Cat in a

Topaz Tango

By Carole Nelson Douglas from Tom Doherty Associates

MYSTERY

MIDNIGHT LOUIE MYSTERIES

Catnap

Cat in a Leopard Spot

Pussyfoot

Cat in a Midnight Choir

Cat on a Blue Monday

Cat in a Neon Nightmare

Cat in a Crimson Haze

Cat in an Orange Twist

Cat in a Diamond Dazzle

Cat in a Hot Pink Pursuit

Cat with an Emerald Eye

Cat in a Quicksilver Caper

Cat in a Flamingo Fedora

Cat in a Red Hot Rage

Cat in a Golden Garland

Cat in a Sapphire Slipper

Cat on a Hyacinth Hunt

Cat in a Topaz Tango

Cat in an Indigo Mood

Midnight Louie’s Pet Detectives

Cat in a Jeweled Jumpsuit

(anthology)

Cat in a Kiwi Con

IRENE ADLER ADVENTURES

Good Night, Mr. Holmes

The Adventuress^*(Good Morning, Irene)

A Soul of Steel^* (Irene at Large)

Another Scandal in Bohemia^* (Irene’s Last Waltz)

Chapel Noir

Castle Rouge

Femme Fatale

Spider Dance

Marilyn: Shades of Blonde (anthology)

HISTORICAL

ROMANCE

Amberleigh^†

Lady Rogue^†

Fair Wind, Fiery Star

SCIENCE

FICTION

Probe

^†

Counterprobe^†

FANTASY

TALISWOMAN

Cup of Clay

Seed upon the Wind

SWORD AND CIRCLET

Six of Swords

Exiles of the Rynth

Keepers of Edanvant

Heir of Rengarth

Seven of Swords

^*These are the reissued editions.

^†Also mystery

Cat in a

Topaz Tango

A MIDNIGHT LOUIE MYSTERY

Carole Nelson Douglas

A Tom Doherty Associates

Book New York

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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

CAT IN A TOPAZ TANGO

Copyright © 2009 by Carole Nelson Douglas

All rights reserved.

A Forge Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Douglas, Carole Nelson.

Cat in a topaz tango : a midnight Louie mystery / Carole Nelson Douglas.—1st hardcover ed.

      p. cm.

“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”

ISBN-13: 978-0-7653-1862-6

ISBN-10: 0-7653-1862-8

1. Midnight Louie (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Barr, Temple (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 3. Women cat owners—Fiction. 4. Cats—Fiction. 5. Las Vegas (Nev.)—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3554.o8237c27698 2009

813'.54—dc22

2009012866

First Edition: August 2009

Printed in the United States of America

0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For the late Mary Katherine Marion, a friend

who was fun, fearless, and fashionable,

clever, creative, and supportive,

and for all the great times we had together

Contents

Previously in Midnight Louie’s Lives and Times . . .

Chapter 1: Nervous Nuptials

Chapter 2: Louie Left Out

Chapter 3: House of Max

Chapter 4: Alpine Do-si-do

Chapter 5: Missing in Action

Chapter 6: Lost in Cyberspace

Chapter 7: Duty Call

Chapter 8: Police Premises

Chapter 9: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Chapter 10: Grilled Crawfish

Chapter 11: Wolverine Dreams

Chapter 12: Shotgun Reunion

Chapter 13: Car Chase

Chapter 14: Road Scholars

Chapter 15: Emerald City Express

Chapter 16: Text for Two

Chapter 17: Leaving Laughlin

Chapter 18: The Bus Fume Boogie Blues

Chapter 19: Unhappy Hoofer

Chapter 20: Dancing with Danger