Cat In A Zebra Zoot Suit

33

Thrill and Quill

When Temple heard Electra’s voice on her phone just before noon, she felt her stomach swoop a bit. What now?

“We’ve got to have lunch,” Electra said.

“Lunch…okay.”

“I know this is sudden, Temple, and you have work to do, but it could be important.”

“That’s one of the perks of working from home, Electra. I can always make time for a friend.” Temple reflected that was also a problem sometimes, as playing hooky often seemed more fun than fingers to the keyboard. “Anything new from the cops I should know about?”

“No, not them, thank goodness, but I told Maeveleen Pearl the good news that I inherited that that pile of desert sand under that abandoned building.”

“Maeveleen Pearl. The name’s familiar.”

“She owns the Thrill ‘n’ Quill bookstore that relocated to my mini-shop street, which is soon to be elevated to an urban village, if you have your way and I’m not in the federal pen.”

“Electra, don’t worry. Everybody’s working to clear you.”

Midnight Louie had appeared from nowhere and was rubbing back and forth on Temple’s bare calves, which was pleasant but tickled.

“Clearing me is taking a lot of work,” Electra remarked, “which isn’t encouraging. Anyway, we can meet on the site and lunch at a charming little catering café not far away.”

“What’s it called?”

“The Magic Muffin.”

“Just what we need for the village.” Temple had a second thought. “Uh, it doesn’t sell marijuana, does it?”

Louie stretched his forepaws up her legs, as if trying to reach the cell phone at her ear, or to listen in.

“What a thought!” Electra laughed. “No, pot is not legal here in Nevada, though everything else is. Even medical marijuana is tightly controlled.”

“Let’s you and me walk to the Thrill ‘n’ Quill together,” Temple suggested. “I’d love to see the bookstore when we pick up Maeveleen. I’ll meet you at the wedding chapel side in an hour.”

As she ended the call, Temple looked around.

Louie had vanished as suddenly as he had appeared and cozied up.