Лилиан Браун - The Cat Who Sniffed Glue

Late that night, when the freight train whistled at crossings north of town, Qwilleran sprawled on the sofa and reviewed the events of the last two weeks. Yum Yum was asleep on his chest, and Koko was balancing on the back of the sofa.

"Why were you so interested in sea stories all of a sudden?" Qwilleran asked him. "Why did you keep tilting the gunboat picture? Did you sense the identity of the murderer? Were you trying to steer my attention to a sailor and builder of model ships?"

Koko opened his mouth in a wide yawn, all teeth and pink gullet. It was, after all, 2:30 A.M., and he had had a hard day.

"Was it a coincidence that you and Yum Yum started acting like bookends? Or were you pointing a paw at the twins?"

Koko squeezed his eyes sleepily. He was sitting tall but swaying slightly. He almost toppled off the sofa back.

"You rogue! You pretend you haven't the slightest idea what I'm talking about," Qwilleran said. "We'll try it j once more... Would you like some turkey?"

Koko's eyes popped open, and Yum Yum raised her head abruptly. With one accord the two of them jumped to the floor, yikking and squealing as they raced to the refrigerator, where Qwilleran found them arranged in identical poses, like twins, as they stared up at the door handle.

EPILOGUE

THE PROSECUTOR is seeking a change of venue for the trial of Harley and Jill, arguing that it will be impossible to seat an objective jury in Moose County, where the citizenry is still under the spell of the Fitch mystique. According to Jill, who is cooperating with investigators to save her own neck, they staged the vandalism at the dental clinic to destroy the twins' dental records.

Qwilleran no longer employs the services of Francesca Brodie, and Yum Yum has reverted to her fastidious habits in the commode.

The Siamese, using their own built-in deodorant applied with long pink tongues, have dispelled the memory of the black-and-white kitty on lttibittiwassee Road.

Qwilleran is reading Moby-Dick aloud to the cats and spending weekends at Polly Duncan's cozy house in the country.

The Klingenschoen Theatre will open with an original revue written by Qwilleran and Hixie Rice.The hit number is sure to be "I Left My Heart in Pickax City."

Koko is learning how to turn the television off.

The End