My Cat Burglar

by Shelley Munro

  “At least he can sing. Now if I tried to sing that might be a different story.”

  Laura stepped under the water and grabbed a bottle of shower gel and a massage glove, running it over her body until suds sluiced over her skin to the shower floor. “Can’t you sing?”

  “I’m lacking talent in that area,” Jonno said, unperturbed. He squeezed into the shower, bumping limbs when he tried to wash himself. “My shower is better. It’s bigger.”

  Laura laughed. “A case of bigger is better, huh?”

  “You’d better believe it.”

  “Well, hurry because Charlie will come searching for us.” She grabbed a bottle of shampoo and rubbed it briskly into her hair. No time to dry it this morning. She’d go to work with it wet. If she fastened it into a ponytail, no one would notice.

  Ten minutes later both Laura and Jonno sat around a wooden table with Charlie.

  “What’s the plan?” Charlie asked. “I know we were going to set everything up so the thieves target the Mitchell house, but with the two kids there, the thieves might get suspicious.”

  “If the kids aren’t involved.” Laura scowled. “I wonder if we should move them somewhere.”

  “I’ll ring Saber.” A few minutes later, Jonno put down the phone. “They’ve moved the two kids to Felix and Tomasine’s house. Tomasine said Sylvie wants to practice being a nurse. Heaven help the kids. They won’t know what hit them once Sylvie strikes.”

  “That’s good,” Laura said. “I was wondering if the thieves might become concerned with Ramsay’s and Terry’s absence.”

  “They’re confident,” Charlie said. “They have a plan and stick to it. I wonder if the girl might consider going back to help them.”

  Laura frowned and shook her head. “We don’t know if she’s an innocent trapped in the situation or a willing participant. They’re not forthright with information. People lie. I think it’s best to supervise her while we continue to investigate.”

  * * * * *

  After dealing with Mr. Fitzroy, Laura wanted to tear out her hair. Finding Mike waiting for her at the police station sent the rest of her day right into the toilet.

  She paused in the doorway, torn between stalking over to the tall blond and smacking him in the nose, or turning on her heel to get a coffee. Laura did neither.

  “Anything new?” she asked Charlie.

  “Where have you been?” Mike demanded. “And who answered your phone this morning? Who was he?”

  “Her boyfriend,” Charlie said, his brows drawn together in a scowl.

  Charlie stood up for her, and Laura took comfort in that fact.

  “It’s none of your business, Mike. You have a wife. Go back to her because I’m not interested.” Laura dropped into the chair behind her desk and checked through the messages Charlie had left for her.

  “Does Gavin Finley have a problem?” she asked.

  “No, he rang to let us know the cat we rescued last night will make a full recovery.”

  “A cat!” Mike snorted. “I thought you wanted to be a detective. Reduced to rescuing cats from a tree, no doubt. You’re better than that, Laura. Come back to Dunedin with me.”

  “I don’t think so. I enjoy my job here.” To Laura’s surprise she spoke the truth. Since meeting Jonno and several of the community, she felt as if she belonged. She and Charlie made a great team, working well together. While at first resentment had simmered in her gut, she realized the bitterness had faded, replaced by a quiet satisfaction. Jonno was right. A silver lining.

  “I won’t give you a second chance,” Mike said. “If you don’t come with me, you’ll get stuck in this country dump for years.”

  Laura glanced at Charlie and saw he watched her with quiet approval, almost as if he could read the thoughts racing through her mind. “Charlie and I are busy, Mike. Please leave.”

  “Fine. I’m going.” Mike stomped from the station, slamming the front door with undue force.

  “That man is trouble,” Charlie said.

  Laura frowned, watching Mike’s disgruntled departure through the window. “I know. I wish I’d been smart enough to realize that while I was in Dunedin.”

  “You wouldn’t have met Jonno.”

  “True.” Laura leaned back in her chair. “What do you think of this feline shifter business?”

  “Honestly? It shocked the hell out of me when I saw Jonno change forms. After having time to consider, I think it’s kinda cool. It’s not as if I feel threatened by any of them. They’re regular people—decent and hardworking. They’re better citizens than most of us. It’s understandable they’d keep their presence quiet. I can imagine a scientist wanting to poke and prod at them to learn what makes them tick.”

  “Yeah. I’d hate the idea of them being caged.”

  “Plus, I’d say Jonno is serious about you,” Charlie said.

  The idea didn’t distress her as it had earlier. Funny the difference a few days made. “It makes me curious regarding the other mystical creatures I’ve read of in books and seen in movies.”

  “Vampires and werewolves? That sort of thing?”

  “Yeah. Proof of the existence of shifters is making me view the world differently. We’ll have to ask Jonno.” Laura stood. “Do you want anything from the café? I thought I might head over there to see how the grapevine is working.”

  “I heard whispers when I went to the post office to collect the mail,” Charlie said. “I’m thinking the grapevine is working overtime.” He checked his watch. “I’d love a coffee, but I have to go to the school to discuss road safety. Oh, Isabella Mitchell stopped in and said she was helping Emily spread gossip and working on a strategy with Saber. She suggested we meet at Felix and Tomasine’s later this afternoon to go through our plan and so we could talk to Ramsay and Terry again.”

  “I’m redundant.” Laura laughed. “That work for you?”

  “Yeah, I’ll meet you back here around four.”

  After picking up her wallet, Laura left for the café. She wandered down the footpath, daydreaming of Jonno and their lovemaking. Hopefully this’d be settled by the weekend and they could spend uninterrupted time together. She and Charlie had alternate weekends off and this coming one belonged to her.

  “Laura.” A hand wrapped around her forearm in a steely grip.

  Mike. The next instant, he jerked her into his arms and his mouth covered hers. Funny, she’d always liked kissing and considered Mike a good kisser. This she didn’t enjoy. A dominant kiss—a mashing of lips that tried to force control. A possessive kiss. Six months earlier she’d have felt elation, seen the statement of ownership as a sign her relationship with Mike was becoming closer.

  Breathing hard, Laura jerked from his arms. Bigger and stronger than she, he yanked her against his chest, catching her oomph of surprise with his mouth. She wriggled and squirmed, trying to free herself before raising her knee and striking at his groin.

  “Ow! There’s no need for that,” Mike said, ducking out of range. “You almost got me in the nuts.”

  “That was the idea. What gives you the right to maul me? In the middle of the street. Fuck, Mike! What the hell are you thinking turning up here?” She struggled to keep her voice at a harsh whisper when she wanted to holler her irritation and frustration for everyone to hear. Somehow she didn’t think a member of the police should get into a screeching match in the middle of town.

  “You refused to talk on the phone.”

  Now he looked and sounded like a sulky boy. “We’re finished. There’s nothing to discuss.”

  Mike scanned her face, his attention skimming across the faint love bite Jonno had given her during their latest bout of lovemaking. A prickle of heat swept the length of her body, coalescing in her pussy in an ache when she thought of her lover.

  Jonno. He fueled her fantasies, and Mike didn’t compare well with the feline shifter.

  “I’m leaving my wife.”

  “That’s what you told me when the whole mess became publ
ic. Remember? You told me you hadn’t slept together for months, that you didn’t sleep in the same room and barely spoke.”

  “Please, Laura. We are getting a divorce this time. Can we go somewhere to talk?”

  Realizing they were attracting attention, Laura gave a curt nod. “I can spare you five minutes before I need to return to the station. We’re busy at the moment and I need to let Charlie take a break.”

  Mike fell into step beside her, satisfaction tingeing his handsome face. Laura huffed out an impatient breath. She’d given Mike everything—her love, her friendship, her loyalty. He was the one who’d cheated and lied, the one who wriggled out of trouble without a speck of dirt sticking to him. She had received the punishment. Banished. Laura increased her speed, needing the physical activity to help vent her building rage. In the past, his attention had made her feel important and treasured. Now she felt dirty.

  Laura pushed open the door of Storm in a Teacup. Jonno would have opened it for her. Not Mike. Irritated, she let the door go, forcing Mike to hold out his hand to stop it shutting in his face. The bell attached to the frame tinkled, reminding Laura of laughter.

  “Hi, Laura,” Emily said, her brows raised in a silent question.

  “You know how I take my coffee. I’ll wait over there.” Mike sauntered over to a corner table and took the chair facing the door. Typical cop, always wanting to scan the room and its occupants.

  “How’s it going?” Laura turned back to face Emily, her words loaded with a silent question.

  “Fine. Mission gossip is underway.” Emily looked past her to study Mike. “Jonno has better manners.”

  “Believe me, I’ve noticed.” Laura ordered two lattes, getting Mike’s order wrong on purpose. If he refused to drink it, she’d have an extra cup. No problem. “I used to go out with Mike before I discovered he was married.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yes. Mike is the reason I was transferred to Middlemarch.”

  Emily started to make the coffees, the machine hissing while she steamed the milk. “Middlemarch isn’t so bad. You’ve met Jonno, and you and Charlie make a good team. The two policemen stationed here before you didn’t involve themselves as much as the pair of you.”

  After a quick glance at Mike, Laura said, “I wanted to be a detective. Because of Mike they shuffled me sideways and sent me here. I came prepared to hate Middlemarch. I’ll admit, the place has grown on me.”

  “The men have a part to play in that. Jonno is one of the good ones.”

  “Everything has happened so fast.” Laura stepped away to peruse the food cabinet before returning to the counter. “Too quickly.”

  “Trust in your gut,” Emily said, placing two mugs of coffee in front of Laura. “And if you want to discuss the mating aspect, just let me know. It’s confusing and a little frightening at first. I fought. It took a while for Saber to win me over.”

  “That’s just it. After Mike I’m afraid to trust my instincts.”

  Emily grimaced. “Yeah, men have a way of ripping out our hearts. I had the same issues with trust. My advice is to talk to Jonno. Tell him how you’re feeling. I’ve known him for a while now through the twins. He’s a good man, and if it’s any consolation, in the past he’s played the field, never going out with the same woman more than once.”

  Jealousy wrapped through her mind and a scowl curled across her lips. “Huh! I don’t think I want to know about his other women.”

  “And doesn’t that tell you something? That you’re more involved than you realize.”

  “I’ll take one chocolate brownie.”

  “Change the subject all you want,” Emily said with a smirk. “It’s still the truth so you might as well face it.”

  Laura grabbed a tray and placed the coffees plus the brownie on it before handing Emily a twenty-dollar note. On receiving her change, she picked up the tray and walked over to Mike.

  “What took you so long?”

  “Emily and I were talking about a work situation.” Laura shunted a coffee mug in his direction and waited for the explosion.

  “Dammit, I take my coffee black,” he snarled.

  “Oh, so sorry. It’s Jonno who drinks latte.” God, she was a bitch. She shouldn’t be baiting him this way, but damn, it felt good.

  Mike shoved the coffee away with distaste. “Are you sleeping with him?”

  Laura picked up her coffee and took a sip while checking on the other occupants of the café. Quite a few strangers. The group to her right looked like cyclists. She’d noticed bikes outside the café. Her attention lit on the group of teens sitting outside. Now they seemed more like the ones they wanted to catch. Not wanting to attract their attention, she turned back to Mike. “None of your business.”

  “It didn’t take you long to find a replacement.”

  Mike was voicing her concerns—the danger of a rebound. Still, she didn’t think he rated an opinion on her personal life. “How is your wife?”

  “How should I know? I told you we’re separated.”

  He refused to listen to reason or back off. Laura sighed and applied herself to eating the brownie. Chocolate fixed almost everything. Maybe she could tune him out while she savored the chocolate hit. She drank both cups of coffee and stood.

  “I’m going back to work.”

  “Wait! We haven’t settled anything. When can you come back to Dunedin? You’ll need to find a new job, of course, but I have a house. You can move in with me.”

  Laura laughed, his self-centeredness and selfish attitude wiping away the last traces of sympathy she felt for him at being in an unhappy marriage. “I like Middlemarch. I’m not going anywhere.” And it was true, she thought with a lightened heart. She liked Middlemarch. She enjoyed the job, even though things moved slower than in Dunedin. “Have a good trip back to Dunedin.” And she turned and walked away, excited about the future for the first time since the whole sorry mess started.

  Chapter Twelve

  Later That Evening

  “Damn, why did it have to rain?” Laura peered through the bushes at the Mitchell house, her clothes sodden from the persistent rain and her wet hair dripping down her back.

  “The farmers need the rain, sweet cheeks. The land is dry.”

  “Yeah…ah…okay. It’s just I hate doing a stakeout in the rain. Visibility is limited, and it’s easy for the thieves to sneak past.” Guilt lashed her. Idiot. She knew the farmers needed the rain.

  “Think of all the fun we’ll have thawing out.”

  Laura sent him a grin. “Promises, promises.”

  After a careful survey of the area, Jonno edged closer so they could talk without risk. “Why didn’t you tell me Mike was coming to town?”

  “Because his arrival is an inconvenience. Color me irked.” Laura scowled into the driving rain and shivered, the raincoat not as waterproof as the label claimed. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”

  “Do you still love him?”

  “Hell no! If nothing else, his visit has reinforced the fact that anything we had together is over. He’s self-centered and arrogant. Besides, I’m involved with you. I don’t mess around with two men at the same time.”

  “Good.” All Jonno’s satisfaction and relief filled the word.

  “And don’t call me sweet cheeks. I don’t like it.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Not that either.”

  “Not long until dawn. I doubt whether they’ll show now. Emily and Saber arrived home ages ago.”

  “Yes, you’re probably right. Wait.” Laura grasped Jonno’s wrist, her eyes straining to see. “I think I saw someone. Can you see?” she whispered. “Over to the left of the house.”

  “No, I can’t…wait. Yeah, I see them. They’re circling the house.”

  “Could it be one of the Mitchells?”

  “I doubt it. Isabella organized us with precision. We know where the others are and I doubt they’ve moved.” He stripped off his clothes. “I’ll shift and go closer. Once I pic
k up the scent trail I’ll know if it’s the same people who broke in at the Millers.”

  “But—”

  “Wait here. I’ll come back for you.” Jonno gave her a swift kiss before shifting to cat and slinking into the darkness.

  “I wish I were a cat,” Laura muttered. Two minutes passed before she realized what she’d said. A cat. Heck, the knowledge of feline shifters didn’t freak her in the slightest. She trusted them—all of them. Interesting. She had to ask them about vampires because they sounded freaky cool. Sighing, Laura scanned the house and its surrounds.

  They’d left one window open and the others shut in the hope the thieves would think they’d overlooked closing it. If the thieves didn’t strike today, they’d leave a different window open or forget to lock a door, giving the impression the family was diligent and sometimes a bit lax.

  Thankfully the rain eased and Laura caught another glimpse of a skulking figure on the other side of the house. Of Jonno, she saw no sign. She watched the figure circle the house until they disappeared from sight. The buzz of adrenaline sped through her veins. This appeared promising, though it seemed the thieves were more organized than they’d thought, rather than opportunists.

  Ramsay had told them the thieves were in their teens and early twenties, which made little sense to Laura. In her experience someone took charge, and that someone was normally older. He’d also told them, as far as he knew, the group were finished with Middlemarch. It seemed as if he was right.

  Laura waited another hour, seeing no one. She shivered, acutely miserable. This part of policing sucked. The faint rustle of a bush was all the warning she received before a black leopard crept up to her. She stiffened as she took in the size of the beast. The cat watched her with green eyes, creeping closer once it realized she would not scream.

  “Good cat,” Laura said, her voice trembling. It seemed she needed to work on her confidence, but dammit, this wasn’t Jonno. Had something happened to him? Her heart stalled before speeding into action again. The cat let out a rumbling purr and rubbed its head against her hand before backing up and walking toward the house. When she didn’t react, the cat stopped and barked a command.