s the one who told me about Ethel’s murder. She was his owner, and he saw the whole thing,” I further explained.

“I’m so sorry your owner was murdered like that,” she told Octo-Cat, patting her lap and inviting him to return to her. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

And this right here was one of the many reasons I loved my nan so dearly. She didn’t question my crazy claim. She just automatically believed what I told her. We all need someone like Nan in our corner.

Relief washed over me as I realized I’d done the right thing by trusting her with my secret. “Did you understand her?” I asked Octo-Cat.

“Yes, I did,” he informed me, then looked up at Nan and said, “Thank you for your condolences.”

“Oh,” Nan cried. “He’s talking to me! What did that adorable, little meow mean?”

Octo-Cat beamed with pure and unadulterated joy. Apparently it was okay for Nan to dote on him in a way that I wasn’t quite allowed yet.

“He thanked you for your condolences,” I passed on.

“What a well-mannered fella you are,” she said, stroking him up and down his back. Octo-Cat now seemed to live on cloud nine, and I didn’t want to ruin the moment for either of them by reminding everyone of just how rude my cat companion was on the regular.

“I’m worried, Nan,” I confessed. “I’m almost positive Mr. Fulton poisoned his aunt, but the police probably won’t believe the whole talking cat informant angle as readily as you did.”

“Good point,” she said with a defeated frown.

“So where does that leave us?” I begged for an answer. “I can’t exactly live the rest of my life on edge until he’s caught, but I also can’t go to the police with this. Even if I were to quit my job and move back in with you, that still wouldn’t guarantee anyone’s safety. And it wouldn’t avenge Ethel, either. Besides, what if Mr. Fulton is planning to strike again?”

Nan and I both thought on this in relative silence as Octo-Cat purred his content at receiving Nan’s idle attentions. I meditated on my last question. Even if Mr. Fulton did kill again, would I really be the most likely candidate? It made far more sense that…

“Oh my gosh, Diane!” I shouted with this sudden realization. “She doesn’t know!”

Of course! Add the fact that Mr. Fulton had said he wanted to keep his dirty secret until after the divorce was finalized to the other simple fact he was filing for divorce in the first place, and it clearly painted Diane Fulton as the one who was most in danger should he decide to strike again.

The divorce itself already showed he had no love left for the soon-to-be-former Mrs. Fulton. What if she pushed him too hard during the divorce proceedings? What if she was next? She didn’t have any idea she could be in danger…

I popped to my feet, suddenly desperate to get to my friend and make sure she was okay.

“Now just you hold on, missy,” Nan said, pulling herself to her feet and placing a hand on my shoulder. “You came here because you were afraid for your safety. I’m not letting you rush off straight into the lions’ den. Regardless of the source, you have a pretty solid case against Mr. Fulton—and it sounds like he might know it, too. The last thing you want to do now is to turn up at his house with these accusations of yours.”

Our eyes met, hers pleading while mine stared ahead unblinking. This was my nan, the one person who loved me more than anything in the whole wide world. Of course, she only wanted what was best for me. But at the end of the day, I couldn’t stand by if it meant possibly signing my friend’s death warrant.

I ripped my arm away from Nan. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any choice,” I shouted, already on my way out the door.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Iwas surprised when Nan didn’t try to stop me. Far less surprising, though, was the fact that Octo-Cat seemed to think he was coming with me. A brown blur shot past me as I ran toward my car.

“Let’s do this,” the tabby said with a look of determination I would have found comical if not for the seriousness of the situation.

“You’re not coming,” I shouted. I didn’t have time for this. What if I was too late to warn Diane? “Now get out of my way.”

He kept his focus glued firmly on my car door, waiting for me to open it. “Oh, I see. I’m only allowed to come when you think you need me.”