“I'm glad Diego wasn't in on it—was he?” Harry's voice dropped.
“We don't think he was but his career will be tarnished by it. That's the way the world works.” Coop accepted a refill. “His government has already called him back to Uruguay. He'll have to testify at the trial.”
“Their families are old friends. I wonder what pressures will be brought to bear on Diego?” Harry sadly said.
“You know,” Coop mused, “Rick and I found the registration blanks and the title blanks. They were in Roger's files in his shop. We went over those files, so they had to have been moved there after we combed the shop. Funny thing, a monster rat, absolutely unafraid, watched us.”
“Bet we know what he called them,” Tucker laughed.
“Oh, Harry, I've got something for you.” Coop walked out the back door, returning with the pileated woodpecker, which she placed on the table. “Released from jail.”
“Isn't he beautiful.” Harry admired Don's work.
“And so big.” Miranda had never seen a woodpecker up this close. “I'd stay on the good side of him.”
“I can't wait until she takes him home. I am going to shred him. It's my woodpecker. Feathers everywhere,” Pewter promised.
“You wouldn't.” Mrs. Murphy tilted up her head.
“Just wait and see.” The gray cat puffed out her chest, laughing.
Dear Reader,
My big news is I've found three fox dens, two reds and one gray. I watch from a distance. Foxes and cats are natural enemies since we compete for the same game. However, there are enough field mice this year to keep us all busy.
Oh, I've seen more hawks, falcons, and raptors than I can ever remember. And green herons as well as the big blues. Birds make me cackle, I can't help it.
Thank you again for the photographs you send me. Even horses send their photos.
It's been a good time on the farm. The hay crop was really good. Next year comes the timber harvest, all things being equal. Mom still can't afford to build a new bridge but she did patch up the old one. John Morris and Robert Steppe used the big tractor and did a pretty darn good job with Dana Flaherty directing all. Really fixing the bridge is about a $15,000 task but we all did our patch job for $1,700 worth of stone.
Part of the roof blew off in high winds. That hurt. Poor Mom. She was able to fix up the roof but she still doesn't have the money to repair the inside of the house and it does look pretty awful.
But we all have each other. We're all healthy. The fences are strong. The cattle are fat and the horses are so happy, they're silly.
Farming is a hard life if your goal is to be wealthy but I agree with Mom and Harry, it's the only life for us. When the sun rises and the Blue Ridge Mountains turn scarlet, the roosters wake up, the horses, too, and I can smell the earth, oh, I tell you, this is as close to paradise as a kitty can get. Sometimes, I climb into the big wisteria twining on the front entranceway to the house. The leaves flutter over my head, the praying mantises are everywhere, birds dart in, and sometimes they don't even know I'm there! It's the best of the best and I hope you are having half as much fun in this life as I am.
Yours in catitude,
Sneaky Pie
About the Authors
Rita Mae Brown is the bestselling author of several books. An Emmy-nominated screenwriter and a poet, she lives in Afton, Virginia.
Sneaky Pie Brown, a tiger cat born somewhere in Albemarle County, Virginia, was discovered by Rita Mae Brown at her local SPCA. They have collaborated on nine previous Mrs. Murphy mysteries: Wish You Were Here; Rest in Pieces; Murder at Monticello; Pay Dirt; Murder, She Meowed; Murder on the Prowl; Cat on the Scent; Pawing Through the Past; and Claws and Effect, plus Sneaky Pie's Cookbook for Mystery Lovers.
BOOKS BY RITA MAE BROWN
& SNEAKY PIE BROWN
Wish You Were Here
Rest in Pieces
Murder at Monticello
Pay Dirt
Murder, She Meowed
Murder on the Prowl
Cat on the Scent
Sneaky Pie's Cookbook for Mystery Lovers
Pawing Through the Past
Claws and Effect
Catch as Cat Can
BOOKS BY RITA MAE BROWN
The Hand That Cradles the Rock
Songs to a Handsome Woman
The Plain Brown Rapper
Rubyfruit Jungle
In Her Day
Six of One
Southern Discomfort
Sudden Death
High Hearts
Starting from Scratch: A Different Kind of Writers' Manual
Bingo
Venus Envy
Dolley: A Novel of Dolley Madison in Love and War
Riding Shotgun
Rita Wilclass="underline" Memoir of a Literary Rabble-Rouser
Loose Lips
Outfoxed
Alma Mater
Hotspur
PRAISE FOR THE MRS. MURPHY SERIES
CATCH AS CAT CAN
“This latest is as good as its predecessors . . . thoroughly enjoyable.” —Winston-Salem Journal
“Light, fun, and quite possibly addictive to fans of the cozy mystery, especially to those who believe in the high intelligence of our four-footed friends. And who among pet owners does not?” —Romance Reviews Today
“Brown's proven brand of murder and mayhem played out against a background of Virginia gentility and idealized animals is once again up to scratch.” —Publishers Weekly
“Any new Mrs. Murphy is a joyful reading experience, and Catch as Cat Can is no exception. . . . An adult mystery that appeals to the child in all of us.” —The Midwest Book Review
“The[se] mysteries continue to be a true treat.” —The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC
“An entertaining read in a fun series.” —Mystery News
CLAWS AND EFFECT
“Mrs. Murphy, the incomparable feline sleuth with attitude, returns to captivate readers. . . . An intriguing and well-executed mystery . . . Grateful fans will relish this charming addition by a master of the cozy cat genre.” —Publishers Weekly
“Reading a Mrs. Murphy mystery is like eating a potato chip. You always go back for more. . . . Whimsical and enchanting . . . The latest expert tale from a deserving bestselling series.” —The Midwest Book Review
“As charming as ever.” —The Tennessean
“With intricate plot twists that will keep readers guessing right up until the end, Claws and Effect once again blends murder and mayhem with animal antics.” —Pet Life
“Fans old and new will enjoy this witty and suspenseful installment.” —Cats & Kittens