by Paige Sleuth
Kat nodded, remembering the vial she’d found in the women’s room. Andrew had promised to send it to the crime lab for testing ASAP.
“Do you want help transporting the animals to their foster families?” Kat asked.
Imogene brightened. “That would be marvelous. You can handle the cats’ return, if you’d like.”
“Okay. Who’s fostering the cats?”
“Tabitha the tabby is being cared for by Pauline Brooks,” Willow piped up. “She lives in my neighborhood, so I can take Tabitha when we leave. The Belleroses have the Siamese and the black cat.”
Imogene shook her head. “Those poor souls. Bob’s heart is already weak, and now this shock.”
Kat paused from scooping up garbage. “The Belleroses were sitting at Heidi’s table, weren’t they?” She recalled seeing the unusual last name printed on the place setting next to her before she had switched seats.
“Yes,” Willow confirmed. “They almost seemed more agitated than Rebecca.”
“That’s because poor Becca is in shock.” Imogene tsked. “We’re going to have to do something for her. Heidi’s death must be a terrible blow, particularly after what happened with their parents.”
“What happened with their parents?” Kat asked.
Imogene set her hand over her heart. “They passed away recently.”
Kat’s stomach tightened. “How did they die?”
“Car accident this past winter. It was a horrible, appalling thing.”
“What happened?” Kat asked, imagining their car losing control after skidding over a patch of black ice.
Imogene’s shoulders sagged. “That’s the most tragic part of it all. Jake Lobeck was drunk as a skunk, but he still had his keys on him. He plowed right into the Smiths’ car on his way home from some party. Poor Heidi and Becca were still getting used to being orphans, and now this business with Heidi . . .” Imogene took a deep, shuddering breath as she trailed off.
A stone settled in Kat’s gut. “That’s terrible.”
“It certainly was,” Imogene agreed with a heavy sigh. She straightened. “We definitely need to do something for her, on behalf of 4F.”
“Why don’t we stop by her house tomorrow afternoon?” Willow suggested. “Kat, do you have to work at Jessie’s?”
“No, I have the day off.”
“Good. Then we’ll each make up a dish to bring over and go pay our condolences,” Willow said.
“I don’t think anybody will want to eat anything I cook,” Kat warned.
“Pick up something from Jessie’s,” Imogene replied. “You can’t go wrong with anything on the Jessie’s Diner menu.”
Kat had to agree with her there. Just thinking about Jessie’s decadent lasagna layered with spicy marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese made her mouth water.
Imogene planted her hands on her hips, her mouth set in a determined line as she surveyed the room. “Well, I suppose we ought to get a move on and whip this place into shape so we can skedaddle on out of here. I’m ready to go home, throw on some pj’s, and unwind.”
“I second that,” Willow said.
“Clover is going to be miffed I’ve stayed out this late,” Imogene said.
Willow’s mouth curved up. “He’ll still be happy to see you. I’ve never seen a cat more in love with his mistress.”
Imogene beamed. “The feeling is mutual.”
Kat’s thoughts wandered to her own two cats. Although Matty wasn’t too keen on open displays of affection, she had her own, quiet way of letting Kat know how content she was to have her as a human.
Tom, on the other hand, loved to soak up as much attention as he could, and he wasn’t shy about begging for it. He’d only been with Kat for a short time, but he had already taken to greeting her at the front door when she returned home and snuggling against her when she went to bed. Kat couldn’t believe she’d once tried to talk herself out of adopting the big feline. Now, she would be devastated to lose him.
Just thinking about being reunited with her cats infused her with new resolve. She shook out her garbage bag and returned to work.
CHAPTER SIX
The Belleroses’ two foster cats meowed unhappily from their prison in the back seat during the drive home. Kat tuned them out, preoccupied by Heidi’s death. She couldn’t help but wonder if the Belleroses had seen anything to help identify the person who had poisoned Heidi. Sitting so close to the Smiths during dinner, they were both prime candidates to have observed something.
Kat shook her head as she pulled into the Belleroses’ driveway, reminding herself that catching the killer wasn’t her responsibility. Andrew had been put in charge of the case, and she knew he was more than competent at his job.
Still, she reasoned, she should do what she could to uncover the truth, considering that she served on the board of the organization that had put on tonight’s event. And would it really hurt for her to inquire a little while she was here? It wasn’t as if she were going out of her way to interview the Belleroses.
She took a deep breath and climbed out of the car. After she unbuckled the cat carrier, she tottered carefully toward the house, hoping she didn’t trip in her heels. Luckily, she made it without incident, and, between juggling her car keys and maintaining her hold on the cat carrier, she somehow managed to ring the doorbell.
Several sharp barks sounded from inside. In addition to fostering two cats, the Belleroses apparently had their own dog too.
The door swung open, revealing a portly elderly man with a pale complexion and a wide smile. “Welcome. You must be Kat.”
“Yes, hi.”
He moved aside so she could enter. “Willow called and told me to expect you. I’m Bob Bellerose.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Kat stepped into the sitting area, recognizing the older brunette on the sofa as the one who had screamed after Heidi had collapsed. Tasha Taylor sat next to her. Both of them still wore their party dresses, although they’d sloughed off their heels in favor of going barefoot.
“Hi, Kat,” Tasha said.
“Hi.”
Kat wondered what Tasha was doing here, but before she could ask Champ came tearing down the hallway, his nails clicking on the hardwood floors. He welcomed her with a snuffle up her dress that sent her keys clattering to the floor.
Tasha jumped off the couch and grabbed hold of Champ’s collar. “Stop that!” She smiled ruefully at Kat. “Sorry. He seems to like you.”
Kat shifted her legs in an attempt to realign her dress without dropping the cats. “It’s okay.”
“I was just telling Tasha that Bob and I would be more than willing to give her some pointers on how to train him to behave a bit better,” the brunette said, chuckling. “The last thing we need is Champ wandering onto our property and tearing up my garden.”
Tasha ran her hands over the Labrador’s head. “I’m fortunate to live next door to people who know so much about animals. I’ve never had a dog before, and, I have to admit, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment.”
The brunette covered Tasha’s hand with hers. “Don’t worry, you’ll learn soon enough. Comfort comes from experience. When you’ve fostered as many animals as we have, you’re bound to pick up a few pointers.”
“Lucky me,” Tasha replied.
The woman turned back to Kat. “I’m Meg Bellerose, by the way.”
“Kat. Nice to meet you.”
Meg stood up and reached for the cats. “I see you’ve come to reunite us with our charges.”
Kat handed over the carrier. “Sorry to say they were two of the few who didn’t find homes tonight.”
“Oh, they will. This duo is too personable for somebody not to snatch them up.”
Champ sprinted over and pressed his nose against the carrier. His tail wagged nonstop despite the fierce hisses prompted by his greeting.
Meg gently pushed the Labrador away. “I’m afraid these little critters might find you a bit intimidating, Champ.”
>
Tasha slipped her shoes back on and stood up. “I should probably take him home. It’s getting late.”
Meg set the carrier on the floor and gave Tasha a hug. “Take care of yourself.”
“Thanks.” Tasha grabbed Champ’s leash off the coffee table and clipped it onto his collar.
Meg escorted Tasha and Champ out the front door, then returned to the living room. She sprang open the carrier door before reclaiming her seat on the couch. “Why don’t you sit down and join us for a while,” Meg said to Kat, patting the sofa cushion next to her.
“Okay, sure.” Kat hoped she didn’t sound too grateful for the invitation as she perched next to Meg, but she wouldn’t be able to let this opportunity pass without regretting it later.
She stole a peek at Bob, who had quietly taken a seat on an armchair and now had his nose buried in a car magazine. She wondered if she would be able to get any information out of him without aggravating his heart condition.
But before Kat could broach the topic, Meg said, “I just feel so bad for her.”
“Rebecca Smith, you mean?” Kat asked.
Meg pursed her lips. “I’m referring to Tasha.”
“Oh.”
Meg crossed her legs, watching as one of the cats poked her nose out of the carrier. “I know she’s lonely, which is why she adopted a dog.”
Seeing no sign of Champ, the Siamese stepped out and padded off to the kitchen. The black cat quickly followed.
“Of course, nobody could blame her, after what happened,” Meg went on.
“What happened?” Kat asked.
Meg’s eyebrows crept up her forehead as though she were surprised by Kat’s failure to keep up with the town’s latest gossip. “Her fiancé was just sentenced to prison.”
Kat felt her jaw slipping open and hastily righted it. When Tasha had mentioned a former fiancé earlier, she had envisioned a breakup being the cause of their separation, not a jail sentence.
“Jake was convicted of vehicular homicide,” Meg said.
“That’s terrible.”
“Yes, it was. And not just for Tasha, but for those poor Smith girls as well.”
Kat recalled the story Imogene had relayed earlier, mentally slotting the pieces together. “Tasha’s fiancé was the drunk driver who killed the Smiths?”
“Yes,” Meg confirmed. “So sad for everyone involved. Tasha lost the love of her life, and those Smith girls lost their parents.”
A physical ache spread throughout Kat’s chest. Although she herself had grown up in foster care and never known her parents, Heidi and Rebecca Smith’s heartbreak was all too easy to envision.
Meg shook her head. “And now Heidi’s gone too. I wouldn’t blame Becca if she needed counseling after this.”
Sensing her opening, Kat shifted to face Meg better. “You were sitting next to the Smith sisters during the benefit dinner, weren’t you?”
Meg nodded. “Such wonderful girls, both of them. I don’t know who would do something so awful to poor Heidi.”
“By chance, did you see anything suspicious this evening?” Kat asked.
“No, nothing.” Meg’s mouth drew into a thin line. “And I feel so guilty about that too.”
Bob cleared his throat. “You couldn’t have known what was going to happen, Meg.”
Meg sat up a little straighter. “But I should have been paying more attention.”
Bob spread his hands, as if to reiterate she wasn’t at fault.
Meg fell back and rolled her head along the sofa until she faced Kat. “I told Detective Andrew I would sleep on it and call him if I remembered more later, but I doubt I’ll have anything new for him in the morning. I have to tell you, my memory isn’t like it was at your age.”
“Gingko,” Bob piped up. “A daily supplement would improve your short-term memory.”
Meg rolled her eyes. “You’ve been taking that stuff for years, and your memory is worse than mine.”
“I’m also almost a decade older than you, m’dear,” Bob said, winking at Kat. “Just imagine how much worse I’d be if I stopped taking the stuff.”
“You didn’t see anything unusual this evening either?” Kat asked Bob.
“No.”
Kat acknowledged his response with a nod, trying not to feel too discouraged.
As if to comfort her, the black cat ambled over and jumped onto Kat’s lap. He set his front paws flat on her dress and began kneading her thighs.
Meg chuckled. “He likes you.”
In response to Meg’s voice, the cat stepped over to his foster human and curled up in her lap.
Meg ran one hand down the cat’s body. “I missed you, too. And don’t you worry. You’ll find yourself a forever mama soon enough.”
Kat stood up and smoothed out her dress, longing to be reunited with her own cats. “Well, it’s late, and I should be heading home.”
Meg smiled at her. “Thank you for bringing the cats over.”
Kat took a step toward the door, careful not to stab Meg’s bare toes with one of her pencil-thin heels. “No problem. Thank you for taking care of them.”
Bob set down his magazine and stood up. “I’ll see you to your car.”
“Okay.”
“Are those your keys?” Meg interjected, aiming one finger at Kat’s key chain still on the floor.
“Oh, fiddlesticks.” Kat retraced her steps and scooped her keys off the floor. “I forgot I’d dropped them.”
Bob tapped the side of his head, flashing her a knowing look before uttering one word. “Gingko.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was almost eleven o’clock at night when Kat finally returned to her apartment building. She barely had the energy to board the lobby elevator.
But despite the intensity of her physical exhaustion, mentally she was as alert as ever. Meg’s comment about Tasha’s fiancé serving time in prison had led Kat to question whether his incarceration might be related to more than just the deaths of the older Smiths. What she couldn’t figure out was how the accident could be linked to Heidi’s death. The best she could come up with was that Heidi was somehow instrumental in getting the vehicular homicide charges to stick, spurring Tasha Taylor to murder her for revenge.
But that theory didn’t account for why Tasha had seemed genuinely distraught when they had run into each other in the hotel restroom. If Tasha had just eliminated someone who she felt had done her wrong, wouldn’t she have come across as happy or smug instead?
Kat shook the thoughts aside as she exited the elevator on the third floor. She wouldn’t be able to sleep if she kept dwelling on the events of this evening.
She unlocked her apartment door, spying Matty and Tom nestled together on the couch. Just looking at them made her feel ten pounds lighter.
“You guys have the right idea,” she said, yawning. She shut the door and promptly tossed her purse on the coffee table and kicked off her shoes.
Matty looked up briefly, then settled her head back on her paws as if Kat’s return didn’t affect her in the slightest. Tom, on the other hand, stood up and stretched before jumping off the sofa and padding over to meow his greeting.
“I missed you too, buddy,” Kat said, crouching down to reach him.
After giving Matty and Tom a few minutes of attention, Kat couldn’t keep her head up any longer. She changed into her pajamas and was almost ready to settle into bed when her cell phone rang.
Groaning, she trudged into the living room and fished her phone out of her purse. Some of her weariness faded when she saw Andrew’s name lighting up the caller ID.
She punched the button to answer and pressed the phone against her ear. “Hi.”
“Hey. Did I wake you?”
The sound of his voice caused her heart to beat a little faster. “No, I just got home.”
“Okay, good.”
Kat sat down on the sofa. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to apologize for missing so much of the dinner tonight. I didn’t want
you to feel abandoned.”
His words warmed her belly. “It’s okay. I know the circumstances were beyond your control.” Her mind started churning through the possibilities again. “Do you have any leads yet?”
“No. Nobody claims to have seen anything out of the ordinary, and nobody knows who might have wanted Heidi dead—other than Lucy Callahan.”
“You don’t think Lucy did it?” Kat asked.
“I’m keeping an open mind.”
Kat pressed her lips together. She didn’t miss how he hadn’t really answered her question. She didn’t know if that was because he thought Lucy was innocent or because he wasn’t at liberty to discuss the case details with a civilian.
Deciding not to push the issue, Kat said, “Did you know Heidi?”
“Yeah.” From the pain in Andrew’s voice, Kat gathered he also couldn’t fathom who would want to hurt her.
“This must be awful for Rebecca,” Kat said, her stomach clenching.
“No doubt.” He paused. “Look, do you mind if I stop by there on my way home? I’m too wound up to sleep, and you sound like you are too.”
Despite the melancholy air sparked by the topic of their conversation, Kat couldn’t prevent the surge of excitement generated by his words. “Sure.”
“See you soon.”
Kat dashed into the bedroom and exchanged her pajamas for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Although she wasn’t quite sure yet where her relationship with Andrew was headed, they were definitely not to the point where she could comfortably sit around in her nightclothes while chatting about a woman’s murder.
As soon as she reentered the living room, Matty and Tom began their nightly wrestling match. Kat found it amusing how they waited for her to return home before chasing each other around the apartment. At least, she presumed they waited for her. Given how they were both always completely conked out when she stepped through the front door, she didn’t figure they burned off much energy during her absences.
Matty had just locked Tom in a stronghold and was using her hind feet to kick at his head when the doorbell rang. Kat shot off the couch and practically threw the door open.