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And heÆd just decided to buy a bouquet of CharleneÆs favorite flowersùMister Lincoln Rosesùwhen he came upon his ma in the corridor. And as he approached, he could tell there was something seriously wrong with the woman. For she was smiling. Smiling like a maniac.

ôWhatÆs wrong?ö he asked immediately, his voice laced with earnest concern.

ôWrong? NothingÆs wrong,ö said Vesta, still smiling that serial killer rictus.

ôYour lips,ö said Alec. ôTheyÆre all twisted up.ö

ôWhat are you talking about! IÆm trying to be nice!ö

ôYou look like youÆre about to commit mass murder.ö

ôDonÆt be an idiot. You told me to be nice to people. Scarlett told me to be nice to people. And now that IÆm trying to be nice to people, you tell me I look like the Boston strangler! Well, thanks, Alec. Way to go.ö

He softened.ôBeing nice to people doesnÆt mean you have to grin like a lunatic, Ma. It just means you have to try toùö

ôPut myself in their shoes. Yah, I got the lecture from Scarlett, thank you very much. And IÆm trying, okay? In fact just now a woman called and said her husband fell down the stairs and I even congratulated her on a job well done.ö

ôYou did what?ö

ôI told her that I hoped she hadnÆt left any traces and that if she was careful she would probably get away with it. Us women have to look out for each other. If one of us shoves her husband down a flight of stairs because heÆs been treating her like dirt, itÆs important we show them the support and the respect they deserve.ö

He closed his eyes and slapped a hand to his weary brow.

And as they walked out together, she continued,ôI asked her to check for a pulse, and she said she couldnÆt find one, and that she thought heÆd broken his neck, so I told her good riddance and said IÆd buy her dinner. Now tell me again IÆm not being nice!ö

ôDear God, give me strength,ö he muttered.

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That night, as Alec and Charlene sat up in bed reading on their respective tablets, as they usually didùhe a crime scene report and she the minutes of the latest Chamber of Commerce meetingùshe suddenly lowered her tablet and took off her reading glasses.

ôI havenÆt thanked you for those flowers yet.ö

ôYouÆre welcome,ö he muttered.

ôOr the delicious dinner you cooked us.ö

ôThatÆs all right. No need to thank me.ö

She glanced over to her partner.ôAlec?ö

ôMh?ö

ôYouÆre not still upset with me, are you?ö

ôWhy would I be upset with you?ö

ôBecause I thought you were cheating on me?ö

This time he did look up, and gave her an inscrutable frown.ôI thought IÆd cleared that all up?ö

ôYou did, and IÆm glad you did, but the whole affair has left me wonderingàö

ôYes?ö

ôThereÆs something about me that you probably should now, darling.ö

He patiently waited until sheÆd elucidate, turning off his tablet.

ôAs you know, this isnÆt my first rodeo. And the person I was with at the timeùJimà Well, things between us didnÆt end well, letÆs just keep it at that. And itÆs made meà vulnerable, I guess you might say. Vulnerable and scared, maybe.ö She idly pulled at the strings of her nightie. ôSo when I saw your name appear on that list, I jumped to the conclusionàö

ôIÆm not Jim, Charlene,ö said Alec softly. And when she gazed up into his eyes, there was such gentleness there, and such understanding, that she felt her heart lurch.

ôI know,ö she said, placing a hand on his jowly cheek. ôAnd IÆm sorry for doubting you.ö

ôYou donÆt have to apologize. If I saw your name on that list, IÆd probably think the worst, too.ö

She pecked a tender kiss on his lips, and a warm glow spread through her chest. She was lucky to have met him, this rare specimen. And even though she still found it difficult sometimes to place her trust in him, it was getting a little easier every day, as she continued to chip away at the hard crust that had formed itself around her heart after the way Jim had treated her.

ôMy ma told me the most outrageous thing today,ö said Alec.

And as she settled in next to him, her head on his shoulder, she smiled and said,ôWhat did she do this time?ö AlecÆs mom was clearly certifiable, but the stories Alec told her about the old ladyÆs crazy antics never failed to make her laugh.

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The day dawned supreme, with a glorious sun peeping across the horizon the first chance she got, clearly as eager to start her new day as the rest of us. Though in all honesty just another hour of peace and quiet wouldnÆt have been unwelcome, if IÆm honest. Cat choir had been an exuberant affair, with Harriet proudly reclaiming her position as queen of Hampton Cove, next to whom everyone else paled in comparison, Jack had once again sung from the highest tree and declared his love for Harriet to all and sundry, and Brutus strutted his stuff safe in the knowledge all was well with the world.

Seeking a cuddle and some attention, I snuck up on Odelia, while Dooley snuck up on Chase. Patiently we both waited until our humans stirred, and I now mewled quietly to draw their attention, then proceeded to burrow my nose into OdeliaÆs armpit, even as Dooley burrowed his nose into ChaseÆs. And so for the next ten minutes we all lay, the two of us purring with pleasurable abandon, and Odelia and Chase waking up to greet a new day.

You may wonder why I donÆt shudder at the smell of an unwashed armpit, but I have to admit I rather enjoy a rank body cavity. I guess human smells affect us differently. What humans find abhorrent, we consider perfectly yummy, and what they find deliciousùthose artificial scents sold in a bottle or cans of aerosolizeddeodorantùwe find yucky.

Which just goes to show: excellence is in the nose of the beholder.

Odelia finally stirred and dislodged me.ôTime to get up, buddy,ö she said, then yawned and stretched.

ôYeah, time to get up, Dooley,ö said Chase, and inspected his chest for puncture wounds. I admit that in the heat of the moment we do sometimes forget to retract our clawsùcall it a small token of our appreciation.

And so we watched as first Chase then Odelia stumbled out of bed, still sleep drunk, and headed into the bathroom for that first all-important business of the day: getting rid of any access fluids that may have accrued in their bladders overnight.

ôDo you think today weÆll finally catch Valina FawnÆs murderer?ö asked Dooley.

ôLetÆs hope so,ö I said. ôThey are going to arrest Norwell Kulhanek, and if anyone can make that man break down itÆs Chase.ö

Just then, ChaseÆs phone rang out its pleasant ringtone, Ed SheeranÆs latest hit. He stepped out of the bathroom and hurried over. ôYello,ö he said with a frown. He then pressed a button and we could hear GranÆs voice ringing through the room loud and clear.

ôYeah, another dead body,ö said the old lady. ôThis one seems to have slipped on a wine bottle and gotten the thing firmly lodged in its neck. So I told the person who called it in that it was probably just an accident, but she insisted it was murder. You canÆt argue with these people, Chase. They all got murder on the brain for some reason. IÆm telling youùö

ôOkay, so whoÆs the dead guy?ö asked Chase, cutting the flow of words.

ôGuy called Norwell Kulhanek? Obviously an alcoholic, but what do I know. People keep telling me to be nice, and then when IÆm being nice, theyÆre still not happy. There really is no way of pleasing some people, is there? You know what the problem is? ItÆsùö

ôWhere was this?ö he asked curtly, ignoring GranÆs outburst.

She gave him the address, and before she could launch into another stream of vituperation, he thanked her and hung up.

Odelia, whoÆd followed the conversation leaning against the doorpost, now nodded and burst into action, just as Chase did. Moments later they were both showered and dressed and we were on our way downstairs.