Софи Келли - A Tale Оf Two Kitties

“Are you all right? What about Denise?” I leaned forward in my chair, which got me a glare from the black-and-white eavesdropper on my lap.

“Denise is fine. So am I. No one was here. The office has a good alarm system. Whoever it was didn’t manage to get in. All they did was damage my door and make a mess in the entrance.” He muttered a swear word under his breath.

I could hear voices in the background and it occurred to me that the break-in was probably the call Marcus had gotten.

“I really need to stay here, Kathleen. Is there any chance you could pick Mia up and bring her here?”

“Of course I can. Text her and let her know I’m coming.”

“Thank you,” he said. “Normally I’d ask Denise but she’s in Minneapolis. She’s having dental surgery first thing tomorrow.”

“It’s not a problem, Simon,” I said. “We’ll see you soon.”

I ended the call. Hercules jumped down from my lap as I closed my web browser. He headed across the floor to the kitchen door. “You’re not coming,” I called after him.

“Merow,” he said right before the door seemed to shimmer and he walked right through it.

I shut off the computer, grabbed my purse and my gray hoodie. Hercules was standing in front of the outside door. He looked up at me as I pulled on my sneakers.

“What part of ‘you’re not coming’ are you having trouble with?” I asked.

He made a face as if he were seriously considering the question, then he walked through the porch door. I hated when he did that. It was impossible to get the last word.

Hercules was waiting at the bottom of the steps at the edge of the pool of light cast by the outside fixture. He walked around the side of the house with me.

“You’re only doing this because you know I don’t have time to argue with you,” I said. When I looked down at him his green eyes were firmly fixed on what was ahead of him. I was on ignore.

I unlocked the truck and Hercules jumped onto the seat, walking his way over to the passenger side. He sat down, curling his tail around his feet, and looked out the windshield, satisfied that he’d won the battle.

I backed out of the driveway, and headed for Harry Taylor’s house. Hercules didn’t make a sound the entire way there. He was content to sit next to me and look out the window. When I pulled the truck in at the side of the big farmhouse he moved to the middle of the seat. I turned to look at him. “I have no idea where Boris is. Unless you want to end up nose to nose with him, stay in the truck.”

Hercules immediately lay down on the seat. He’d gotten the message.

Boris was Harry’s German shepherd, although he spent most of his time with Harrison. The big dog was gentle and friendly with a keen intelligence that showed in his brown velvet eyes. I’d called him a pussycat once. Both Owen and Hercules had seemed deeply offended.

The outside light was on at the side door to the house and I could also see a light on in the kitchen. I knocked and after a moment Harry came to the door. He was wearing a red plaid flannel shirt and gray-framed reading glasses.

“Hello, Kathleen,” he said. “What are you doing out here?”

I was colder than I’d expected and I tugged at the drawstring around the neck of the hooded sweatshirt. “Simon asked me to pick up Mia,” I said.

He frowned. “Everything okay?”

“Pretty much,” I said. “Someone tried to break into Simon’s office—they didn’t succeed—but he’s with the police so I came to get Mia.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. He’s been through enough. He doesn’t need that.”

I nodded.

“The girls are over with the old man,” Harry said, gesturing at his father’s small house at the far left of the cleared area near the trees. “They’re doing some project about the history of the town and he knows more than damn near anyone except for maybe Mary Lowe or Rebecca.”

“Thanks,” I said.

Harry held up a hand. “Hang on. I’ll walk over with you.” He reached behind him for his jacket, pulled it on and stepped out into the landing, tucking the reading glasses into his pocket.

“Your father was friends with Leo Janes,” I said as we walked across the gravel parking area.

Harry nodded. “They played poker together and some hockey back in the day.” He’d pulled up his collar against the sharp bite of the night air and his hands were jammed in his pockets.

“What about Victor?” I asked.

“Not so much, at least as far as I know. From what the old man said those two may have been twins but they were very different people. You know the old saying, looks can be deceiving.”

“It seems to me people don’t really like Victor Janes,” I said.

“Can’t say you’re wrong.” Harry stopped walking and looked at me. “I’m sorry to hear he’s so sick and all, but at the end of the day Victor ran off with his brother’s wife. People in this town have long memories for something like that.” He shrugged. “On the other hand, it’s easy to turn Leo Janes into a saint now that he’s dead.”

It wasn’t like Harry to speak ill of someone who wasn’t around to defend himself. Again I wondered what Harry and Leo had been arguing about the day I’d seen them by the gazebo. I was about to ask him but he’d started walking again.

I hurried to catch up with him. Harry knocked on the side door of his father’s house and didn’t wait to be invited in. “Dad, it’s me,” he said, opening the door and stepping inside.

“You checking up on me?” Harrison Senior called.

Harry looked at me and shook his head. I leaned around the kitchen doorway. “Yes,” I said. “I am.”

The old man was sitting in his favorite chair next to the woodstove. His granddaughter Mariah was at his feet on a tufted black leather footstool and Mia was sitting cross-legged in the chair opposite, a notebook open on her lap, her cell phone resting on one knee. Boris was at her feet.

“Kathleen, girl, what are you doing out here?” Harrison smiled at me and made a move to get to his feet.

“Stay where you are,” I said. I crossed the room, leaned over and gave him a hug. “I came out here to see if you’re behaving yourself.”

“Well, as a matter of fact, I am,” he said. He gave me a conspiratorial wink. “I’m trying to be a good role model for the girls.”

“Of course,” his son added drily behind me.

Mia smiled at me. “Dad texted and said there was some kind of problem at his office so you were coming to get me.”

Boris had gotten up and padded over to me. I dug my fingers into the thick fur of his neck and gave him a scratch and he sighed happily. “How are you, boy?” I said. He leaned his warm weight against my leg. “So have you filled the girls in on all the history of the town?” I asked.

“How old exactly do you think I am?” Harrison asked, and I could see the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“They say age brings wisdom,” I said. “I think you are a very wise man. I also think there’s still more for you to learn.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “You have the soul of a diplomat,” he said.

I smiled then I looked at Mia. “Are you ready?” I asked.

She nodded, closing her notebook and reaching for a black backpack I hadn’t noticed at her feet. Mariah got up and moved the footstool back against the wall.

Mia got to her feet as well. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Taylor,” she said.

He reached up and caught one of her hands, giving it a squeeze. “Anytime, child,” he said. “Come back and see us anytime.”

She smiled. “I will.”

Harrison started to get to his feet.

“You don’t have to get up, Dad,” Harry said behind me.

“You think I was born in a barn?” the old man countered. “I have better manners than to expect a lady to see herself to the door.”