When she came back to the table with a little number on a stand, Carly was meticulously folding the paper straw cover into a tiny accordion shape.
“Ok, back to the murder. You said it was scary. What else?”
“The night started out pretty normal. Brett picked me up and we went to Nero’s. At dinner, it was immediately obvious that we weren’t going to be a good match. You know how with some people it’s easy to talk and just have a fun, free-flowing conversation?”
Carly nodded.
“It was not that way with him. Like, he was just weird. Distracted. At first I thought he wasn’t into the blind date thing either, and it was just normal awkward incompatibility. Which… fine, you know?”
“Yeah, yeah, sure.”
A teenager in a paper hat came to their table with a tray full of regular fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings. “Number 12?” he said.
“That’s us, thanks.”
He set the tray on the table and took the number. “Enjoy.”
Carly eyed the food with a delighted expression, looking back and forth between the three options before settling on taking a sweet potato fry first.
Mouth full, she said, “Ok, weird and distracted. Go on.”
“Well, then it got weirder. He kept talking about my mom.”
“No! On your date?”
“I was ready to get out of there at that point. But I was looking forward to eating the spaghettini with lemon, so I figured I could stick it out.”
“Oooh, Nero’s spaghettini with lemon is really good.”
“I went to the ladies’ room and I had a voicemail from Mo, and—”
“Oh, you call him Mo now?”
“That comes later. The voicemail said I could exonerate myself with the video footage from the kitten cam he’d installed in the carriage house at the Folly.”
“Kitten cam?”
Lisa ate an onion ring and explained about the camera installed to monitor the pregnant but skittish mama cat.
“How is the mama cat doing?” Carly asked, switching to the onion rings herself.
“She’s good. I don’t know what she’ll think about coming home to Penny’s house instead of the Folly, but…” Lisa shrugged.
“I’m sure Mo can help you with that.”
Lisa smiled at the thought of the cute veterinarian with his kind brown eyes and gentle way with animals. “Yeah.”
She ate a couple more onion rings before continuing. “You know what the strangest part was?”
“Stranger than going on a date with a murderer who was weirdly obsessed with his boss who happens to be your mother?”
“Ok, that’s pretty strange. But no. The strangest part was how even when I thought I was going to die, when I was hiding from Brett and having a claustrophobic panic attack, a tiny part of my mind was still happy just to be inside the Folly. Is that nuts or what?”
Carly shrugged. “Some people imprint on a person and never get over that person. You imprinted on a building. Who’s to say what’s nuts or not?”
Lisa took a bite of French fry and then nearly choked when she saw who walked through the front door of Lola’s. She bent down and hid her face with her hand.
“What are you doing?” Carly said.
“It’s her,” Lisa hissed.
“Who?” Carly turned around and craned her neck to see who Lisa was talking about.
“Stop that! It’s the crazy lady, the widow of Roland or Robert or whatever his actual name was, the one who almost ran me over and screamed at me in the street.”
“Oh!” Carly’s voice went down to a stage whisper, “The one you followed to an AA meeting?”
“Shh!”
It was too late. Mrs. Robert had seen Lisa. She marched across the restaurant to stand in front of their booth. Lisa scooted a little farther toward the window, thinking that sitting in a booth rather than at a table had been a mistake, since it cut off potential escape routes.
The woman stood with her hands on her hips, looking at them until Lisa sat up in her seat and stared back.
“You’re the one who figured out who killed my Robert,” she said, still pronouncing it Roe-Bare.
“Yeah.”
The woman slumped a little and took a deep breath. “I suppose I should thank you. He was not an easy man to love, but he didn’t deserve to go that way.”
“No, he didn’t,” Lisa said.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Carly chimed in.
“And I understand that I was mistaken about the idea of him having an affair with you. According to the police, he was seeing you strictly in a business capacity.”
Lisa nodded, speechless. A business capacity? If you called duping someone out of their life savings in a real estate scam a business, then she supposed that was accurate.
“Right, business. Nothing personal,” Lisa said.
“I see.” The woman thought for a moment and then extended her hand. “You may call me Edith.”
“And I’m Lisa.”
They shook hands.
“I see,” Edith said again. “Thank you for finding his killer. Good day.”
Edith turned stiffly and walked a few paces away, then stopped. She turned back to them.
“You may be wondering about his funeral,” she said.
“Oh, um…” Lisa was at a loss for words. Go to the funeral of the man who stole her money and wrecked her dream?
“Once the police have finished their work, I will be sending his remains back home to Kansas to be interred at the family cemetery. I’m afraid the service will be private. Family only. I’m sorry.”
Lisa nodded vigorously. “I understand. Thank you for telling me.”
Carly and Lisa stared at each other, wide-eyed, as Edith walked back to the counter to order her meal.
“Did that just happen,” Carly whispered, “or am I having some kind of pregnant lady hallucination?”
“I’m pretty sure it did. We were just disinvited from the conman’s funeral by his crazy wife. Taking place in Kansas. I guess we don’t have to clear our calendars.” She mimicked wiping sweat off her brow.
Chapter 33
A month later Lisa bundled the kittens into little carriers to bring them to the vet’s office.
“Oh, don’t give me that look, Curly. Every kitten has to go to the vet sooner or later.”
“Mew.”
She grabbed her keys, beeped the car unlocked, and opened the front door.
“Oh! Sorry about that,” she said as the outer door nearly smacked into the mailman.
“Heh, I’m used to it,” he said. “Looks like you’ve got some good stuff today.”
He handed her the bundle of mail, which included three postcards, and gave a little wave before heading on to the next house.
She hoisted the first kitten carrier and took it to the car, depositing the postcards on the front seat and then bringing the other mail back into the house to look through later.
The three kittens protested in a chorus of high-pitched mews as she drove them to Moss Creek Veterinary.
On arrival, Mo came out to kiss Lisa and help carry the kittens. She blushed bright red as they each took a carrier into the office and she saw that Shelby was there. Mo went back outside to retrieve his namesake in the third carrier.
Shelby gave Lisa an approving smile. “You do him good, you know that?” the older woman said.
Lisa didn’t know what to say. The relationship was still new enough that just having people mention it felt surprising and risky, as though by talking about it they could cause it to vanish in a puff of smoke.
“Uh, thanks,” she finally stammered.
Mo brought in the third carrier, and they took all three kittens into the exam room where he carefully checked each kitten’s vitals.
“They are looking good. Healthy and strong, ready to be altered.”
“I can’t believe how much bigger they’ve gotten in just a month.”
He laughed. “Kittens w
ill do that.”
She smiled and scratched Larry behind the ear, making him purr.
“Ok, time to get this little guy prepped. Shelby, can I leave you to it?”
“Of course.”
Mo and Lisa picked up the other two kittens and went out to the front of the office while Shelby got to work. With no one else in the lobby, they let the kittens play on the floor. Mo dangled a string for them to chase.
“I got a postcard from my mother today,” Lisa said. “Three, actually.”
“She really is something else on the postcard front.”
“You have no idea. But check this out.” She held up a postcard with a view of the Honolulu skyline at night.
She read the postcard aloud: “Dear Lisa, you can expect me home before Halloween. Buy candy for trick-or-treaters. Animatronic spider in top shelf of utility closet. Love, Mom.”
“That’s coming right up,” Mo said. “Good. It’ll be nice to get to know my girlfriend’s mother.”
Lisa blushed. “Did you just call me your girlfriend?”
He smiled and took her hand. “I think I did. Is that ok?”
“It’s better than ok.”
Curly pounced on their entwined hands, batting wildly at their fingers with his little paws. They laughed and went back to playing with the kittens.
*
Three days before Halloween, Penny arrived back in Moss Creek. The next morning, she reopened the real estate office. She pressed Lisa into service as a part-time assistant and receptionist in the afternoon, as Tess had found another job while Penny was away.
“Baldwin-Chance Mountain Realty. Lisa speaking. Yes, she is taking new clients. Would you like to make an appointment? Oh, you’d prefer to walk in. Yes, would you like the office hours? Ok, ok. Have a good day.”
Penny walked out of her office and raised her eyebrows at Lisa curiously.
“She didn’t want to give her name or make an appointment; just said she would stop by when she had time,” Lisa said.
Penny sighed. “I do wish people would consider a real estate agent’s time to be more valuable than that. But that’s the business.”
She moved to go back into her office, but Lisa spoke up first. “Mom, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“Oh?”
“I might have told Mo that we could hold a kitten adoption event here.”
“You told him what?”
“And he might be pulling up outside with the kittens right now.”
“Lisa…” She looked at her daughter’s face and relented. “Did you at least make a sign or something for outside? Did you advertise? How will people know about this kitten event?”
Mo opened the door and walked in with a kitten carrier. “Oh, hello, Ms. Baldwin-Chance. Thank you for letting us hold the event here. That’s very generous of you.”
“Please, everyone calls me Penny. Is there anything I can do to help you get set up?”
“We’ve got it covered, but thanks.”
He dropped off the carrier and went back out for another. Lisa followed him.
“Do you know that I only just asked her about this?” she whispered in his ear.
He laughed. “You like to live dangerously.”
“Not really.”
They got everything set up and put a sandwich-board sign on the sidewalk facing the town square. In addition to Curly, Moe, and Larry, they had a litter of three orange tabbies and a single calico kitten.
“Seven cats. Is that lucky?” Lisa said.
“It must be,” Mo said, planting a kiss on her nose.
A jingling bell interrupted them as someone walked in the front door. Lisa stiffened when she saw it was Claire Comstock.
Chapter 34
Claire strode in imperiously. “I’m here to see Penny Baldwin-Chance,” she announced.
“Do you have an appointment?” Lisa said, scrambling back behind the reception desk to look at the calendar.
“No. I called earlier and told someone I would come in when I had time. And I had time.” Claire peered at Lisa for a moment, then pointed a long nail at her. “I remember you. You’re the trespasser.”
Lisa stood up and offered her hand. “Lisa Chance. Nice to meet you,” she said, trying to offer a polite smile.
Claire clicked her fingernails together. “I understand you also caught the man who committed a murder on my family property.”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“That was well done.” She took Lisa’s hand in a brief handshake.
A high-pitched mew came from the fenced area behind the desk. Claire looked startled.
“Is there a cat in here?” she said.
“Actually, there are seven cats in here,” Lisa explained. “We’re holding a kitten adoption event this afternoon. Are you a cat lover?”
Claire’s face softened and she got a faraway look in her eye. “I had a cat growing up. It was a Hemingway cat. Not,” she said, fixing Lisa with a look, “just a polydactyl cat, which are colloquially referred to as Hemingway cats, but an actual cat descended from Hemingway’s own cats in his Key West home. Grandmother was acquainted with the Hemingways and visited them in Key West. She brought home a kitten. My cat was descended from that kitten. Such a dear little thing, black and white, with those little paws that looked like mittens.”
“I don’t believe it,” Lisa said.
“Are you questioning me?” Claire said, drawing herself up.
“No, no! I mean, I don’t believe the coincidence. Three of the kittens we need to find homes for are black and white polydactyl kittens that were born near your property. Would you like to meet them?”
Without waiting for a response, Lisa reached into the kitten pen and scooped up Curly, presenting his adorable face to Claire.
Claire gasped. “It can’t be! Mittens?” She reached for him, gently cradling him when Lisa handed him over. She looked up at Lisa with incredulity all over her face. “This is the reincarnation of my cat. The markings are identical. That little mustache? Absolutely identical.”
Curly purred at Claire, leaning into her hand to encourage her to pet him.
“I simply must have this cat. Has he been adopted yet? Is he available?”
Lisa smiled. “He is available. I fostered him and his brothers, and he is a sweetheart. I can get you the paperwork for the adoption, if you like.”
Claire smiled at Lisa. “Yes, dear, yes, please.” She snuggled Curly up to her face and closed her eyes.
“Oh, I almost forgot. You said you were here to see Penny Baldwin-Chance. Would you like me to get her for you?”
Claire nodded. Lisa went to her mother’s office to fetch her while Mo arranged the adoption paperwork on the desk for Claire to fill out. She was just signing on the dotted line when Penny walked into the lobby and held out her hand.
“Hello, I’m Penny Baldwin-Chance. Welcome. And please call me Penny.”
“Claire Comstock. I have two real estate transactions I would like help with.” She held Curly in her left hand and gave Penny a firm handshake with her right.
“Excellent. Would you like to come into my office to discuss them?”
They disappeared into Penny’s office with Curly.
Lisa and Mo exchanged glances.
“Did you hear that? These kittens are descended from Hemingway’s actual Key West polydactyl cats!” Lisa said.
“Supposedly,” Mo cautioned.
“Supposedly, supposedly. You’re no fun,” she teased.
“Polydactylism is a fairly common mutation in cats.”
“Say what you like. I believe. Oh! Hold down the fort for me here for a minute. I have to run next door.” Before he could say no, she slipped out the front door and went to Olivia’s art gallery.
“Aunt Olivia, you’ll never believe this!”
“What is it, dear?” Olivia said, floating over to give Lisa a hug.
“Some of the kittens we have available to adopt? Are Hemingway cats. Real ones. Descende
d from the actual Hemingway’s actual cats in the actual Key West.”
“How on earth could a cat get from Key West to Moss Creek, Arizona?” Olivia said.
“A jet-setting grandmother, of course. Not the kittens’ grandmother, Claire Comstock’s grandmother,” Lisa said.
Olivia nodded sagely. “Oh, yes, I see. The Comstocks were the local jet-set before there were jets, when you had to take a prop plane to get anywhere.”
“So what do you say? You want to come over and meet the kittens we’re trying to adopt out?”
“Oh, honey, you know that if I do I’ll have to adopt one,” Olivia protested.
“Yes. That’s the actual point of an adoption event. Come on, you know you want to.” Lisa looked at the painting Olivia had been working on, of a little girl in a pink pinafore with the head of a cat. “Think of the inspiration.”
Olivia threw her hands up, sending in motion a cascading wave of beaded fringe on her sleeves. “I give up. Lead me to the furry little temptations.”
Lisa pointed at the espresso machine. “Why don’t we make some coffees to take over? I don’t know if you and Mom have seen each other since she got back, but some fresh coffee couldn’t hurt, right?”
“I haven’t seen her yet,” Olivia said. “And Lisa, I just wanted to apologize for putting you in the middle of things with me and Penny and Lou.”
Lisa nodded. “I know. And it has been a bit awkward. I’ve been thinking about things, and I really appreciate you being willing to go into business with me, but I don’t know. I mean… When I find a location for the coffee shop, I think I want to go it alone.”
“I see.” Olivia paused. “Does this mean the police have recovered your money?”
“No, they said it looks like the money is just gone.”
“Let’s go see those kittens,” Olivia said, putting on a brave face.
They went back to the real estate office. A family with a little girl holding a kitten carrier passed them on the way in.
Mo grinned. “This location is great!”
“That’s the real estate motto: location, location, location,” Lisa said.
Olivia leaned down to admire the kittens, cooing softly at them.
Penny’s office door opened, and Claire emerged. She and Penny shook hands warmly.
Last Chance for Murder (Lisa Chance Cozy Mysteries Book 1) Page 19
