A Cat to Kill For

by Greg Miller

  “They must be planning to drug us at dinner.” Emily nodded to herself, rocking back and forth on the glider bench. “There’s no way to avoid it.”

  Gavin squeezed her hand. “We don’t know that for sure. We just need to eat slowly, and follow the plan we talked about earlier.”

  A moment later, Bill and Nicole stepped out onto the porch.

  “So how did you like the boat ride?” Nicole smiled.

  “It was great,” Gavin said. “Bill certainly makes a very entertaining tour guide.”

  Nicole turned to Bill with a stern expression. “I hope you didn’t start telling your scary stories again.”

  “No,” Bill drawled, smiling sheepishly. “Don’t be silly. I just gave them a little taste of Thousand Islands’ history.”

  Nicole shook her head. “Bill revels in those old tales of ghosts and pirates. He gives our grandchildren nightmares.”

  “Oh, they love it,” Bill said.

  “Of course they do.” Nicole huffed. “But our daughter-in-law isn’t so thrilled with you scaring the dickens out of them.”

  “She isn’t that thrilled with either of us,” Bill mumbled under his breath.

  Emily arched a brow.

  “Well,” Nicole said, “I just wanted to let you know that dinner will be ready in a few minutes.” She gave Emily a pat on the shoulder and left.

  Bill remained, standing with his hands in his pockets, peering through the screen door to make sure Nicole was gone. “I just wanted to say I’m really glad you both came. Nicole’s been feeling a little lonely lately, since our son moved away. I mean, he brings his family to visit, but not as often as we’d like and, well, his wife can be a little controlling. Nicole doesn’t really get along with her too well.”

  “I see,” Gavin said, as Emily twisted her lips, glancing at him.

  “Anyway,” Bill continued, focusing his eyes on her. “Nicole’s really taken a liking to you, as I’m sure you can tell, and I wanted to thank you because I think your visit is doing her a world of good.”

  “I’m glad,” Gavin said. “We really like her, too.”

  Bill nodded with a faint smile. “I should probably go and see if she needs any help in the kitchen.”

  “We’ll be right behind you,” Gavin replied.

  After Bill left, Emily slumped down on the bench. “Oh, what a relief. I don’t think they’re planning to kill us anymore, do you?”

  Gavin chuckled, shaking his head. Emily lifted her wiggling nose, as the aroma of Nicole’s cooking reached them.

  Bill uncorked a bottle of wine as Nicole carried in platters of sweet corn, salt potatoes, and breaded fillets of fish.

  “This looks wonderful,” Gavin said, sitting beside Emily at the dining room table.

  “It’s a traditional Thousand Islands shore dinner.” Nicole smiled, as she and Bill slid into chairs across from them.

  Emily pushed her salad bowl to the side when Bill passed her the platter. “I’m really hungry now. Yum.”

  “So, tell me,” Nicole said, lifting a fillet onto her plate. “How did you two first meet?”

  “Through a mutual friend,” Gavin replied.

  “Oh.” Nicole smiled. “That’s how Bill and I both …”

  “This is very good corn,” Emily said, chomping into it as they all began to eat.

  Nicole turned to her. “What is it you do for a living, Gwen?”

  “I’m an office manager.” Emily smiled.

  “Do you enjoy that?”

  “Oh, I love it.” Emily knitted her brows, chewing. “But there’s always a lot of extra work to do because my boss is so inept and disorganized.”

  Gavin slowly turned to look at her, but Emily just shrugged her shoulders.

  “And what about you, Gavin?”

  “Oh, I dabble in this and that.”

  “Well, judging from your taste in automobiles, you’re obviously very successful.”

  Gavin shook his head. “I wouldn’t say that. I live pretty modestly, but I’ve always loved cars and view them as an investment.”

  “Me too,” Bill said. “Some people put their money in crazy paintings, and all kinds of things I’ll never understand. Classic cars are things of beauty, and excellent long term investments.”

  Nicole leaned forward. “And what are your interests, Gwen?”

  Emily twisted her lips. “Well, castles have always been my special interest. Old keys, too. Though since meeting Gavin, I’ve become quite interested in cars as well.”

  “You’re a lucky man, Gavin,” Bill said in his deep voice. “A beautiful girlfriend who’s interested in cars. That’s rare, indeed.”

  Lacey came plodding into the dining room. Emily smiled, putting a hand out to her and petting the top of her head.

  “I see how much you like Lacey. Do you have a dog?” Nicole asked.

  Emily sat up straight, holding her ear of corn. “Not yet, but I’d very much like to get one. I’ve been considering a Basset Hound because of their calm temperament.”

  “Bassets are a very nice breed.” Nicole nodded.

  “I would name him Sir Bedivere.” Emily smiled.

  Gavin lowered his brows. “You want a Basset Hound … named Sir Bedivere?” He choked, trying not to laugh.

  Emily tightened her lips. “He was a very courageous knight of the round table. Sir Bedivere returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake.”

  He choked, again. “I’m sorry. I just find it a little amusing.” He winced as she kicked his ankle under the table.

  “I think it’s a wonderful name,” Nicole said. “Very original.”

  Emily gave him a smiling nod, then turned back to Nicole. “If you see any puppies for sale, do let me know.”

  “Oh, I’ll be sure to,” Nicole said.

  Gavin leaned back in his chair, suppressing a grin. He glanced at Bill who was chewing his food, listening to it all with a stony expression.

  After Emily had finished her second ear of corn, Nicole clasped her hands together. “Is everyone ready for dessert?”

  “Yes, indeed,” Emily said. “Thank you for dinner – it was delicious.”

  Nicole stood, grinning at her. “Bill, would you give me a hand in the kitchen?”

  “I think I’m doing quite well socializing, don’t you?” Emily whispered after they’d left.

  “Oh, you’re doing great.” Gavin nodded. “Just great.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled.

  Bill and Nicole returned with French toast, maple syrup, blueberries, and cream. They ate their dessert and drank their coffee, then played cards, with Emily winning and monopolizing most of the conversation. Once darkness had fallen, they finally said goodnight.

  “How about smoking a cigar with me before you go up?” Bill called, just as Gavin was about to follow Emily upstairs.

  “You know, I haven’t had a cigar in years,” Gavin replied. “That sounds very nice.”

  Emily pouted.

  “I won’t be long,” Gavin whispered.

  “I hope not,” she said, giving him a wink and a nod.

  He chuckled, giving her a quick kiss.

  An hour later he returned, stopping in the bathroom before heading to bed. The room was dimly lit by a small Tiffany lamp on the nightstand. Emily was asleep on the bed. Gavin dropped his head. He got undressed and gently slid beneath the sheet. She turned over and cuddled up against him. Gavin switched the lamp off, grumbling in the darkness.

  Emily stretched her arms, twisting around on the bed. She opened her eyes, squinting in the morning sunlight, and saw Gavin packing his duffel bag on the chaise lounge.

  “Hey.” She frowned.

  “Oh, good morning.” Gavin smiled.

  “Why are you dressed and packing to go already?”

  “It’s after
ten.”

  She knitted her brows. “It is?”

  “I thought I’d let you sleep in. It seemed like you needed the extra rest.”

  “Thanks.” She yawned. “I guess I really did. Sorry I fell asleep on you – I tried to wait up. Please come over here,” she said, closing her eyes and puckering her lips. Gavin walked over and gave her a kiss, then sat down beside her on the bed.

  “Why were you gone so long?” she asked, looking up at him.

  “I got Bill to open up about the club.”

  “Did you learn anything interesting?”

  “Yes,” Gavin said. “I did.” Emily sat up against the headboard.

  “I think we can discount Dennis’ change in behavior at the dinner,” Gavin continued. “Bill said he’s always stand-offish with new members until he’s sure they’re going to stick around. He also said that after he’d told Dennis what a good job he thought we were doing with the rally, Dennis suggested I might be a good choice for Vice President.”

  Emily grimaced. “To replace Andrew?”

  Gavin nodded. “Apparently Dennis doesn’t want to see Armando or Jay get it.”

  “Hmm. So there’s some political maneuvering going on between them.”

  “Apparently.”

  “What about Armando?”

  “Yes, Armando,” Gavin said, looking away for a moment. “He’s the interesting one. You know that green E-Type he had, the one Peter said he’d sold? He still has it. Bill said he saw him driving it just a few months ago.”

  Emily’s mouth dropped open. “Could the engine be in that car?”

  “I don’t know,” Gavin said. “But I do know this is the third time Peter has given us wrong information.”

  CHAPTER 17

  The rustic wooden trellis was covered in purple clematis, and a wheelbarrow had been left beside the flower bed in front of Peter’s house. Gavin and Emily strode up the brick path toward the front door. It swung open as they reached the steps.

  “Come in, come in.” Peter smiled, ushering them into the living room. “I was excited to hear from you. Has there been a development?”

  They stood staring at him.

  He motioned to the burgundy striped couch, but neither moved. “Sit, make yourselves comfortable. I’ll go put the coffee on. Will you have some Caribbean rum cake? It’s really to die for.”

  Gavin’s eyes narrowed. “Please don’t go to any trouble for us.”

  Peter dropped his head. “You still suspect me.”

  Emily nodded.

  “I don’t know who to suspect,” Gavin said. “But I’m tired of being misled. I feel like you’ve sent us on a wild goose chase.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” Peter frowned. “How have I misled you? I’ve only been trying to help.”

  Gavin exhaled a long breath. “First, you told us Dennis had an engine, but it turned out not to be the one. Then –”

  “Yes,” Peter said, “but he did have an engine, so I didn’t mislead you.”

  Gavin lifted his chin. “There was a very reasonable explanation for that engine, which, it seems to me, you should have known about.”

  Emily nodded again.

  Peter flashed a sarcastic smile at her, and she quickly looked away. “I’ve told you that apart from the Concours, I don’t deal with the club much; I barely attend any of the social events; I don’t know anyone very well at all.”

  “What about Bonnie and Jay?” Gavin asked, raising an eyebrow. “They’re the Events Directors – they work with you on the Concours.”

  “Well, yes, Bonnie and Jay,” Peter said, looking flustered. “I know them a bit better than the rest.”

  “And yet, it turned out Jay was only joking about that Chevy-engined Jag you’d said he was looking for.”

  “How was I supposed to know that?” Peter asked. “I take these cars very seriously. I couldn’t conceive of another club member pulling my leg like that.”

  Gavin chuckled. “I can probably believe you on that. And I can probably even believe you about Dennis’ engine. But this is the third time, and now I smell a rat.”

  “A third time?” Peter asked.

  “At the Gala dinner you told us Armando sold his green E-Type.”

  “Yes,” Peter replied.

  “Bill told me he didn’t sell it, that he saw him driving it not long ago.”

  Peter grimaced. “But he can’t have.” He went and sat in an armchair, rubbing his forehead.

  Gavin crossed his arms, staring at him, while Emily put her hands on her hips.

  “I feel like this is turning into an interrogation,” Peter said, glancing up. “If the two of you don’t sit down I’m going to ask you to leave.”

  They reluctantly took a seat on the couch.

  “It was a few years ago, but I’m absolutely sure Armando told me he sold that car. I have a very clear memory of it.” Peter closed his eyes for a moment. “Bill must be mistaken.”

  Gavin shook his head. “That doesn’t seem very likely. And, with respect, Peter, you’re the one who’s been wrong twice already.”

  “Think what you want,” Peter said. “But Armando hasn’t brought that car to a club meet in years. Did Bill say he had?”

  Gavin bit his lip. “No. He said he passed him on the road in it.”

  Peter leaned back in his chair, smiling. “That E-Type was in pristine condition. I often told Armando he should enter it in the Concours … but he never did.”

  Gavin rolled his eyes, turning to Emily.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “It was on my list of suspect cars.”

  Peter lifted his eyebrows, nodding. He leant forward. “Armando has your engine in that car.”

  “I just wish I could believe him.” Gavin sighed, backing his Morgan out of Peter’s driveway and pulling away.

  “You don’t? I actually thought he was pretty convincing.”

  Gavin scratched his head, shifting. “You did?”

  She nodded. “I thought that his explanations were credible – I can’t argue with his logic. Did he seem sincere? I’m never a very good judge of that.”

  “I guess he did … I suppose he was pretty convincing.” Gavin glanced at her. “You know, I think you’re being a lot more objective about this than I am. I just dread the thought that his information could be wrong. Again.”

  Emily twisted her lips. “As long as what Bill told you about Armando still having that car is true, and we have no real reason to doubt him, then I think the case against Armando is pretty conclusive.” Her eyes narrowed. “Armando. And to think that he was one of Andrew’s best friends.”

  “I know,” Gavin said, reaching for her hand. “But it’s still possible Bill was mistaken. We need to find out for sure.”

  She turned to look at him. “I hope you’re not thinking about another break in.”

  He shook his head. “If the engine’s in that car, I don’t think he’d still have it in his garage.”

  “I agree,” she said. “He’d almost certainly have hidden it by now.”

  Gavin sighed. “The problem is that he could have hidden it almost anywhere. He could have retired parents in Florida hiding it, for all we know.”

  Emily stared at the dashboard for a moment. “What about a storage center?”

  “A storage center? You know, I think that’s a real possibility. It would certainly be an easy place to hide a car – secure, too. Why don’t you see if any are close to where he lives?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m doing.” She smiled, tapping on her phone. “There’s one seven miles from his house.”

  “Do you have the number?”

  “You plan to call them?”

  Gavin nodded.

  “Use my phone,” Emily said. “I have an app that will hide the caller ID.”

  Gavin furro
wed his brow. “You do?”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “It will just say ‘unknown caller.’ And it makes the calls virtually untraceable, too.”

  His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “Umm … why do you have that?” Gavin watched her out of the corner of his eye.

  “You’d better keep your eyes on the road,” she said, as the car drifted close to the yellow line.

  He jerked the wheel, bringing the car back on course. “Why do you have that?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I like my privacy, and I guess I’ve always been a little bit paranoid.”

  He glanced over at her and she returned an innocent smile. Gavin thought for a moment, then shook his head, chuckling to himself.

  “So when do you want to make the call?”

  “I guess I might as well do it right now,” Gavin replied. “I just need to find a place to pull over.”

  He guided the car into a dirt siding by the road.

  “It’s ringing,” Emily whispered, handing him her phone. “Do you know what you’re going to say?”

  Gavin nodded as someone picked up. “Hi, this is Armando Carella calling. I’m renting one of your storage units and need to get another. I was wondering if you had one available that’s close to the one I already have? … Sure, I can hold.”

  “That’s brilliant!” Emily whispered, moving her ear closer and trying to listen.

  “You have a vacant unit three doors down … E9, was that? How far is that from my current one?”

  Emily’s eyes widened.

  “Yes, E6, that’s right – so just three doors down. That’s perfect. Yes, of course.” Hold music came through the phone’s speakers.

  “It could still just be furniture. This doesn’t prove anything,” Gavin said to Emily. “Yes, I’m here. Yes, it will be another car.”

  Gavin lifted his eyebrows and Emily’s mouth dropped open.

  “I’m hoping to get down tomorrow so would you mind holding it for me? Thanks.”

  He handed the phone back to her.

  “Oh, my God,” she said. “So what do we do now?”

  Gavin shrugged. “I suppose we could go to the police.”

  “Do you think there’s enough for them to get a search warrant?”