Kitty Confidential. Terrier Transgressions. Hairless Harassment. Dog-Eared Delinquent. The Cat Caper. Chihuahua Conspiracy

Still no luck.Grr.She must have her phone turned off, which was almost never the case with her. Maybe she and Dad had decided to catch a matinee at the new movie theater the next town over.

Agitated and unable to sit and wait any longer, I decided to go see how things were going in the library. Maybe I could find a nice way to send Cal home early so that I could talk my recent finding over with Nan.

ďKnock, knock,Ē I called before pushing my way inside.

The room had grown chilly, and I wrapped my arms around myself as I stepped into the library. Glendale had reached that special time of year where the days were sunny and warm, but both morning and evening temperatures dipped uncomfortably low. The libraryís large bay window hung open, its sheer drapery fluttering inward.

Cal wasnít there, and neither were the two Sphynxes.

Oh no.This was not good at all.

I raced down the stairs, searching for somebody, anybody.

Cal stood outside, loading up his truck.ďIíll be back tomorrow if thatís okay,Ē he said before taking in my panicked expression. ďUh, is that not okay?Ē

ďDid you leave the window open up there?Ē I demanded. My voice came out crazed and shrill, which I hated. ďThe cats are gone.Ē

He pushed the door on his truck bed up and gave me a pained look.ďShoot. Iím sorry. Let me help you find them.Ē

Not able to wait any longer, I raced around the perimeter of my yard, hoping to find our two missing house guests while Cal searched closer to the house. He must have informed Nan at some point, because she came outside to help, too.

ďI didnít leave the window open,Ē he said when our paths crossed again. ďI did open it briefly to air out some of the dust, but I kept my eyes on the cats the whole time. When I shut it again, they were still in the room.Ē

ďI believe you,Ē I said, but that didnít lessen my worry any. What would Matt say when he found out the cats Iíd begged to babysit were now runaways? Whether or not he wanted to keep them, he most definitely would not be pleased that Iíd managed to lose one of the last reminders of his mother.

I peered into the forest uneasily. Would I have to brave those woods again? Would Octo-Cat be willing to help? And just where was he anyway?

I spotted a little red sports car in front of the Harlow place. It seemed Thompson was over for a visit with Matt. Hopefully that would keep him occupied long enough for me to safely recover the missing cats. We looked for another half hour, but by that time, dusk had begun to settle in.

ďIím really sorry again,Ē Cal said when we still hadnít made any progress. ďIs it still okay for me to come back tomorrow?Ē

ďOf course. And seriously, donít worry about it. I know this wasnít your fault,Ē I assured him.

He nodded grimly, then ambled over to his truck and sputtered off.

ďIím going to go start on supper,Ē Nan announced, giving me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. ďDonít worry, dear. Iím sure theyíll show up soon.Ē

I worried my lip while taking another loop around the property. Why were these Sphynxes so good at hiding? And why wasnít Octo-Cat here to help?

Giving up at last, I trudged up the stairs and went to investigate the upper floors of the house. Maybe they hadnít gotten outside at all. It was possible they were just tucked into some other cold corner, shivering with abandon. Seriously, what was up with their desire to be cold all the time?

The house itself had dropped a few degrees since my last pass through. Much to my chagrin, I found that Iíd left the bathroom window wide open following my chat with Charles. I eased it shut again, finally deciding Iíd earned a break. I could search again later with fresh eyes. First, I just needed to sit a while.

As I approached the stairs, a shadow shifted at the end of the hallway. I squinted for a closer look, wondering if at last Iíd found the Sphynxes, and just as I was about to give up the search, too. Unfortunately, it wasnít the catsójust my poor, overworked imagination. Keeping my eyes on the beautiful stained-glass windows in the foyer below, I stepped down and directly onto Octo-Cat, who hadnít been there evena second earlier when Iíd glanced down to ensure I had a clear path.

He let out a terrible, twisted yowl, and I quickly adjusted my weight to avoid hurting him any further. This adjustment caused me to lose my balance and tumble down several steps before catching myself halfway down.

ďYou tried to kill me!Ē I shouted, clutching my throbbing head. Iíd hit itóIíd hiteverythingóon the way down. ďYou really tried to kill me!Ē

Octo-Cat widened his eyes in horror.ďIt was an accident,Ē he insisted, hobbling down for a closer look. I could tell he was hurting, too, but heíd live.

Me? Iíd almost been murdered by my cat, and I had no idea why.

Nan came rushing in.ďAngie, goodness! Is everything all right?Ē

ďOcto-Cat tried to kill me,Ē I screamed again. How could this be real?

ďNo, Angela, no!Ē he continued, not even flicking his tail or making any of his usual irritated gestures. ďIt was an accident. There was a shiny red dot. I didnít mean toóĒ

Suddenly, the front door burst open. My mom stood there, backlit by the setting sun, her hair wild with twigs sticking out of it at odd angles.ďGet in the car now!Ē she told me. ďMom, your keys!Ē she told Nan.

ďI didnít do it! I didnít do it!Ē Octo-Cat cried, but I could deal with him later. I ran down the steps as fast as I could and hopped in the passengerís side seat of Nanís sexy red sports coupe.

ďWhatís happening?Ē I cried as Mom joined me and jammed the keys in the ignition.

The engine roared to life and she pushed the car into high gear, creating a giant cloud of dust behind us. We took off so fast, the momentum whipped me back against the seat hard. My head began to throb again, but the physical pain was nothing next to the morbid curiosity I had for whatever came next.

ďMom!Ē I shouted, holding on tight to the dashboard as we flew down my driveway and turned onto the road ahead. ďWhat is happening?Ē

ďI saw who tried to kill you,Ē she said, and for the first time I noticed she was panting with exhaustion. ďI was in the woods and came running the second I saw him slip out of your window. He killed Harlow, and now he was trying to kill you. My little girl! If I catch him before the cops do,heís dead.Ē

ďMom!Ē I screamed again just to ensure I could be heard over the roar of the engine. She made another sharp turn, and Nanís hot little ride fishtailed onto the main road that ran through Glendale. ďWho? Who tried to kill me?Ē

She gripped the steering wheel so tight her knuckles turned white, but she only gunned the gas pedal even harder. We crossed the train tracks, and Mom practically lost control of the vehicle. Still, we were moving forward at speeds faster than any car should even be able to drive.

ďCímon, címon,Ē she muttered, her jaw set in a determined line.

Sirens wailed behind us, and I recognized one of the county patrol cars as it pulled up behind us and quickly gained speed.

ďMom!Ē I cried. I still didnít know what was happening, but it felt like Iíd been saved by one murder plot only to wind up right in another one. ďStop! The police are behind us!Ē

ďGood,Ē she said, taking another deep breath as she accelerated even faster. The speedometer edged dangerously close to the one-hundred and sixty miles per hour mark. How was this possible? Why were we even doing this?

Panic gripped me hard as we continued our wild ride. Oh my gosh, someone had tried to kill me, and now I was going to die at the hands of my motherís crazy driving!

ďWhere would he go?Ē Mom shouted at me. ďWhere would he go next?Ē

ďWho?Ē I screamed again. I still didnít understand anything.

ďYour boss,Ē she ground out, changing lanes with abandon. ďRichard Thompson.Ē

Chapter Eighteen

My mind reeled while my body slammed against the car door and my seatbelt dug into my chest. Did my mom really think that my boss had tried to kill me? That couldnít be possible. Octo-Cat had tripped me. Iíd never even seen Thompson that day.

ďMom,Ē I said, hyperventilating. ďIím not sure what you saw, but Thompson was never at my house.Ē

ďYes, he was,Ē she shouted, taking another sharp turn.

We were going toward the law firm, I realized then. The cop car stayed right on our tail. I turned back and saw Officer Rainesís determined face as she pursued us. She and Mom had already gotten off on the wrong foot, and this impromptu high-speed chase pretty much ensured theyíd never be on friendly terms, no matter what happened next.

ďI donít know how he got in,Ē Mom continued. ďBut he climbed out through the window.Ē

ďWhen?Ē I pleaded, still not understanding. How could any of this be real?

ďAbout two minutes before I made it to your door,Ē she said, slowing slightly as we passed by the law firm. Thompsonís car was not there.

That timing Mom reported lined up pretty well with my fall, butÖ

ďThere werenít any cars. I didnít see or hear anyone leave before us,Ē I insisted. Even if Thompson had somehow managed to get in and out of my house without being detected, he hadnít gone anywhere in that little red sports car of his. The irony didnít escape me that the pursuant and the pursuer had the exact same type of vehicle. What a chase this would have been, had Thompson actually been a part of it.

ďOf course,Ē Mom yelled, twisting the car in an action movie-like U-turn. ďHeís still on foot! We have to get back! Your nan!Ē

Fear gripped every fiber of my being as I thought of my poor, vulnerable grandmother all alone with a killer. She was tough, but that was all attitude. If he came at her physically, she wouldnít stand a chance.

The sirens whooped behind us.ďPull your vehicle to the side of the road,Ē Officer Raines commanded over the loud speaker.

ďCímon, Mom,Ē I said, still clutching tight to the dashboard. ďGet us back to Nan!Ē

I had no idea where my mom had acquired her wicked stunt driving skills, but she got us back to the manor house in record time, which was saying a lot considering how quickly weíd initially peeled away.

As soon as the scar skidded to a stop, I jumped out and raced toward the house, stumbling on the porch stairs as I went.ďNan!Ē I cried. ďPlease be okay!Ē

Nan appeared in the open doorway wearing her polka-dotted apron and drying her hands on a dish towel.ďOf course Iím all right, dear. Just finishing up dinner. Did you and your mother have fun on that high-speed chase of yours?Ē

I hugged her tight but was quickly pulled back by one very angry Officer Raines. Somehow, she already had Mom cuffed and face down in the dirt.ďStop!Ē I screamed. ďWe arenít the bad guys!Ē

Officer Raines slapped a pair of cuffs on me anyway and began to cite my Miranda Rights.

Mom struggled on the ground.ďHeís still here somewhere. He tried to kill my daughter!Ē

The lady cop did not seem amused.ďLikely story,Ē she mumbled.

But Nan poked her hard on the shoulder, causing us all to gasp.ďYou listen here, missy! If my daughter says thereís a killer on the loose, then you better believe thereís a killer loose. So what if she went a little over the speed limit? Is that as bad as having a murderer on the loose?Ē

Officer Raines laughed sarcastically.ďA little!Try one hundred and twelve at least.Ē

ďI had to get your attention somehow,Ē Mom groaned, trying desperately to flip herself over.

ďWell, you got it,Ē the officer said, grinding her hand into my shoulder as she forced me down the porch steps. ďMy attention and a one-way trip straight to county jail.Ē

No, no, no. This was all wrong. I hadnít had time to finish putting together the clues to figure out why Thompson would want to murder Harlow and then me. But I trusted my mom. If she said she saw him, then he was probably still here somewhere.

ďThompson!Ē I shouted, trying and failing to get away from my captor. ďWe know youíre out there.Ē

ďStop deflecting,Ē the officer spat. Why wouldnít she just listen to us? If she hauled Mom and me away, then Nan would be in definite danger and Thompson would most likely never be brought to justice.

Officer Raines pushed me toward her cruiser with Nan hitting her every step of the way.ďYou let my granddaughter go!Ē

This was all going very wrong very fast. There was only one person left to turn to now. Well, not person exactlyÖ

ďOcto-Cat!Ē I screamed, craning my neck over my shoulder to glance back toward the house. ďHelp us!Ē

Right on cue, my dear, sweet tabby came running through his special electronic door flap and looked up at me with shaking eyes.ďAngela, Iíd never, ever hurt you.Ē

ďI know,Ē I said tenderly, which was difficult considering I was still in police custody. ďHelp us. Help us catch Thompson. Heís the killer, not the cats.Ē

Officer Raines regarded me with a piteous look.ďYou might be able to get off on an insanity plea,Ē she said, and clearly this dissatisfied her greatly.

Octo-Cat ran into the yard and started shouting at the top of his lungs. We all watched as he cried,ďJacques! Jillianne! Now is the time! Let us bring your humanís killer to justice! Do as cats do! Do it now!Ē

I donít know whether he actually knew where theyíd been hiding, but a moment later a terrible growl sounded on the roof, followed by a hiss, and…

Thompson staggered into view, away from the spot heíd been hiding in behind the turret. My turret!

ďThere he is!Ē I shouted to Officer Raines, twisting violently to force her to look.

ďSir,Ē the cop shouted, spotting him at once. ďWhy are you trespassing here?Ē

ďOh, um,Ē My boss sputtered, running hands over his suit jacket. His face had fresh blood dripping down the side, and I instantly recognized the work of one ticked-off kittyómaybe two.

Thompson reached beneath his jacket, then pulled out a gleaming pistol. For the third time within a span of fifteen minutes, I was at risk of dying. What a day this was.

ďSir! Drop the weapon!Ē Officer Raines yelled, pushing me to the ground presumably for my safety.

Octo-Cat sprinted over to me and began to lick the dirt away from my cheek with his sandpaper tongue.ďIím so sorry, Angela. To think, I was used like that. I would never hurt you. Youíre my human, and I love you.Ē

ďI know,Ē I said, wishing I wasnít cuffed so that I could stroke his soft, fluffy head. ďI love you, too.Ē

A terrible scream ripped us apart. I looked just in time to see Thompson hit the ground. His leg twisted at an unseemly angle following his two-story fall, and he cried out in tremendous pain.

Rolling onto my side, I looked up and saw the previously missing Jacques and Jillianne sitting at the edge of the roof licking their hairless paws happily. And suddenly it all clicked into place. I still didnít know why heíd done it, but Thompson had used the Sphynxes to trip the senator the same way heíd used Octo-Cat to trip me, the intelligent jerk. No wonder the poor, distraught cats had confessed to the crime.

Octo-Cat glanced toward Jacques and Jillianne on the roof and cried in delight.ďThey did as cats do!Ē he enthused, rushing toward Thompsonís prostrate form.

What happened next wasnít pretty. He walked right onto Thompsonís back and popped a squat. A wet spot quickly darkened the light suit jacket, and the unmistakable smell of ammonia mixed with the fresh evening air..

ďThatís for trying to kill my human!Ē he yelled, proceeding to scratch Thompson with his hind legs in a fury.

Nan laughed and clapped her hands together. Honestly, Iíd have done the same if I wasnít cuffed at that particular moment. ďWonderful,Ē she squealed.

ďOfficer Raines,Ē I mumbled, my face squashed to the ground. ďThat man broke into my house and tried to kill me. Weíre pretty sure heís also the one who killed Senator Harlow and tried to make it look like an accident.Ē

Thompson just moaned in agony.

ďYouíre lucky a fall like that didnít snap your neck,Ē the policewoman said, taking the cuffs off me and my mom, then going over to snap a pair on Thompson. ďOr maybe not, seeing as youíre going to have a lot of explaining to do once we get you to the station.Ē

She forced him onto his feet, and he cried out in pain again.

ďServes you right!Ē Nan shouted as Officer Raines stuffed him in the back of her cruiser and fled into the night.

So, now that we knew whodunnit, it was time to figure out whyÖ

Chapter Nineteen

Mom, Nan, and I gathered around the formal dining table, the same table that had been used to serve the poisonous meal that caused the late owner of this estate to lose her life. I tried not to think about that too much, though, as I dug into the delicious and hard-earned meal before me.

Despite our posh surroundings, we were eating tuna noodle casserole with a Vienna sausage and breadcrumb topping.

ďI canít believe Mr. Thompson killed his friend. I canít believe he tried to killme,Ē I said, shaking my head sadly.

Octo-Cat sat beside me slurping a fresh dish of cream. He lifted his head, burped, and smiled at me unapologetically. It was amazing how quickly things reverted to normal around here.

ďWell, you said he wasnít a very good boss,Ē Nan pointed out, stabbing a mini sausage and taking a bite out of it, extreme bliss apparent on her face.

ďNot a good boss and murderer seem miles apart to me,Ē Mom pointed out. Sheíd found an old bottle of pinot noir in the cellar and was now taking generous sips from an overfull wine glass.

ďYou solved it,Ē I said, giving her my best, most daughterly smile. ďYouíre the one who figured everything out. How?Ē

She hesitated for a moment, took another drink, and then said,ďWell, it wasnít easy, but I knew when the death had been ruled an accident that it just couldnít be the truth. Since you and Nan seemed to have formed your own investigative club, I decided to stake out the forest and watch. Itís what any good journalist in my position would do.Ē

ďAnd then you saw Thompson creeping around,Ē I provided.

ďYes. It was especially suspicious when I saw him climbing out of a second-story window. Invited guests just donít do that.Ē She took another slow sip and sighed. ďI still donít know why, though.Ē

ďHarlow was planning to retire. She was grooming him for her spot,Ē I revealed. ďCharles told me earlier today.Ē

ďHey, you never told me that!Ē Nan protested, setting her fork down and pressing a napkin to her lips.

ďI didnít tell either of you. I didnít get the chance.Ē

ďSo, it seems,Ē Mom said, rubbing her finger around the top of her wine glass as she spoke. ďThat Charles tipped off Thompson, which is why he came sneaking around here.Ē

ďCharles would never put me in danger,Ē I argued, dread pooling in my stomach once again.

ďNot knowingly,Ē Nan agreed. ďDo you think he was tricked?Ē

ďIt was my fault,Ē I mumbled, seeing now what had happened. ďI asked Charles to talk to him about why heíd visited the crime scene on day one.Ē

ďAnd that conversation was enough for him to know that you were on to him,Ē Nan said with a scowl. ďI never did much care for that man.Ē

ďYou also never met him,Ē I pointed out, loving how ready and willing both my mom and my nan were to come to my defense.

ďThey were friends,Ē Mom said after a few silent moments passed. ďHe killed a friend. For what, power?Ē

ďI honestly donít know,Ē I said. ďMaybe Officers Raines and Bouchard will be able to get it out of him, though.Ē

ďI really hope weíve seen the last murder in Glendale for many years to come,Ē Nan added with a sigh.

ďI donít,Ē Mom said, raising her glass. When Nan and I both turned to her aghast, she said, ďWhat? It makes for good news.Ē

ďIím with her,Ē Octo-Cat said from his spot beside me. ďIíve never had this much fun in all my lives.Ē

We finished supper and mom went home. I realized too late that Cal hadnít gotten the chance to deliver Nanís bed, but she seemed nonplussed by this.

ďI like sleeping in the window seat,Ē she said. ďItís like an adventure.Ē

I rolled my eyes but headed to bed all the same.

Octo-Cat followed a few paces behind me.ďAngela?Ē he asked. ďAre we okay?Ē

We both got into my bed, and I stroked his back.ďOf course weíre okay. It wasnít your fault.Ē

He hung his head and moved out of my reach.ďI should have tried harder. I should have helped more with the Sphynxes.Ē

ďYes, you should have,Ē I agreed, unwilling to waver on this one specific truth. ďBut we canít change the past. Only try to do better tomorrow.Ē

Octo-Cat purred and rolled onto his back.ďYou may pet my belly now,Ē he informed me.

I hesitated with my fingers hanging about an inch from his furry underside.ďDo you promise not to bite me?Ē

ďI promise not to bite you ever again,Ē he said. Well, that was an empty promise, if Iíd ever heard one. No matter how euphoric and in love with me he felt now, tomorrow would come and Iíd no doubt find myself on his bad side once more. I didnít doubt his intentions, though.

For tonight, I decided to relax a little and let myself enjoy his unexpected kindness. I petted him for a while longer, until my phone buzzed beside us.

ďJust a sec,Ē I said, shifting the call to speaker. ďHello?Ē

ďItís Charles,Ē my friend said, out of breath.

A huge smile stretched across my face.ďI know.Ē

ďIíll leave you to your boyfriend,Ē Octo-Cat announced, trotting out of my room and off into some other part of the house. I was happy Charles couldnít understand him, especially since he was still very much in a relationship with Breanne Calhoun and I still didnít know what would come ofmy new crush on her twin brother, Cal.

ďI heard what happened with Thompson,Ē he said. His voice cracked, and it sounded as if he might be crying. ďThe police came by to question me tonight. They thought since I was his partner, I might have been involved.Ē

ďThey know you werenít, right?Ē I ground out, absolutely unwilling to let Charles take the fall for this. He was only involved in the first place because I asked for his help.

ďItís my fault he came after you.Ē His voice cracked again. ďIf anything had happened to you, AngieóĒ

ďStop. Nothing happened. Iím fine. What about you? Did the police clear you yet?Ē

ďNot officially, but Iím sure itís just a matter of time.Ē

ďIím still trying to figure out why Thompson would have killed his friend.Ē I began chewing on my thumbnails again. Luckily, Charles couldnít see my disgusting habit and Mom wasnít here to swat me over it.

ďI donít think he meant to,Ē Charles answered. ďMy guess is he just wanted to hurt her enough to get her to step down early so he could take her place.Ē

ďBut why?Ē

ďHopefully heíll confess whatever his motives were, but Iím willing to guess he and Harlow disagreed when it came to the proposed pipeline. They both loved the environment, but Thompson may have been more willing to bend his ethics for the right price.Ē

ďThatís awful,Ē I spat, then wiped my mouth with the back side of my arm.

ďYeah, it is,Ē Charles agreed. ďBut you promise youíre okay?Ē

ďI promise,Ē I assured him. ďHey, I hear congrats are in order. You bought Nanís house.Ē

He laughed.ďOh, that. Yeah, I have fond memories of our time working the Calhoun case there together.Ē

ďGood night, Charles,Ē I said with a huge smile on my face. Maybe I still had a chance with Charles after all.

ďYou done?Ē Octo-Cat asked, standing just outside the open door.

ďYeah. Do I get more cuddles now?Ē I asked, patting the bed beside me.

He glowered at me.ďAngela, not in front of company!Ē He stepped aside to reveal Jacques and Jillianne who also stood waiting in the hall. They couldnít understand me like Octo-Cat could, but apparently that was beside the point.

ďSorry,Ē I mumbled and sat up in bed. ďCímon in.Ē

All three cats entered and found comfy spots on top of my comforter.

I waited for Octo-Cat to explain what was going on, and after a short awkward silence, he did.ďI know you still have questions about what happened, so I went and found these two and brought them here for you.Ē

ďBut you hate the Sphynxes,Ē I whispered, covering my mouth just in case they could somehow read my lips.

Octo-Cat shrugged.ďTheyíre annoying, but also kind of cool. Did you see the way they knocked that guy right off the roof? It was awesome.Ē

I laughed and reached forward to touch the small Sphynx, Jacques. His bare skin was surprisingly softónot slippery and cold like I expected.

Jillianne came forward to request pets, too, but Octo-Cat hopped onto my lap and meowed a warning.ďPaws off my human!Ē he shouted.

I just laughed again. I loved when Octo-Cat took pride in our relationship. Since he had no problem insulting me freely, I knew his compliments also came straight from the heart.

ďOkay,Ē he said once theyíd both retreated to the end of the bed. ďWhat do you want to know?Ē

ďYou mentioned a red dot when youóI mean, when I fell. Did they see a red dot, too?Ē

The cats exchanged meows back and forth, and for once I just sat back and enjoyed the spectacle. A few minutes later, Octo-Cat had his report.ďYes, a shiny red dot. The laser pointer.Ē

ďIf you know itís a laser pointer, then why do you chase it?Ē I asked him.

He turned toward the Sphynxes, but I interrupted.ďNo, Iím asking you that.Ē

ďItís not a decision we make to chase the shiny red dot,Ē he told me gravely. ďSome things just are. Like how the sun rises, the rooster crows, the cat also chases the shiny red dot.Ē

ďWhoís talking in riddles now?Ē I asked with a smirk. ďThat was incredibly poetic.Ē

He rolled his eyes.ďDo you want me to help you or not?Ē

ďYes, please.Ē I gave him an apologetic pat on the head. ďWould you please ask why they always sat in that cold corner?Ē

ďOh, I already know that, too,Ē Octo-Cat said. ďThey were punishing themselves.Ē

ďPunishing themselves?Ē I asked, feeling so sorry for those poor hairless kitties.

He nodded.ďCats love warmth, and these guys need it even more than the rest of us. They felt so bad about killing their human, they decided to punish themselves for it.Ē

ďDo they know itís not their fault?Ē

He shook his head.ďIím not sure. I tried explaining it to them, but theyíre still pretty upset.Ē

ďAww, poor things,Ē I cooed, shifting myself to the end of the bed so I could pet them again.

ďAngela, we are not keeping them,Ē Octo-Cat warned.

ďThatís okay,Ē I said with a smile, giving him another soothing pet. ďI already have the perfect cat, and besides, I think I already know the perfect person to take them in.Ē

Chapter Twenty

Itís been a couple weeks since Nan, Octo-Cat, and I moved into our new home, and now it really does feel like home. The best partówell, other than us all being together, of courseóis the new home library Cal made just for me. I moved my desk in there and now spend hours, reading, researching, or just browsing social media. I try to stay better informed about current events now that current events almost got me killed.

Mom couldnít be prouder.

My former boss, Mr. Thompson, pled guilty to manslaughter. As Charles had suspected, he never meant to kill the late senator Lou Harlowójust rough her up a bit. He confessed to tampering with the stairs and slipping something into her drink at the charity fundraiser that night. And, yes, heíd used her own cats against her. By means of a shiny red dot, Jacques and Jillianne ended up becoming a deadly murder weapon. Thompson hadmeant for the entire thing to look like an accident, but he hadnít counted on me and my team of super sleuths getting involved.

He claims he hadnít tried to killme, eitheróonly give me a frightóbut I was not buying it. He didnít need to convince me, though. He didnít really need to convince anyone, because heíd already been disbarred and would never ever get the chance to serve in the Senate. Now it was merely a question of how much jail time he would get.I hoped it would be a lot.

Jacques and Jillianne finally seem to have forgiven themselves, and though they missed their former owner dearly, they now have a really good cat dad. It wasnít Matt who adopted them both, but rather Charles Longfellow, III. I knew heíd been lonely ever since Yo-Yo the Yorkie moved out and, seeing as he was putting down roots, two kitty roommates seemed the perfect way to make a house a home.

He didnít even find them creepy. I guess being from California meant he could handle a lot of weird things without so much as batting an eye.

The senatorís son, Matt, decided to stay in Blueberry Bay, too. He said he wanted to continue his motherís legacy and is currently battling his ex for summer custody of their two kids. He hopes to give them the kind of dreamy, ocean-side childhood he had growing up. He makes a nice neighbor now that Iímnot afraid of him anymore, although he does plan on selling and moving into some place smaller so he has more money to contribute to the Lou Harlow Scholarship Fund.

The late senator left her mark on Washington, too. While Matt was sorting through her things, he found a mostly finished proposal for a new wind turbine farm, right here in the great state of Maine. She hadnít gotten the chance to present it to her Senate committee yet, but Matt is making sure it gets into the right hands.

So, everythingís getting wrapped up nicely. Not exactly with a bow, butÖ you take what you can get.

Now we just had one major matter left to handle, and that would happen today. My new doorbell chimed, playing a cute old-timey jingle that Nan picked out from the huge list of options.

ďComing!Ē I cried racing down the stairs and flinging open the door.

Mom looked nervous, but I wasnít. I gave her a tight squeeze and then led her up to my new library.

She gasped at the big reveal.ďOh, Angie. Itís a dream.Ē

I motioned for her to take a seat at the window. Iíd already opened it wide to let the balmy spring air circulate through the room. This room was no longer a prison, but rather a sanctuary.

ďIt is,Ē I agreed with a blissful sigh. ďBut thatís not why I invited you here today.Ē

ďOh?Ē Mom folded her hands in her lap and waited.

ďThereís someone I want you to meet.Octo-Cat!ĒI hollered, and seconds later my kitty partner in crime came running to join us.

Mom laughed.ďI already know Octo-Cat,Ē she said, reaching out to stroke his soft, striped head.

I smiled and shook my head.ďNot like I do. Do you want to talk to him?Ē

Her brows pinched together, and her eyes darted from me to Octo-Cat and back again.ďHow?Ē

ďThrough me.Ē I put my hand on top of hers, and her eyes lit up with true mirth.

ďReally?Ē

ďReally.Ē I squeezed her hands and let go.

Mom couldnít hide her excitement even if sheíd tried. ďI have so many questions! How does it work? Can you understand other animals, too? Can he understand me? How does the coffee maker factor into all of this?Ē

I laughed again. Momís face fell, but I wrapped an arm around her to show her that it was okay.

ďThose are all good questions,Ē I said. ďLetís take them one at a time.Ē

4. DOG-EARED DELINQUENT

Chapter One

Hi, Iím Angie Russo, and my life is way harder than youíd expect for someone who lives in an old East Coast mansion. Well, itís not really my houseó more like my catís. After all, itís his trust fund that pays the bills.

It may seem like Iíve won the lottery but think again. Times are tricky when you have a talking cat bossing you around day-in and day-out.

Yeah, I said it.

My cat can talk.

As in, we communicate, have conversations, understand each other. Iím not sure how or why our strange connection works, only that it does. And as much as I wished I knew more, sometimes you just have to accept things at face value. It all happened so fast, too. I went to work unable to talk to animals, got zapped by a faulty coffee maker, got knocked unconscious, and when I woke up againóbada bing, bada boom!ónow Iím talking kitty.

Iíve decided to think of it as a stroke of fate, because it really does feel like Octo-Cat and I were meant to find each other. In the past six months alone, weíve worked together to solve three separate murder investigations. I guess thatís why Iím considering my momís advice and officially looking into starting a business. Sheís dubbed me Pet Whisperer P.I.ónot because I want anyone else to know about my strange abilities, but because we needed some kind of excuse for me to take Octo-Cat around on my sleuthing calls.

After all, I wouldnít be much of a Sherlock without my Watson. Okay,Iím probably the Watson in our relationship. If youíve ever been owned by a cat, then you should understand.

Regardless, Iíll be the first to admit that my whole life changed for the better once Octo-Cat became a part of it. Before then, I was just drifting from one thing to the next. Iíd already racked up seven associate degrees, due to my unwillingness to commit to any one major long enough to secure a bachelorís.

I guess you could say nothing ever felt quite like the perfect fit, but I kept trying anyway. I knew that somewhere out there my dream job was waitingÖ even if I didnít quite know what it was yet.

You see, greatness kind of runs in my family, and for the longest time Iíd worried that particular trait had skipped right past me without a second thought.

My nan had followed her dreams to become a Broadway star back in her glory days, and my mom was the most respected news anchor in all of Blueberry Bay. My dad lived his dream, too, by doing the sports report on the same channel that featured Mom.

Now at last, after so much yearning, so much searching, wishing, and praying, Iíve found the career path that fits me like a gloveóand thatís private investigating. So what if Iím not getting paid for it yet? I probably could if I threw everything I had at getting my P.I. business up and off the ground.

But Iím scared of letting down the good people of Longfellow, Peters,& Associates. Oh, thatís right. My favorite frenemy Bethany is the newest partner, and I am so proud of her. Between her and Charles, I know the firm is in the best possible hands, but quitting to pursue self-employment?

Thatís downright terrifying.

True, Iím only part-time at the moment, but the twenty hours per week I put in are really well spent. I know Iím making a difference, and yetÖ

Aargh. Iíve never had this much trouble quitting a job before. Why canít I just hand in my two weeksí notice and say, ďSee ya around?Ē

Maybe part of me still longs for the chance to see where Charles and I could take our relationship, provided heís willing to ditch his annoying realtor girlfriend. Or maybe I donít want to leave Bethany behind when weíve worked so hard to overcome our differences.

Itís also likely that Iím afraid of spending all day and all night at home with my crabby tabby for company. Nan lives with us now, too, but Octo-Cat reserves all his whining just for me. I mean, I guess it makes sense, seeing as Iím the one who understands him.

At the end of the day, life sometimes requires hard decisions.

Historically, Iím not so great at making them.

If I just give it a few more weeks, maybe the right answer will fall into my lap. Yeah, I like that idea.

Until that happens, though, Iíll just continue to wait and pray I get the courage to ask for what I really need. First, Iíll have to make sure itís actually what I want, and thenÖ

Watch out, world! Iím Angie Russo, and Iím coming for you.

[ ŗūÚŤŪÍŗ: img_3]

ďI come bearing muffins!Ē I cried as I bounded into the firm ten minutes late that morning. I still had a hard time calculating my new commute, but I hoped that Nanís homemade baked goods would more than make up for my tardiness.

ďAhem,Ē somebody cleared his throat from the desk near the door.My desk.

I whipped around so fast, I fumbled my beautiful basket of muffins and dropped them straight onto the floor. All of Nanís hard work was ruined in an instant. It was a good thing she enjoyed baking so much and probably already had another fresh batch ready and waiting at home.

ďLet me help you,Ē the stranger said, rushing over to offer assistance I most definitely didnít need. I watched him from the corner of my eye, still refusing to acknowledge this interloperís presence. From what I could discern, he was tall and gangly, with white-blond hair and thick, emo glasses.

ďOh, good,Ē Bethany said, clasping her hands together as she strode toward us both with a smile. ďYouíve met Peter.Ē

ďPeter?Ē I asked with a frown as the new guy stuck his hand out toward me in greeting. Looking at him straight on now, I saw he wore his dress shirt open with a t-shirt underneath that readAwake? Yes. Ready to do this? Ha, ha, ha!Charming. The disturbing top half was paired with wrinkly cargo khakis on bottom. Fulton and Thompsonnever would have let this fly in their days. Yeah, I knew the firm was mostly better off without them, but still couldnít we at least try to look like professionals here?

ďYouíre Angie, right?Ē Peter asked, grabbing one of the muffins that had touched the floor and shoving it into his mouth with wide eyes.ďMmm,Ēhe said pointing at it.ďSo good.Ē

I disliked this guy more and more by the moment, but Bethany seemed so excited to introduce us that I forced a smile and shook his hand despite my better judgement.

ďPeterís our new intern,Ē she explained. ďHeís going to help you manage your workload.Ē

ďI donít need help managing my workload,Ē I shot back, recoiling from Peterís grasp when he wouldnít let my hand go after the normal, polite period of time for a greeting.

Bethany frowned.ďNot exactly true. Itís been harder for all of us since you switched to part-time, but itís okay, because Peter is the perfect person to step in and smooth things out.Ē

Yeah, me going part-time was the problem, and not the revolving door of partners weíd seen so far this year.

ďWhat exactly are his qualifications?Ē I asked, regarding him coldly.

Peter popped the remains of that precious blueberry muffin into his mouth and mumbled,ďIím her cousin, and I work for minimum wage.Ē

Bethany shot him a dirty look, finally showing me that he bugged her, too. That at least made me feel a little better about all this.ďReally, Peter. You need to stop being so liberal about sharing your salary.Ē

ďSorry,Ē he muttered with a shrug that suggested he really couldnít care less about it.

Why was he here? I may not be the best paralegal in the world, but I was miles better than this guy. He probably didnít even have his degree. This was all wrong. I couldnít quite say why exactly, only that I hated everything about this Peter guy.

ďWait,Ē I said, realizing something. ďYour name is Peter Peters? You sound like a super hero.Ē

ďOr a super villain,Ē he countered with another shrug and a strange, new smile.

ďAnyway,Ē Bethany said, glancing at her feet to make sure no errant muffin crumbs had attached themselves to her shiny patent pumps. ďThis is Peterís first day, which is why I asked him to come in a bit early. Can you help get him set up? Show him the ropes?Ē

ďWhat kind of ropes?Ē I demanded. I didnít normally start my work day by playing babysitter to some annoying nepotistic hire.

No, right now, I was supposed to be in Bethanyís office while she safely brewed me a cup of delicious, lifesaving coffee. There was no way Iíd touch another coffee maker as long as I lived, but I still enjoyed the extra jolt it gave me when someone else was willing to brave the brew master.

ďJust the stuff you normally do,Ē Bethany answered with a dismissive gesture, already turning to take her leave. ďIf either of you need me, Iíll be in my office. I have client meetings most of the morning, but should be free around lunch time.Ē

ďOkay, bye,Ē I said, turning to my new charge, resigned that I would have pretty much the worst work half-day ever.

He smiled after his cousin.ďToo-da-loo!Ē he called, waggling his fingers, then turned to me. ďOkay, so Iím ready to learn how to be you when I grow up,Ē he announced.

He did not just say that!

Well, so much for turning in my notice. There was no way I could leave the firm with this bumbling oaf of a paralegal. If only we could cue a makeover montage in real life. Iíd choose one of my favorite upbeat 80ís pop jams, spend a few minutes reforming him, then call it done and move on. Real life never worked fast enough.

ďLetís go set up your email,Ē I said with a sigh, leading him back to my desk that we now seemed to be expected to share.

ďCool, cool. And when do I get my company-issued iPhone?Ē He bobbed his head, following after me like a lost little duckling.

ďWhat? Why would we give you an iPhone?Ē

ďUh, hello. FaceTime.Ē He twisted his hands and formed a rectangle about the size of a smartphone then looked at me through the gap.

And just like that, he went from simply irritating to downright terrifying. FaceTime was the same app I used to call my cat from work. Our senior partner, Charles, had found out when he was still brand new to the firm and bribed me to help him defend a client. Was it just a coincidence that this Peter Peters had alluded to it now?

Or did he know something that could get us both into very big trouble?

Oh, I did not like this. I did not like it one bit.

Chapter Two

Unfortunately, the day only got worse as it went on. Peter met me with snark, indifference, or outright creepiness at every turn and quickly proved that he had zero of the necessary experience to do this jobómy job. In fact, Peter grated on my nerves so much that I decided to go right over Bethanyís head and appeal to our senior partner, Charles Longfellow, III. Surely he would see that hiring this guy was the worst kind of mistake?

Of course, things between Charles and me continued to be quite complicated. To start, I kind of, sort of, may have had some unresolved romantic feelings for him. Weíd become close friends in the months since heíd joined the firm. It had all started when he discovered my ability to speak with Octo-Cat and then blackmailed me in order to help his client, Brock Calhoun the, umÖ other guy I kind of, sort of, may have had a bit of a crush on these days.

Still, despite the slight blackmailing, Charles was a consummate professional. Itís how heíd managed to rise through the ranks at the firm so fast, and it was why I trusted him to do the right thing when it came to Peter. After finding a spot where his calendar was open, I barged straight into his officeóso upset that I forgot to knock.

Oh, I wish I would have taken a quick second to knock!

ďAngie,Ē he said with a start, then cleared his throat and straightened his tie. It was the same tie Nan had bought him as a housewarming gift a month or so backódark red silk with an intricate white paw print pattern that somehow managed to look both classy and kitschy at the exact same time.

His girlfriend, Breanne, untangled herself from his arms and glanced over her shoulder with a smirk. Her bottle-red hair clashed with Charlesís tie, and everything else about her clashed with the rest of him, too. Of all the people in Blueberry Bay, I still couldnít believe heíd chosen to dateher. Theyíd been wrapped around each other for months now, and I was beginning to suspect they may end up walking down an aisle before too long.

Granted, I hadnít known Charles much longer myself, but I still thought that he and I would have made a much better coupleóa much more logical one, too. As each day passed, it looked less and less like Iíd get my chance to find out what could be there.Stupid Breanne.

ďIíll see you tonight. Okay, babe?Ē Charles said after several awkward moments passed between the three of us.

ďIíll be waiting,Ē Breanne gloated as she accepted his kiss, then sauntered past me, hips swinging. Have I mentioned how much I actively loathed her? Because it was a lot.

Charles sighed and sunk down into his leather desk chair.ďWhatís up, Angie?Ē

ďSorry to interrupt,Ē I answered, rubbing my index finger on my thumb to try and loosen a hangnail Iíd been fighting all morning. It was a bad habit of mineóa nervous habit. Seeing Charles and Breanneís disgusting canoodling had knocked the speech Iíd prepared clear out of my brain.

Guess I would just be speaking from my heart.

I closed the door behind me, then came closer and took a seat in one of the two visitor chairs angled across from his desk.ďItís about the new person Bethany hired.Ē

ďPeter Peters?Ē Charles asked with a slight snort. ďWhat about him?Ē

ďI donít like him,Ē I said plainly, hoping Charles would understand without me having to go into more detail. ďAnd I donít want him here.Ē

Charles sighed.ďHe didnít make the best first impression on me, either. But, unfortunately, we do need the help.Ē

ďCanít we find somebody else?Ē I whined, not caring how pathetic it made me sound. Charles needed to understand that this was so much more than bad first impressions.

Charles pinched his brow and fixed me with an exasperated stare.ďPeople arenít exactly lining up to work here given, umÖ our recent history.Ē

Oh, right. The small fact that the other partners continued to leave under less than savory circumstances. All the extra clout weíd picked up after our near-impossible win on the Calhoun case had quickly dropped by the wayside whenÖ

Never mind, best to focus on our current problems instead of dwelling on the past.

ďIf weíre really that spent, I could come back full time for a while.Ē I enunciated each word while keeping careful eye contact. ďJust until we find someone better than Peter, I mean.Ē

Charles shook his head again.ďI wish I could, but Bethany is my partner. We make decisions together now. If you just give Peter a chance, Iím sure heíll grow on you.Ē

I rose to my feet and put my hands palm down on his desk, then leaned in as close as I dared. I wanted to slap him and kiss him in equal measure.Stupid Charles.

ďI think he knows about me. About what I can do.Ē I widened my eyes, refusing to so much as even blink until I was sure he understood.

ďAbout you and,Ē He gulped before continuing. ďAnimals?Ē When I nodded, Charles leaned back and let out a slow breath. ďWell, thatís not good.Ē

I straightened to my full height once more. Whether or not we had a romantic connection, Charles and I had always seen eye to eye. I knew heíd get it. I knew heíd find a way to protect me.

That is, until he saidÖ

ďBut itís also not possible. Iím sure itís all in your head.Ē

ďAll in my head?Ē I demanded, throwing a hand on each of my hips. ďYou canít be serious!Ē

He glanced toward the far corner of the room instead of looking at me.ďWhat do you want me to do, Angie? Fire him based on a suspicion? One that has nothing to do with what we actually do here, by the way.Ē

I threw myself into his line of his vision. I was not just some problem that could be ignored. I was a real person and had a problem that demanded a satisfactory conclusion.ďYes, thatís exactly what I want you to do,Ē I practically shouted.

He cleared his throat again and shifted his gaze toward his keyboard on the desk.ďSorry, thatís something I just canít do. Not without a valid reason to let him go.Ē

I crossed my arms over my chest defensively and charged back toward to door. There were many things I wanted to say and doóchief among them quitting on the spotóbut I simply walked out without another word.

I had to stop fast to avoid running straight into Peter who stood right outside Charlesís office door, munching on a granny smith apple. ďTrying to get rid of me?Ē he asked with a neutral expression, keeping his eyes fixed on the fruit in his hand. ďThat doesnít seem very welcoming.Ē

ďWhy are you here?Ē I asked with a deep scowl.

Peter crunched into the apple again, and a spray of juice hit me on the cheek. He reached up with his thumb to wipe it away, but I jerked out of reach.

After swallowing everything down, he smiled and said,ďWhy do you think Iím here? Itís to get close to you, Angie. To uncover your secrets and expose them to the world.Ē

I took a step back, panic settling in my chest like a lead weight. I could scarcely breathe, let alone say anything in response tothat.

Peter closed the distance between us and set a heavy hand on my shoulder. A smile broke out across his face and then he laughed.ďWhoa, you really need to learn how to relax. Did you honestly just buy that garbage?Ē He shook his head as if dealing with an imbecile. ďIím here to make some money and help out my cousin. Okay? I mean, seriously, Angie.Ē He continued to laugh as he breezed his way past me back toward our shared desk.

I stood rooted to the spot as I watched him go. How much had Peter heard of my talk with Charles? And how much did he already know? Moreover, why?

And how?

If he was on to me, there had to be others as well. Maybe Peter was just some kind of henchman and the big bad had yet to reveal himself or his plan. Iíd never hurt anyone, and Iíd become much more careful when it came to concealing my strange ability.

If someone was on to me, then what could I possibly do to keep Octo-Cat and myself safe? And why would they ever want to hurt or scare us as Peterís mannerisms seemed to suggest?

Suddenly, it felt as if nowhere would be safe. That, even if I ran, there were people out there who knew, who would always know.

What was I going to do?

Chapter Three

I couldnít escape the office fast enough that day. Physical distance, however, did little to calm my already frayed nerves. The whole drive home I kept looking over my shoulder, half expecting to see Peter following me in some kind of old junker. I knew I didnít have any real hard and fast proof, but still, something within me screamed that he was out to get me, that we were quickly headed somewhere bad.

Very, very bad.

Sure, he could have been some harmless and ordinary, run-of-the-mill weirdo whose goal was simply to score a few laughs at my expense. He totally could have been. And yetÖ

Ever since Iíd gotten zapped by that old coffee maker and woken up with the ability to speak to Octo-Cat, my intuition had also been dialed up to at least a nine. Iíd been wrong about some things, of course, but that was mostly when I let my personal feelings cloud my judgment. Whenever I stopped and listened to that still small voice, it led me straight to the answer I needed.

And right about now, that tiny voice was practically hoarse from shoutingbeware over and over again the past several hours.

As much as I hated it, this wasnít just about Peter moving in on my job and messing things up at the office. This was about keeping those I loved safeóand that now included the tabby cat whoíd entered my life and turned it upside down again and again. How could someone Iíd only just met already know the one very private thing I hesitated to share with anybody?

How could Peter have possibly figured me out when so few people knew what I could do and most of them were related to me?

I mean, Charles knew, but despite my disappointment in his response today, I trusted him not to tell a soul. Did that mean someone else at work had figured things out? Sometimes I slipped up and talked to my cat around others, but most people wouldnít just jump to the conclusion that we could communicate with each other. The normal thing would be to assume Iíd gone wicked crazy. That didnít bother me since most days I was halfway there already.

I turned onto the secluded driveway that led to my huge manor house in the woods. The summer sun hung high in the sky, and my gardens were in full, beautiful bloom. In a lot of ways my life was pretty perfectógiant estate, wonderful family, cool cat, and a monthly stipend from his trust fund. So, then, why couldnít I just let this thing with Peter go?

ďYou look like youíve had a rough day,Ē Nan said, greeting me at the door when I entered our shared home just in time for a freshly prepared lunch. She and Octo-Cat both waited for me right in the foyer whenever I came home from work. Nan usually had a kind word and a hug. Sometimes, a joke.

Octo-Cat generally had a complaint. Today, he stretched out his toes, showing off his impressive claws, and moaned,ďThe sun is not bright enough today. Itís hard to keep my schedule when my warm spot disappears halfway through the morning.Ē

I shrugged off his concern, especially considering the sky had felt just as bright as ever during my return commute.ďSorry, nothing I can do about that.Ē

Iíd long debated getting him a heat lamp, precisely because of how often I heard this particular complaint, but that kind of felt like rewarding bad behavior. Ah, who was I kidding? It was just a matter of time before Iíd ultimately cave. Heck, maybe Iíd get him one for Christmas. Today, however, I had other things to worry about.

I took a long, appreciative sniff as Nan and I headed for the kitchen. Ever since weíd moved in together a couple of months ago, sheíd taken it upon herself to cook up three square meals per day, finding a passion for the culinary arts a bit late in life but not lacking an ounce of enthusiasm nor, thankfully, talent.

ďFrench onion soup,Ē Nan revealed with sparkling eyes, which seemed to grow as she made this revelation. ďHave a seat and Iíll bring it right out.Ē

I wanted to help, to give her a bit of a break, but she always pushed me right out of the kitchen and told me to hold my horses before they galloped away without me.

ďWhatís got you so down in the dumps?Ē she asked, setting a steaming hot bowl before me, then returning to the kitchen to grab a second for herself. My nan always knew when something wasnít right. She had the gift of intuition, too, but I suspected that came more from being a mother than from a near-fatal run-in with a coffee maker or some other such mildly supernatural experience.

ďThey hired a new intern,Ē I explained, pushing my spoon through the thick layer of perfectly melted cheese and allowing it to fill up with broth, then shoving it appreciatively into my mouth.Mmm.So good.

Nan smiled when she saw how much I enjoyed what sheíd prepared. Rather than taking a bite herself, however, she folded her hands before her and said, ďWell, Iím guessing we donít much care for this new person.Ē That was another thing about my dear, sweet nanóshe always took my side. She didnít even need to hear a single detail before she was ready to jump into the fray and fight for my honor. Heck, just a couple months ago, sheíd hit a police officer multiple times for attempting to cuff me.

ďWe most definitely do not,Ē I answered, preparing a second mouthful of gooey goodness, complete with onion and cheese this time. ďNot only is he creepy, but I also think he knows about me. You know, about what I can do.Ē

Nan shook her head and sucked air in through her teeth.ďWell, thatís not good. Not good at all.Ē Finally, she dug into her soup, choosing to eat one of the broth-saturated croutons first.

ďWhat are we going to do?Ē I asked after giving her a play-by-play of the awful day Iíd had.

ďThat Charles deserves a good scolding,Ē Nan said with a grimace. ďAfter all weíve been through together, he wonít even stand up for whatís right.Ē

I shrugged and let my spoon clatter to the bottom of my bowl.ďI donít know. Maybe Iím just being oversensitive about the entire situation.Ē

ďHey, I didnít raise you to talk like that,Ē Nan shouted so loud and so abruptly, it made me jump with surprise. ďWe donít discount or apologize for our feelings. Weíre not robots. Right?Ē

ďRight,Ē I agreed with a sigh. ďThen what should I do about Peter Peters and all the weirdness?Ē

Octo-Cat hopped up onto the table and strode down the center line. As he did, loose hair floated off his body and a piece or two wound up in my soup. Guess that meant I was done.

ďIf I may,Ē he said grandly, halting right in front of me and gesturing to himself with a paw. ďI believe I have the solution to this problem.Ē

ďHe says he has an idea,Ē I translated for Nan, who smiled and waited for more. She loved watching the two of us talk, even though she needed a bit of help understanding Octo-Catís side of the conversation.

ďNotan idea,Ē he corrected with a huff.ďTheidea.Ē

ďWell, what is it?Ē I asked impatiently. Sometimes his dramatics could be adorable, but this wasnít one of those times. I was far too stressed to sit and watch a show. I needed real-world solutions here delivered in a real-time fashion.

ďYou need to pull a stray cat on this guy,Ē my tabby said plainly.

This, of course, meant nothing to me.ďCome again now. What?Ē

ďA stray cat. Not that Iíve ever been stray.Ē He shuddered and flicked his tail. ďBut Iíve seen enough of them to know their modus operandi. Theyíre free agentsóstraysóand most want to stay that way. But a cat can get real sick of eating trash when Fancy Feast is an option, you know? So, sometimes they have to make their eyes big, raise their tails, and do the pretty meow when a human is nearby. It hurts inside to fake it with a humanóthat much,I do know from experienceóbut itís just a couple moments of cringiness to get a full belly of food. Get it?Ē

I thought about this for a moment, ignoring the fact that heíd probably just insulted me. His cat-based analogies often took me a bit of finagling to truly understand, but they often did offer good and surprisingly relevant advice. I recapped Octo-Catís speech for Nan, who seemed to understand instantly without even awaiting the full translation.

She nodded her approval to Octo-Cat, then turned back to me with a newfound fierceness burning in her eyes.ďOperation: My Enemy is My Friendís an official go,Ē she said in a low, husky voice that I assumed belonged to her tough guy persona.

Still, no matter how much I wanted to find out what Peter knew and, moreover, what he wanted, I wasnít sure I could find a way to fake nice with someone I already despised so much.

Despite Nanís Broadway past, I hadnít inherited even one iota of her acting talent. So then, how was I going to trick Peter into revealing his motives here?

Chapter Four

I wish I would have been surprised when Nan showed up at my work the next day wearing an all-black satin gown and bolero jacket combo. She kind of looked like she was ready to attend an elegant society ball and then rob its hosts on her way out. Sheíd even done her makeup much more heavily than normal to match todayís bold style. Yes, winged liner and a smoky eye currently topped off my grandmotherís day-time look.

I knew she sometimes missed the glory days of singing, dancing, and acting her heart out on the Broadway stage, but sometimes she took her real day-to-day life in Blueberry Bay a bit far. I still fondly remembered how sheíd donned a black and white checked bodysuit to accompany me to my driverís test, or how she wore a cap and gown of her own to my high school graduation. Her wardrobe probably stretched all the way to Narnia for all the crazy outfits she kept hidden away until they were needed.

Was I embarrassed? Nope, not one bit.

I loved my nan and was long past feeling the need to apologize for her eccentricities. They were just as much a part of her as her loving, generous heart, and I wouldnít trade either of those things for the world. Still, I did have to wonder what she had up her sleeveóor rather, her gloved armówith this one.

ďHello, good people of Longfellow, Peters and Associates,Ē Nan declared, strolling into the office like she owned the place. In her hands she clutched a sealed Pyrex dish, which she promptly uncovered to reveal freshly baked apple turnovers.

Of courseóapple because Iíd mentioned the creepy episode with Peter outside of Charlesís office yesterday. What I couldnít tell was whether this whole display was meant as a power play or rather a way to ingratiate herself as part of our so-calledOperation: My Enemy is My Friend.

With Nan, you just never knew what was going on inside that wonderfully whacky brain of hers.

ďHi, Nan,Ē I said, rising from the small corner of the shared desk that Iíd claimed as my own. ďWhat are you doing here?Ē

Peter stayed seated but kept his eyes on us while offering up a cool, casual smile.

ďHello, dear.Ē Nan gave me air kisses instead of a hug, further proving that sheíd decided to play some kind of character role today. Even her voice sounded grander, surer, as it reached to the far edges of the room.

ďWell, of course, you know how Iím planning that fabulous dinner party later this month. Iím testing out some gowns and some recipes ahead of time to lessen the burden of all the choices Iíll have to make as we get closer to the big day.Ē She paused and dipped her head, after tossing me aquick wink. ďNow tell me. How do I look?Ē

She spun in a slow, graceful circle as if there was absolutely nothing for either of us to be embarrassed about. The thing that made her a great actress, I knew, was that she truly lived every single role. Granted, she was simply playing a farcical version of herself today, but that didnít stop her from owning it one hundred percent.

ďYou look beautiful,Ē I said with a big smile. I may not have always agreed with her methods, but I had to admit that no one even came close to the space Nan occupied in my heart.

ďThank you,Ē she said primly. ďAnd, now, how do these taste?Ē she added, shoving the open Pyrex dish into my face with a desperate, needy look.

I plucked one of the desserts from the top of the stack and took a nibble.ďAbsolutely delicious,Ē I answered honestly after swallowing down the perfect mix of sweet and tart. Part of me wished she had discovered this newfound passion for baking when I was younger so I couldíve enjoyed these talents longer. My waistline thought differently, though. Iíd already hadto go up one pants size this month, and I was not keen to go up another.

Nan frowned and her voice dropped into a husky pout.ďOh, but you always say what I want to hear. I need an impartial opinion.Ē She spun around again, this time searching the room as if she didnít know Peter was the only other person around.

ďYou there!Ē she called, erupting into a full, sparkling smile as her eyes landed on a watchful Peter. ďCan I count on you to give me your honest opinion? Thereís a free dessert in it for you, if you agree.Ē

Peter hopped to his feet and sauntered over to join us.ďI was hoping youíd ask.Ē Without waiting for any further invitation, he grabbed two pastries from the stack and ate them in giant, appreciative bites.

ďSo good,Ē he smacked, his mouth still full. ďYou should definitely serve these at your party.Ē

Nan frowned again.ďBut you havenít tried the other options. How do you know for sure that these are the best?Ē

Peter chuckled and took a third apple turnover.ďIf theyíre all this good, then you have nothing to worry about.Ē

Nan placed one gloved hand on Peterís arm and the other on mine. ďOh, I know!Ē Her eyes sparkled with the promise of a new idea, even though I had no doubt sheíd arrived at the firm with this exact script already written and memorized. ďWould you mind stopping by later tonight to try some of the others and offer your expert opinion on which is best?Ē

Peter faltered as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. Today he wore a tight t-shirt that had a bowtie and shirt collar printed onto it. Heíd paired this with dark wash jeans and what I guessed was unintentional bed head. ďOh, I donít know ifóĒ

ďPlease?Ē Nan begged, casting a pathetic shrug his way. ďThis party is so important to me. It might be the last I ever get to throw before God takes me back to the great dinner party in the sky.Ē

Wow, she went there. She really went there.

ďOh, well. Sure, okay,Ē Peter answered with a puzzled gaze that he quickly transitioned into a smile. ďIt would be my pleasure.Ē

Nan perked up instantly.ďLovely. See you tonight, dear. Six oíclock?Ē

This whole time they spoke, Peter simpered at Nan and studiously ignored me. So, he only hated me, it seemed. At least I knew Nan believed me about his antagonism, even if my colleagues didnít.

He nodded now and took another two treats for himself.ďSounds like a plan.Ē

ďExcellent,Ē Nan declared, then pushed the glass dish at Peter. ďWhy donít you keep these to remember me by? Just donít spoil your appetite for tonight.Ē She reached up and pinched his cheek, then to my horror made a kissy face before letting go.

ďWell, my dear,Ē she said, turning back my way. ďThis gown may look divine, but it doesnít quite have the movement I need for an entire evening spent wearing it. Back to the boutique it goes!Ē

I nodded dumbly.

She glanced over my shoulder toward Peter and blew him one last kiss goodbye.ďNow I must be off. Angie has the address. Toodles!Ē And just like that, Nan blew out of the office every bit as quickly as sheíd entered.

I headed back to the desk while Peter slumped down into one of the thick armchairs in our waiting area, helping himself to yet another turnover.ďThat was weird,Ē he said.

I shrugged.ďThat was Nan.Ē

He studied the pastry in his hand, then widened his eyes and shoved it into his mouth.ďSheís fun. I like her.Ē

I shot him a polite, fake smile, then tried to return my focus to work.

Peter, however, seemed in the mood for a chat.ďItís really too bad you donít take after her,Ē he informed me with a sigh. ďWeíd have a much better time at work if you did.Ē

I pretended I hadnít heard him, but he kept talking anyway.

ďYou donít look much like her, either. Maybe you inherited something else from her. You know, besides personality and looks. Maybe some secret trait or talent.Hmm?Ē He chuckled and brushed his sticky fingers against his jeans.ďI guess weíll find out tonight.Ē

Indeed we would. Poor Peter had no idea he was walking straight into a trap. Nan may seem crazy on the surface, but sheís the best sleuth I know. Her interrogation skills are also top-notch.

Not to mention, Octo-Cat and I would also be there and ready to pounce on even the slightest suspicion. It may have been easy for him to pick on me at work, but my house was my fortress and filled with everyone who loved me most. For all his faults, I knew Octo-Cat would also do whatever it took to protect me. Even all these months later, he still found new and terrifying ways to surprise me.

Peter Peters didnít stand a chance.

Chapter Five

Nan put me to work the moment I stepped through the door. She tossed me an apron and declared me in charge of mixing batter and rolling dough, the two tasks that were the most difficult to mess up, I noticed.

ďItís all hands on deck. Only five hours until go time, and we have to make our ruse look believable,Ē she explained with a curt nod. Sheíd changed out of her black satin gown from earlier and was now wearing a dainty crushed velvet number patterned with Chinese dragons. Sheíd replaced her smoky eye with a shimmering gold shadow and had contoured her cheeks like a Kardashian.

ďI expect you to dress up, too, my dear,Ē she explained while studying my unassuming floral dress with its giant, oversized belt and large hoop earrings as if it was the worst outfit anyone on earth had ever cobbled together.

Octo-Cat laughed between licks of his paw.ďBeing a human can be the pits, huh? A cat would neverÖĒ His eyes grew comically wide as his words trailed into oblivion.

I followed his line of sight to where Nan had been rummaging through the junk drawer. She now held out a red bow tie as she moved toward Octo-Cat with a broad, reassuring smile that only seemed to heighten his discomfort.ďYou, too, young man. We must all look our best tonight.Ē

Nan then proceeded to fasten the bowtie to his collar with skilled and gentle fingers, but she may as well have been strangling the cat, given his over-the-top reaction.

ďI am tainted!Ē he cried, shaking and twitching and throwing himself against the tile floor repeatedly. ďDonít you know? I was born with all the clothes Iíll ever need. So why add this? Itís even the same color as that wretched dot! Thatís just taking things too far.Ē

He heaved a giant sigh and fell over on his side when Nan had finished. I had to admit, he looked rather dashing. I did not, however, admit that aloud, or else Iíd end up with cat puke in my bed.

Instead, I simply covered my mouth and tittered softly against my hand.

Nan smiled at our tabby approvingly.ďVery handsome,Ē she said in a way that was reminiscent of how sheíd talked to Peter at the office that morning.

Octo-Cat continued to shriek and toss himself around the kitchen, pausing only briefing to shake his head and whisper,ďEt tu, Nan? I thought you loved me.Ē

ďChin up. It could be worse,Ē I told him as I continued stirring and stirring until my hand cramped from the vigorous, repetitive motion.

ďI donít see how,Ē my cat told me, rolling onto his back and wiggling back and forth in an illfated attempt to shimmy loose of his adornment.

ďWell, for starters, youíre going to have to spend time with Peter tonight. Peterís the worst,Ē I explained with a shudder as I placed the bowl back on the counter and flexed my hand. I would definitely be getting Nan a stand mixer for the next gift-giving holiday. Sure, they cost a lot, but it would be worth it to save my hands, and hers, too.

Nan popped a tray into the oven, but we had so many different dishes underway that I had no idea what was on it.ďNow, Angie,Ē she said, turning back toward me with a wagging finger. ďIfOperation: My Enemy is My Friend is to be a success, you need to commit to character.Ē

ďHey, I never agreed to take on a character and, by the way, neither did he.Ē I tilted my head toward Octo-Cat, who was too busy trying to find a way out of his collar to notice Iíd just stuck up for him.Figured.

Nan tutted.ďIf you donít believe it, then how will our guest?Ē she asked, then grabbed my wrist and pulled me to attention. ďIt is an honor to have Peter with us tonight. Weíre friends, and as such, we tell each other things without hesitation.Ē

ďLike what he knows and how he found out?Ē I said drolly.

ďPrecisely,Ē she said, punctuating the word by jabbing a dripping spatula at my apron. ďBut if you remain hostile, we wonít get anywhere. Can you soften up a little so that we donít have to fall back on plan B please?Ē

ďWhatís plan B?Ē I asked, biting my lip as I waited for the answer.

Nan let out a little laugh.ďWell, weóĒ

ďYou know what? It doesnít matter,Ē I interrupted. It would be easier if I didnít know too much ahead of time. I was a terrible actress, anyway. ďIím in. The sooner we figure out the deal with Peter, the sooner we can be done and rid of him.Ē

ďNow thereís the sweet girl I raised,Ē Nan said with a chuckle, returning to the other side of the kitchen to ice an enormous layered cake.

Octo-Cat flopped onto my feet, rubbing himself all over my socks until they practically changed color from all the shucked off fur.ďIÖ canítÖ breathe,Ē he exclaimed between gasps. ďI think this is how I die!Ē

I bent down to pet him and slipped my fingers beneath his collar to make sure it wasnít suddenly too tight. ďItís just for a little while,Ē I assured him. ďI promise weíll take it off the moment Peter leaves.Ē

He sat up and swished his tail behind him as he thought. A scary smile stretched across his fuzzy little face.ďSo, if he were to leave sooner rather than later, I could have my freedom?Ē

I nodded emphatically. I had no idea how he intended to make that happen, but if agreeing meant heíd try to help tonight, then I was all for making a deal. ďYes, definitely. I donít want him around, either,Ē I reminded my cat.

ďThen our goals align.Ē Octo-Cat returned to all four feet and blinked hard. ďIf youíll excuse me. I need to prepare.Ē

I watched him trot away, then moved to wash my hands in the sink so I could get back to work. Nan didnít need to know about whatever Octo-Cat had planned. In reality, I didnít even know what he had planned, but I had no doubt it would be amusingóif not mortifying. It was starting to feel as if I didnít even need to do anything now that Nan and Octo-Cat both had grand plans of their own.

Once Iíd done all I could to help in the kitchen, Nan ushered me upstairs and informed me that I would be wearing my red party dress with tiny white polka-dots that evening. Well, at least Octo-Cat and I would match for the upcoming festivities.

I bided my time, even going so far as painting my nails a shining ruby red, figuring that Nan would appreciate this small gesture of my commitment to the character. By the time I floated back down the stairs, Peter seemed to have just arrived. He stood inside the foyer with Nan, wearing the exact same outfit heíd had on earlier that day.

ďWell, donít you look quite fetching,Ē Nan said kindly as she studied the faux tux printed on his old T-shirt. ďI love the irony of that ensemble. So clever.Ē

Peter raked a hand through his messy hair and gave her a boyish grin, charmed as anyone who found themselves the subject of Nanís attentions.

Octo-Cat came racing down the stairs as well, a glint of determination shining in his amber eyes.ďThis ends now,Ē he ground out as he passed me.

He walked straight up to Peter and rubbed against his legs while purring. Next, he transitioned to his hind legs and pawed at Peterís knees. He didnít do that for anyone.Not ever.Man, he must have been really desperate to get rid of that bowtie. Iíd definitely have to remember that trick the next time I needed to trick him into doing something.

ďHe likes you,Ē Nan said with a wink. ďWhy donít you pick him up?Ē

ďIím really more of a dog person,Ē Peter said hesitantly.

ďA dog person?Ē Octo-Cat asked in horror.ďBlech. Gag me with a spoon. But, yeah, I can smell that canine stink all over this one. Totally not surprised.Ē

Peter flinched, then cracked his neck on either side.ďShould we go try the desserts? After all, that is why you invited me. Right?Ē

ďYes, dear. Come along.Ē Nan led him toward the dining room while Octo-Cat and I stayed behind in the foyer.

ďWas it just me, orÖ?Ē I began but let my words trail off. Heíd flinched in response to what Octo-Cat had said. I was sure of it, and yetÖ there was no way. It was far too crazy to be believed.

ďHe reacted to me,Ē Octo-Cat agreed. ďI thought so, too.Ē

ďIt was probably just a fluke,Ē I said, keeping my voice low so as not to be overheard by Nan and Peter in the next room.

ďBut if it wasnítÖĒ Octo-Cat shook his head and took a deep breath. ďNow Iím just as curious as you are. Somethingís off about this one, and Iím going to prove it. Címon, Angela.Ē

He trotted off and I trailed helplessly behind, wondering what my cat could possibly have planned now and also wondering if Peter might really be like me. Did he get zapped by that old coffee maker, too?

I desperately hoped Iíd have the answer by the time the evening was through, because if this big production didnít work, we probably wouldnít get another chance.

Peter already seemed on guard that evening. Had he finally realized that we might be on to him just as much as he was on to us? And if he didnít want to be found out, then why was he working so hard to push my buttons?

Was everything in my overworked imagination, or was my entire world about to change?

I honestly didnít know which option I preferredÖ

Chapter Six

Nan looked utterly beguiling in her getup for that evening. Sheíd even woven jade chopsticks through her hair in a fancy upswept hairstyle that complemented her angular bone structure quite nicely.

She often wore Asian-inspired garments, preferring their smooth, flowing lines to the more rigid structure of traditionally Western clothing. Between her style choices and my predilection for all things eighties, we really did make quite the pair.

I preferred eighties fashion simply because it was great fun. Nan, on the other hand, had done a brief tour abroad during the Vietnam Warónot as a soldier, but rather an entertaineróand sheíd fallen in love with everything about that part of the world. Sheíd managed to visit Japan, China, and Thailand over the years, too, and was greatly looking forward to the day when Iíd finally agree to accompany her for an extended visit of all her favorite places. As for me, I wanted to get to know myself a little better before I ventured so far from home. Luckily, I was getting closer and closer to accomplishing just that with each passing day.

As loathe as I was to admit it aloud, Octo-Cat had made a huge difference in my life and had been a huge part of my recent self-discovery. I had a feeling Iíd done the same for him as well. That was the thing about the people you lovedó sometimes they made you crazy, but they would always be there for you in a pinch.

And this thing with Peter was the pinchiest situation weíd encountered yet. With the murders weíd investigated together, we at least knew what we were dealing with, what we were looking for. But with Peter? We now had questions on top of questions. As afraid as I was to discover where the answers may lead us, at least the three of us were firmly in this together.

Nan waited until Peter and I were seated at the table, then disappeared into the kitchen to plate up her sweet creations.

ďNice house,Ē Peter remarked, twiddling his thumbs in front of him. ďHowíd someone like you manage something like this?Ē

ďItís my house,Ē Octo-Cat announced, jumping up onto the table and plopping his rear right in front of Peter. ďAnd I donít think I want you in it.Ē

ďDonít mind him,Ē I said, pretending that everything was as normal as could be. ďHeís just a bit suspicious of new visitors.Ē

ďNice kitty,Ē Peter said, reaching a hand toward the tabby.

ďIf you touch me, I bite you,Ē Octo-Cat informed him with a low growl.

Peter instantly recoiled. Was it because of the growl or the words that preceded it? Hmm.

ďGood human,Ē Octo-Cat said in that condescending way Iíd grown to love. ďIf you poke the tiger, youíre going to lose some fingers. Thatís how the saying goes. Isnít it?Ē He tilted his head to the side and flicked his tail, keeping his unblinking eyes on Peter the whole time.

Peter laughed nervously.ďSo, Angie, how long have you been working ató?Ē

ďDonít talk to her.Ē Octo-Cat hopped back onto his feet and stared Peter down with his ears folded back against his head. ďTalk to me. Who are you, and why are you such a jerk?Huh, big guy? You think itís nice to pick on my human?Ē

Peter leaned back as far as he could in his chair and looked toward me with large, pleading eyes.ďUm, could we maybe put your cat somewhere while Iím here? I think I might be allergic.Ē

ďMore like afraid,Ē Octo-Cat said, then punctuated it with his signature evil laugh. Iíd never seen Peter so shaken. Granted, I hadnít known him very long, but still, it really did seem as if he could understand what my cat was saying to him.

ďOh, donít worry about him. Heís harmless,Ē I said with a dismissive shrug.

Octo-Cat growled again.ďOh, she has no idea just how harmful I can be,Ē he told Peter with a low rumble.

ďWhoís ready for some heavenly confections?Ē Nan sang as she floated back into the dining room with an artfully arranged silver serving platter, completely unaware of what Octo-Cat had been up to during her brief absence.

I widened my eyes as I moved them between Nan and the cat, trying to let her know that this was his show, but she didnít seem to get the hint.

ďBon appetit!Ē she cried, setting the tray between Peter and me.

ďThis looks amazing.Ē Peter wasted no time in grabbing a rich puff pastry dessert and shoving it eagerly into his mouth.

ďYou want to know whatís really amazing?Ē Octo-Cat asked, keeping his eyes trained on Peter. ďMy jokes. Seriously, I dare you not to laugh.Ē

I selected a mini cheesecake bite for myself and smiled as I waited to see what would happen next. Octo-Catís jokes were generally pretty terrible, but Peter didnít strike me as the type with a sophisticated sense of humor anyway.

ďOkay, get this.Ē Octo-Cat sat again, coming right up to the edge of the table so that Peter had to scoot back to avoid touching him. ďWhat do you call a dog with a brain? Anyone? Anyone?Ē He paused and looked around. ďNo, nobody knows. Okay, Iíll tell youóa cat!Ē He whooped and laughed hysterically while Peter attempted to make small talk with Nan.

I watched the whole thing in quiet fascination, smiling to myself as Peter struggled to maintain his composure. He certainly didnít enjoy getting a taste of his own medicine, the poor baby.

Octo-Cat yawned.ďThat one didnít get you.Hmm, okay. Well, I have lots more.Ē He waited for Peter to take another bite before asking, ďWhatís the difference between cat puke and a dog?Ē

Peter seemed to choke a little but recovered quickly.

ďOneís a slimy pile of disgusting excrement, and the otherís cat puke.Ha!ĒOcto-Cat flopped over on his side and rubbed his back on the dining room table the same way he often did in the freshly cut grass outside. This was him luxuriating in the moment. He seemed to love taunting someone who deserved it.

I chuckled quietly, eliciting glances from both Nan and Peter.

ďEverything okay, dear?Ē Nan asked, stopping the small talk sheíd been making with Peter. Iíd been so focused on the tabbyís antics, I didnít even have the faintest idea what theyíd been talking about.

ďYes,Ē I answered quickly. ďI just think itís funny how Octo-Cat invited himself along to the party. He seems to be really taken with you, Peter.Ē

ďYeah, well.Ē He cracked each of his knuckles and looked away.

ďTough crowd,Ē Octo-Cat spat, pacing the length of the table once more. ďGood thing I saved the best for last. Okay, who here knows why dogs canít tell jokes? No one? Itís because they lose their minds whenever someone saysknock, knock!Ē

At this, Peter snorted and then, at last, broke out into a full-fledged laugh.Gotcha.

I jumped to my feet and pointed at him.ďI knew it! I knew you could understand him!Ē

Peter blanched and fumbled the dessert heíd been holding. ďI donít know what youíre talking aboutóĒ

ďOh, can it, honey!Ē Nan shot in. ďThe jig is up.Ē I was pretty sure Nan didnít know what we were talking about, but it felt nice to have another ally on my side. She stood, too, and together we glared at Peter.

ďWho are you, and why are you here?Ē I demanded.

ďYou invited me,Ē he sputtered in equal parts confusion and irritation. ďBut if Iím not welcome anymore, Iíll just go.Ē He pushed his chair back and sped toward the door, but Octo-Cat leapt after him and sunk his claws into Peterís shoulder, hanging on for dear life as the lanky man tried to fight him off.

ďOw, what theÖ?Ē Peter cried as he spun and shook, but still Octo-Cat refused to let go.

ďSay you can hear me,Ē the cat hissed viciously. ďAdmit you understand.Ē

When Peter said nothing, Octo-Cat sunk his claws in even deeper. Telltale droplets of blood appeared on his neck and dampened his shirt.

ďOuch! Fine!Ē Peter shouted. ďI understand you. Now let go.Ē

Octo-Cat hopped down and raced over to Nan, whoíd taken a seat on our old Victorian couch while she watched this entire scene unfold. ďNow thatís the spirit,Ē she told Peter. ďAnd here I was afraid weíd have to tie you up before youíd willingly confess a thing.Ē

ďWhat do you want from me?Ē he asked, wiping at his wounds with a defeated scowl.

I crossed the room and stood before him with my arms folded over my chest.ďWhat doyou want fromme? Youíre the one who started all this.Ē

ďI thought you might be like me,Ē he explained in that whiny, nasally voice Iíd come to hate over the last couple of days. ďAnd, clearly, I was right.Ē

I shook my head, refusing to admit anything.ďSo, why taunt me?Ē

ďWhy not? I was just having a little bit of fun.Ē

ďNeed me to cut him again?Ē Octo-Cat asked, racing over to defend me.

Peter curled into himself defensively.ďPlease, no!Ē

ďYou need to tell me how you knew, and you need to do it now,Ē I yelled, towering over him now.

Peterís voice came out muffled. ďOr what? Youíll sic your cat on me again?Ē

I tilted my head and smiled at Octo-Cat who bounced at my side, ready for more action.

ďActually, thatís exactly what Iíll do,Ē I said, yanking Peterís arms away so that heíd look me in the eye again. ďNow, are you going to talk or what?Ē

Peter shook his head.ďNot here.Ē

I nodded to Octo-Cat, and he took another step toward Peter.ďYou have the right to remain silent,Ē he said. ďAnd I have the right to defend the indefensible.Ē

Indefensible?Ouch. I was pretty sure he was just quoting something heíd seen on his favorite TV show, Law& Order, but still.

ďIíll talk. I will!Ē Peter cried. ďI promise I will. Itís justÖ itís not safe here, okay?Ē

Oh, Peter.How quickly heíd transformed from villain to victim.

ďIf not here, then where?Ē I demanded.

ďIf not today, then when? If not me, then who?Ē Nan chimed in, but was ignored by both of us.

Peter shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a black business card printed with silver lettering.ďThis is the address. Iíll see you there Friday night. Around ten?Ē

ďFine,Ē I said, yanking the card from him even though he seemed willing to give it freely. ďAnd until then?Ē

ďJust act normal at work. Not a word, I mean it.Ē His eyes darkened for a moment, but he quickly shrugged it off. ďSo, if we understand each other, then Iím getting the heck out of here. Bye.Ē

I watched in silence as he charged out of the house and sped off into the night.

ďWell, that was interesting,Ē Nan said after emitting a low whistle.

ďDid you translate my jokes for her? They were some of my best yet,Ē Octo-Cat said with another chuckle.

I just shook my head and wondered what Friday night would bring. Iíd never met someone else like me, and frankly, I hated that the first other of my kind had to be someone as vile as Peter Peters. But now I was one step closer to figuring out why I could talk to animals, and maybe if I learned more, I could use my abilities more effectively. I could talk to more animals. I could solve more crimes.

Could Peter really have the answers Iíd been looking for all this time?

Well, Iíd know soon enough.

Chapter Seven

Friday couldnít come fast enough. Now that I knew there might actually be answers, I needed to hear them. My poor, tired mind was in overdrive trying to anticipate what Peter would say when we finally got the chance to talk things out.

Why could I talk to Octo-Cat and only Octo-Cat?

How could a quick zap from a faulty coffee maker land me with paranormal powers when the rest of the world carried on just the same as ever?

And how did Peter Peters factor into all of this?

I looked up the address heíd given me on Google Earth. It belonged to a squat brick building right in the heart of Glendaleís tiny downtown area. Despite having lived in the area for my entire life, Iíd never noticed that building before. Perhaps my eyes had always been drawn to the more colorful, vibrant storefronts,or maybe it was new.

I even drove past one day in search of clues and was disheartened to see a FOR LEASE sign taped inside the darkened window.

Right before I left work Friday, Peter pressed a folded-up Post-it note into my palm without offering a single word about it. I tried to act naturally, but the tiny yellow paper felt like it was burning a hole right through my flesh. Once tucked safely inside my car with the doors locked, I unfolded the note and read the single word that was written there:Claw.

Well, that made absolutely zero sense. I took a picture with my phone and texted it to Nan.Peter just gave this to me.Any idea what it means? I asked.

I waited for a few minutes. When her reply still hadnít come, I tossed the Post-it on my passenger seat and started my journey home. Nan often forgot her phone in various parts of the house and didnít realize it was missing until hours later. I could just ask for her feedback in person. After all, Iíd be there soon enough.

At the stoplight, I glanced toward the note again. Maybe the trick was in how the word had been written rather than in what it said.

Only the note wasnít waiting on the passenger seat where Iíd left it.

I did a quick scan of the floor, assuming it had fallen. No.

I groped under the seat, but the light turned green and the car behind me honked impatiently, forcing me to return my focus to the road.

The remaining minutes of my drive were grueling. Peterís note had to be somewhere. It just had to be. I needed to look harder to find it. Itís not like it could have disappeared into thin air.

Then again, I was now living in a world where it was possible for at least two separate people to talk to animals. My reality had already warped and stretched into a vaguely unrecognizable shape. So, then, why couldnít a tiny piece of paper go poof when no one was looking?

Correction: whenI hadnít been looking. Suddenly, I felt as if a million invisible eyes were staring directly at me, that I was the only one who didnít understand what had happened.

Paranoid. Vulnerable. But not crazy.

At home, I frantically searched the car. Still nothing.

I couldnít believe that Peter was making me wait until ten that night. Why had he even made me wait at all? Was this some kind of trick? Why hadnít I suspected so earlier?

Gullible. Na?ve.

Nan found me less than half an hour into my search.ďLunch is getting cold. Granted, the cold cuts were already cold, butÖĒ She stopped halfway down the porch steps and cocked her head to the side. ďWhat are you doing, dear?Ē

ďLooking for something,Ē I mumbled, sweeping my hand beneath the seat for the one-millionth time. ďDid you get my text?Ē

ďWhat text?Ē she asked in obvious confusion.

I sighed.ďNan, you really need to start keeping your phone on you. What if there was an emergency and I couldnít reach you?Ē

Nan skipped down the rest of the steps and thrust her phone in my face.ďYou mean this old thing? Hasnít left my side all day.Ē

I yanked it away from her and entered the top-secret passcode,1-2-3-4. That was probably another thing I should talk to her about when this whole business with Peter was put to rest.ďLook, I sent you a picture ofÖĒ

I opened her recent texts and saw the conversation weíd had a couple days ago, but nothing since then. The text had sent, right?

ďDear, you donít look so good. Come inside and have something to eat,Ē Nan suggested, as was her way.

But I was a woman on a mission. I brought my phone back out and checked my texts, checked my photo stream, checked the Cloud even.

Any indication that the Post-It note had ever existed had now also vanished into thin air. Why? It just said a single word with no context. Itís not like it was something dangerous.

Wait, whatwas that word again?

It seemed that knowledge, too, had been plucked straight from my brain. I wanted to throw up as the realization hit me.

Nan put a gentle hand on my back and guided me into the house.ďEat,Ē she commanded after pulling out my chair and pushing me down into it.

I did my best, but I just couldnít stop thinking about the note, about Peter, about everything. I couldnít wait any longer for answers. I needed to go now and hope that someone would be around who could explain all of this to me.

ďIím just going to go run a quick errand,Ē I told Nan, not wanting to put her at risk in case we were dealing with something dangerous here.

Octo-Cat, according to his rigorously kept schedule, was now napping in the west wing of the house. That meant I could slip away without having to first explain to him why I preferred he not come.

Seizing my chance, I booked it downtown to the place Iíd been fixated on all week. I hadnít tried to enter before, but now I found parking down the block and marched straight up to the presumably vacant building. A polite knock on the front door produced no results, nor did the frantic pounding that followed. I tried to peer in through the window,but everything appeared empty, dusty, uninhabited.

Was Peter just yanking my chain?

Sending me on a wild goose chase rather than giving me any real answers?

But then why the note?

It had seemed he wanted me to know about his abilityóor at least to know that he knew about mineóbut why?

I groaned in frustration and kicked the edge of the building.

ďCome now, Angela. Try to control yourself,Ē Octo-Cat said, appearing at my feet as if from nowhere. He yawned, then swiped a paw across his forehead.

ďWhere did you come from?Ē I asked, shaking my head in disbelief.

He looked bored with me already.ďThe car. Same as you.Ē

No, something didnít make sense here. ďWeíve never had a drive where you havenít clawed the heck out of my lap,Ē I argued, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him. ďHow could you have possibly stowed away undetected?Ē

He shrugged his little striped shoulders.ďYouíre improving your skills. Iím improving mine.Ē

ďWell, thatís just great.Ē And, under normal circumstances, it probably would have been, but I was too frustrated about all the non-answers floating around when it came to Peter, his Post-It, and now this building, too.

I pulled on the door handle, but it didnít budge. With another massive groan, I slapped the edge of the building and bit back a scream. Now my hand and my foot hurt from abusing this stupid brick fa?ade, yet I was no closer to figuring things out than I had been before stupid Peter came to stupid town. Grrr.

Octo-Cat lay on the sidewalk with his face hidden beneath both paws.ďYouíre embarrassing me,Ē he ground out.

Great, great, great.I threw my hands up and charged down the block, back toward my car.

ďWait!Ē he called after me, running a short distance and then stopping at the alley. ďWe can still check the other sides, right?Ē

Darn it, he was right. I took a deep breath, then turned back his way.

Down the alley there was only a single door partially obscured by an overflowing dumpster. I lifted my hand and made a fist, but then hesitated. What would I find inside? Once I knew the truth, there would be no going back. Was I ready for that?Really ready?

ďWell, go ahead and get it over with already,Ē Octo-Cat said gently.

I knocked so lightly, the sound barely even reached my own ears.

But a voice immediately answered from the other side.ďPassword?Ē it demanded.

Password? Peter hadnít said anything aboutÖ

ďClaw,Ē I said before my brain had even finished connecting the dots.

The door opened.

Chapter Eight

The man who opened the door was slight and gangly with a massive array of freckles scattered across his pale face. Definitely not the type one would expect to see in the role of security forÖ

What was this place?

I squinted my eyes and strained to see in the dank lighting. The inside looked very much the same as the outsideóall brick andblah.

ďWho sent you?Ē the bouncer asked, guiding us down the long staircase. His eyes shone a beautiful shade of green Iíd never seen beforeóand not just in nature, but had truly never glimpsed under any context.

ďPeter Peters,Ē I muttered, searching the big, empty space, but seeing nothing beyond the guard in front of me and Octo-Cat at my feet.

The guard shook his head and wrinkled his nose in a way that suggested perhaps he also didnít think much of Peter. ďHeís not due in until later tonight, but go ahead and have a seat if you want. Youíre welcome to have a drink while you wait.Ē

I scanned the room again, wondering how I could have missed something as large as a bar in my previous glance about.ďUm, where?Ē I asked nervously when I was still only met by dust and dirt and cobwebs.

The guard jabbed me in the ribs playfully, but it still hurt.ďHa ha, good one.Ē

I let out an awkward laugh, truly not knowing what I should say next. Should I ask how he knew Peter, or would it be better to inquire about how the door had just magically appeared in the alleyway earlier?

ďWho are you, and what is this place?Ē Octo-Cat asked the guard, shifting his weight from one side to the other, clearly unnerved by the filth of our current surroundings.

Our strange host answered him directly.ďIím Moss OíMalley. Havenít you ever been to the lair before?Ē If youíre keeping count, thatís now at least three of us who could talk to Octo-Cat. I definitely wasnít alone, not anymore.

ďCanít say that we have,Ē I answered for the both of us, pointing at my chest emphatically. ďAt leastI havenít.Ē

ďMe neither,Ē Octo-Cat supplied.

Moss stiffened.ďYou did say Peter sent you, right?Ē

We both nodded, eager to learn more.

ďWhat would that dog want with you two?Ē

I ignored Mossís strange choice of words and also the fact that he seemed to be edging back toward the stairs.

ďThatís personal, IóĒ I began.

ďClearly she can talk to animals, doofus,Ē my very unhelpful tabby interjected. He lived by one simple motto:when in doubt, add an insult.That didnít seem to be a good plan right about now. We were both in over our heads with Moss and his strange lair here.

Mossís attention shot back toward me, and he sniffed. ďBut you donít see the bar over there?Ē He pointed a shaking finger toward the far corner of the room.

I followed with my eyes, but still saw nothing beyond the empty, dirty basement.ďWellóĒ I began.

But before I could come up with a good excuse, Moss pushed me back up the stairs with surprising strength.ďJust forget you ever saw this place, okay?Ē he said after tossing both me and Octo-Cat into the alley. Next he did something strange with the fingers on one hand and then slammed the door shut before either of us could demand an explanation.

Octo-Cat twitched and flicked his tail.ďThat fool manhandled me. My precious coat is a mess!Ē

ďWhat just happened?Ē I asked breathlessly, watching in disbelief as the outline of the door faded into the brick wall right before my eyes.

ďA little help here?Ē Octo-Cat cried, and I crouched down to help straighten his fur.

ďHeÖ he scruffed me,Ē my poor cat sputtered in tears. ďScruffed me!Ē

ďIím so sorry,Ē I whispered, glancing back toward the door but finding that same unforgiving swatch of bricks where it had once been.

ďCan weÖĒ Octo-Cat let his words trail off and then sighed heavily. ďCan we just head home? I need to be in my own environment for a while.Ē

I still didnít know what had just happened. Would it have been different if weíd waited until ten like Peter had asked?

It was tough to say. We may have gotten more answers, but we also might have gotten ambushed. Moss hadnít told us much, but heíd made it clear that he also didnít much care for Peter. Maybe we should initiateOperation: the Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend. If Nan was here, thatís surely what she would suggest.

But how could I get more out of Moss when I had no way of reaching him again? If I came back tomorrow, might I find the door again? Would Moss let me back inside? Or might a different guard welcome us to the lair? Would I be able to pretend I knew and saw everything?

Neither of us said a word on the short drive back home. As soon as I dropped Octo-Cat off at the manor house, I headed back into town to do some more reconnaissance on the mysterious underground lair. On my first drive through downtown, I accidentally passed it and had to turn around and track back.

It seemed a pretty silly mistake, one Iíd probably made due to the fact my mind was still reeling from the earlier encounter with Moss.

I willed my brain to be quiet and focused hard, but still, I somehow managed to pass by it again.

Frustrated, I parked my car on the street in a sloppy parallel job, then went to search on foot.

An hour passed.

Two.

And still I could not find the lair again.

ďIím not crazy,Ē I muttered to myself. ďIím not.Ē

I checked in at home for dinner, then came straight back to town so that I could wait nearby for Peter. He said heíd be here at ten, that we could talk, andómost importantlyóthat heíd have answers.

People passed me on the street, shooting questioning glances my way, but I didnít care. I needed to know what was going on with me, now more than ever.

Nine oíclock came.Just one more hour to go.

Nine thirty.

Nine forty-five.

Ten came and went with no sign of Peter.

At five after, police sirens erupted in the quiet night. They grew louder and louder until the red and blue flashing lights were right upon me.

For a moment, I worried that I was about to be arrested for loitering, but the cop car flew right past me and stopped a couple blocks away. Now I had a choice to makeócontinue to wait for Peter or go investigate.

With one longing glance back toward where the lair should have been, I put my head down and jogged down the street to meet Officer Bouchard as he climbed out of his police cruiser.

ďWhat happened?Ē I cried, short of breath despite the fact Iíd only jogged a couple blocks. If only I could be in as good of shape as Nan. Maybe when this was all said and done, I could ask about accompanying her to that Zumba class she was always raving about.

My friendly neighborhood policeman just shook his head.ďGot called about a robbery in progress, but the door is still locked and thereís no sign of forced entry.Ē

I peered into the lit up storefront, an upscale bridal boutique that folks from all across Blueberry Bay visited when they were ready to tie the knot. Nobody was inside.ďWhere did the robber go?Ē

Officer Bouchard shook his head again and turned to me.ďYouíre on foot. That means you were nearby, right? Did you see anyone? Anyone at all?Ē

ďNo. Sorry.Ē I frowned, wishing I had a different answer for him.

The officer let out a frustrated sigh and raked a hand through his overgrown hair.ďThird time this week weíve had a call like this. The security tapes always show up empty, but sure enough, the registers and safes are cleaned out. Iíd say it was all for showóyou know, insurance fraudóbut it keeps happening. For the life of me, I canít figure out how.Ē

I sucked in a shaky breath, choosing to keep quiet even though I had a sneaking suspicion the lair might somehow be involved with all of this.

I was well past beginning to suspect I wasnít the only one in Glendale with a super power. Yes, Peter I already knew about, but how many others stood hidden in plain sight as they went about their daily lives? My talking to animals was innocent enough, but what could others do? Could they make whole buildings disappear? Commit a burglary without leaving a trace? Murder someone without ever being suspected?

I gulped down the giant lump that had formed in my throat.ďIím sure thereís a perfectly logical explanation,Ē I told Officer Bouchard, praying my words would prove true, but also knowing that they wouldnít.

They couldnít. We were so past normal at this point, we werenít even in the same zip code.

Octo-Cat and I had taken on murderers more than once, but those were just regular, everyday people. Bad people, absolutely. But stillregular.

What would happen when we found this mysterious new breed of magical criminal?

We wouldnít stand a chanceÖ

Chapter Nine

Over the weekend, I spent some time reading news articles and social media posts about the recent rash of burglaries in downtown Glendale. Sure enough, the reports matched up exactly with what Officer Bouchard had told me. I also cruised through downtown a few more times hoping to spot the lair or to run into Moss again. Of course, that plan failed spectacularly.

ďWhy are you so bothered about this?Ē Octo-Cat asked me when we snuggled into bed Sunday night. ďThe building vanished and the mean scruffer guy went with it. Theyíre not here anymore and thusÖĒ He paused for emphasis and licked his chest. ďNot our problem.Ē

Maybe my cat didnít think all these strange goings-on were his problem, but I definitely considered them mine. Nothing bad would happen to him if people found out I could talk to him. I was the one in possible danger here, and it hurt that this failed to concern him.

Rather than sharing my hurt feelings, I decided to take a different approach to get him back on my side.ďArenít you at least a little bit curious about how a whole building could just up and vanish like that? Donít you want to know what happened?Ē

Octo-Cat lifted a leg over his head and began to lick parts that would be better tended to in private.ďCuriosity killed the cat,Ē he mumbled by rote. ďAnd seeing as I only have five lives left, Iíd rather not take too many chances.Ē

It always weirded me out when he talked like this, and given Octo-Catís flair for dramatics, it was hard for me to tell whether he was being serious or not. ďHave you really died four times before?Ē I asked him quizzically. ďI have a hard time believing that.Ē

He lowered his leg, then stretched in a long arc with a satisfied mew.ďIt doesnít matter what you believe. All that matters is whatís the truth. And whether you can do anything about it.Ē

I contemplated this for a few moments. It seemed intelligent, even though it didnít satisfy my intense need to understand. ďThat makes sense,Ē I said at last. ďI know youíre over it and everything, but do you have any idea what happened with the lair on Friday?Ē

ďSure I do.Ē He rolled onto his back and wiggled around a bit. For all his complaints, heíd been doing a lot of that happy rolling about lately.

ďWell,Ē I demanded impatiently. ďAre you going to keep it to yourself or will you just tell me already?Ē

He flopped back onto his side and twisted his mouth in a grimace.ďI can tell you, but youíre probably going to fight me on it.Ē

ďWhy would IóĒ

ďMagic,Ēhe said, cutting me off mid-sentence.

Well, that was a bit surprising, but not altogether unexpected, given recent events.ďMagic? Could you maybe be more specific, please?Ē

ďMmm, no. Probably not.Ē He yawned and offered me a little shrug. ďI donít really know more than that.Ē

Honestly, the fact he knew anything at all surprised me. Now that I knew he had at least some intel, I was dying to hear more. I had to play this carefully, though. If I got too excited, my cat would punish me by simply walking away from the conversation until I got a hold of myself.

ďBut you say magic was involved?Ē I asked without making eye contact as I dragged my fingers across the soft comforter on my lap. ďDoes that mean you believe in magic?Ē

ďPlease refer back to my previous statement about belief versus truth,Ē Octo-Cat answered drolly, then waited while counting under his breath. Was he actually giving me time to revisit our earlier conversation? His arrogance truly knew no bounds.

ďOkay,Ē I said, trying to hide my annoyance. ďPlease continue.Ē

He nodded appreciatively.ďThank you. And, yes, magic is real. Although itís also very rare. And before you can ask, I know because some cats can see the traces it leaves behind. Not me, mind you. Just some other, less cool cats.Ē

Unbelievable.I shook my head and suppressed a sigh.ďSo this whole time youíve known magic is real and youíve never said anything to me? You can spend hours telling me about your napping routine, but never once thought to mention magic?Ē

Octo-Cat stood up and arched his back defensively.ďIf youíll recall, I mentioned magic on our very first meeting. Back when you were still trying to figure out how we can talk to each other. You told me thereís no such thing as magic, and so I dropped it.Ē

I thought back to that day so many months ago, andÖhe was right!He was absolutely, unmistakably right. But heíd never been one to drop anything, so why would he have let something so important slip away?

Octo-Catís golden eyes glinted as he studied me. ďI know what youíre thinking, and the answer isno.I donít think you should mess with this more than you already have. Iíve already gotten scruffed once. What further proof do you need that these guys donít play fair?Ē

ďAm IÖ?Ē I hesitated. This was a hard question to ask, a hard possibility to come to grips with. ďAm I like them?Ē I asked at last, my voice shaking.

Octo-Cat rolled over on the bed and laughed heartily.ďLike them? What do you mean by that? Do you think youíre some kind of wicked witch now just because you can talk to the great Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton? Mind you, thatís no small thing, butÖĒ He broke apart in full-on laughter, rolling from side to side in glee.

My patience had more than grown thin by now. Once again, my cat had important information, information that I needed to solve a case. Yes, once again, he was being a brat about sharing it with me.

Finally, he sobered enough to say,ďThereís no such thing as witches or wizards, so drop those fictional stereotypes from your mind. Mmmíkay?Ē

ďButóď

ďBut thereis magic,Ē he stated again. ďI donít know much more, because Iím not someone who has any.Ē

I pointed to myself, jaw hanging open. My lips simply couldnít form the words.

Octo-Cat shook his head. Magic or not, he clearly understood me.ďAnd neither are you. Yeah, somebodyís magical residue probably rubbed off on you or something. Hey, try not to look a gift cat in the mouth.Ē

ďSo, what do I do?Ē I sputtered. My cat had just revealed a whole new hidden world, and my brain was racing a thousand miles an hour to keep up.

Magic was real. Whoíd have ever guessed it? Certainly not me.

ďYou?You do nothing. Me?I do nothing. Just forget we had this talk, okay?Ē He jumped off the bed and left the room, thus ending the conversation. Why was he being so cagey? Did he know more than he was letting on? Would he be willing to talk if I tried bringing up the topic later?

Unfortunately, you just never knew when it came to Octo-Cat.

My only hope now was that Peter would be more forthcoming when I approached him tomorrow at work.

[ ŗūÚŤŪÍŗ: img_3]

Peter beat me to the office the next morning and appeared deeply involved with something on his computer screen when I entered.

ďHey,Ē I said halfheartedly by way of good morning. Something told me Iíd do best to approach him like I would Octo-Cat.Carefully.

ďHey,Ē he mumbled back without so much as a glance my way.

ďWhat happened Friday night?Ē I asked casually as I made my way toward our desk.

Peter burst out of his chair and clapped a hand over my mouth, scaring the wits out of me in the process.ďDonít,Ē he warned before peeling back his fingers one by one. ďJust donít.Ē

ďBut I waited for you,Ē I argued with a steely gaze. He could act weird all he wanted, but I wasnít going to be frightened offóat least not until I finally got the answers heíd been keeping just out of my reach.

He shrugged, returning to his normal disinterested affectations.ďYeah, well, something better came up.Ē

ďOkay,Ē I said slowly, pausing to take a slow, shuddering breath. If I lost my cool, weíd get nowhere. Whatever game Peter was playing, I needed to play it, too. ďCan we try again some other time?Ē I asked sweetly.

ďStop acting like a scorned lover,Ē he spat. ďIt isnít flattering.Ē

ďButóĒ

Peter raised his hand and made the same odd gesture that the bouncer at the lair had made just before the door disappeared. I watched, mesmerized.

It made me feel happyóno, not happy,content.

Good.

Satisfied.

Ahh.

Someone cleared her throat from across the room, and I turned toward Bethany with a goofy smile planted on my face.

ďAngie, a word in my office, please?Ē Despite the kindness of her words, she did not sound happy. Didnít look it, either.

ďWhatís going on with Peter?Ē she demanded after Iíd eased the door shut behind me.

I shrugged. My body still felt light, my mind fuzzy. It took me a little bit to come up with an answer.

Then I remembered.

Peter.I hated that guy.

ďHeís annoying, and I wish you hadnít hired him,Ē I said with a scowl. All my earlier elation was now gone.

Bethany regarded me suspiciously from behind her desk.ďAnything else?Ē

This was it. Someone was finally willing to listen to my misgivings when it came to Peter Peters. Only I couldnít exactly remember what they were.

Bethany tapped her fingers on the desk and raised one perfectly groomed eyebrow.ďWell?Ē

ďNothing specific,Ē I said, wondering why it seemed all my recent memories had fallen clear out of my brain. ďI just donít like him.Ē

A smile washed across her face, replacing the anxiety that had been there only seconds earlier.ďGood,Ē she said, and then, ďThank you, Angie. That will be all.Ē

I had no idea what was going on or why the conversation bothered me so much. Why did my head still feel like it was full of cotton?

Maybe I was coming down with some kind of cold.

Or maybe PeterÖ

No.

No way.

I felt like the answer lay just along the edges of my mind, but no matter how I strained, I couldnít break through the barrier to retrieve it.

Maybe the inevitable had finally occurred.

After months of talking to my cat, Iíd now completely lost my mind once and for all.

Chapter Ten

ďHow was Peter today?Ē Octo-Cat asked over lunch. Normally he slept straight through our afternoon meal, but today Nan had prepared a tiny saucer of clam chowder for him, too, so that he could join us at the table.

My day up until that point had been completely unremarkable, which made it all the more unnerving that my cat seemed to expect me to share some wild, juicy gossip.ďFine,Ē I answered slowly, still not knowing what else he expected me to say. ďWhy are you asking about Peter?Ē

Octo-Cat stopped lapping his soup and stared at me aghast. Droplets of cream clung to his fur, but he didnít seem to noticeóor at least not to mind. ďWhat do you meanwhy? Remember his visit here? Our trip downtown to the lair? Any of that ringing a bell for you?Ē

ďThe lairÖĒ That sounded familiar. Didnít IÖ? ďOh, right!Ē I shouted as it all came rushing back.

ďWhatís the lair?Ē Nan asked from her spot at the head of the table.

ďHow could you forget?Ē Octo-Cat cried as he continued to study me with a worried expression. ďIt was seriously all you could talk about this weekend!Ē

I dipped my spoon into my soup and watched the steam rise before me.ďToday was weird,Ē I said at last. Then to Nan, ďThe lair is what was at the address Peter gave me. Or, at least it was, until it disappeared.Ē

ďAnd you were talking about it all weekend but didnít once mention it to me?Ē She seemed hurt and intrigued in equal measures. It wasnít easy to upset Nan, which meant I felt extra crummy whenever I managed to do so.

ďIím sorry. I didnít think it was safe, but I canít exactly remember why,Ē I tried to explain, but kept coming up short.

ďWow, they really did a number on you,Ē Octo-Cat said with a low growl. ďI didnít think it was worth investigating, but if theyíre working this hard to mess with your memory, maybe it is.Ē

My memory?Is that why my brain had been so fuzzy today? In a way it made sense, but people couldnít really just make someone forgetóat least not outside the movies. ďYou think they wiped my memory?Ē I mumbled as Octo-Catís eyes continued to bore into me.

ďUh, yeah!Ē he cried with an agitated swish of his tail.

ďWhoís they?Ē Nan asked gently.

I looked to Octo-Cat for the answer.

ďMagic folk,Ē he spat in disgust.

ďMagic?Ē I asked with a start. Had we already discussed this? Was I again forgetting something important?

ďMagic!Ē Nan shouted in delight. ďHas magic finally come to Blueberry Bay?Ē

Now we both zeroed in on Nan.ďYou know about magic?Ē I squeaked. Had I been the only one in the dark here?

She laughed it off.ďNo, but Iíd like to. It sounds fun.Ē

ďNo,Ē I snapped at her. ďPlease donít get involved in this one, Nan. Iím begging you.Ē

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared me down.ďFun or not, where you go, I go. This time, it just so happens to be fun. Now catch me up.Ē

Or really, really dangerous, I mentally added as my stomach did an impressive series of somersaults.

Octo-Cat guided me through the events of the past week, both to refresh my stolen memories and so that I could share with Nan. As he recounted each detail, I instantly remembered them in full. How strange that I hadnít been able to recall anything without his guidance.

ďSo,Ē Nan said, rubbing her hands together as she prepared to sum things up. ďPeter can talk to animals, too. Thereís a magic club downtown that can disappear at will, and someone is using magic to rob the shops downtown blind. Is that everything?Ē

ďWhat do you mean is that everything?Ē I asked. Where earlier my brain had felt light and fuzzy, now it felt heavy from the burden of all this information slamming into it at once. ďItís an awful lot all on its own.Ē

Nan stood abruptly and headed toward the foyer.

ďWhere are you going?Ē I sputtered.Dizzy. I needed to lie down, but I also couldnít let Nan walk into a dangerous situation all on her own.

Luckily, the next thing she said was,ďWe need to go shopping.Ē

ďWhat? Why?Ē I rubbed my temples to try to get the blood flowing to my brain again.

Nan appeared completely unbothered by this strange turn of eventsó rather, she appeared to be genuinely excited. ďI donít have any good outfits for a stakeout, and I doubt you do, either.Ē

ďA stakeout?Ē

ďYes, thatís what I said. Now, are you coming or what?Ē

Nan and I went to Target and bought new outfits, complete with nondescript black skull caps for each of us. She even bought Octo-Cat a tiny black bandana, which I knew for a fact he would despise.

The rest of that evening was spent baking and putting together a custom stakeout kit that included board games, blankets, audiobooks, and other random items meant to help pass the time. I mostly just tried to stay out of the way while Nan prepared for our upcoming adventure.

When night fell, she popped onto her feet, narrowed her gaze, and said,ďItís time.Ē

Honestly, between Nanís spy movie obsession and Octo-Catís legal drama TV addiction, I was burnt out on this stakeout before it even began. Hopefully it would actually lead to some helpful new informationóbut I wasnít holding my breath.

ďWeíll take my car,Ē Nan declared. Her little red sports car was less than discreet, but arguing would get me nowhere, seeing as sheíd already committed to whatever role she planned to play tonight. Maybe a silver-haired female James Bond? I guess that made me the bimbo sidekick.

We parked downtown and sipped on matching thermoses filled with hot chocolate. Octo-Cat complained heartily from his place in the tiny, cramped backseat.

ďWatch for anything suspicious,Ē Nan instructed in a cautious whisper, even though no one was around to hear either of us. ďKeep an eye out for anyone nosing around the lair or entering one of the shops after closing time,Ē she further clarified.

ďHow long are we going to stay out here?Ē I asked with a yawn.

ďAs long as it takes,Ē she answered, her jaw set with determination. ďWe can sleep in shifts if we have to.Ē

Well, that didnít sound fun at all. Hopefully our magical crooks would reveal themselves quickly so we could go home and snag a proper nightís sleep.

Time passed slowly as Nan recounted the plots of all her favorite action flicks. Downtown Glendale slowly stilled as the businesses shut down for the night and people headed home. Other than the odd stray dog that galloped past, no one came or went.Nothing happened.

That is, until something did.

A clanging alarm sounded just down the street, and bright lights flooded the darkness. I recognized the jewelry store at once. Nan wasted no time reversing more than a half dozen parking spots bringing us to idle right in front the shop with the triggered security system. Despite the alarms and the lights, I couldnít see anyone inside.

Officer Bouchard showed up a few minutes later, sirens blaring just as they had Friday night.ďYou again,Ē he said upon spotting me.

ďItís a coincidence,Ē I said, putting my hands up in mock surrender. ďI promise.Ē

ďWe were on a stakeout,Ē Nan said, setting her mouth in a firm line.

ďWe just wanted to help,Ē I said quickly. ďSee if we could catch the robber in action.Ē

ďAnd you brought your cat with you?Ē he asked, spying Octo-Cat through the open car window.

ďIím just really attached to him,Ē I said between clenched teeth as Octo-Cat preened in my peripheral vision. ďBut I didnít see who broke in.Ē

ďThe ownerís on the way,Ē Officer Bouchard explained. ďBut I think itís best that you clear out before he gets here.Ē

Nan tapped her temple and smiled up at the handsome policeman.ďSmart,Ē she said. ďWeíre the only witnesses, so naturally heíll suspect us.Ē

I glanced back toward the lair and thought I saw a dark figure disappear around the alley. I wanted to go investigate but couldnít make Officer Bouchard any more suspicious of us than he already was.

As a compromise, I ducked my head back into the car and spoke in a low hush.ďOcto-Cat, I saw someone or something by the lair,Ē I whispered. ďCan you go check it out?Ē

ďOn it,Ē he said, sneaking out through the open window that faced the street.

ďThank you for your time, Officer,Ē Nan cooed, shameless flirt that she was. ďI know youíre very busy and important, and it always feels nice when you take a little extra time out from your day for us.Ē

ďNo more stakeouts,Ē the cop called after her as he walked away. ďYou hear me?Ē

Nan gave a salute, then sank into the driverís seat.

I pressed the button to roll up the front windows and then whispered,ďStall for a few minutes. Octo-Cat is checking something out for us real quick.Ē

Nan made a great show of fumbling her keys and taking inventory of the various supplies and activities sheíd brought for our big stakeout. When at last Octo-Cat climbed back through the window, she gave a friendly wave and then peeled off into the night.

ďWhat was it?Ē I asked my cat.

ďNothing,Ē he said as if he still had a hard time believing it. ďAbsolutely nothing at all.Ē

How could we have missed everything when it had happened right before our eyes?

It seemed the only thing our stakeout had accomplished is making me even more afraid of the magical forces that had taken hold of my hometown.

Chapter Eleven

The next morning I woke up to Nan wearing a velour jogging suit with the wordsassy written across her tush. A matching pink sweatband pushed her gray curls out of her face, and she held a metallic purple water bottle clutched firmly in one hand.

ďThe stakeout continues?Ē I asked, wiping the sleep from my eyes.

She stretched her arms overhead and then bent to touch her toes.ďIím sure I donít know what youíre talking about,Ē she answered with a wink while stretching both arms to one side and then the other. ďIím just headed into town to do a little exercise. Keeps me young and spry.Ē

ďWell, donít forget to take the cat with you,Ē I said, doing my best to hide the smirk that slithered its way across my face. ďHis harness is on one of the hooks in the laundry room.Ē

I finished getting ready for work, and Nan and I had a quick breakfast together before saying goodbye. Octo-Cat, however, flatly refused to speak to meóthe harness being one of the few things in this world he hated more than dogs. His irritation aside, Nan really did need his help on her investigation. A leashed-up cat might make her a bit of an inconspicuous character, but her snooping would have been obvious even without the cranky feline partner. At least now sheíd have a second set of eyes and ears to help her out.

As for me? I had to go all by myself to face Peter yet again.

Fortunately I, too, had an operative planned for that day. It definitely wasnít like me to keep forgetting, so I grabbed the digital voice recorder Nan liked to use to record her monologues, popped in a pair of fresh batteries, and tucked the device into the corner of my bra. Once at work, Iíd turn it on and record everything that happened that day. I mean, nobody couldtamper with my evidence if they didnít know it was there, right?

God bless my giant boobs. Usually they were just a pain in my back, but today theyíd finally serve some kind of actual purpose. Maybe James Bond had more than one reason for keeping all those ample-bosomed sidekicks around, after all.

Whatever happened next, I was ready. We all were.

That morning, Peter arrived at the firm before I did, a fact that didnít quite feel consistent with the rest of his personality, now that I thought about it. I said hello, then slipped into the bathroom to power on my recorder.

ďDid you have a good night?Ē I asked Peter conversationally when I returned to settle into our shared desk.

He groaned and shifted abruptly in his chair to face me.ďI know you saw me, so cut the BS. What part of drop it donít you understand?Ē

ďDrop what?Ē I asked casually. Meanwhile, my heart thrummed inside my chest. Was I close enough to the truth that heíd finally tell me what he knew?

Apparently not, because his expression grew venomous as he said,ďJust back off, all right?Ē

I folded my arms across my chest in defiance and spun toward him in my twirly office chair. Our knees were less than an inch apart as I leaned even closer and captured Peter with my most determined glare.

ďYouíre the one who pushed me first. Why would you do that if you didnít want to talk aboutÖ?Ē I paused for a brief moment before settling on, ďUm, what we have in common.Ē

He curled both hands into fists, and for a second there, I truly thought he might punch me. But then he sighed, released some of the tension, and whispered,ďThis is not the place to have this conversation.Ē

I had him on edge. That had to count for something. Heck, maybe if I pushed a little harder, heíd teeter right over, yelling all his secrets on the way down.

I refused to let him intimidate me. Instead, I jabbed a finger in his chest and ground out,ďMaybe not, but you stood me up last time we tried to meet somewhere else, and Iím done taking chances.Ē

ďI didnít stand you up,Ē he practically shouted, then took a deep breath and worked hard to compose himself once more. ďI didnít stand you up. Youíre the one who broke the deal by showing up early and bringing the cat with you.Ē

The first crack in his composure had appearedópry, pry, pry!

ďYeah, so what?Ē I said, keeping my eyes fierce, determined. ďThereís nothing wrong with my cat.Ē

Peter laughed bitterly, then pulled his shirt aside to show the deep claw marks from Octo-Catís attack last week.

ďFine, okay.Ē I had to fight hard to keep my smirk at bay as I studied the stillred skin. ďSo, letís start again.Ē

ďNo,Ē Peter said, turning his chair away from me and pretending to focus on the computer. I could still see him watching me from the corner of his eye, though.

I reached across and shut off his monitor with a humph.ďYes,Ē I insisted.

ďIf Iíd have known you were this much trouble, I never would haveóĒ He stopped abruptly, catching himself before he could get to the climax of that particular sentence.

ďNever would have what?Ē I demanded, leaning even closer. His cloying cologne filled my nostrils, and we were now so close I could have kissed him if I wanted. Not that Iíd ever want anything more from Peter than a few answers.

ďForget it,Ē he said, his voice shaking as his face began to turn the same shade of red as the claw marks on his chest.

I poked him again, showing him that I couldnít simply be brushed aside with broken promises and non-answers. ďYeah, you tried to make me forget, didnít you? But Iím not as pliable as you think I am.Ē

ďWill you just shut up?Ē Peter squeaked, his eyes widening in obvious terror. After clearing his throat, he leaned in close and whispered in my ear, ďStop prying into my secrets. Otherwise, I might just have to share yours with all of Blueberry Bay. You got me?Ē

I nodded slowly, not knowing whether he was bluffing or dead serious but also preferring not to find out. It didnít matter, though, because he did that wavy finger thing under the desk and suddenly I just didnít care anymore.

It wasnít until I got home that evening that I remembered about the digital recorder Iíd stashed in my bra. Thank goodness for my tendency to whip that thing off the moment I stepped through the door.

ďDid you get some good scoop during your walkabout?Ē I asked Nan when I found her putting the finishing touches on lunch in the kitchen.

She rolled her eyes, but smiled.ďNothing yet, but weíll be back out there tomorrow.Ē

Octo-Cat huffed.ďMaybe she will, but Iím done. Please tell me you got something out of Peter today.Ē He looked up at me with huge pleading eyes, and I wish I had a better answer for him thanI donít remember.

ďI have this recording,Ē I said, holding up the small item Iíd palmed after finding it in my bra.

ďOh, goodie!Ē Nan cried. ďThe perfect dinner theater.Ē She tilted her head to the side and let out a chuckle. ďOnly for lunch.Ē

I laughed, too, and flipped on the recorder, hoping Iíd managed to catch something good. Thankfully, it was only a matter of minutes before Peterís and my conversation from earlier that morning played back through the tiny speaker.

Some of the words were drowned out by the rustle of my shirt fabric, but the message still came through loud and clear. Peter knew that I knew something, and he was terrified of me finding out anything more.

ďAll right,Ē Octo-Cat said following Peterís final whispered threat. ďIím taking the lead on this one.Ē

ďWait. What do you mean?Ē I sputtered. Octo-Cat had never taken the lead before, and the fact he wanted to now scared me worse than anything Iíd seen yet. ďWhatís your plan?Ē

He sat before me on the table, flexing the claws on one of his front paws and staring at them with delight.ďIím sure you already know that cats are great at everything. And, lucky for you, Iím even greater than most cats. But do you know what Iím greatest at?Ē

I shook my head, hoping he would just get on with it. Octo-Cat considered himself the greatest genius and talent of our time, so he could literally be talking about anything right about now.

ďStalking my prey,Ē he answered with a sinister smile. ďI smell a rat, and you better believe Iím going to make him my dinner.Ē

I continued to stare blankly at Octo-Cat, not sure whether he was done or what heíd even meant by the things heíd said so far.

He sighed and rolled his eyes.ďPeter. Iím talking about Peter.Ē

ďYouíre going to eat him?Ē I ground out, trying so hard not to laugh.

ďNo, itís justÖĒ The tabby groaned. ďI was going for a poetic moment there and you kind of ruined it. Can you please get with the program already?Ē

ďYes, sorry,Ē I murmured, then waited as he went through his entire speech again. When he got to the part about smelling a rat and making it his dinner, I brought a hand to my chest and pretended to swoon.

ďMy hero,Ē I said overdramatically.

Octo-Cat smiled proudly.ďAnd donít you forget it.Ē

Oh, of all the things Iíd forgotten lately, this was one thing Iíd never be able to erase from my memoryóno matter how much I might want to.

Whatever his plan, I just hoped that my catómy heroówould be safe.

Chapter Twelve

That evening Octo-Cat sent me out for a bit of last-minute shopping. Heíd requested an Apple Watch, of all things. Now, if you think people can be snobby about their preference for Macs, multiply that by one hundred and youíll have a good sense of how devoted my tabby was to his particular electronics brand of choice.

Sometimes I regretted ever giving him that iPad.

Of course, I had to drive to the next town over to reach the closest big-box electronics store, and I may have gotten laughed at by the employee whoíd been assigned to help me.

ďYou want an Apple Watch for your cat?Ē he asked incredulously for the third time that conversation. Seemed he thought I was too stupid to understand the question.

I decided to offer a bit more of an explanation to help get us past the whole laughing and customer-shaming episode.ďYeah, I need to attach it to his collar so I can track where he goes when heís outside.Ē

ďAnd it has to be Apple?Ē he asked, gasping for air between laughs. ďThere are way cheaper options that are made specifically for pets.Ē

My brow pinched in frustration. Clearly, this man had never been owned by a cat.The poor oaf.

ďMy cat really prefers Apple products whenever possible,Ē I answered quietly, hoping that we wouldnít attract any other clueless employees before my purchase was made. ďCan we please just hurry?Ē

ďYeah, sure. Thereís a slight problem, though.Ē He stopped laughing and offered me a piteous expression. ďThe current generation of Apple Watches have to be tethered to a phone in order to work long range.Ē

ďMeaning?Ē

ďMeaning it wonít work for what you want,Ē he explained somewhat impatiently.

I glanced around the emptying store. Soon closing time would be upon us, which meant I needed to make a relatively quick decision. I could cater to my catís egoóor to his safety. You may think the correct choice would have been obvious, but it was a harder decision than you could possibly imagine.

ďOkay, show me the pet GPS units,Ē I decided aloud.

The worker smirked as he led me over to a glass case at the end of the aisle where weíd been standing this whole time. I chose the one that looked most like it could be an Apple product and pointed to where it sat inside the display case.

ďOoh. Great choice,Ē the worker said with a nod of affirmation. ďItís our best reviewed model.Ē

ďYeah, thatís great,Ē I said dismissively before lowering my voice and saying, ďIíll slip you a twenty if you can help me with something.Ē

He put both hands up and took a giant step back.ďI hope youíre not trying to bribe me so that Iíll steal from my store.Ē He lowered his voice, came back beside me, and leaned in close. ďNot saying I wonít do it. Just that the price has to be right.Ē

ďWhat? No.Ē I searched around for the security cameras, which were of course trained right on us. ďI already told you, my cat is really committed to Apple products. So, do you maybe have a leftover sticker or something we can use to cover up the real logo and replace it with Appleís?Ē

His eyes widened with surprise. Yup, heíd definitely never been owned by a cat. ďUm, maybe,Ē he mumbled as he glanced around for an escape route.

ďListen, I know I sound crazy. I promise Iím not.Ē I smiled, hoping heíd see just how harmless I really was. ďNot that it even really matters,Ē I continued quickly. ďCan you please just help me make this look like an Apple product?Ē

After a little more back and forthóand ultimately raising the bribe to forty dollarsóthe worker agreed to help. By the time I was done, I had a passable new accessory for Octo-Cat that I decided Iíd tell him was the new Apple Pet. I stashed the instruction manual in my glove compartment and tossed the box in the trashcan outside. Iíd just tell him it was the floor model, that weíd gotten the very last one.

Heíd like that, the whole exclusivity of his new toy.

Sure enough, my cat was overjoyed when I presented him with his new collar charm that evening.ďThe Apple Pet. Wow,Ē he cooed. ďItís even more beautiful than I ever could have imagined.Ē

ďAnd youíre one of the very first to get one,Ē I added, ignoring the fact that heíd probably be the only cat ever with this particular Frankenstein of a GPS tracker.

Nan helped us test it out by watching the tracker on her phone while I drove Octo-Cat around for a few minutes. When we returned she showed me the exact path weíd driven mapped out on her phone. It looked like everything was in place for his big solo mission.

ďBe safe,Ē I said the next morning, unable to resist the urge to give him a big hug and a kiss between his ears.

ďAngela, really,Ē he ground out while wriggling free of my arms. ďThe Apple Pet offers the latest state-of-the-art technology. Combine that with my superior intellect, agility, and stamina, and weíll have this case solved by sundown.Ē

I almost felt bad lying to him but knew heíd do better thinking he had Apple on his side. The plan was for him to drive with me to work that morning and then hang around outside the office, hidden among some bushes. Later, heíd slip into Peterís car when he came out at the end of his shift and secretly accompany him to wherever he decided to go that evening.

I personally hoped it would be the lair.

Nan and I both had the app on our phones so that we could follow Octo-Catís location, and Iíd also told him that I would pick him up at midnight, no matter where he was or what was happening at the time. I refused to leave him unassisted for the entire night, especially since Peter appeared more than a little bit unstable judging by all the interactions Iíd had with him so far.

ďAre you sure?Ē I asked him one more time as we pulled into the tiny parking lot outside the firm.

The determination in Octo-Catís gaze didnít waver. ďOf course Iím sure. You need me.Ē

ďYes,Ē I repeated. ďI need you. So, please be careful and make sure you come home safe.Ē

ďAngela, IÖĒ His voice cracked and he bowed his head, then he dragged his sandpaper tongue along my hand in a quick show of affection that practically melted my heart.

ďNothing of this later,Ē he whispered while waiting for me to open the door and set him loose.

I was too stunned to say anything more as I watched him trot away and take cover in the greenery around my office.

After a deep, calming breath, I headed into the office and fought back my urge to start checking the app right away. Nan had eyes on him, too. He would be okay.

Of course, Peter came into work late for the first time since Iíd known him. Those forty-odd minutes of thinking our plan would have to wait another day just about killed me, too. When Peter finally did show up for work, he studiously ignored me, even going so far as to pop some earbuds in as an excuse not to talk to me.

Well, that suited me just fine.

I waited as patiently as I could for my half-shift to end, then raced home and sat with Nan as we both watched the unblinking dot that represented Octo-Catís location on our phones.

ďOh, itís moving!Ē Nan shouted later that afternoon while we were both enjoying a cup of hot tea with homemade cookies to top off the light snack. Sure enough, the little dot had left the office and was now crawling down Main Street.

I glanced at the time displayed on the top of my phone screen.ďBut itís too early,Ē I protested. ďPeter is supposed to work until five.Ē

ďNot today, it seems,Ē Nan said with a halfhearted shrug. Her eyes, however, shone with excitement as she watched the little dot continue its journey.

In fact, we both fell silent as we tracked the dot along the screen. It turned down a series of side roads before finally coming to a stop.

ďZoom in,Ē I told Nan. ďWhat address is that?Ē

She clicked the dot, and the app gave us the exact street and house number.

ďThat must be where he lives,Ē I said, taking a quick picture of the screen in case we needed this information for later. ďGood to know for future.Ē

ďWhat if he just does a Netflix and chill?Ē Nan asked, worry lining her aged forehead.

ďWho told you about Netflix and chill?Ē I asked in horror.

Nan waved a hand dismissively.ďOne of the guys at Bingo. He said itís what all the kids are doing these days. Iím glad youíd rather read than rot your brain with all that TV.Ē

I nodded and hid a smile behind my hand. It was best that Nan stayed innocent as long as I could keep her that way.

Unfortunately, it looked like she was rightóat least when it came to what she assumed sheíd meant earlier. The dot remained idle for hours. Poor Octo-Cat must have been going out of his mind just sitting there and waiting for Peter to do something skeezy.

I yawned more than once, wondering if Nan and I would have to take shifts to watch the unmoving dot until it was finally time to go and retrieve Octo-Cat at midnight.

How unthrilling andóeven worseóunhelpful.

I had all but declared todayís mission a bust, when suddenly the dot began to move again.

Chapter Thirteen

ďTheyíre headed downtown!Ē I shouted, recognizing the path after the dot took a few sharp turns and swung back onto Main Street. I grabbed my phone and rushed toward the door, not even taking the time to slip my feet into my tennis shoes properly.

ďIím coming, too, dear,Ē Nan insisted in that sugar-sweet way of hers as she floated over.

ďNo way,Ē I insisted right back, albeit with far more hostility. ďWe need you at home base in case thereís any trouble. Keep watching that dot!Ē I called over my shoulder as I slammed the door shut behind me and made a beeline straight to my car.

If Peter and Octo-Cat were headed toward the lair, then I wanted to be there, too. I kept my phone hooked in its holster and watched the GPS app the entire time I drove. Luckily, Peter made a pit stop, which meant I miraculously managed to beat him downtown. I parked around the corner and then hid myself beside the dumpster in that same alley I now knew led to the magical lair.

I watched breathlessly as the blinking dot approached my location.

Closer, closerÖ

They should have been right upon me now, but I could see neither Peter nor Octo-Cat. Instead, a humongous pit bull burst into the alley and charged straight toward me. I was so shocked by his sudden arrival that it took me a second to realize his sharp and shiny teeth held something clenched between them.

My cat!

Oh my gosh, this abnormally large dog was carrying Octo-Cat by the scruff of his neck, and he looked mad. Tough, too.

ďPlease, Mr. Dog,Ē I said, my voice squeaking even though I wanted to appear as strong as possible in that moment. ďPlease donít hurt us.Ē

The dog locked eyes with me and growled a warning.

I froze in place the way the Girl Scouts had trained me to do in case of a wild animal attack. Would this dog bite me? Kill me? And why was he still clinging so tight to my cat?

The door to the lair opened and the menacing dog hurled Octo-Cat down the stairway. A sickening crack followed as Octo-Cat hit the ground below.No!

ďGet in there. Now!Ē someone growled at me. The voice sounded like Peterís, but it had to belong to someone else, right? Maybe Moss stood nearby just out of sight.

I still couldnít move, although now I was more afraid for Octo-Cat than for myself. Was he okay after that savage fall? What did the dog want with him? And how did it know about the lair?

ďAngela!Ē Octo-Cat cried from the distance. ďAngela, donít! Itís a trap!Ē

Oh, Octo-Cat! He was okay. I wanted to cry for joy, but I still couldnít move.

ďI said get in there!Ē the voice came again, and then the pit bull head-butted me down the staircase. The door slammed shut and disappeared. Even if I finally got my wits about me, I couldnít have escaped if I wanted to.

The pit bull stood seething with rage at the top of the stairs.ďI knew you would be trouble,Ē he said. This time I knew for sure the voice had come from the dog. It was speaking to me, much in the same way Octo-Cat did. But how? How was I understanding him? And why did he sound so much like Peter?

Octo-Cat lay across the room just a few feet from the far wall. He struggled to stand but fell back on his side with a gasp of pain.

ďThought cats were always supposed to land on their feet?Ē the dog taunted us in Peterís voice once again.

ďThatís a low blow and you know it,Ē Moss said, appearing suddenly from the shadows. ďWhatís got your fur in a twist?Ē

ďCaught one of yours creeping about my territory,Ē the pit bull answered with a nod toward Octo-Cat. ďFigured Iíd bring him here and let you deal with him, seeing as heís one of your kind.Ē

Moss tensed, then narrowed his eyes and stared the dog down.ďIím not doing it this way. Show yourself.Ē

I whipped my face back toward the dog, but not fast enough to see whatever transformation had occurred. Now it was Peter who stood crouched on all fours exactly where the dog had been. My eyes bulged and strained, trying desperately to find a way to explain what theyíd just seen.

ďTake a picture,Ē Peter said with a wry smile. ďIt will last longer.Ē

A picture? That wasnít actually a bad idea. I still had my phone clenched in my hand from tracking the GPS app, so I raised it toward Peter andó

He slapped it right out of my hand.ďSeriously? Ever hear of sarcasm?Ē he demanded, curling his lip in disgust.

ďOkay, enough!Ē Moss cried, yanking me away from Peter with surprising strength and lifting me up high so I dangled right in front of his face.ďYou.Iíve met you before. Didnít you say Peter was the one who invited you here in the first place?Ē

I nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact. Although I was still terrified, I knew I stood a better chance of eliciting sympathy from Moss than from Peter. Could I somehow convince him to let us go without further harm? I had to try.

ďYes, yes!Ē I shouted. ďHe told me to come here last weekend, but then he didnít show up!Ē

Moss sucked air in through his teeth.ďThatís bad form, dog. Really bad form.Ē Turning back to me, he said, ďI thought you were one of us. Why are you hanging out withhim?Ē

ďOne ofÖĒ

ďHeís a cat,Ē Octo-Cat informed me with a wheeze. ďI thought I smelled it on him the first time we met, but I didnít know that people could, couldÖĒ

ďBecome animals?Ē Peter asked, changing into a dog again so quick I still couldnít tell how it was done. He rounded on Octo-Cat and raised his hackles. ďNot so tough now are you, big shot?Ē

ďHey!Ē I cried, straining to break free so I could defend my poor, injured kitty. ďLeave him alone!Ē

Moss groaned and set me back on my feet.ďYou know the lair is neutral territory,Ē he said to Peter. ďSo knock it off already.Ē

When I glanced back toward Moss, heíd transformed into a stunning long-haired cat with those same ethereal green eyes.

ďCan you two please stop doing that?Ē Octo-Cat whimpered from his place on the floor. ďItís making me dizzy.Ē

ďAre you okay?Ē I hurried over to him, then knelt down to lift him into my arms.

Octo-Cat allowed me to cradle him to my chest, which heíd never done before.

ďIím fine,Ē he croaked. ďJust down a life is all.Ē

Seeing the intense worry that, no doubt, filled my expression, he let out a dry chuckle.ďHey, donít look so worried. I still have almost half of them left. Just give me another few seconds here and Iíll be back to fighting form.Ē

ďNo,Ē I whispered, pressing my forehead to his and fighting against the hot tears that threatened to spill. ďNo more fights. This stops now.Ē

ďOr what?Ē Peter asked with a sneer as he observed Octo-Catís and my tender moment with thinly veiled hatred.

ďI said knock it off already!Ē When Moss hissed, it sounded like air being let out of old tires. ďWe agreed to work together when it came to Glendale.Ē

ďThen sheís a threat to us both,Ē Peter spat, human again and with his arms crossed tightly against his chest.

Moss studied me with a frown.ďWell, what do you want me to do about it? Lock her up and let the council decide?Ē

Peter gave one emphatic nod.ďYes, thatís exactly what I want you to do.Ē

ďFine,Ē Moss said, returning to his human form faster than a snap. He picked me up and pushed me into the corner of the room. I tried to charge after him but was stuck behind some kind of invisible barrier.

ďHow do you like the fishbowl?Ē Peter asked with an evil smile I wanted to slap right off his cruel face. If I hadnít liked him before, now I outright hated him. I would never be able to forgive him for hurting my best fur friend.

ďWe still donít know who sent her or why, so maybe we should stop antagonizing her until we get some answers,Ē Moss pointed out, though he sounded unsure of the words even as he spoke them.

ďWhatís going on?Ē I cried, still clutching Octo-Cat tightly to my chest. My tears had broken free now and drove down my cheeks in hot trails.

Moss bit his lip, then turned to Peter.ďWe at least need to remove the glamor if weíre going to hold her here. Too long without it and sheíll go crazy. You know that, Peter.Ē

ďFine.Ē Peter snapped his fingers and that old, dank basement suddenly transformed into a posh underground club. Finally, I could see why they called it the lair. Cherry wood paneling lined the walls and the floor had been laid with marble. Sure enough, Octo-Cat and I were in a fishbowl just asPeter had described. The tiny room that imprisoned us was made of glass on two sides and hard wall on the others.

I jumped back to my feet and pounded on the thick glass.ďLet us out!Ē I screamed.

ďNot a chance,Ē Peter said with a sinister laugh. He was definitely enjoying this way too much. Had this been his plan all along? But why go to such lengths to steal my crummy paralegal job?

ďWe canít let you go just yet. Not until the council decides,Ē Moss said with an apologetic shrug.

Again with the council? Who were they? And what would they decide?

I looked past Moss in a frantic search for some kind of escape route. That was when I realized we had an audience.

Chapter Fourteen

The lair appeared to be a boyís club. I didnít spot a single woman among the spectators, although I supposed any of the many cats or dogs could have been female. I sank down in the corner where the two wood walls joined together and tried not to look intimidated by the nightís bizarre turn of events.

After nursing his wounds a bit longer, Octo-Cat slipped out of my arms and began to pace the length of the glass.ďChin up. Donít let them see you break,Ē he instructed, almost as if heíd been imprisoned before. Iíd definitely be asking about his kittenhood once we were free of this whole mess.

ďWhat happened when you were with Peter?Ē I asked quietly, hoping nobody else would be able to pick up on our whispered conversation.

ďOh, Angela. It was all my fault.Ē He turned to me suddenly, immense sorrow reflecting in his normally steady amber gaze. ďEverything would have been fine, but on the drive downtown, Peter took a turn really fast and I couldnít help it. I-I-I-I yowled!Ē

My cat now blubbered in earnest as if realizing for the first time ever that he wasnít actually perfect.The poor thing. This entire experience had to be as life-altering for him as it was proving to be for me, perhaps even more.

Octo-Cat tried to keep a stiff upper lip as he continued, but broke down at several points in his story.ďHe slammed on the brakes and dragged me out by-by-by my scruff, then threw me in the trunk for the rest of the drive. I m-m-made a plan to leap at him and go for the eyes when we stopped, but it wasnít hi-hi-him that opened the trunk. It was the other him.Ē

The dog. I still couldnít believe Peter could change into that pit bull at will. This was the stuff of fairytales, and honestly, it didnít belong in my picture-perfect little coastal town.

ďDid you learn anything good?Ē I asked as I watched my cat continue to pace back and forth. I hated how worked up he was, but also found myself quite relieved that he was moving and talking like normal again.

ďNot until we got here,Ē Octo-Cat answered with a sigh. ďBut Iím afraid I was so out of sorts after I c-c-crashed down the stairs that I missed most of it. AndÖĒ He sniffed hard, then tried again. ďAnd!Ē

He broke down into incomprehensible sobs once again. His shoulders heaved with distress as he struggledóand failedóto get the words out.

ďItís okay,Ē I cooed, tapping my fingers softly on the ground to call him to me. ďYou can tell me anything. Itís not going to make me love you any less.Ē

Octo-Cat trotted up to my side, then turned his face away and mumbled.ďMy new Apple Pet took a lot of the impact and it-it-it… it shattered, Angela!Ē he finished at last.

ďOh, Octavius,Ē I said, using his full first name to help remind him of who he was. I hated seeing him so broken up like this. ďPlease donít worry about that. In fact, if it makes you feel better, that wasnít an Apple at all.Ē

He turned back toward me, his eyes wide now for a different reasonócomplete and unadulterated horror. ďWhat?Ē he demanded.

Oh, no. I was in such a rush to help him that I hadnít thought about how this particular revelation would impact me. I should have just kept my big mouth shut. I guessed now that the cat was out of the bag, thoughÖ

ďIt wasnít Apple,Ē I said again, trapped by the intense scrutiny of his angry gaze. Now I was the one who had a stutter. ďApple Watches n-n-need to be tethered to a phone to work out of range, and I w-wanted you to be safe, soóĒ

ďAngela!Ē he shouted, then evened his voice out and went into full-fledged lecture mode. I hated lecture mode. It meant that he was too angry to even insult me now. ďIf youíd gotten me an Apple like I requested, none of this would have happened in the first place.Ē

ďThatís not fair,Ē I shot back. The way heíd described being discovered by Peter had absolutely nothing to do with any failings of the GPS.

He pressed his ears back flat against his head and stooped toward the ground.ďI canít believe you let me think thatI could have been the one to mess things up so royally. How could you let me doubt myself like that?Ē

I hung my head, properly chastised.ďIím s-sorry.Ē

ďSorry isnít good enough, Angela,Ē he said with a small tutting noise. ďIf you wouldíve followed my very simple, very clear instructions, we wouldnít be in this mess.Ē

At least as I felt worse, he appeared to feel better and better. Perhaps weíd even each other out. ďFine, itís all my fault. Happy?Ē

Octo-Cat shook his head again, slowly this time.ďI thought Iíd trained you better.Ē

ďYou can catch up on my training later,Ē I promised with a giant, unhappy sigh. ďRight now we need to focus on finding a way out of here.Ē

ďWell, thatís easy,Ē he said with a quick shrug.

I scrambled to my feet.ďGreat! Then tell me.Ē

Octo-Cat deadpanned as he revealed,ďThere isnít one.Ē

ďGreat.Ē I let myself sink back to the floor before realizing that maybe I shouldnít just take his word at face value here. ďWhat makes you so sure thereís no way out?Ē

ďMagic,Ē he answered matter-of-factly.

ďI thought you said you couldnít see magic.Ē

ďI canít, but I think maybe now I can feel it a bit.Ē He flexed a paw demonstratively. ďCanít you?Ē

ďWell, IÖĒ I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, trying to see if I felt any different than I had before weíd entered the lair. I gave it a good try, but ultimately came up short. ďYeahÖ no,Ē I said pathetically, wondering if my catís newfound ability might be all in his head anyway.

Octo-Cat growled and flicked his tail.ďEven so, we just saw one human turn into a dog and another into a cat. We saw this place appear out of nowhere and then get an insta-makeover from dirty dungeon to swanky night club. I think itís safe to say weíre in magical territory now.Ē

He had a definite point.

ďBut what do they want with us?Ē I mumbled, watching Peter as he laughed and joked with a small group of people Iíd never seen before.

ďI donít know.Ē Octo-Cat was back to pacing while Peter paused and looked toward me, victory dancing across his face.

I refused to let him win, especially since I didnít fully understand the stakes. ďHow did Peter even find out about me in the first place?Ē

ďI also donít know that.Ē

I swallowed hard, then asked the toughest question of all.ďAre they going to kill us?Ē

Octo-Cat paused and looked at me over his shoulder.ďWell, they already killed me once, although I donít think that was intentional.Ē

ďDid you really die back there?Ē

He nodded grimly.ďIt was my fifth time.Ē

ďHow did you die the other four times?Ē I asked, having always wondered about this. If we couldnít break out of our magical prison, then at least we could pass the time learning more about each otherís pasts. It seemed we were always so caught up in our current adventures that we rarely hadtime to stroll down memory lane side-by-side.

Octo-Cat plopped down, facing me, and I could tell I was in for a good story that would hopefully take my mind off our current predicament.ďWell, the first time was at the beach. IóĒ

One of the glass panels slid to the side with a swish, cutting off what I was sure would be a riveting tale. Perhaps Octo-Cat would be willing to tell it to me later.

The cat version of Moss slipped through the opening, and the moment heíd crossed the barrier, the glass wall slammed shut again.

ďWhatís going on?Ē I pleaded, remaining seated so that I was closer to eye level with both cats. ďAre you here to help us?Ē

Moss sat by the glass, leaving a large distance between us.ďI canít say for sure, but maybe.Ē

ďMaybe what? Maybe youíll help us?Ē I crawled over to him on my hands and knees, and laughter rose from outside the fishbowl. I didnít care about our audience, though. I only cared about getting help, and Moss still seemed our best chance at that happening.

ďYes,Ē he answered, looking down his nose at me as I scrambled closer. ďBut first, I have some questions.Ē

ďHeís going to interrogate us,Ē Octo-Cat translated, even though I didnít need the help. ďJust like in the order part ofLaw& Order.Ē

Moss smiled, and that small gesture put me at ease. He really was a very pretty catónot that Iíd ever admit that aloud near Octo-Cat.

ďYeah, well, things work a little different when it comes to the council,Ē he said, still smiling although something in his expression had changed.

ďDifferent how?Ē I asked, raising an eyebrow. Slowly, the fear was returning. What did they have planned for us? And how could we get them to change their minds? I no longer much cared about decoding my abilities. These were the new questions I desperately needed answers to.

Moss chuckled, his green eyes boring into mine.

I paused in my tracks and waited for the big reveal.

Finally, Moss stopped laughing and informed us,ďFor starters, weíre not the good guys.Ē

I gulped hard, but nothing I did made me feel any better.

Weíd been captured, and by a shape-shifting magical gang that seemed to show little regard for the rules.

If we died down here, would anyone ever even know?

I was suddenly so thankful that Octo-Catís tracker had broken. At least I knew now that Nan would be safe.

Even if we werenít.

Chapter Fifteen

ďWho do you work for?Ē Moss demanded, turning back toward me sharply.

A cheer rose up from the club. I blinked in horror as I noticed close to a dozen people and animals crowd in toward the glass, each vying for the best spot.Oh, great.Octo-Cat and I had become the unwitting stars of some kind of twisted, magical reality TV program.

ďWe ainít telling you nothing!Ē Octo-Cat shouted, then spat dramatically on the ground. This antic earned him a few polite chuckles from the audience.

ďActually, thereís nothing to tell, seeing as we donít work for anyone,Ē I explained, quietly willing Octo-Cat to ignore the lure of this momentary fame and let me handle things. ďUnless Longfellow, Peters, and Associates counts,Ē I added with a forced calm.

ďPeters,Ē Moss said, rubbing his chin with a paw. ďInteresting.Ē

ďNotthatPeters,Ē I corrected with a quick glance toward the audience. Peter stood just on the other side of the glass, watching with a disturbing hunger in his eyes. ďBethany Peters. Sheís nice.Ē

ďTheyíre all the same, sweetheart,Ē Moss said with a chuckle. Did he know Bethany? Was Bethanyógaspólike him? How could that even be possible?

And why did it feel like everyone else was playing out some kind of old-timey movie? Even Octo-Cat had stars in his eyes now that he realized we had an audience.

Me? I just wanted to get home safe and put this whole ordeal behind me. If it meant never learning the truth about my abilities, then so be it. Iíd rather be alive than informed.

ďAre you really working with the dogs?Ē Octo-Cat asked, then spit on the ground again. When nobody laughed this time, his expression fell.

ďWill you just stop spitting?Ē I demanded with an exacerbated sigh. Now I was equal parts annoyed and terrified. Iíd much preferred being tied up or held at gunpoint as I had in my previous misadventures. At least then Iíd known what I was up against. Here, everyone was crazy and unpredictable, superpowered and spry.

I definitely didnít like my odds, being that I appeared to be the only semi-sane, semi-normal person around.

ďYou can talk to him,Ē Moss pointed out, narrowing his eyes at me as he tilted his head sideways toward Octo-Cat. We were getting nowhere fast, seeing as Moss wanted to revisit all the previously established facts.

ďYes, but you already knew that,Ē I said, raking my hands through my hair in frustration. ďAlso, why does it even matter? Obviously, everyone here can talk to him, too.Ē

ďWho sent you?Ē Moss demanded yet again.

I glowered at him as I explained,ďYouíve already asked that, and Iíve already explained that nobody sent me. Well, except Peter.Ē

ďAre you a double agent?Ē

A lowooh swept through the crowd. Apparently, this was a very important question. Too bad I didnít have the slightest idea how to answer it.

ďWhat? I really have no idea what youíre talking about.Ē

ďShift,Ē Moss demanded, looking from me to Octo-Cat and back again.

ďUm, we canít.Ē I rolled my eyes to show him how ridiculous I found this whole thing.

Octo-Cat spit on the ground again and said,ďNo can do, fuzz.Ē

Oh, jeez.I had really thought heíd remain silent after his last joke was met with zero applause. I already knew the more he spoke, the longer this would take. Luckily, Moss seemed more interested in me than in my cat.

ďShift,Ē Moss said again, raising a threatening paw with claws fully extended.

I didnít even flinch. ďI told you I canít,Ē I said through gritted teeth.

Moss apparently did not like this answer, because he hurled himself at my face and sunk his claws into my cheek.

Peterís voice rose above the others as pain exploded on my cheek. ďHow do you like it now that the tables are turned?Ē

Blood dribbled down onto my shirt, but I was too scared to focus on the pain.ďYou can torture me all you want, but I donít have a different answer to give you,Ē I said through gritted teeth.

ďNobody attacks my human and lives to tell the tale,Ē Octo-Cat shouted, surging forward to tackle Moss.

ďStop!Ē I screamed at them both. Octo-Cat couldnít take a beating so soon after losing that last life. As noble as I found his choice to defend me, this was one fight I knew heíd lose.

ďJust stop!Ē I begged Moss whose teeth were now at Octo-Catís throat. ďIíll tell you everything I know. Itís not much, but Iíll tell you.Ē

Octo-Cat backed away, hackles fully raised, his tail so poofy he looked more like a long-haired breed than his usual tabby self.

ďExcellent.Ē Moss dragged his claws across the cold marble floor as if to remind me he could still do considerable damage, should we step out of line again. ďNow, which one of you is magical?Ē

ďNeither,Ē I answered, throwing my hands over my face defensively. ďI never even knew magic existed until this week, and I couldnít even talk to him until about six months ago.Ē

Moss came closer and stood on his hind legs. He pressed his front paws against my chest and peered into my face as he asked,ďWhat happened six months ago?Ē

ďI got zapped by a coffee maker,Ē I answered breathlessly. My cheek had begun to throb from his earlier attack. More than mad, it made me scared.

ďAnd when she woke up, we could understand each other,Ē Octo-Cat finished for me.

ďThatís rather anti-climactic,Ē Moss said. His voice now had the slightest hint of a twang. If heíd had an accent before, heíd done a wonderful job hiding it. I wondered if the fact it was coming out meant he was every bit as flustered as I felt.

Perhaps Octo-Cat and I could still win this yet.

ďBut you canít shift?Ē he asked for what felt like the millionth time in the span of just a few minutes.

I shook my head so hard it hurt. How could I make himóand the others who were still watching hungrilyóbelieve me once and for all?ďNo,Ē I said with as much emphasis as I could assign to the short, little word.ďAnd I canít do that memory thingy, either.Ē

ďThe memoryÖ Oh.Ē Moss laughed a full-belly laugh, and the room joined in. ďSo, youíre a normie?Ē he asked at last, wiping tears away as he fought off the final throws of laughter. Octo-Cat had never been able to produce tears on demand. I wondered if Moss could because he was really a human.

ďIf that means a normal, ordinary person, then yes,Ē I told him with a stony gaze.

Moss nodded toward Octo-Cat.ďAnd him?Ē

I nodded again.ďTotally normal.Ē

ďExcuse you,Ē Octo-Cat hissed, stomping over to join us. ďIím anything butóĒ

ďShut up!Ē I shouted at him. This was not the time for that overblown ego of his.

ďWhat are you hiding?Ē Moss demanded, turning toward Octo-Cat but still watching me from his peripheral vision.

ďNothing. I swear.Ē

He studied Octo-Cat for a moment before breaking out in an unfriendly smile.ďAh, I get it,Ē he concluded. ďHeís just your average, everyday cat with an unfailingly high opinion of himself.Ē

I let out a breath I hadnít realized Iíd been holding in. ďYes. Exactly.Ē

ďSo, somehow you got hit with magical resonance,Ē he continued.

I couldnít tell whether it was meant to be a question or not. ďSure?Ē

ďAnd thatís why you donít show up on any of our tracking systems,Ē he continued. ďYouíre a non-magical entity with a single magical ability.Ē

I nodded along. This explanation certainly made sense, seeing as I was sure about only two things hereóone, I wasnít magical, and two, I could talk to Octo-Cat.

A collective gasp sounded from the crowd. Why did they find me so interesting, especially when they could all do such extraordinary things themselves?

ďDoes that happen often?Ē I asked, suddenly desperate to understand more.

Moss shook his head.ďNo, it really doesnít. This started six months ago, you say?Ē

I pumped my head in agreement. Finally, someone would tell me the answers. I could feel them bubbling just beneath the surface. Peter hadnít helped me, but Moss would. I just knew it.

ďThatís worrying,Ē he said.

ďWhy?Ē

ďIf you were a true magical person, you would have been born that way. If you were hit with some magical residue, it should have faded within twenty-four hours.Ē

ďSo, what am I then?Ē I asked as my heart hammered away inside my chest.

ďThat depends,Ē he said with a thoughtful expression.

ďOn?Ē I was so close to begging him for more. Couldnít he see how desperately I needed to know?

ďYour cooperation,Ē he answered with a pensive gaze.

Nobody said anything for a few moments until Peter appeared at the edge of the glass.ďYouíre either big trouble,Ē he said with a scowl.

ďOr our greatest weapon,Ē Moss finished, his eyes now shining with an evil joy.

ďNo, no, no. I donít want to be a weapon,Ē I argued, shuffling backward until my back was flat up against the wall.

ďWhat about me?Ē Octo-Cat asked. ďAm I a weapon, too?Ē

ďYou?Ē Moss laughed and shook his head. ďYouíre just an ordinary, everyday tabby cat.Ē

Chapter Sixteen

Octo-Cat took several steps back until he bumped into the glass.ďNo,Ēhe whispered over and over again.ďNo, itís not possible.Ē

The crowd roared with laughter but, despite their glee, I could tell my cat was hurting. Badly.

ďDonít listen to them,Ē I pleaded, pushing myself to my feet so I could go to him.

He flinched at my touch, then bounded out of reach.ďDonít,Ē Octo-Cat said sadly, refusing to look at me.

ďAlways with the dramatics,Ē Peter said, stalking in on all fours to join us inside the fishbowl. He waved one arm in a circle and the glass turned into a shiny opaque surface, cutting off both the sights and sounds from outside.

ďWeíre alone now,Ē Peter confirmed, sitting down on his haunches. His great tongue lolled from the side of his open maw in clear anticipation.

ďIt would be easier for me to talk to you if you were human,Ē I said, clenching my eyes shut tight as I turned away. A part of me still didnít want to believe that any of this was happening.

ďHave it your way,Ē Peter said coldly.

When I opened my eyes again, both he and Moss had returned to their human forms while Octo-Cat remained turned away and sulking in his corner.

ďNow are you going to cooperate or what?Ē Moss asked, his green eyes taking in my every move.

ďOr would you rather do this the hard way?Ē Peter asked. Apparently, weíd returned to their previous good cop, bad cop routine. But I wouldnít be fooled this time. Moss had already admitted that neither of them was good, and thus it stood to reason that neither of them would help us out of the kindness of their hearts. They wanted something, and I just hoped it wouldnít be too high a price to pay.

I bit down hard on my lip as I watched them watch me. And then I couldnít take the studied silence any longer. A million questions weighed on the tip of my tongue, and I let the first few spill out into the open air. ďWhat do you want from me? And if youíre not the good guys, then who are you? Are you going to let us go?Ē

Peter puckered his lips unattractively and made a condescending tutting noise.ďSo many questions when you wonít even answer our one simple request.Ē

ďCooperate,ĒOcto-Cat murmured from across the room. He had his forehead pressed to the wall as if that was the only way he could remain upright. Iíd never seen him like this. Not even close. At this point, I knew I needed to do or say whatever it took to get us out of here, to get him help.

ďFine,Ē I answered, keeping my gaze on that poor forlorn tabby to remind myself why I was suddenly so willing to assist my enemy. ďWhat do you need from me?Ē

ďMoney,Ē Peter said with a smirk. ďLots of it.Ē

I faltered at this. After all this hocus pocus nonsense, were they really only after my money?ďI-I donít have much at present, but if youíll allow me to make monthly payments, I canóĒ

ďNot from you,Ē Moss amended. ďButrather by way of you.Ē

Thatís when all the pieces began clicking into place. Finally, I could see the picture for what it was. ďThe robberies downtown,Ē I murmured, unsurprised that this gang would stoop so low but somewhat disappointed in myself for not figuring it out sooner.

Peter licked his chops even though he was still in human form.ďThe first several were easy, but the jewelry store has a magic-sensing alarm.Ē

ďThatís why you couldnít get in the other night,Ē I said. And thatís why weíd seen those dogs running back and forth through town during our stakeout. All of it, everything fit together so neatly, and Moss had just delivered the tidying bow.

ďHey, try not to judge us too harshly,Ē the cat shifter said with wide eyes. ďIt was invisible, so we didnít know it was there until it was too late.Ē

Oh, I was judging them all right, just not for this reason.ďHow did you get into the other stores?Ē I asked, emboldened by the thrill of this new information.

ďGlamor,Ē Moss said simply as if this one word answered every question. I thought I recalled reading about glamor in one of the fairy books Iíd enjoyed as a kid, but that was back when I hadnít known that magic could be real, that it could also be dangerous.

It explained so much now that I thought about it, though. How the dingy basement had transformed into our current surroundings, how Peter had tampered with my mind on more than one occasion. Was that how they changed into their animal forms as well?

I wanted to know more, but more than that, I just wanted to be free.

ďI donít see how I can help,Ē I said, raising my fingers to my mouth and chomping at the nails to offer myself some sort of small comfort.

ďWell, that partís easy,Ē Moss said, stretching from side to side. ďWe have the code for the human alarm, and youíre not magic so you wonít trigger the magical one.Ē

ďWonít they catch me on the security camera, though?Ē I wondered aloud.

Moss shook his head.ďNot if you send in the cat.Ē

ďI donít want to steal,Ē I argued. Couldnít they see that I was a good person? That, despite the fact that I may have once absorbed some magical resonance, I was nothing like either of them?

That was when Peter snapped at me, lunging closer.ďDo you want to live?Ē

If Moss hadnít caught his arm and pulled him back, I have no doubt heíd have attacked me.

ďJust do it, Angela,Ē Octo-Cat mumbled into the wall. ďItís too late for me, but you can still save yourself.Ē

Oh. My heart broke for him all over again. He was right. I needed to stop dawdling. I could still save us bothóand I would.

ďWhen?Ē I asked, licking my lips.

A giant smile slithered across Mossís freckled face. ďTonight.Ē

ďAnd then youíll let us go?Ē I asked, watching him closely for any sign that he might be lying.

ďYeah, youíre really of no use to us beyond this one thing,Ē Moss said with a quick, reassuring nod.

ďBut if we run into another magical alarm, we just may call on you again,Ē Peter added afterward.

I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted.ďI donít want to be at your beck and call.Ē

ďDo you want everyone to know your crazy little secret?Ē Peter asked, cracking his knuckles so that I would look at his strong fists.

I bit my lip to keep from speaking. I had wanted to keep my ability a secret, but now it felt like the lesser of two evils. If the only thing Peter had over me was threatening to tell, then maybe I should just tell everyone myself.

ďFine,Ē I said through clenched teeth as I motioned toward Octo-Cat. ďIíll do it, but first he and I need some time alone.Ē

ďSo you can plan your escape? No way.Ē Peter transformed back into the dog and bared his teeth at me.

Moss put his hand on top of the pit bullís head. ďYou go. Iíll stay and supervise.Ē

Peter continued to growl, and Moss smacked him upside the head.ďThey may not be magic, but theyíre still cat people. Itís best I handle this. Now get.Ē

Peter whimpered as he shuffled away with his tail tucked between his legs. I would have laughed at the sight if I hadnít still been so scared.

ďI donít get it,Ē I said to Moss, once the opaque glass closed again. ďIf you hate each other so much, then why do you work together?Ē

He sighed as if he didnít like it much more than I did. ďItís part of the truce that the council enacted many years ago.Ē

ďWho is this council you keep talking about?Ē

ďThe court that governs the magic world,Ē he answered, unbothered by all my questions now that Iíd agreed to help carry out their robbery and Peter had left us on our own.

ďThe good guys?Ē I asked hopefully.

Moss nodded.ďYes, the good guys. Bad guys, too, though. In our world, they work together.Ē

I shook my head, unable to understand.ďBut that doesnít make any sense.Ē

ďMaybe not to you, but if the magical world is to survive, we need perfect balance in all we do. The good with the bad. The light with the dark. The fact with the fiction.Ē

ďThe cat with the dog?Ē I asked, cracking a smile.

ďIndeed,Ē Moss confirmed solemnly.

I thought this over, and it did seem to make sense, even though Moss and Peterís world obviously worked differently from the one I knew. ďCould you maybe give us a few moments to talk this out?Ē

We both watched Octo-Cat who still had his forehead pressed against the cold wood of the wall.

ďHe needs me,Ē I explained, keeping my eyes trained on my depressed feline companion the entire time. ďAnd he also needs a pep talk if you want him to have any part of this.Ē

Moss situated himself in the other corner of the room, then looked to the side and mumbled over his shoulder,ďGo ahead.Ē

I walked over to Octo-Cat and sat down beside him.ďRough day, huh?Ē

He let out one sarcastic laugh, then quickly fell silent again.

ďThey donít know you, Octavius. Not like I do.Ē I begged him to understand, to not let them break him. Heíd been through so much beforeótoo much for this to be the thing that finally brought him down.

ďThey said Iím ordinary,Ē he choked out.

ďTheyíre wrong,Ē I said firmly, stroking my hand across his fur.

ďThey can do such amazing things, things I never even dreamt of before,Ē he explained, still unwilling to meet my eyes.

ďBut you can do pretty amazing things yourself. And without any magic to push you over the top.Ē

Finally, he turned toward me so that his cheek rested against the wall.ďAre you saying their magic is a cheat?Ē

ďYes,Ē I said with a huge smile. I loved when he helped to fill in the blanks for me. I could convince Octo-Cat of anything just so long as I appealed to his special brand of cat logic. I bobbed my head in continued agreement.ďDefinitely.Ē

He sniffed and cautioned a glance toward Moss.ďIf theyíre cheating, then they have to be disqualified.Ē

ďYouíre right,Ē I said. I wasnít sure what game we were talking about but figured it must be the competition for best cat in the room or something. ďThey should totally be disqualified.Ē

At last, a small smile played across his lips.ďAnd if theyíre disqualified, then Iím the winner by default.Ē

ďThe best cat in the entire world!Ē I said without missing a beat.

He stood and pushed himself away from the wall.ďOkay, Angela. Iím on board.Ē

We locked eyes and smiled at each otherópartners, friends, and now co-criminals, it seemed. ďLetís do this,Ē we said in unison.

Chapter Seventeen

We were held in the fishbowl for a couple more hours while everyone waited for peak criminal hours to approach. Nan must have been going crazy with worry. I could only hope weíd be back to her soon.

First, we just had to commit one teensy, little burglary, then Octo-Cat and I would be home free. Once Octo-Cat was feeling like himself again and ready to help, Peter walked us through what he expected of us, step by excruciating step.

Apparently, this plan had been in the works for quite some time. It made me wonder if Peter would have abducted us, had we not followed him downtown to begin with.

The burglary would go down like thisÖ

Iíd enter through the back door with the key theyíd filched and had copied earlier that week. Next, Iíd deactivate the alarm with the code theyíd give me, then open the door for Octo-Cat who would slip in and begin knocking all the jewelry from the cases out onto the floor.

When he gave his signal, I would rush in wearing a crazy green bodysuit that covered everything, including my face, and Octo-Cat would stand guard while I shoved our bounty into the oversized purse the good folks at the lair had provided me with.

Once I returned to the street, one of them would use their glamor to hide me from viewóapparently that was easier to do with me already wearing a walking green screen get-upóand weíd all run back toward our underground hiding spot. As soon as Moss and Peter confirmed that Iíd completed the job to their satisfaction, theyíd wipe our memories and release us back to our ordinary, everyday lives.

This, of course, was provided that everything went perfectly.

And also that Peter wouldnít trick me into helping him again in the future. And, well, I trusted him just about as far as I could throw him.

Oh, how I hated everything about this night.

Mr. Gable, the old man who owned the jewelry store, had always been kind to me whenever Iíd passed him on the street. Heíd even helped to pick out the heart-shaped locket my parents had purchased as a gift for my eighteenth birthday. Whether or not he had the right kind of insurance to deal with getting robbed blind, he still didnít deserve for this to happen.

No one did.

Now, obviously, Mr. Gable had to be magical, too. Otherwise he wouldnít have known to add a magic-seeking alarm to his storeís security system. And that made me wonderÖ could he transform into an animal, too? Use glamor to hide both thoughts and things?

The old shopkeeper had been a part of this town for as long as I could remember, and it unnerved me to think that magic had always been so close by without me ever even suspecting it. So, was he one of the good guys or the bad guys? And did it even matter which side he ascribed to if the two opposing teams always worked together anyway?

I felt so lost in this strange, new world.

I really just wanted to get back to my normal life as soon as possible.

By the time, Moss returned to let us out of the fishbowl, I was ready to do whatever they said if it meant freeing ourselves faster. Octo-Cat was in a better mood now and actually seemed a bit excited about the mission that weíd been forced into carrying out.

ďIíve always suspected they call it cat burglary for a reason,Ē he quipped as Moss joined up with Peter, and together they escorted us toward the jewelry shop.

I wanted to run but knew it would be useless. We didnít have a level playing field here, and the only way I could emerge safely from this situation was to do exactly as I had been told.

ďAre you ready?Ē Moss asked, tightening his hold on my arm as we peered around the corner. ďYou understand the plan?Ē

Peter gripped my other arm just as tightly. I would definitely have bruises the next morning, provided it ever came.ďIf you try any funny stuff, weíll know. And I promise that I will personally make your life a living hell after that.Ē

I nodded glumly.ďUnderstood.Ē I did not doubt the sincerity of that particular statement. Peter had been gunning for me ever since that first awkward morning in the office. Probably even before then, too.

ďThe cat stays with us until youíve deactivated the normie alarm,Ē Moss said. ďGot it?Ē

Octo-Cat struggled underneath Mossís arm but had no words of encouragement to offer me as I readied myself for action.

ďYes, Iíve got it,Ē I said with an angry stare.

Finally, both Moss and Peter let me go and shoved me down the alley.

The little metal key burned in my palm, the only witness to my sad fall from grace. These people had hurt me and my cat. Theyíd hurt others, and still they werenít finished. Theyíd probably never be finished.

Was it really worth continuing that chain of destruction and greed?

And what if I did everything they said, but they kept us prisoner, anyway?

Anything was possible, I supposed. Nothing was guaranteed in life, especially when working hand-in-hand with such unsavory characters. Still, I had to at least try to get myself home in one piece. After all, it wasnít just me they held captive. Octo-Cat was firmly in their clutches as well, and he definitely wouldnít be able to take four more lifetimes of being told he was nothing special.

Iíd reached the door now. This was really happening, and it was happening now. The key slipped seamlessly into the lock, and I sucked in a deep breath as I twisted the knob open. Inside the doorway, the alarm sounded with a warning chirp. I had ten seconds to punch in the correct code, just as Peter had instructed.

I closed my eyes and saw the numbers appear before me. Feeling my way around the pad, I found the first number and pressed it inward.

With another deep breath, I punched the second digit. I opened my eyes again. I could do this. I was doing this. Doing something bad didnít make me a bad person, not when Iíd been threatened and tricked into helping commit this crime.

I was halfway through my first task. Just two more buttons and only a handful of seconds left.

By the time I pressed the third button, my hairline had moistened with sweat. My breathing slowed not because I was calm, but because every single inhalation became more and more difficult to take. My head spun and vision blurred as I regarded the keypad before me.

Only one more digit, then thisóor at leastthis partówould be over.

I raised my index finger, trying not to focus on the way it shook as I moved it toward the array of buttons.

I closed my eyes and pressed it down hardÖ

On the panic button.

An ear-piercing siren sounded overhead, but I made no effort to get away.Let them find me here.

A voice sounded over the speakers, but I was too clammed up to say anything. I only hoped that Moss and Peter hadnít punished Octo-Cat for my insubordination, that he still believed in himself enough to fight back.

It only took minutes for a battle-ready Officer Bouchard to arrive on the scene. When he saw me waiting with my hands held in the sky, he took a step back in surprise.ďAngie. What are you doing here? Did you see who broke in?Ē

I nodded stoically.ďYes, me.Ē

ďYou?Ē He stopped to scratch his head and wrinkled his nose. ďThatís not possible.Ē

ďI willfully entered with this key.Ē I tossed the illegal copy his way.

He pulled it closer with his foot but didnít bend down to pick it up. ďThen why did you hit the panic alarm?Ē

ďI didnít have a choice,Ē I sobbed. ďThey threatened me and my cat.Ē

ďI figured it was something like that,Ē Officer Bouchard said, worry lining his brow. ďPut your hands down. Iím not going to arrest you.Ē

I took a deep breath and let my hands fall to my sides. Tears had snuck up on me again. But I didnít care about me. More than anything, I was desperately worried about Octo-Cat. Had I just signed his death warrant by refusing to play along with the magicfolksí devious scheme?

ďWho made you do this, Angie?Ē the officer asked kindly.

I took a deep breath. This was it. Peter had promised to make my life hell. What he didnít know is that stooping to his insidious level would have done the exact same thing. Iíd never be able to live with myself knowing Iíd done something so wrong. Whether or not he wiped my memory clear, my heart would always know that something was wrong.

This was the time to make sure that the bad guys went down for their crimes. Even if Officer Bouchard didnít understand the full extent of how theyíd carried out the burglaries downtown, I hoped my testimony would be enough to get them arrestedóand punished.

ďPeter Peters and MossÖI donít know his last name,Ē I told him, my voice clear and sure as a bell.

ďItís okay, Angie,Ē he said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. ďYouíre safe now.Ē

Maybe I was, but I still had no idea what had happened to my poor cat.

Chapter Eighteen

Officer Bouchard gave me a ride home in his cruiser, seeing as my captors had relieved me of both my phone and my car keys. When we pulled up, Nan raced down the porch steps and pulled me to her chest.

ďI was so worried,Ē she sobbed into my hair, then reared back and hit me on the chest.ďNever, ever do that to me again.Ē

ďThank you, Officer,Ē I said with a small yet appreciative smile, even though inside my heart was still broken. Every minute that ticked away without me knowing the location of my best feline friend only broke it further. It had been nearly an hour since Officer Bouchard found me with my hands up inside of Mr. Gableís shop. After Iíd given him Peterís name, he let me search the downtown area far and wide while he called in the new lead.

Sadly, despite my frantic searching, Octo-Cat was still nowhere to be found.

ďWhereís Octavius?Ē Nan asked, leading me inside with one arm draped across my shoulders.

ďI-I-I donít know,Ē I sputtered.

ďOh, dear,Ē she said, her mouth pressed in a thin line. ďFirst tea, then you can catch me up on everything.Ē

I waited on the couch while Nan tended to the kettle. A short while later, she pressed a mug of hibiscus tea into my waiting hands.

ďFor strength,Ē she said, settling in beside me on the stiff couch. ďNow go ahead whenever youíre ready, dear.Ē

Iíd held back in sharing the full details of my story with Officer Bouchard, but with Nan, I spared no detail. By the time I reached the part where Iíd decided to inform the authorities rather than give in to Peter and Mossís demands, Nan wore a giant grin.

ďIím so proud of you, dear one. You did everything right.Ē She hugged me to her side and pressed a kiss onto my forehead.

ďBut Octo-Cat,Ē I argued, feeling like the worst pet owner in the entire world.

Nan waited for me to look up at her, then said,ďYou and I both know heís no ordinary cat. Heís resourceful and smart, and donít forget that heís also tough as nails.Ē

I sniffed as the one person I loved most in this whole wide world soothed my tears. She would never even dream of lying to me. If she said Octo-Cat was going to be okay, then I knew heíd somehow find a way to get home again. We would find him, or he would find us. I simply couldnít accept any other outcome.

With great difficulty and a good deal of support from my nan, I finally headed to bed. Of course, Nan entered my tower bedroom several times throughout the night, making one ridiculous excuse after the other as to why sheíd stopped in. It made me feel better, though, knowing she was there, that sheíd always be there.

Even if Octo-Cat wasnít.

I hardly slept a wink, thinking every sound I heard might be Octo-Cat coming back to me. By the time the sun rose, Iíd driven myself mad with worry.

A couple hours into the day, Nan came into my room with a mug of coffee and a freshly baked scone and sat beside me petting my hair as she spoke.ďI already called in sick to your work, and I figured since youíre so sleepy, I can be the one to drive us around as we continue the search.Ē

ďThank you, Nan,Ē I managed around a deep yawn. I tried to stand but fell back toward the bed in exhaustion. My limbs simply felt too heavy to move all on my own.

ďSit for a spell,Ē she instructed, tucking me back beneath the covers. ďFinish your breakfast, and while you do that, Iíll start calling around to all the local shelters.Ē

She headed back toward the stairs, but I called for her to stop.

ďStay,ĒI pleaded.ďI donít think I can be alone.Ē

ďAll righty, then.Ē Nan nodded, settled herself at the end of my bed, and whipped out her cellphone. ďWeíll find him,Ē she promised again as she placed a call to the first shelter on her list and waited through the rings.

One by one, the shelters all said they hadnít found our cat yet, but they would call if he turned up. With each failed outreach, my heart splintered even further. I needed to know that he was okay, that my rash decision hadnít cost him everything.