Софи Келли - A Tale Оf Two Kitties

“That’s not a problem,” I said. Victor Janes had made me uncomfortable before I began to suspect he’d been involved in his brother’s death. I wanted to be around him now even less.

Roma called after supper to say they’d managed to save all of the goats and both the driver and his passenger had walked away from the accident with nothing more than a few bruises. “I had planned to check Owen’s ear when I came for dinner,” she said. “Since I didn’t get there do you think you could bring him into the clinic after you finish tomorrow? I’m sure he’s fine, but I’d just like to take one more look.”

“I can do that,” I said. We settled on a time and I said good night.

• • •

The next morning was busy. Maggie dropped off the information for the board about her auction idea, two boxes of new books were delivered, and a routine software update made all the public-access computers shut down at once.

I’d just gotten the computers up and running again when Abigail waved from the front desk to catch my attention. “Do you have a minute to talk to Lita?” she asked.

I nodded. “Cross everything,” I said, gesturing at the computer where I was sitting. “I think I have things working again.”

Abigail grinned. “You have the magical touch. The only thing I know to do is whack the side of the monitor with my hand.”

I grinned back at her. “Hey, that’s my Plan B.” I walked over to the desk and reached for the phone. “Hi, Lita,” I said. “What can I do for you?”

“Good morning, Kathleen,” she said. “I just have a quick question for you about Reading Buddies.”

“Sure, what is it?” She was looking at an invoice and luckily her question was easily answered.

“Thank you. I wish every phone call this morning had worked out so well.”

“Rough Monday?” I said.

“You’re the only person I’ve been able to actually get to talk to in person. It isn’t easy trying to change Everett’s schedule around.”

“Is everything all right?” I asked.

“You didn’t hear about Rebecca?” she asked.

My heart began to pound and I put a hand down on the counter to steady myself. “No. Is she all right?”

“She’s fine,” Lita said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. She and Everett were at an auction on the weekend. Someone’s dog got loose and knocked her down. She sprained her knee. She’s probably going to have to be off it for a week.” She cleared her throat. “Everett is hovering.”

I struggled not to laugh. “You mean he’s driving her crazy.”

Lita did laugh. “Yes.”

“He can’t help it,” I said. “He may be driving her crazy but it’s because he’s crazy about her.”

“And Rebecca—”

“—is not the best patient,” I finished. “I’ll try to go see her tonight.”

“Your good deed for the week,” Lita said. “Thanks for the information, Kathleen.”

• • •

I took a shorter lunch break so I could leave a bit earlier at the end of the day. Hercules was sitting out in the porch when I got home. I sat down beside him. “How was your day?” I asked.

“Mrr,” he replied. Translation: “Good.”

“Where’s your brother?”

Herc turned toward the kitchen door.

“Roma wants to check his ear one more time,” I said.

He put a paw over his face.

I laughed. “Yeah, I know how he’s going to react.”

I got up, unlocked the door and stepped into the kitchen. Owen was just making his way in from the living room. I set my things on the table and bent down to pick him up. “How would you like to go see Rebecca?” I asked. “She hurt her knee and she’s housebound.”

“Merow,” he said.

“I thought we could take her some of those oatmeal cookies. There are a couple of dozen in the freezer.”

He licked his whiskers. Okay, that was a yes.

“And we’re going to stop and let Roma take a look at your ear,” I said, running the words all together. It didn’t matter how fast I said them, however; Owen knew exactly what I’d said. He immediately started to try to wiggle his way out of my arms.

I set him down on the floor. “No, it’s all right,” I said. “You don’t have to go.” I went over to the sink, washed my hands and then went to the freezer to get out the cookies.

Owen eyed me suspiciously.

I put the cookies in one of my canvas carryalls, picked up my purse and keys again and started for the door. “I’ll give Rebecca your love,” I said. As I stepped out into the porch Owen edged past me. He headed straight for the back door, making little grumbling sounds all the way. Apparently we were going to see Roma after all.

I stopped to give Hercules a scratch on the top of his head. He almost seemed to be smiling at me. “I’ll see you later,” I said.

• • •

Roma was waiting at the clinic. She quickly checked Owen’s ear, and while he wasn’t a model patient he wasn’t any more difficult than usual.

“We’re going to see Rebecca,” I told Roma, explaining about Rebecca’s injury.

“Give her a hug from me and tell her I’ll be over to see her tomorrow,” Roma said.

I’d called Rebecca before we’d left the house to see if she’d like a furry visitor. “I’d love one,” she’d said. “I keep telling Everett that I’m fine but he’s not listening.” She’d raised her voice at the end of the sentence, I’m guessing because she intended her husband to hear what she’d said.

“She’s stubborn, Kathleen,” Everett had said in the background.

I’d laughed. “Owen and I will see you in a little while.”

Victor Janes was just heading up the walkway when I got to Everett’s big brick house. He stopped when he realized it was me and waited for me to join him. I had told Marcus I’d stay away from the man, but I didn’t want to give him any hint that I suspected he was responsible for Leo’s death. I wondered how he could stay in that apartment after what I thought he’d done.

“Hello, Kathleen,” Victor said. He was bundled up in a heavy barn jacket with a navy-and-wine-colored wool scarf looped and knotted at his neck.

“Good evening, Victor,” I said.

“You’re here to see Rebecca, I’m guessing.”

I nodded. “I brought her some cookies.”

He held the door open for me and I stepped into the entryway. “Come in with me,” he said, reaching in his pocket for his keys. “It’ll save Everett a trip down the stairs.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

He opened the door and once again indicated that I should go ahead of him. “Have a good evening,” he said. He turned toward his brother’s apartment.

“You too,” I said.

Owen had stayed silent and out of sight during the entire encounter with Victor but once the apartment door closed he poked his head out of the top of the fabric bag and looked at me. He wrinkled his nose and then looked down the stairs.

“I know,” I said softly. “Victor Janes smells like Biggie Burgers.”

Back before Roma had gotten insistent that I stop letting the cats eat people food, Owen had had half of his one and only Biggie Burger. When he heard the words he still got a blissed-out look on his face.

Rebecca was settled on the sofa in the living room with her knee resting on a pillow and a large cold pack wrapped around it. Owen jumped out of the bag and made a beeline across the room to her. “Hello, Kathleen,” she said before leaning forward a little to talk to the cat.

“How is she?” I said to Everett.

“Stubborn and argumentative,” he replied, rubbing his stubbled chin with one hand. “I wanted to hire a nurse but you’d think I was suggesting locking her up.”

“I think for her it’s the same thing,” I said with a smile.