by Jinty James
“I couldn’t resist,” Zoe murmured. “I’m sure a little kitten would be good for Mrs. Snuggle. She’s used to having her own kittens, after all. Maybe having a baby to look after will mellow her.”
“And maybe it won’t,” Lauren replied. “As far as we know she’s already had several litters with her former owner and ...”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want Mrs. Snuggle Face Furry Frost to be my Mom. You and Father Mike are right,” Zoe admitted.
Father Mike returned to pick up his latte. “They’re cute little things, aren’t they?”
“Definitely,” Lauren agreed.
“If it wasn’t for Mrs. Snuggle ...” he paid them and left, waving goodbye.
“Wonderful as always, dears.” Mrs. Finch came to the counter, accompanied by Annie. She slowly brought her wallet out of her handbag.
“See you tomorrow,” Zoe said cheerfully as Lauren handed their friend her change. “Craft club night.”
“Yes.” Mrs. Finch nodded.
“Would you like us to take you home?” Lauren asked. The lull continued and she knew Zoe could look after things while she escorted their friend home.
“I’ll be fine, Lauren, dear.” Mrs. Finch stuffed her wallet back into her purse. “Walking the short distance from my house is good for me – my doctor says so.”
“Well, if you’re sure.” Lauren sounded a little doubtful.
“I am.” Mrs. Finch smiled at them. “You help Annie find homes for the kittens.”
“We’ll try,” Zoe promised.
After their friend left, Lauren glanced at her watch. Nearly four.
“I haven’t seen Martha today, have you?” Zoe asked.
“No.”
“Or Hans. They said they wanted to visit with the kittens.”
“I’m sure they’ll be here soon,” Lauren replied, hoping it was true.
It was.
Martha and Hans came in together, the dapper German holding the door open for Martha to barrel through with her rolling walker.
“Where’s my cutie pie?” Martha scanned the café. She was dressed casually in a red sweatshirt and matching pants, her curly gray hair springing up around her head.
“Annie’s minding the kittens,” Lauren told her.
After Mrs. Finch departed, Annie had returned to her post at the adoption table.
“Ooh, would you like a kitten?” Zoe asked her.
“I’d love one, but I think it will be too much work for me,” Martha replied, her tone serious for a change.
“What about your friend Iris?” Zoe pressed.
“Good idea.” Martha nodded. “But I think it would be even worse for her – her bad arthritis, you know. I don’t know how she’d go about changing the cat’s litter and all that stuff.”
“What about you, Hans?” Zoe asked.
The sixty-something’s faded blue eyes twinkled.
“Ach, I would love to have a kitten in the house but I am afraid I am too old for such a little thing.” Regret flickered across his face. “Perhaps an adult cat one day.”
“Ooh.” Zoe’s eyes lit up. “We could ask Annie what she thinks about that.”
“And AJ?” Lauren suggested. “She accompanies Ed to the shelter.”
“Genius idea.” Zoe grinned. “Maybe AJ knows of a cat who would suit Hans.”
“Please let me know,” Hans replied in all seriousness.
“We will,” Lauren assured him.
They started his order of a regular cappuccino, and Martha’s hot chocolate crammed with pink and white marshmallows.
Lauren glanced over at the adoption table. Rebecca had returned and was talking to Ed, a becoming flush on her face. She must have taken her new kitten home, just like she said she would.
“I think there are still six to find homes for,” Zoe counted on her fingers. “Mrs. Wagner came in while you were over at the adoption table, and said she wasn’t interested.” Zoe made a little face. She’d co-starred in the town’s Christmas play with the senior, along with Annie, and there had been friction between them at times.
“What about Ms. Tobin?” Lauren asked.
“I haven’t seen her in here today.” Zoe brightened. “Maybe Annie could tell her to adopt one.”
“Maybe.”
The middle-aged lady had been their prickliest customer, until the trio had saved her from an Internet scammer. Now, she had mellowed a little, and Lauren and Zoe, as well as Annie, looked forward to her visits.
A few minutes later, Ms. Tobin entered the café. She glanced around, as if looking for the silver-gray tabby, then gave a little smile when she spotted her at the adoption table.
“Hello, girls,” she greeted Lauren and Zoe. Her outfit of a fawn skirt and cream blouse suited her tall, slim figure.
“Hi, Ms. Tobin,” Zoe replied.
“Have you made any new pottery mugs, Zoe?” she asked.
“I’ve almost finished a new design,” Zoe told her, a smile on her face. “I’m going to glaze the mugs on the weekend.”
“You will save me one, won’t you?” Ms. Tobin asked.
“Of course.” Zoe nodded.
Zoe had tried knitting, crochet, string-art, bead jewelry, and now pottery. Her mugs, featuring sketches of Annie, had proven popular with their customers. Lauren had stuck with knitting, the first craft they’d tried together, but recently she’d branched out to sewing, something that made Zoe shudder.
“What can we get you?” Lauren asked.
“A large latte, please,” Ms. Tobin replied. “I’d love to have a look at the kittens.”
They told her that three of them had been adopted already.
“There’s still six left,” Zoe said. “Have you thought of taking all of them home with you?” She looked hopeful.
Ms. Tobin laughed. “I don’t think I’m ready for so many quite yet, Zoe. But I am intrigued.”
“We can bring your order over to you,” Lauren offered.
“Yeah, Annie might want to tell you which kitten you should adopt,” Zoe added in all seriousness.
Ms. Tobin looked thoughtful as she headed over to the table.
Lauren watched her greet Ed and Rebecca, then carefully inspect each kitten in turn.
Ms. Tobin stroked Annie, and appeared to listen as Annie said something to her in Norwegian Forest Cat talk.
“I really think Annie is telling Ms. Tobin which kitten to adopt,” Lauren murmured, knowing an outsider might think she wasn’t quite all there. But she knew Zoe would ‘get’ her.
“I bet you’re right,” her cousin agreed.
Lauren finished a peacock design with a flourish and put the large cup, featuring Annie looking at a cupcake, courtesy of Zoe’s pottery, on a tray.
“Want to come over with me?”
“Definitely.” Zoe grinned.
Luckily, there weren’t any new customers, so they could take a quick break.
“Thank you.” Ms. Tobin accepted the coffee, smiling at the expert latte art. “Annie has been telling me she thinks this little calico kitten would suit me.” She gestured to an orange, brown, and white kitty.
“Brrt.” Annie tilted her head in a nod.
“You should listen to Annie,” Zoe sounded serious.
“Yes,” Lauren agreed, stroking her fur baby.
“I think I will,” Ms. Tobin replied, then took a sip of her latte. “Excellent as always, Lauren.”
“Thank you.” Lauren smiled.
“You don’t even have to stop at the supermarket on the way home.” Zoe motioned to the small array of cat food, toys, and crocheted blankets. “There are even cat carriers under the table.”
“Very well thought out,” Ms. Tobin praised.
Ed gave her the form to fill in. Lauren and Zoe, as well as Annie, kept her company while she quickly wrote down her details.
Ed brought the kitten out of the cage. “She’s a girl,” he told Ms. Tobin gruffly. “Want to hold her?”
“Brrt,” Annie encouraged.
/> Ms. Tobin carefully held the little scrap in her arms.
“Meow?” the kitten seemed to ask Annie.
“Brrt,” Annie answered her reassuringly. She is the one for you.
“Meow.” The kitten sounded more confident, and snuggled in Ms. Tobin’s arms.
“Look at that,” she marveled, her face softening. “Annie, I think you’re right.”
“Definitely.” Zoe nodded.
“You could take her home in this.” Lauren dragged out a carrier from under the table.
“All proceeds go to the shelter,” Ed informed her.
“Yes, I must buy it as well as food, and this cute ball.” Ms. Tobin pointed with one finger, careful not to disturb her new kitten. “And this lovely pink and white little banket, and litter, of course.”
Zoe admired the blanket as Ed packaged everything up.
Ms. Tobin handed over her credit card, smiling down at the kitten in her arms, and then at Annie.
“Thank you, Annie,” she said.
“Brrt.” You’re welcome.
Lauren and Zoe helped Ms. Tobin to her car, Lauren carrying the bag of litter, while Zoe carried the food and toys.
They waved goodbye to her – and her new fur baby – who didn’t have a name yet.
“I wonder what Ms. Tobin will call her,” Zoe mused as they re-entered the café.
“If she can’t decide, I’m sure Annie will help her come up with something.”
Annie ran to greet them, as if she knew they were talking about her.
“Brrt!”
CHAPTER 3
THE NEXT MORNING, LAUREN thought about her date with Mitch the previous night. He hadn’t been able to stop by the café for adoption day after all, but he’d made up for that by cooking her and Annie dinner last night, and staying over at the cottage. Meanwhile, Zoe had zoomed over to Chris’s place, and was now humming cheerfully while she unstacked the chairs.
She hoped everything was going well at the police department. Mitch had seemed about to say something to her a couple of times last night, then hesitated, and shook his head. When she asked him what was wrong, he’d smiled at her, and said it was nothing to worry about.
“Craft club tonight,” Zoe told her, setting the last chair down on the floor with a little clatter.
“Yes.”
“Brrt,” Annie called from her pink basket. Yes.
Craft club was a Zoe invention. The three of them gathered at Mrs. Finch’s house on Friday nights to work on their crafts – and chat.
“I want to talk to Mrs. Finch about making a second cushion cover,” Lauren said. She’d made one a few months ago, and was a little embarrassed it was taking her so long to make another. The first one was wonky, but functional, and she was proud of it. So was Annie, who ‘helped’ her make it. It was the first time either of them had sewn.
The pretty pink color toned well with their newish pink sofa.
“And I’m going to tell her all about my new mug design,” Zoe commented. “It’s a shame the new cups aren’t ready yet, because I could have given her one tonight.”
“You’re glazing them on the weekend?” Lauren asked.
“Yes, Saturday afternoon.” Zoe grinned. “Hey, what about a double date tomorrow night? We could go to Chris’s place for chili and a movie.”
“That sounds nice,” Lauren replied. “Let me check with Mitch.”
She sent him a quick text, and put the phone back in the pocket of her blue capris, making a mental note to check it later.
They finished opening up.
“Where’s Ed?” Zoe tapped her cheek.
“He’s not here yet?” Lauren frowned. She’d noticed he hadn’t arrived before her, which was a little unusual, but thought he might have been caught up with shelter stuff last night – or even early this morning. And she’d been so busy thinking about Mitch’s slightly odd behavior the previous evening that she’d assumed Ed had arrived while she’d been musing.
Lauren dashed into the kitchen. All was quiet. No rattle of pastry tins or thumping of Danish dough. Only her cupcakes baked, frosted, and ready to serve.
“I hope he’s okay.” She turned to Zoe, who had joined her in the commercial kitchen.
“We’d better call and check on him.”
“Good idea.” Lauren dug her phone out of her pocket. Nothing yet from Mitch. She scrolled through her contact list and pressed the button to call Ed.
It started ringing at the same time the back door to the kitchen opened.
The ringing became louder.
“Sorry I’m late,” Ed said. His auburn hair was stuck up even more than usual, as if he’d run his hands through it a hundred times.
“Are you okay?” Lauren ended the call.
“Not really.” He shook his head. “Rebecca was questioned by the police this morning. She called me in a panic, which is why I’m late. She said I might be next.”
“Next for what?” Zoe’s eyes widened.
“The next suspect in Nellie’s death.”
“NELLIE?” LAUREN STARED at him. “The woman at the adoption event yesterday who—”
“The loud, nasty woman with the henpecked husband?” Zoe’s mouth parted.
“She wanted the cute red kitten and—”
“Rebecca adopted him instead,” Ed finished. “Yeah, that Nellie.”
“How did she die?” Zoe asked.
“She was hit on the back of her head. That’s what Rebecca said the police told her this morning.”
Lauren felt like sitting down.
“Are you okay?” she asked him.
“Me? I’m fine,” Ed said warily. “Rebecca’s not, though. She’s terrified the police are going to arrest her and haul her down to the station.”
“Mitch doesn’t haul anyone,” Lauren defended him.
“No, but I bet Detective Castern does,” Zoe said. Mitch’s colleague didn’t like them and the feeling was mutual. He didn’t like Mitch, either.
“But why would the police be interested in Rebecca?” Zoe asked.
“Because there were a lot of witnesses yesterday at the adoption event, especially when Nellie made that scene about not getting the kitten. Maybe it was unfair of me, but I knew Rebecca would provide an excellent home for him. You heard what Nellie’s mother-in-law said.”
“Yes.” Lauren nodded. “Nellie’s husband is allergic.”
“So what was the point of letting her adopt that red kitten? She’d probably hand him back to the shelter, or even worse.” His mouth twisted.
“Worse?” Lauren frowned. “Do you mean—”
“She might have dumped him somewhere or ...” Zoe looked uncomfortable.
“Yeah, better not say it,” Ed said. “We don’t want Annie to overhear, even if she is in the next room.” Since it was a commercial kitchen, the Norwegian Forest Cat wasn’t allowed in that part of the café.
“I think I know what you mean, but I wish I didn’t.” Lauren felt uncomfortable and told herself not to go there.
“So that’s why I thought the kitten would be much better off with Rebecca,” Ed said.
“And that’s why the police are questioning her?” Lauren asked.
“Yeah. And it was Detective Castern.”
“Ouch.” Zoe winced.
“She rang me in tears after he left. I went over to her place to make sure she’d be okay.”
“Is she?” Lauren asked.
“For now. I told her if he bothers her again not to say anything until she gets a lawyer.”
“Good idea,” Zoe said.
“Have you heard anything about this from Mitch?” Ed asked Lauren.
“No.” She looked at her phone. Nothing. Maybe he was busy investigating.
“Maybe Nellie fell over and hit her head on something,” Zoe suggested.
“Rebecca told me it was blunt force trauma,” Ed said. “That’s what Castern told her.”
“They got the results already?” Lauren frowned.
�
��The preliminary ones at the scene,” he replied.
“Blunt force trauma means someone intended to kill Nellie,” Zoe stated.
THAT MORNING, THE CAFÉ was abuzz with the news of Nellie’s murder.
“Who found her?” Martha wanted to know when she barreled in with her walker. She barely waited for Annie to hop onto the vinyl padded seat and ride with her to a nearby table.
“Nobody’s told us that,” Zoe said.
“It was Rebecca, the shelter volunteer.” Ms. Tobin stepped inside the café.
The three of them – four including Annie – turned to stare at her.
“How do you know that?” Martha breathed.
“My friend at the senior center just called me,” Ms. Tobin replied. “Her sister volunteers at the shelter with Rebecca, and apparently Rebecca called them that morning, saying she was going to be late because she’d just been questioned about finding Nellie’s body.”
Lauren and Zoe glanced at each other. Ed hadn’t told them that!
“But why would she be at Nellie’s house?” Zoe asked. “I guess that’s where she was found?”
“I don’t know any more.” Ms. Tobin looked disappointed. So did Martha.
“How’s your new kitten?” Lauren tried to change the subject.
“She’s such a sweet little thing.” Ms. Tobin smiled, her face lighting up. “Thank you, Annie dear, for finding her. She sat in my lap last night while I watched television. It was so lovely.”
“I’m happy for you.” And Lauren was.
“How many did the shelter adopt out yesterday?” Martha wanted to know.
“Only four,” Zoe said in a disappointed tone. “They took the remaining ones back there when we closed.”
“Perhaps they’ll find homes over the weekend,” Ms. Tobin suggested, “when families will have time to visit the shelter.”
“That’s an idea.” Zoe brightened, but Lauren sensed she was distracted.
“What can I get you?” Lauren asked Ms. Tobin and Martha.
Each lady ordered their usual – a large latte for Ms. Tobin, and a hot chocolate crammed with mini pink and white marshmallows for Martha.
Lauren ground the coffee beans, giving her cousin a sideways look.
“What’s wrong?”
