Framed in Cherry Hills (Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Book 2)

by Paige Sleuth

  Kat couldn’t dismiss his point. She wondered now if her own history with Vicky had been responsible for the woman’s hostility this afternoon rather than her affiliation with Willow and 4F.

  “Besides, what would framing Willow gain her?” Andrew went on.

  “Revenge,” Kat reiterated. She might be having second thoughts about Vicky’s guilt, but she was just stubborn enough not to admit that to Andrew.

  Andrew tapped his finger on the desk, then lifted one shoulder. “I’ve seen people do stranger things.”

  Kat took his concession as her signal to proceed with the request she’d come here for. “I was thinking you could run a background check on her and see what comes up.”

  Andrew blinked. “You want me to run a background check on Vicky Jones?”

  “Vicky Easton,” Kat corrected. “Or, Victoria Easton, rather.”

  He quirked one eyebrow. “What am I looking for exactly, a record of her disabling car taillights and planting drugs on other people?”

  Kat rolled her eyes. “I doubt she would have done this exact thing before. But if she has a drug charge on her record, that would prove she knows where to get cocaine.”

  “It wouldn’t prove anything,” Andrew countered.

  “Strongly suggest then.”

  Andrew didn’t say anything. Kat held her breath as his gaze darted between his computer and her several times.

  Finally, he shrugged. “I suppose I could run her name through the database and see what comes up.”

  Kat exhaled. “Great. Than—”

  “But if she has a record, I’m not at liberty to give you the details,” Andrew warned. “I’ll have to ask that you have Willow’s attorney go through the official channels to obtain that information.”

  Kat nodded. “Sure, absolutely.”

  Andrew studied her for a moment longer before turning to his computer.

  Kat’s heart pounded as he tapped on the keyboard. She tried to angle her head around the desk to get a look at the screen, but the room was too small and the piles of paper stacked too high for her to maneuver much.

  “Did you find anything?” she asked.

  Andrew sat back. “The system’s still working.”

  “Oh.”

  Kat attempted to relax as she waited for the machine to finish its magic, but every position she tried felt uncomfortable. When Andrew reached for his mouse, she thought her heart might jump right out of her chest.

  “Did you find something?” she asked, crossing two fingers in her lap.

  Andrew’s eyes scanned the computer monitor, then he slowly shook his head. “Nothing but the usual.”

  “Usual?” Kat queried, sitting up. “What’s usual?”

  “Parking infractions, speeding tickets, that sort of thing.”

  Her spirits deflated. As much as she wanted to believe that what he’d found helped to build a case against Vicky Easton, she honestly didn’t know a single person who didn’t have at least one traffic violation on record.

  She gripped the sides of her chair, recalling her suspicions concerning Andrew’s colleague. “What about Raoul Leon?”

  “What about him?” Andrew returned.

  “Can you run a background check on him?”

  Andrew squinted at her. “So now you’ve given up on Vicky and are focusing on Raoul?”

  “I’ve been thinking, and he had the opportunity to plant that cocaine in Willow’s car too.”

  “And, pray tell, when was his opportunity to do such a thing?”

  Kat figured the answer was obvious. “When he pulled her over.”

  “I thought that bag fell out of the glove box,” Andrew said.

  “It did. At least, that’s my understanding.”

  “In that case, Raoul would had to have put it there before he pulled her over. When would he have found the chance to do that?”

  Kat clamped her mouth shut, unable to come up with an answer to his question.

  “And what would his motive be?” Andrew continued.

  Kat perked up. “That one’s easy. To prove he was worthy of a promotion within CHPD.”

  “We already know he’s worthy of a promotion. His credentials from Wenatchee prove that. At this point, it’s just a matter of a higher position opening up.”

  “Well, maybe he has a thing against Asians,” Kat said, her desperation growing.

  “I think he was more sensitive to racial profiling against Hispanics than anything else.”

  Kat frowned. For once, she wished Andrew didn’t make so much sense. “Can’t you still run a background check on him?”

  “I could, but I won’t find anything. If he had something incriminating on his record, he never would have been hired in the first place.”

  Kat hadn’t thought about that, although it made sense.

  Andrew sighed. “Kat, you’ve just provided me with two different motives for two different people. I can’t be running background checks on everybody because you get an idea in your head that they might have had something to do with Willow’s arrest.”

  She straightened, indignant. “You make it sound like I’m casting unwarranted accusations.”

  He eyed her. “Well?”

  “Well, I’m not,” she replied tartly. “I’m trying to get to the bottom of this.”

  “Have you ever considered that Willow Wu might be guilty? Have you considered that nobody is setting her up, that the coke in her car actually belonged to her?”

  “Of course I’ve considered that,” Kat spat. “But Imogene doesn’t believe it.”

  “Drug abuse isn’t something you would necessarily confide in your fellow non-profit volunteer.”

  Kat’s face grew hot. “I know that.”

  He bent over the desk, his voice softer when he spoke next. “Kat, are you sure you aren’t so adamant to disprove Willow’s guilt because of your own experiences?”

  Her stomach lurched at the reminder of her mother’s substance abuse issues. “This has nothing to do with my childhood. That was ages ago.”

  Andrew stared at her for seemingly forever. His scrutiny made her feel as if ants were crawling all over her body.

  Kat folded her arms over her chest, hoping she didn’t look as vulnerable as she felt. “I only want to make sure that somebody innocent doesn’t end up in prison.”

  “But you don’t know this woman from Adam.”

  “Neither do you,” she said, feeling a tiny burst of triumph. “If she had a drug history, as a member of the police force you would be more familiar with her, right?”

  Andrew’s eyes bored into hers. “That doesn’t change the fact that you might be trying unusually hard to absolve her of any wrongdoing because you’re equating her situation with your mother’s.”

  Kat lifted her tongue to protest, but her mouth had gone dry. Besides, she had to admit he wasn’t completely wrong. Although she had never doubted that her mother was a bona fide junkie, she often wondered how both of their lives would have been different if someone had cared enough about her mother’s addiction to help.

  Andrew sighed. “Kat, I’m worried this whole Willow thing is becoming too personal for you. The way you jumped on Raoul earlier, I thought he might book you for harassing a police officer.”

  She noticed her hands were shaking and wedged them under her thighs. “I just don’t want an innocent woman serving time.”

  “If Willow is innocent, that’s bound to come out before she serves any time,” Andrew assured her.

  Kat didn’t reply. She had never shared Andrew’s faith in the justice system. After all, where was the justice in a child growing up without a mother?

  “Do you ever think about looking into what happened to her?” Andrew asked quietly.

  Kat didn’t have to ask who he was talking about. “Sometimes.”

  “You think she’s still alive?”

  Kat swallowed hard as her stomach started doing flip-flops. She’d often wondered if her mother was still alive. Part of her hope
d so. She had so many burning questions that nobody else could answer.

  But another part of her wasn’t sure she wanted to discover that her mother had been alive all these years and never once initiated contact. She didn’t want to believe she was that expendable to the woman who had given her life.

  Andrew cleared his throat. “You know, if you ever want to look for her, I’ll help you.”

  His offer was so unexpected and selfless that tears sprang to Kat’s eyes. She blinked them back. She didn’t need to have an emotional breakdown in the office of her oldest friend, where anyone on the police force could interrupt them at any moment.

  Fearing what might happen if she opened her mouth to speak, Kat merely nodded.

  CHAPTER NINE

  After getting herself together, Kat left the police station. She couldn’t prevent thoughts of her mother from swirling through her head during the drive home. Andrew’s offer had rekindled her interest in discovering what had happened to the woman who had carried her for nine months. The prospect of finally getting answers filled her with equal parts excitement and terror.

  She was still envisioning what a reunion might be like—assuming her mother was still alive—when she arrived at her apartment building. She was so preoccupied by her fantasies that she almost ran right into Hannah McGinty, who was standing outside the front entrance of her building while she studied the guide next to the call box that listed the names of each resident.

  “Hannah,” Kat said, stopping short.

  Hannah gasped as she spun around. “You startled me.”

  Kat approached the teenager. “I live here.”

  “Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m here.”

  Kat’s brow furrowed. “You’re here to see me?”

  Hannah’s eyes darted to the door. “Well, I thought you’d be inside, but yeah. I hope it’s okay that I came over. My dad got your address from Ms. Little.”

  “Is there a problem?” Kat couldn’t think of any reason for the teenager to seek her out.

  “Oh, no.” Hannah twisted her arm around and patted her backpack. “I just found another one of Tom’s toys. I thought you might want it.”

  “Oh. Sure, that would be great. Come on in.”

  She unlocked the front door and held it open. Hannah clomped inside. Her huge boots looked to be at least two sizes too big for her feet.

  “I’m on the third floor,” Kat told her, leading the way to the elevator.

  “Okay.”

  Kat bounced from foot to foot as they waited for the elevator to arrive. Standing so close to Hannah, her nostrils were assaulted by the girl’s flowery perfume. She wanted to step away, but settled for breathing through her mouth so as not to seem rude.

  As the seconds ticked by, Kat struggled to come up with a conversational topic that didn’t relate to why the young woman felt compelled to douse herself with such an overpowering fragrance. “So, um, Hannah,” she finally began. “How’s your summer going?”

  “Okay.”

  Kat waited for her to elaborate, but within seconds it became clear that wasn’t going to happen. Apparently Hannah found small talk as agonizing as Kat did.

  Kat coughed. “Are you looking forward to the start of school?”

  Hannah made a face. “Not really.”

  “Well, at least you have another month or so of summer left.”

  Hannah toed a fossilized wad of chewing gum embedded in the lobby carpet. “I guess.”

  Relief rushed through Kat when the elevator doors parted. They boarded, riding up in silence. When the elevator released them, Kat walked briskly toward her unit.

  She inserted her key into the lock. “What did you bring Tom?”

  “Just this string on a stick.” Hannah shrugged and glanced at her feet. “It’s stupid, but he likes it.”

  From the way Hannah blushed, Kat suspected the teenager might have really come over because she missed Tom. Kat couldn’t blame her. After spending two days with the feline, she herself already felt a strong bond with him. She couldn’t imagine how heartbroken Hannah felt over having to give him up after four months.

  They both entered the apartment. Matty was in her favorite spot on the sofa. Tom was sprawled out on the carpet below her, but when he saw Hannah he stood up and ambled over. He sat down at her feet and meowed.

  Hannah dropped her backpack on the floor and crouched down to pet the cat. “Hey, buddy.”

  Kat glanced at Matty, who ignored her, then looked again at Tom, who had rolled onto his back so he could take full advantage of Hannah’s attention. She was amazed by how different the two creatures were. Matty never welcomed her at the door, let alone meowed a greeting.

  Kat moved farther into the room. “Did you want something to drink?” she asked Hannah.

  “No.” Hannah paused, then added, “Thanks,” as if she’d only belatedly remembered her manners.

  Kat sat down on the couch next to Matty, unsure of what else to say. She had pretty much exhausted her conversational abilities. Thankfully, Hannah didn’t seem to expect much. She looked perfectly content to ignore Kat as she scratched Tom’s stomach. Tom encircled her hands with his front paws and kicked at her palms with his hind feet.

  Kat’s heart ached as she watched them. Hannah clearly loved Tom, and, judging from his behavior, Tom felt the same.

  Evidently deciding that Hannah and Tom were more fun that Kat, Matty stood up and stretched before jumping off the couch and heading toward the duo. But instead of imploring Hannah for belly rubs as Kat had expected, Matty veered toward her backpack and sniffed at it.

  Before Kat could register what was happening, Matty had her paws jammed between two zipper sliders on one of the backpack’s side compartments. She started pulling at the zipper as if she’d spotted a mouse on the other side, her little claws working furiously.

  “Matty!” Kat yelled.

  Matty looked at her as if to tell her to chill out. Then, clearly realizing she only had a limited amount of time before Kat put a halt to her antics, Matty turned back around and resumed her digging.

  Kat jumped up and raced across the room. “Hannah, I am so sorry.” She wrapped her hands around Matty’s body and pulled her away, revealing a ripped plastic baggie that Matty must have excavated. Small green flecks of something that looked like basil had spilled onto the carpet.

  Hannah lunged for the baggie and started sweeping the mess up with her fingers.

  Kat set Matty aside, squinting at the floor. “What is that? Catnip?”

  “Er.” Hannah quickly turned her head down, but not before Kat spotted a flush creeping up her neck.

  Awareness seized Kat as fiercely as she’d seized Matty just seconds ago. She sniffed the air, getting another whiff of Hannah’s perfume, except now she understood why the girl wore so much. A fragrance that potent would mask all other odors.

  Kat pointed to the flecks on the carpet. “That’s marijuana, isn’t it?”

  Hannah froze. She swallowed hard and said, “It’s legal in Washington.” Her voice was barely above a squeak.

  Kat arched one eyebrow. “For a fifteen-year-old?”

  “I turn sixteen in October,” Hannah retorted.

  “You’re still a minor.”

  Hannah tilted her chin up, no longer acting embarrassed over being caught. “I’m old enough to do what I want.”

  Kat planted her hands on her hips, feeling like an alien in her own body. What did she know about parenting? And she certainly wasn’t familiar enough with Hannah to be acting like her guardian.

  But she couldn’t banish her desire to shake some sense into this young woman. Maybe if someone had done the same to her own mother, Kat never would have been passed around between so many foster homes.

  Kat grabbed the backpack. Hannah looked too startled to protest as Kat began unzipping every compartment.

  “What are you doing?” Hannah asked after Kat had gotten through two pockets.

  “Seeing what else you’re hiding.”
<
br />   “That’s it, I swear.”

  Something in Hannah’s voice led Kat to believe her. But she still searched every inch of the backpack. After she’d verified for herself that it didn’t contain anything else noteworthy, she set it back on the floor.

  “I told you.” Hannah snatched up her bag and wrapped her arms around it. “You’re as bad as Mr. Logan.”

  “Mr. Logan?”

  “The Cherry Hills High principal. He never believes us either.”

  Her statement triggered a pinprick of guilt in Kat’s gut. “I’m sorry.”

  Hannah’s jaw dropped. Kat gathered that Mr. Logan never apologized for his actions.

  Her thoughts veered back to Willow, another staff member of Cherry Hills High. She eyed the torn marijuana bag clutched in Hannah’s hand, an uneasy chill working its way up her spine. She recalled Hannah’s sullen reaction when Willow’s name had been brought up in conversation at the McGintys’ house. Could this young girl be filled with so much angst that she would plant drugs in her former teacher’s car? Kat certainly couldn’t dismiss the possibility.

  “Hannah,” Kat said, hearing the urgency in her own voice. She waited until Hannah looked at her before continuing. “Did you put that cocaine in Willow Wu’s car?”

  Hannah’s eyes widened. “What?”

  “You know Willow was arrested for drug possession on Saturday, right?”

  “No, I didn’t know that.” Indignation flashed in Hannah’s eyes. “But I had nothing to do with it.”

  “You don’t like her, do you?” Kat pressed.

  Hannah bit her lip, not saying anything.

  Kat sighed. “Hannah, I’ve never met Willow, but no matter what your feelings are toward her, framing her for something this serious isn’t right.”

  Hannah shoved the shredded baggie into her backpack. “I didn’t do anything!”

  Kat searched her for tells, but instead of looking guilty she merely looked outraged at being accused.

  “I believe you,” Kat said.

  Hannah’s lips parted slightly. “You do?”