by Paige Sleuth
When Sally finally spoke again, her voice was hollow. “After, I was shaking so hard I wasn’t sure I could walk. But I knew I had to get out of there—fast. So I ducked into the stairwell at the end of the hall and made my way back here, to our room.”
“I knew something was wrong when I saw you,” Zoe whispered. “But you said you had a headache and just needed a long bath.”
Sally slowly lifted her gaze up to meet Zoe’s. “I couldn’t face you.”
A loud knock on the door made them all jump. From the startled looks on Sally’s and Zoe’s faces, Kat didn’t think either sister was expecting visitors.
Sundae was the first to break the silence. He released a plaintive meow.
The knock sounded again. “Hello?” a male voice said.
Sally backed away from the door, scanning the room as though calculating the quickest path to an exit. But there was no other way out.
“This is hotel management. Can you please open the door?”
Zoe darted a tentative look at Sally. Deciding neither one planned to answer, Kat did the honors.
The man on the other side wore a suit and an air of authority. He smiled. “Hello, miss. I’m the hotel manager on duty. Sorry to trouble you, but we received a noise complaint from another one of our guests.”
Kat could imagine the shock on the faces of the people next door when they realized they were listening to a murder confession. “Did they call the police?”
“The police?” The manager’s brow furrowed. “Why, I don’t believe so. They merely requested that the cat be quieted.”
“The cat.”
“Yes.” The manager hesitated. “You do have a cat in here, correct?”
Kat nodded.
He straightened. “As you know, we allow pets, but they must be controlled.”
Sundae chose that moment to howl at the top of his lungs.
The manager peered around Kat. “I take it that’s the cat in question.”
Kat didn’t reply. Instead, she looked over at Sally. She had flattened herself against the far wall as though to blend in with her surroundings. Taking in the terror etched across her face, Kat couldn’t prevent the pang of sympathy that pinched her chest. Right now Sally looked more like a cornered mouse than a killer.
But that didn’t absolve her from what she’d done to John.
It took all of Kat’s strength to turn back to the hotel manager. Her limbs felt like dead weights. “Could you please call the police?” The request came out somewhat garbled. Even her tongue felt heavy.
The manager blinked. “Are you sure that’s necessary? Perhaps if you offered the animal some food or attention it would settle down on its own.”
“Please,” Kat said, as firmly as she could.
The manager didn’t look convinced of the wisdom of Kat’s request, but he lifted his shoulder in concession. “All right. If that’s what you truly want.”
“Ask for Detective Milhone, please.” Kat had to struggle to get the words out around the lump developing in her throat. “Tell him there’s been a break in John Sykes’s murder case.”
Behind her, both Zoe and Sally burst into tears.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Andrew, did you make any New Year’s resolutions?” Kat asked when they were sitting in her living room several days later.
Andrew, who had been busy vigorously rubbing Tom’s stomach while the contented cat sprawled out beside him, looked up. “No. Why?”
“I was thinking I might join a gym.” Kat pressed her palm flat against her stomach, careful not to disturb Matty in her lap. “It wouldn’t hurt for me to exercise once in a while.”
“You could join mine and we can work out together,” Andrew said. He paused, then added, “Not that I don’t think you look great exactly as you are.”
Kat considered his offer. She wasn’t sure she wanted Andrew around while she was huffing and puffing on a treadmill, sweat pouring down her face and staining her clothes. Having him see her like that certainly wouldn’t do much to motivate her to stick with an exercise routine.
On the other hand, being accountable to someone else had a certain appeal. And working out with Andrew a few days a week would allow her to see him more often than she currently did.
Having finally gotten his fill of attention, Tom stood up and arched his back. Once he finished stretching he climbed onto Andrew’s lap and looked at Kat, his curious green eyes probing hers.
“What?” Kat patted his head. “You think I should join a gym?”
Tom meowed loudly enough to cause Matty to stir. She tilted her head upside down and reached toward him with one paw. Tom sniffed her toes, then gave them a lick.
Andrew’s cell phone rang. He nudged Tom aside to fish it out of his pants pocket.
“Milhone,” he answered. He listened for a moment, his eyes landing on Kat. “Yep, she’s here.” He held out the phone. “It’s for you.”
Kat raised her eyebrows in question. Andrew shrugged.
She took his phone from him and pressed it against her ear. “Hello?”
“Hi, Kat?” a female voice said.
“This is she.”
“It’s Zoe.”
Kat’s breath caught. She hadn’t spoken to Zoe since the police had shown up at the Cherry Hills Hotel the day Sally had confessed. The last time she’d seen her, Zoe had been watching, stricken, as two arresting officers led her sister away in handcuffs.
“I didn’t have your number, but you and that cop seemed pretty close, so I thought he might know how to reach you,” Zoe said. “I hope it’s okay I called.”
“Sure,” Kat stammered. She felt she should say something else, something about how sorry she was for Zoe’s double loss this past weekend, but the words stuck in her throat. ‘Sorry’ seemed much too inadequate for a woman whose lover had been killed by her sister—a sister who would likely be spending a long time behind bars.
“I was wondering,” Zoe said, her voice trembling slightly, “if that cat was still available?”
“Sundae?”
“Yeah.”
“He is. But I thought you didn’t want a cat.”
“I’ve changed my mind.” Zoe heaved a sigh. “Honestly, the reason I never looked into getting one was because of John. He was allergic, and in the back of my mind I always thought that one day we would end up married . . .”
The sadness in Zoe’s voice pulled at Kat’s heart. Whether or not she approved of Zoe sleeping with a married man, she couldn’t deny that the young woman had obviously cared for John.
“Then Sally sprang that whole thing about adopting Sundae on me so suddenly I didn’t have time to really consider it,” Zoe continued. “John’s death was still so fresh, you know? But now, I’m thinking I’d really like to have a pet around.”
Kat tousled Matty’s fur with her free hand. “They are wonderful companions.”
“Yeah. And after what happened over the weekend . . . Well, I’m kind of all alone now.”
Kat’s throat tightened. “Oh, Zoe. I’m so sorry.”
“It is what it is.” She sucked in a breath. “Anyway, with this being a new year . . . you know, new beginnings and such.”
Kat figured if anyone could use a fresh start, Zoe could. And she couldn’t deny the therapeutic benefits of having animals. Since Matty and Tom had entered her life six months ago, she had felt more joy than she ever had during all the years she’d lived alone.
“So, can I come meet Sundae?” Zoe asked. “You know, to see if we’re compatible? I didn’t really spend any time with him that day at the hotel. I can drive up there this weekend if that’s okay with you.”
“Sure.” Kat glanced at the clock. “Let me call you back after I arrange a time with his foster family.”
“Okay. Thank you, Kat.”
Kat ended the call, but she continued to dwell on their conversation. When she had met Zoe she had seemed so vulnerable. Today she hadn’t sounded as fragile. Maybe getting out from under Sall
y’s wing and John’s influence would give her a chance to find herself. And maybe Sundae could help her along the way.
Kat hoped so. The young woman could use something good in her life.
“What was that about?” Andrew asked.
“That was Zoe, Sally’s sister. She’s thinking about adopting one of 4F’s cats.”
“That’s good news, isn’t it?”
“Definitely. Her call just took me by surprise, is all.”
Andrew draped his arm around Kat and pulled her close. “I’ve come to learn that people can be rather surprising creatures.”
Kat rested her head on his shoulder. “Resilient, too.”
She stroked Matty, pondering over Zoe’s comment about new beginnings. She still wasn’t completely sold on the idea of New Year’s resolutions, but she knew one thing for sure.
When you had a cat by your side, every day was a new adventure.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Thank you for visiting Cherry Hills, home of Kat, Matty, and Tom! If you enjoyed their story, please consider leaving a book review on your favorite online retailer and/or review site. Also join my readers’ group so you’ll be one of the first to know when their next adventure is published.
Please keep reading for an excerpt from Book Fourteen of the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series, Dropped Dead in Cherry Hills. Thank you!
DROPPED DEAD IN CHERRY HILLS
“Hey, Kat,” Jessie Polanski said as Katherine Harper stepped inside Jessie’s Diner.
“Hi.” Kat inhaled deeply. “Smells like your lasagna’s on special this evening.”
“Back by popular demand. Would you like a serving?”
“I’m actually not eating today.”
Jessie grinned. “If you came to ask for your old job back, you’ve got it, no groveling necessary. Winnie, your replacement, quit last week.”
“Sorry,” Kat told her. “As much as I enjoyed waitressing for you, I love my new job.”
“That’s good. I’m happy for you—even if that means I’ll be running around here like a madwoman when the Friday dinner rush starts in an hour.”
Jessie truly did sound happy for her, and Kat was reminded of how much she missed her old boss. Jessie was forty, eight years older than Kat, but she had always treated her as an equal. And like her parents who had managed the restaurant before her, Jessie was a genuinely nice person. Her friendliness was one of the things that kept customers coming back again and again.
Jessie tucked a stray lock of hair back into the ever-present brunette bun behind her head. “So, if you’re not eating and you’re not here for a job, what are you doing here?”
“I’m meeting somebody for an interview,” Kat told her. “Tiffany Reed. She’s a reporter from the Cherry Hills Courant, and she wants to do an article on 4F.”
“Yeah? That will be great exposure for you guys.”
“It will,” Kat agreed. “Although why she declined an interview with Imogene still mystifies me. Imogene has been rescuing animals a lot longer than I have. Plus, she’s the 4F founder and president.”
“Maybe there was a scheduling conflict.”
“Maybe. You don’t know if Tiffany’s here already, do you?”
“You beat her. The only people here right now are guys.”
A quick glance around the restaurant confirmed Jessie’s observation. Kat recognized George, an older man who reminded her of a gray-haired troll doll sitting at one end of the counter. The only other diner occupied one of the booths along the wall, a briefcase open on the table in front of him. A middle-aged man with a slight potbelly and thinning salt-and-pepper hair, he was studying the menu as intently as a college student cramming for an exam.
Jessie took a step toward the counter. “Have a seat. I’ll bring you a milkshake while you wait.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
Kat opted for the booth adjacent to the man with the briefcase, choosing the side facing him. From here, she would see Tiffany Reed as soon as she walked through the front door.
She licked her lips as the milkshake mixer whirred behind her. Jessie’s Diner made the best shakes, and Kat could never get enough of them.
“Great sakes alive!” The man in the next booth scrambled halfway onto his table, nearly knocking over his water glass.
Jessie came rushing over, two vanilla milkshakes in her hands. “What is it?”
“That there!” The man pointed across the dining area, his beefy finger quivering. “Your restaurant’s infested!”
Upon spotting a frightened orange tabby crouched under a corner table, Kat’s heart gave a little jump. “There’s a cat over there.”
Jessie relaxed. “He’s been hanging around in the alley out back. He must have slipped into the kitchen when Lisa wasn’t looking.”
“The kitchen!” The man’s jaw clenched. “Vermin are not allowed in areas where food is being prepared for the public.”
A spark of anger flared in Kat’s chest. “Jessie didn’t let him in on purpose.”
The man didn’t appear to hear her. His face was turning redder by the moment. “I could have you shut down for this,” he hissed at Jessie. “One call to the Health Department, and you’d be out of business.”
Jessie frowned. “They wouldn’t shut me down because a cat ran in here one time.”
The man challenged her with a glare. “You want to bet your business license on that?”
“I really don’t think any calls will be necessary,” Kat interjected. “Why don’t I see if I can catch him?”
Jessie’s shoulders dropped three inches. “Would you? Thanks, Kat.”
Kat started to stand up, but before she could swing her legs out of the booth the front door opened. Spotting an exit, the cat bolted, disappearing outside.
Kat sank back into her seat, a hollow feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. As relieved as she was for the man not to have any more reason to complain, she hated the idea of a cat braving the January cold by himself.
“I guess that settles that,” Jessie said. She set one of the milkshake glasses in front of the man. “Here’s your vanilla shake.”
He grumbled something Kat couldn’t hear. Whatever it was, it didn’t elicit a reply from Jessie. But she did roll her eyes when she deposited the second milkshake in front of Kat.
Jessie turned around. “Welcome to Jessie’s. Are you with the Courant?”
It was only then that Kat noticed the young woman whose entrance had enabled the orange tabby to escape. Goth was the best way Kat could think to describe her. Dressed entirely in black with a messenger bag slung across her chest, she had spiky black hair, a small nose ring, and eyes lined so heavily with dark eyeshadow that she looked as if she’d recently been in a fistfight. Her piercing blue eyes provided the only shock of color to her person.
“Tiffany Reed,” the young woman said. “I’m looking for Kat Harper.”
“Well, you’ve found her.” Jessie swept her arm toward Kat. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Tiffany clomped over in her combat boots and slid into the booth seat opposite Kat. “Coffee, please. Black.”
Jessie’s eyes twinkled with amusement, as if she would expect nothing less from someone who obviously liked everything black. “Sure thing,” she said before sauntering off.
Tiffany smiled at Kat. “Sorry I’m late. I got lost.”
“You must not have lived in Cherry Hills for long,” Kat surmised.
“Three weeks now. I like it so far. Central Washington State is so quaint.” Tiffany leaned against the side of the booth to survey the restaurant. A scowl darkened her face when her eyes landed on the man next to them. “Oh, geez.”
“What is it?” Kat asked.
Tiffany hunched forward, one black-painted thumbnail aimed over her shoulder. “See that guy behind me?”
“What about him?”
Tiffany dropped her voice to a near whisper. “That’s Aaron Moskowitz. He’s another recent Courant h
ire.”
“You don’t get along?” Kat guessed.
“He’s a real prig. He’s in charge of opinion pieces. You know, restaurant and movie reviews, the best toys to buy your kids, how pretty the parks are.” Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Like anybody cares about that. He only snagged this job because he knows the owner of the Courant. Before that he worked at one of these big national papers out of Chicago.”
“He traded national exposure to come work for the Cherry Hills Courant?”
“They canned him. He’s such a jerk, who could blame them? Back there he was just a food critic. I looked up his stuff when we were in orientation because all he did was sit in the back of the room and act like he couldn’t be bothered. Doesn’t give any place more than three stars. I guess his taste buds get offended easily.”
Kat peeked over her shoulder. Did Jessie know a food critic was currently sitting in her restaurant? Kat couldn’t imagine him writing her a favorable review if he was already threatening to shut her down before he’d even ordered.
“So,” Tiffany said, rummaging through her messenger bag and yanking out an iPad, “you ready to roll?”
Kat pushed thoughts of Aaron away. “Sure. I should tell you though, I’ve never done a newspaper interview before.”
“These are pretty dull.”
Kat laughed, thinking she had meant the comment as a joke, but Tiffany’s blue eyes didn’t contain even the slightest trace of humor.
“How about we start with that silent auction you guys held a couple weeks ago,” Tiffany suggested.
“Okay. Well, the silent auction was one of a few fundraisers 4F is working on this year. We’re always in need of donations to help pay for veterinary expen—”
“I heard a man died,” Tiffany interrupted.
Kat stilled. “Well, yes, that’s true.”
“And is it also true you found the body?”
“I did.”
Tiffany folded her arms over her iPad and hunched closer. “Tell me about that.”
Kat didn’t speak right away. She thought she detected a spark in Tiffany’s eyes that hadn’t been there a second ago.