Kitty Cats and Crime
Page 12
“Why don’t you give yourself up now?” Lauren asked as gently as she could.
“Yeah,” Zoe seemed to copy Lauren’s tone, although it wasn’t quite as soft. “I’m sure the police will understand – Jason was a piece of work.”
“He was my friend.” Scott glared at her. “Until – until—”
“We understand.” Lauren made her voice as soothing as possible.
“Why don’t we go into the café and make you an awesome latte?” Zoe proposed. “We’ll even put a peacock on top of it.”
“You girls are good. No wonder you have so many customers. But it’s too late. I can’t let you two –” he glanced at Annie “—three – go. I’m in too deep now.”
“Where are we driving to?” Lauren asked.
“Somewhere deserted,” he replied. “Unfortunately, there isn’t another tire wrench and I don’t have a gun, so I’ll just have to strangle you with my bare hands. I’ll make sure the cat doesn’t see me do it.”
Lauren shared a stricken glance with Zoe – eek!
“Purrr. Purrr. Purrr.” Annie growled the sound, her fur rising.
“Why is your cat making that noise?” Scott frowned at Annie.
“Because she’s scared,” Lauren stroked Annie, who was still in her arms.
“Yeah. She’s just heard you say you’re going to kill us,” Zoe said indignantly. “How do you think she’s going to react?”
“The sooner this is over the better.” He pointed at Lauren. “Get in the driver’s seat.”
“Why can’t I drive?” Zoe asked. “Annie likes being held by Lauren. How is she going to drive while holding Annie?”
“Okay.” Scott furrowed his brow. “But this better not be a trick.” He pointed at Zoe. “You drive. Can you drive a stick?”
“Can I drive a stick?” Zoe’s eyebrow raised in disbelief. “Who do you think you’re talking to? Of course I can drive a stick.”
“Good,” Scott said in obvious relief. He unbuckled his belt and wrapped it around his wrist, pulling one end out with his other hand and stretching it tight. “No funny business or else.” He held up the belt in a menacing fashion.
Lauren sucked in a breath. Her heart hammering, she slid into the passenger seat. She hoped Zoe had a plan. Or Annie. She glanced at the passenger door. It was the only thing she could think of. It didn’t appear to be locked. She didn’t have her phone on her, so she couldn’t surreptitiously call Mitch – if Scott’s eagle gaze left her alone for a couple of seconds.
Zoe tapped her arm. “Here we go,” she whispered. Her gaze cut to the shift stick, then Lauren’s door, then her own door.
Lauren gave the slightest nod.
“Hurry up!” Scott barked.
Zoe turned on the ignition. Chug chug, grr grr.
“You’d better buckle up,” Scott ordered. “I don’t want to get pulled over because you’re not obeying the road rules.”
“Okay,” Zoe said. “I’m putting my seatbelt on right now.” But instead of reaching for it, she quickly clunked the gear, causing the truck to lurch forward.
“Now!” Zoe shouted, opening the driver’s door.
Lauren opened her own door, jumping out while holding Annie. Maybe she didn’t need to investigate fitness classes after all. She flew toward the cottage, Zoe right beside her.
“Brrt!” Hurry!
“Come back!” Scott pounded after them.
Zoe wrenched open the front door of the cottage. Lauren hadn’t locked it since she thought she would only be in the truck for a minute.
Lauren placed Annie on the ground. “Call Mitch,” she urged.
“Brrt!” Annie raced to the living room, where Lauren had left her phone the night before.
Lauren helped Zoe bolt the door. They dragged a side table over to barricade themselves in.
“Is the back door locked?” Lauren asked her cousin.
“I’ll check!” Zoe ran to the other end of the house. “Yes!” she called.
“Brrt, brrt,” Lauren heard Annie say in a loud voice.
Furious pounding on the front door made her jump.
“I know you’re in there,” Scott’s voice boomed. “You can’t get away from me!”
“Annie?” Lauren heard Mitch’s voice crackle from the living room. “What’s wrong?”
“Brrt, brrt, brrt!” Annie said urgently.
“Mitch!” Lauren ran into the living room, grabbed the phone from the coffee table, and threw Annie a grateful look. “We need the police right now. Scott’s the killer and he’s—”
“He’s at the back door now!” Zoe shouted from the kitchen.
“I’m on my way! Stay on the line,” Mitch ordered.
“Okay.”
Lauren and Annie joined Zoe in the kitchen. Scott pounded on the back door.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“Quick! Let’s drag the table over to the door.” Lauren pulled at the heavy pine kitchen table.
Zoe joined her and they managed to shove it against the back of the door.
Zoe picked up the clay ashtray and dumped the house keys out of it.
“What are you doing?” Lauren asked.
“Scott’s going to be sorry he threatened to kill us.” A militant gleam appeared in Zoe’s brown eyes. She hefted the piece of pottery, and walked to the window closest to the back door.
“Zoe!” Lauren’s eyes widened. “What if you maim him?”
“He’s trying to kill us, so fair’s fair.”
“You won’t get away from me!” Scott’s menacing voice sounded from the back door.
“Purrr. Purrr. Purrr.” Annie growled the sound, her fur rising as she stood next to Lauren, her gaze focused on the back door.
“Oh, yeah?” Zoe opened the window by a couple of inches.
“The police are on their way,” Lauren shouted.
“They won’t get here fast enough.” Scott banged on the back door.
“But this will!” Zoe threw the ashtray out of the window.
There was a thud.
“Ow!” A scream of pain. “You got me!”
“This is the second time my ashtray came in handy,” Zoe said with satisfaction, turning to Lauren. She shut the window with a little bang.
“Ow,” Scott whimpered from outside. “That really hurt.”
“I’ve got another one,” Zoe threatened in a loud voice. “If you don’t leave right now, I’ll aim the second one at your head!”
Sirens blared.
“Thank goodness.” Relief swept through Lauren.
Mitch appeared at the back window. Lauren watched with admiration as he efficiently cuffed Scott and read him his rights. Two uniformed officers joined him and marched Scott around the corner of the yard.
“It’s safe to unlock the door,” Mitch told them.
Lauren turned the key with a click and let him in.
“Brrt!” Annie stood up straight and proud, waving her plumy tail at him.
“Thank you for calling me, Annie,” Mitch said gravely. “It was very clever of you.”
“Brrt.” Thank you.
Lauren rushed into his arms for a brief second.
“Are you okay?” He scanned her expression.
“I’m fine,” she replied a little shakily.
“I can’t believe I just talked to a cat like that.” Mitch passed a hand over his face. “And on the phone.”
“Not just any cat,” Lauren reminded him with a little smile.
“No,” he agreed. Turning to Zoe, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Zoe told him breezily. “My aim was pretty good, don’t you think? Where did I hit him?”
“In the chest,” Mitch said. “If the department ever has a baseball team, I’ll ask them if you can play.”
“Deal.” Zoe grinned at him.
“What about the second ashtray you threatened Scott with?” Lauren asked her cousin. “I’ve never seen it.”
“That was the first one I made in pottery
class,” Zoe explained. “It looked so horrible I didn’t show it to anyone and hid it in my closet. It’s a shame it didn’t come in handy today. Maybe I can use it next time.”
“Hopefully there won’t be a next time,” Lauren said with feeling.
“Brrt!”
EPILOGUE
Scott confessed to Jason’s murder. Mitch informed them the next day that Scott had begged the police to keep him safe from Zoe.
“Ha!” Zoe grinned. “It looks like I won’t be treating on my next date with Chris, since I was right about Scott.”
“I’m sure you’ll remind him about it,” Mitch said drily.
“You bet!”
“What will happen to Scott now?” Lauren asked. They were all seated at a rear table in the café, twenty minutes before they were due to open.
“He’ll be in prison for a while,” Mitch replied.
“I feel sorry for his parents,” Lauren said.
“Yeah.” Zoe sobered. “Particularly his mom.”
“What about the money they won in the lottery?” Lauren asked. “Will Scott get his share from Jason’s estate?”
“It sounds like his mom could do with the money, especially if she’s sick again,” Zoe said.
“Did Scott tell you that Jason borrowed money from his mom just before they won the lottery? He hadn’t paid her back before – you know,” Lauren told Mitch.
“I’ll look into it,” Mitch promised.
“Brrt.” Good.
Zoe’s phone rang. She dug it out of her jeans’ pocket and looked at the screen.
“It’s Chris.” She smiled.
“Do you want to take it?” Lauren asked.
“Yes.” Zoe excused herself, scraping her chair back, and walked over to the other side of the room, talking into the device cheerfully.
“Still up for dinner tonight?” Mitch asked Lauren.
She’d completely forgotten their plans after the events of yesterday.
“Yes,” she replied softly.
“I’m sorry you can’t come with us, Annie.” Mitch spoke to the silver-gray tabby, sitting at the table with them. “They don’t allow cats.” He paused. “Maybe another time?”
“Brrt! I’ll hold you to that!
The End
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