“Quite frankly I never saw anyone,” said Tex, a little sheepish. “I saw movement, but that was probably just the window flapping, which was the reason the pot dropped down in the first place.”
“I don’t get it,” said Gran, shaking her head in frustration. “I was so sure there was a gang targeting us.”
“No gang. Just a bunch of freak accidents,” said Odelia.
“But stuff like that never happened to us before!” Gran insisted. “So why did it happen now?”
Odelia nor Marge had an answer to that.
“I think I know what happened,” said Dooley.
We were all seated on the porch swing, and we stared at Dooley.
“Why is that?” asked Harriet.
“Because the universe wanted to demonstrate just how well-protected the Pooles are. And what better way to do that than by engaging them in a series of near-fatal accidents?”
Those were some real words of wisdom, and coming from Dooley, too!
“Sounds plausible,” I said. “If you accept that there is a universe that’s wise and conscious.”
“Of course there is,” said Dooley. “Why else would it have placed us in this family, with such nice people? That can’t be a coincidence, can it?”
It was a tough proposition to ponder, and my head was already hurting.
“I don’t know about all of that,” said Brutus. “I’m just glad I ended up where I am.” He gave Harriet a tiny nudge, and she giggled.
“So am I,” she said.
The two love birds quickly tired of our company, and hopped off the porch to celebrate their newfound reconciliation in their favored rosebushes. The sinkhole had been filled up by Gran, and the bushes had been made cat-safe once more.
“There’s one thing that still puzzles me, though,” said Dooley.
“What’s that?”
“Why weren’t there any fingerprints on the knife Conway used to kill Dany?”
That was a question I could answer.“He wiped them off. Beforehe took off.”
“So it was a crime of passion?”
“It was. He didn’t plan to kill her. It just happened. And he couldn’t believe his luck that no one had seen him.”
“So why did he try to frame Wolf? Wasn’t he supposed to be his best friend?”
“He secretly hated Wolf for seducing Dany and playing fast and loose with her.”
“He did it all for love,” said Dooley with a sigh.
“He did it because he couldn’t accept that when a woman says No, she means No.”
Just then, Chase sat down on the porch next to us, leaned his arms on the back support and glanced the other way.“So what’s all this about a witness named Ringo, huh?”
He glanced in our direction, as we stared back at him, dubious.
“Do you think he understands us now?” asked Dooley.
“I’m not sure. Tell him something.”
“Hello, Chase!” Dooley said with emphasis. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Chase laughed.“I must be going crazy. Talking to a bunch of cats.”
“I don’t think he can understand us,” I said.
“No, I don’t think so either.”
“Oh, God,” said Chase, glancing up at the sky. “You know? I don’t know about you guys, but there’s something really funny going on with this family. The way all the women keep chatting with their cats, as if they can actually understand a word they’re saying. And how Odelia keeps dragging mysterious witnesses from her hat.” He shook his head. “If I put my detective’s cap on, I’d say she does actually… talk to you guys. Which, as we all know, is impossible.” He glanced over to us. This time we just stared at him, without uttering a word.
Was Chase onto Odelia’s secret? That wasn’t good. Or was it?
Chase laughed.“See? I’m doing it again. Talking to a bunch of dumb animals. Let me just make one thing perfectly clear.” He leaned in, and lowered his voice. “This family may be weird, but I love the hell out of them. All of them—even Odelia’s pain-in-the-ass Granny. And I know that you do, too. So let’s make a deal, all right? I’m going to promise to take good care of you guys, if you promise to take good care of Odelia. Deal?”
“Deal,” both Dooley and I said in unison.
I’d always liked Chase, and now I was liking him even more, if possible.
Chase stared at us.“Well, I’ll be damned,” he muttered. “You little dudescan talk.”
“Of course we can talk,” said Dooley. “What do you take us for? Dumb animals?”
“That’s exactly what he takes us for, Dooley,” I said. “He just said so.”
“I know, but he was probably kidding, right? Weren’t you kidding, Chase?”
But the cop was shaking his head.“Holy crap. This is some weird shit right there.”
“I resent being called weird shit,” I told him.
I liked Odelia’s boyfriend, but not if he was going to start calling us names.
“Okay. Let’s try this again,” he said. “Max.”
“Yes, Chase?”
“Can you understand me?”
“Of course I can understand you. Now ask me a real question.”
“Holy mackerel. You cats can hear me! And talk back at me!”
I gulped and turned to Dooley.“Did we just reveal Odelia’s big secret?”
“I think we did,” said Dooley, looking equally stricken.
Chase then pressed his index finger to his lips.“Let’s keep this between us for now, you guys.” He then got up, and muttered, “Holy moly. This is big. This is, like, huge.”
Holy moly was right, and so was huge. Huge trouble. For us!
11. PURRFECT BETRAYAL
Prologue
The taxi pulled up at the entrance and Camilla got out. The driver darted a curious glance at the gate and cocked an eyebrow in Camilla’s direction. “Are you sure about this, honey? Doesn’t look like they’re expecting you.”
He was right, Camilla thought. The gate was closed and the place looked less than inviting. But she’d always known her ex-husband was an eccentric, and it was just like him to invite her to some weird destination for their big reconciliation.
“No, I’ll be all right,” she said, suppressing a little giggle.
“I guess you know best,” said the driver dubiously.
As he drove off into the dark night, she suddenly felt giddy. Nervous, yes, but also excited about the prospect of finally seeing Jeb again. So much had happened in the past couple of months, but if Jeb’s texts were to be believed, he considered all of that just water under the bridge.
And she had to admit that when she got those texts, she’d been both surprised and relieved. Surprised that Jeb, after the things she’d accused him of, and the acrimonious battle in the divorce courts, wanted to meet. Relieved that he wasn’t holding a grudge, and knew she’d said all of those things simply to get his attention and to make him change his ways. And how else could she have done that than by dragging his name through the mud?
The important thing was that her plan had worked.
He’d finally realized he needed to make a change or lose her forever.
And now she was ready to throw herself into his arms and love him again.
She took a deep breath and stepped up to the gate. And as she did, it swung open with a little click and she directed a smile at the camera mounted on top. Jeb had been watching her. He’d anticipated her arrival as eagerly as she’d anticipated this fated reunion.
She straightened her shoulders, tugged at her silk Donna Karan blouse, and stepped through the gate.
As she did, the gate noiselessly closed behind her and she paused for a moment, getting her bearings.
A driveway led to a hulking mansion that rose up spookily in the distance, backlit by a rising moon. To her immediate left, a smaller brick structure was visible. Inside, the lights were blazing. She smiled. It was just like Jeb to organize their first meeting in months at a place like this. A gamekeeper’s lodge, probably, or a renovated custodian’s house. She knew why he wanted to meet her here and not at the manor. Nosy staff could spoil their reunion before it even started. Butlers and housekeepers and maids would spread the news, and even before Jeb had opened his arms to clasp her to his bosom, the whole world would know that the divorce of the decade was about to lead to the romance of the century.