Purrfect Peril

Chapter 34

Odelia was dreaming of her grandmother joining her and Chase in the middle of the night and getting in bed between them, effectively erecting a physical barrier between the couple, peevishly telling them they needed to behave and stop all this annoying cuddling.

She awoke with a start and for a moment felt disoriented, the world a strange place.

She patted the space next to her. No Chase. She checked the foot of the bed. No cats.

Odd. Where was everyone? Then the events of the past few hours came back to her. Dooley in hospital. The attempt on her uncle’s life. The arrest of the Most Compelling Man. Max telling her something—whispering in her ear.

Had that been a dream? She could have sworn it was. Max was at Vena’s. With Dooley. Spending the night.

So how come she vividly remembered him telling her that they’d arrested the wrong man? That it was in fact Philippe Goldsmith who was the real culprit? The one who killed his grandfather and tried to kill Alec and put the blame on Curt Pigott?

The more she thought about it, the more sense it made. She wasn’t convinced, though. She needed more proof than the whispered words of a cat in the middle of the night. She was certain now she’d imagined Max. Dreamed him. Which meant that this was her subconscious at work—whispering in her sleep—warning her—wanting her to act now.

If Pigott was innocent, then whoever had tried to bomb Alec and Tracy was still out there—and could strike again at any moment. Which told her time was of the essence.

She rubbed her eyes, and checked her phone. Three o’clock. Probably too late to call her uncle and ask him about Pigott’s interrogation. But not too late to call Chase. So she did.

His sleepy voice told her he wasn’t at the police station interviewing Pigott.

“Is Granny bothering you again?” he asked. “Do you need saving?”

“Granny is probably sound asleep. I do need saving, though. From a hunch.”

“A hunch.”

“How did things go with Pigott?”

“Denies everything. Lawyered up.”

“Struck out, huh?”

“We’ll get him to confess. Lean on him a little harder tomorrow.”

She bit her lip. “I’m starting to think you can lean on him all you want, he’ll never break. Because he’s not the guy we want.”

“I know, babe. I’m the guy you want,” he said, a smile in his voice.

“And I’m thinking we need to look a little closer at Philippe.”

“Your granny’s grandson? The Most Perfect Boy in the World? What makes you think so?”

“A hunch.”

“Uh-oh. I know your hunches, Poole. They’re freakishly accurate.”

“Which is why I need you to do me a favor.”

“Of course. I’ll come over and brave Granny.”

She smiled. “Maybe later. First I want you to check something for me.”

“Now?”

“Now.”