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"He can't use the phone. Simon's notbright enough to figure it out,"Tucker said. "/don't mean to be ugly, but really, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed."

"He'll push buttons. He may not know what he's doing, but he'll get something going. He's pulled out the antenna."Pewter was loving this.

"Harry will cut off the service to the phone. Might take her a day to think of it, but she'll go get another phone and transfer the numbers. Of course, who knows? By that time maybe he will have made a call."Mrs. Murphy entered into the spirit of this.

"And when that music plays he'll throw the cell phone in the air, squeal, and run for his nest."Pewter laughed loudly.

The humans, not privy to the animals' conversation, had been talking about why anyone would kill, but especially someone like Arch, as it was hopeless. How could he dream of winning Harry back by harming Fair?

Of course, Arch didn't think she'd know he set Fair up.

"Finally, he snapped and figured if he couldn't have Harry, no one could have her." BoomBoom felt she'd settled the issue.

" 'Beloved, never avenge yourselves, butleave it to the wrath of God.'" Miranda quoted Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 19.

"The grapes of wrath!"Pewter piped up.

"Oh, Pewter."Mrs. Murphy wrinkled her nose.

"You're just jealous that you didn't think of it"Pewter again puffed out her fluffy chest."Sourpuss."

Dear Reader,

All this study of grapes interested me because birds come to grapes. But really, I would have rather written a book about cultivating catnip. Mother declared that would have limited application.

Maybe. Maybe not. I'm not giving up on my catnip idea. Sooner or later, I'll get my way. For one thing, I hid her favorite pair of socks. Small revenge, you say. Ha. Imelda Marcos has shoes. Mother has socks. For one thing they are more affordable than a closet full of shoes. So if she sees things my way, I will retrieve the socks.

On May 16, 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 that laws banning direct shipment of wine to consumers in other states is unconstitutional. Impromptu celebrations filled Virginia. I note here that a Virginian will use any excuse for a party; they are excessively convivial.

All's well here. Hope your life is full of mice, moles, voles, butterflies, and the occasional inattentive bird.

In Catitude,

Sneaky Pie

Dear Reader,

I just proofread the Cast of Characters and note that my coauthor rearranged things, citing the animals as the most important characters.

Her ego is in a gaseous state, ever-expanding. However, I must get up the second cutting of hay, since a thunderstorm seems more than likely this afternoon. It really is true, you make hay while the sun shines. There's no time to fix this and off it goes to my wonderful, wry editor, Danielle Perez.

If Sneaky's done anything else, I won't know about it until I receive the bound galleys. Too late then.

You know, it's hell to work with a cat. They really are smarter than we are. Have you ever gotten anyone to feed you, pay your bills, give you the best chair in the house, tell you how beautiful you are, and groom you daily? Me, neither.

Yours,

RITA MAE BROWN

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