It is true, of course, that this human habit of inhaling smoke into their lungs is a very strange one. Then again, we all know that humans are among the weirdest species on the planet. I mean, who else thinks that watching cats paint is soothing? I certainly don’t. On the contrary, I think it’s a bad habit, probably up there with smoking and drinking. Can you imagine licking all of that paint from your paws? Paint not being part of the basic food groups it’s probably bad for your digestion. And possibly even the liver, but that’s Dooley’s area of expertise.
Just then, my thoughts were interrupted by Odelia’s phone belting out a pleasant tune.
“Laia?” asked Odelia, darting a glance to Laney, who frowned darkly at the mention of Jay’s fianc?e’s name. Odelia listened for a moment, then said, “I’ll be there in five.”
CHAPTER 19
[Êàðòèíêà: img_2]
We arrived at Jay and Laia’s apartment in a little more than the promised five minutes, but then I guess when humans say ‘I’ll be there in five,’ they don’t actually literally mean five minutes, more a ballpark figure.
Laia had obviously been crying, and Jay didn’t look his usual relaxed self either. Clearly something was seriously wrong, apart from the missing of a million-dollar necklace, of course.
“This arrived just now,” said Jay, and handed our human a piece of paper.
She read it carefully, frowning all the while, then let it slip from her fingers, so it landed on the floor directly in front of my nose. I quickly scanned its contents, before Odelia picked it up again, with a meaningful look at yours truly.
The letter had a lot of cut out and pasted letters on them, and the message read,‘I know what you did, and I’m going to the police unless you pay me ten thousand dollars. Wait for my instructions.’
“What instructions, Max?” asked Dooley, who’d read the letter as well.
“Probably instructions on how to deliver the money,” I said. Which is common practice in cases like these.
We’d been involved in other blackmailing cases, and it usually involved a hollowed-out tree where the money had to be dropped at the crack of dawn. I assumed a similar scenario would be outlined in the blackmailer’s next letter.
“I don’t get it,” said Odelia. “What is this person talking about? What did you do?”
Jay and Laia shared a quick glance, and Laia burst into tears afresh.
“I arranged for Laia’s necklace to be stolen,” Jay finally admitted, then dropped down onto his couch, unhappily staring before him.
“It wasn’t just you, Jay,” said Laia. “You have to tell Odelia the truth this time.” She turned to Odelia. “We came up with the plan together. We were going to arrange for the necklace to be stolen, then collect the insurance money, and then sell the necklace, or maybe even keep it, since it is an heirloom.”
“The insurance money alone would have netted us plenty of money to start our life together with,” Jay explained.
“So you asked your friend Dylon to do the honors, only something went wrong,” said Odelia.
Jay nodded.“We’d arranged with Dylon that we’d both be out, making sure we had a solid alibi by going to the cinema, where plenty of witnesses could testify that we were there. In the meantime Dylon would break in and steal the necklace. Only somehow he must have slipped and taken a tumble.”
“And the necklace?” asked Odelia.
Jay shrugged.“No idea. He was supposed to keep it until the whole thing with the insurance was settled, only the police insists he didn’t have the necklace on him, and now it’s gone.”
“They checked that drain just now,” said Laia, “and no luck. It’s not in there either.” She gave Odelia a hopeful look. “Did you talk to Laney?”
“I did, and she denies being involved. She did say that she thought Jay was involved somehow, since he and Dylon had been exchanging messages and phone calls so often these past couple of days. Even though you told me Jay hadn’t been in touch with Dylon in years.”
Laia looked deeply ashamed.“I know. I lied to you, Odelia, and I’m so, so sorry. I just didn’t want the police to find out that we were behind the breakin.”
“Or the insurance company,” Jay added, looking decidedly glum as he fingered the ratty growth on his chin.
“So who do you think this blackmailer could be?” asked Odelia.
“No idea.”
“Could it be the same person who is behind this whole stalker business?”
“Maybe,” Jay conceded. “Though how could they possibly know about Dylon?”
“Look, you really have to go to the police with this,” said Odelia.
“No, but we can’t,” said Laia.
“Yeah, that’s impossible,” her fianc? agreed.
“Can’t you handle this, Odelia?” asked Laia, almost pleading.
“I’m afraid it’s gone too far,” said our human. “Now that this blackmailer has joined the fray, the best thing would be to confess everything, and to let the police handle things from now on.” And when Laia gave her boyfriend a quizzical look, and the latter was shaking his head, she added, “Just think about it. I’m sure it’s for the best if you both come clean now. Before things get even worse.”
“How can they possibly get any worse?” asked Jay gloomily. “We’ve already hit rock bottom.” He gave Odelia a weak smile. “Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done for us, Mrs. Kingsley, but if we go to the police now we’ll both end up in prison, so I’m afraid what you’re suggesting is simply out of the question.”
And that, as they say, was that.
We took our leave, after Odelia had insisted one last time to think very carefully about what she’d said, and to do the right thing this time.
“Why doesn’t Odelia want to help this nice young couple, Max?” asked Dooley once we were back in the car and Odelia was talking on the phone with Chase, relaying to him what had just transpired.
“Because she can’t engage in any illegal activities,” I said. “Since aiding and abetting criminals would make her a criminal herself, and that would open her up to all kinds of trouble. And besides, Odelia is practically a cop, so she can’t possibly be instrumental in covering up a crime.”
“Still, it’s very sad for Laia and Jay,” said Dooley, who clearly had taken a liking to the couple, as had I, as a matter of fact. But that didn’t make me blind to the fact that they’d committed a crime, and probably should face the consequences.
Chase agreed to hold off on starting an official inquiry for now, giving the couple a chance to come clean, and then we drove back to the office, Odelia to finish up her article, and Dooley and I to take a well-deserved nap.
CHAPTER 20
[Êàðòèíêà: img_2]
That night we were all relaxing in the garden, taking in some of those final rays of sunshine before that big benevolent ball of fire in the sky called it a night. Our humans were all gathered around the garden table, discussing the case, and also enjoying a good deal of mild ribbing of Tex and his choice of undergarments, while we cats enjoyed a relaxing time on the lawn, always a nice proposition on account of the cooling properties grass seems to hold, especially after a hot day.
Night soon fell, and the human contingent moved indoors, while we relocated to the paved terrace, which holds warmth a long time after the sun has set, and returns it to those tender underbellies.
And we were just chatting amiably about this and that, as one does, when all of a sudden a masked figure streaked out from Odelia’s geraniums, snatched up Harriet, and took off with her!
The whole thing lasted all of two seconds, and before we could respond, Harriet was gone!
“Hey!” Brutus finally cried. “Come back here!”
But of course the masked marauder had no intention of returning to the scene of the crime, at least not so fast, and stayed gone. Instead, we all went in search of the man, and our friend, but by the time we arrived at the front lawn, where presumably he’d taken her, a car engine gunned and a sports car of some kind took off at great speed, presumably carrying both cat and snatcher with it!