by Diane Weiner
“Yes, I have her slotted in.”
“Good. She needs her rest before she makes her acting debut.”
Henry said, “Excuse me, but are you here for the national audition?”
“Sure am. Tiara beat out thousands of entrants to make it to the finals. She loves Feline Feast, especially the seafood au gratin. She’ll win this hands down.”
Emily had nearly forgotten Kurt’s comment about ‘the big day.’ She could see Maddy was all ears. “Excuse me, but when is the competition?”
“Friday, right before Labor Day weekend.” She looked at Max in Maddy’s arms. “Wait a minute. I know that cat. He was at the semi-finals in D.C. He was with a young lady, older than your daughter.”
“Yes, we have Max now,” said Emily.
“Did that animal hater boyfriend of hers get her to give him up or something? They were fighting the whole time we were waiting in the green room at the last audition.”
“Boyfriend?” said Emily.
“I’m assuming it was her boyfriend. He told her it was the cat or him. He was moving somewhere for his job, I think, and said he couldn’t bring a pet. Then she smacked him and told him she chose the cat. Made quite the scene, all that arguing. Tiara was scared out of her mind from the yelling. He was fuming mad. Said she was making a big mistake and stormed out. I’m surprised she wound up giving in and letting the poor kitty go.”
Emily said, “You didn’t catch his name, did you?”
“She called him Burt, or Bart. Can’t remember exactly.”
Henry said, “You said the audition took place in the D.C. area? Can you tell us when exactly it was?”
“That I can do.” She pulled a notepad from her oversized cat print purse, flipped through her day planner, and jotted down the information. “Take care of the fur baby. I hope I’ll see you at the audition.”
Henry paid the grooming bill and led the way back to the car.
“There’s out first lead,” said Emily. “We have to tell the detectives there was an angry boyfriend.”
“Not much to go on,” said Henry. “Burt or Bart or maybe something else? She’s staying at the inn, so the police can easily interview her.”
“They can also track down the Feline Feast company. Maybe whoever ran the audition overheard something.”
“I doubt it. The audition didn’t take place in the green room. Hey, I have another idea. There are two other cat owners staying at Coralee’s.”
Chapter 5
To Emily’s amazement, Max slept on Maddy’s lap for the entire car ride. There was no way Chester would have stayed put. He’d have been clawing the seats and trying to jump out a window.
“Chester will have a new friend,” said Maddy, as Emily unlocked the front door of their cabin. “Here Chester. We’re home.”
Chester jumped off the back of the sofa and confronted Max, back arched, tail down.
“I never heard him hiss like that,” said Maddy. Max jumped out of her arms, scratching her forearm as he pounced to freedom. Chester ran into the other room.
Emily followed and scooped up her cat. “I’ll put Chester in the bedroom.”
“What happened?” said Maddy. “My best friend in Chicago had three cats and they all got along.”
“They’re both spoiled and used to undivided attention. Chester’s been an only child for his whole life, and looks like Max got lots of one on one from Danielle. After all, she took the time to travel with him to the auditions and paid a groomer to bathe him. We’ve never taken Chester to a groomer and we are pretty devoted to him.”
Emily returned from the bedroom. “We’ll have to introduce them gradually. Maddy, why don’t you keep Max in your room for a while after he comes out of hiding, and I’ll give him one of Chester’s toys so he can get used to his scent. We’ll go buy Max a food bowl and his own litter box after dinner.”
By the time they sat down to dinner, Max had worked his way out from under the sofa and explored the downstairs. Henry tossed him the rolling cat toy he’d purchased. Emily had thrown together vegetable quesadillas and a salad. Maddy’s influence had turned her into a staunch vegetarian.
“If the two cats don’t get along, maybe we can convince Kurt to take Max,” said Emily. At the mention of Kurt’s name, they heard a knock.
“Speak of the devil,” said Henry. Kurt stood at the front door with Prancer. “Come on in.”
“So what happened with the cat? Did you pick it up?” Prancer growled and tugged at his leash.
“Yes,” said Emily, “but if he can’t get used to Chester, do you think you can take him?”
“You see how he’s reacting already. I told Henry he didn’t get along with cats. It would be dangerous. Prancer’s a sweetheart, but he hates cats.”
“First things first,” said Henry. “It may be just fine once he and Chester get used to each other. Turns out Max here was in town for the big cat commercial audition. That’s why Danielle LaPierre came here.”
Emily added, “We met another contender at the groomers. She said Danielle was fighting with her boyfriend. It could be our first lead.”
“Or this can,” said Kurt. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. “Prancer found this on the ground by the cabin. It smells of smoke. I’ll bet it was dropped by the killer.”
“Who still uses a handkerchief?” said Maddy.
“No one I know in this community. Unless it’s one of the new girls that bought Kiki and Buzz’s place. We haven’t met them yet,” said Emily.
“I’ll drop this off for the cops to handle,” said Kurt. “Good luck with the new kitty.”
After Kurt left, Emily cleared the table and checked her email while Maddy played with Max.
“Henry, look at this email from the new chair. She expects all faculty, even adjunct, to be in attendance all week to prepare for the upcoming semester. She cites some page and paragraph in the faculty code of conduct which, if you ask me, is open to interpretation. Oh my God, she had a time clock installed!”
“I know you enjoy teaching, but if you think working at St. Edwards is going to be more trouble than it’s worth, don’t do it. We were both supposed to be taking early retirement when we moved up here. And I know, I’m just as guilty. I didn’t intend to put in hours at the clinic and the emergency room once we moved, but I felt a calling. I get it.”
“I haven’t actually met her yet. Maybe she just comes across terribly in emails. Guess I’ll find out on Monday. Do you want to do brunch at Coralee’s tomorrow?”
“And happen to come across a certain group of cat owners?”
“You got it.”
Chester slept by Emily’s side all night long. She sincerely hoped he’d come to accept Max. After an uncomfortable night of trying not to move and disturb her cat, Emily woke up stiff and went for an early run. By the time she finished and showered, it was mid-morning.
“I’m hungry, are you ready to go?” asked Henry. He’d been working on the Sunday Sudoku.
“Did you talk to Maddy?”
“She wants to stay home with Max. I told her we’d bring back food.”
Emily threw a heavy sweater over her jeans and turtle neck. Her cheeks were still red from her earlier run. To her delight, the morning air hinted at winter, a prelude to the beginning of the school year. In the Jeep, she cracked the passenger side window open and felt the breeze blow through her hair.
When they pulled in front of the Outside Inn, a handful of guests, some wrapped in blankets, rocked in wooden Adirondack chairs, nursing mugs of coffee. An elderly couple sitting around a wooden coffee table worked on the puzzles from the Sunday paper. Coralee, wearing a sweat jacket open over her dress, mingled with her guests. When she saw Emily and Henry, she stepped down off the porch to greet them.
“Where’s Maddy?” Her eyes sparkled like blue-gray stars.
“Too worried about our new cat,” said Emily. “The murder victim was in town for the cat audition, like you said. To make a long story short, we t
ook in her cat and are hoping he and Chester will be able to coexist.”
“Poor thing. Do you think the murder had something to do with the audition? It’s very competitive, I hear. Lots of money at stake for the winner.”
Henry said, “We were hoping to chat with the other contenders. One of your guests met Danielle in the green room of a previous audition and heard her arguing with a boyfriend.”
“So now you’re taking the whole cat commercial thing seriously?” Coralee folded her arms across her chest as she spoke.
Henry cleared his throat. “I’m taking the murder seriously. One of them may be able to help.”
“Come on. I’ll find you a table.” Before Coralee could hand them the menus, the woman they’d met at the groomers came up behind them.
“Fancy meeting you here! How’s Max?”
“Maddy’s doting on him. Our own cat isn’t too happy.”
“You know each other?” said Coralee.
“Sort of,” said Emily. “We haven’t formally met.” She shook the woman’s hand. “I’m Emily Fox and this is my husband, Henry.”
“Sheila Thompson. Would you like to join us for brunch? The others are already in there.”
Not wanting to miss an opportunity to get more information regarding Danielle, Emily agreed. “We’d love to.”
Coralee led them through the crowded dining room to a round table in the corner where the others were seated. Half the town’s residents came out for Sunday brunch. When the tourists starting showing up to see the foliage, the line went clear out to the porch.
“Tell me you have blueberry French toast this morning,” said Henry. “Maddy doesn’t know what she’s missing.”
“Do you want some powdered sugar sprinkled on top?” said Coralee.
Henry glanced at his Fitbit and vowed to take an afternoon walk. “Of course.”
Sheila introduced him and Emily to the others.
“This is Winnie Cole, from Oklahoma City.” Winnie was younger than Sheila, wore no makeup, and had an edgy look about her.
“You know how they say pets resemble their owners? Look at those green eyes and silky hair. Trudy looks just like Winnie.” Sheila sipped her coffee. “And here’s our male representative, Pete Gaver.” Peter reminded Emily of her grandfather.
“Plenty of guys love cats, you know,” he said, “but they won’t admit it. Think it’s girly. Opt for big dogs instead.”
Emily immediately thought of Kurt with his black lab.
“If Pete’s cat Floyd wins the audition, just see how many guys change their minds,” said Winnie.
Sugary French toast, omelets oozing with ham, and a stack of silver dollar pancakes were brought to the table.
“This is the best French toast I’ve ever tasted,” said Sheila.
“It’s my hands down favorite,” said Henry. Between bites, he brought up Danielle. “Too bad about the fourth contestant. Our friend was renting his place out to Danielle LaPierre. He found the body.”
“How horrible. Danielle was a doll,” said Sheila. “I ran into her at three of the auditions and we chatted away. I still can’t get over what happened.”
“Her parents are away on a cruise. You mentioned a boyfriend.”
Sheila put down her fork. “If he was a friend, I’d hate to meet her enemies. Controlling jerk. She was going to leave him after this was all over.”
Henry said, “Do you know his name or where he lives?”
“He lived near Danielle in Falls Church. Worked for the government or something. I think he was an engineer. I remember his name now. Brody was what she called him.”
“I hate to ask, but do you think their problems were serious enough that he could have killed her?” Henry hoped he wasn’t being overtly blunt.
Sheila said, “He sure seemed to have a temper that time they argued back at the D.C. audition. I suppose he could have.”
Winnie excused herself from the table. Emily couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something off with Winnie. While the rest of the table truly looked sorry about Danielle’s death, Winnie’s jaw was firmly set and she didn’t chime in with nice comments about Danielle like the others did.
Emily said, “Is Winnie okay?”
“There was no love lost between her and Danielle,” said Sheila. “I got the feeling they knew each other before the whole commercial thing started. When Danielle came into a room, Winnie left. And vice versa.”
Emily and Henry finished every bite, then headed home to Maddy and the two cats. Full from brunch, they spent most of the afternoon curled up on the sofa watching Netflix. Maddy offered to cook dinner, creating a delicious tofu stir-fry. Emily worried that Maddy suffered from depression and was thrilled to see her energy surge since bringing home Max. Still, an incident with Maddy overdosing on sleeping pills after her mother died nagged at Emily.
She laid out her clothes for the next day and went to bed early, wondering if she should have in fact resigned her new position.
Chapter 6
Beams of morning sun shone through the slats in the kitchen blinds. Henry measured a cup of cornflakes and poured them into a bowl.
“I really wasn’t planning on going back to work full time this week,” said Emily, “let alone punching a time-clock. Is that insulting or what?” She poured herself a mug of coffee.
“Like I said, you don’t have to go,” said Henry. “You can stay home and devote yourself to finishing your next book.” He was beginning to feel like a broken record.
“If there was a next book. I’m at a loss. The first two went over so well, I’m afraid I won’t be able to live up to my reputation. Besides, I have no idea what to write about next.”
Henry poured more cereal and said, “It’ll come to you just like the last two ideas did. Just be patient. The harder you try, the less likely you are to relax and be inspired.”
Maddy, wearing her mother’s robe and cuddling Max in her arms, came into the kitchen. “Chester hissed at Max again.”
“Give it more time. Why don’t you leave your robe where Chester can pick up Max’s scent?” Emily glanced at the rooster clock. “I gotta go. All I need is to be late for our first department meeting.” She kissed Henry goodbye. She wanted to do the same with Maddy but was sure Maddy would pull away.
On the way to St. Edwards, Emily passed an empty yellow school bus practicing its route for next week. She considered what Henry said. She could stay home and write, maybe learn some new vegetarian recipes. She could even volunteer at Maddy’s school. On second thought, she didn’t want to smother Maddy. Best to be an achievement-oriented role model like Fiona was. She pulled in front of her three-story building, took a deep breath, and prepared to meet Mair Rose.
Nancy Patterson pulled into the space next to her. “Like the new purse I picked up at the Coach outlet? Half the normal price! Ready for the new semester?” Nancy looked polished in white linen pants with turquoise shoes that matched her blouse. She grabbed an armload of books from the back seat.
“I wasn’t ready to plunge in so soon, but yes, I’m looking forward to meeting my new students. I’ve been working on ideas for my crime writing class all summer.”
“That was a great idea. I’m glad our former boss was so supportive.”
“I miss Shera already.”
They went in the side door of the stone, castle-like building and Nancy followed Emily into her first floor office. Emily sniffed the musty room and cracked open the window.
“This pile of books is killing my arm!”
“Put them down on my desk. I’m glad all my resources are on-line.” She looked at her watch. “We have exactly five minutes to get to the meeting.”
On the way to the meeting, they stopped in the workroom and punched in with the newly installed time clock.
“Nance, this is utterly humiliating. I didn’t even punch a clock when I worked at McDonald’s when I was seventeen.”
Nancy nodded. “This is going to be a rough year. I feel it
already.”
When Emily and Nancy walked into the meeting, the other faculty members were already seated in folding chairs. Mair Rose’s gritty voice boomed through the stuffy conference room.
“This place is going to run like a well-oiled machine. I’ve instituted a number of changes which I’ve emailed to all of you. In your mailboxes, you’ll find revised syllabi and a calendar showing data submission deadlines.”
Emily whispered to Nancy, “What data?”
Mair glared at the two of them. “As I was saying, get on board or disembark. This ship’s sailing with or without you.”
Nancy whispered, “Do you see coffee anywhere? Shera always had coffee and pastries at meetings.”
Mair said, “The ground rules stated in the email specify professional conduct.” She was once again glaring in Nancy and Emily’s direction. Her jet black hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, accentuating her pasty, freckled skin. Her clothes were two sizes too small.
“How about professional dress?” whispered Emily. “The button across her chest is about to pop.”
After reading off a ten slide power point, the new chair finally said, “Meeting adjourned. Clock out for lunch. Thirty minutes max.” She strutted out of the room balanced on three inch heels.
After comparing notes with the others in the room, the forecast indicated a stormy, miserable year. Emily’s plan was to avoid her new boss as much as possible, knowing she could quit if it got too bad. At least she was still excited about the new crime writing class she’d be teaching. She and Nancy stopped at their mailboxes. Emily pulled out a stack of papers and flipped through them.
“What! She’s got to be kidding,” said Emily. “This revised syllabus isn’t the course I was supposed to teach. It’s basic writing, not crime writing.” Her stomach dropped to her feet.
Nancy looked over her shoulder. “It’s more basic than what you taught last year. I’m not happy either. Look at the red marks all over what I submitted.”
Emily went back to her office and tried to busy herself organizing her things. She didn’t know where Mair was coming from but she wasn’t anxious to be in her crosshairs.
