Fat Cat Takes The Cake

“Yep. She’s still on.”

TWENTY-ONE

Chase felt more despondent than ever. Julie was firmly in the sights of Detective Olson for Ron North’s murder. Another cuddling session with Quincy didn’t lift her spirits. Maybe she would take her kitty out on his leash. Some fresh air and exercise might be what she needed to sharpen her mind about who had actually killed the reporter.

“Let’s go, little guy.” She got his leash off the hook by her door where she’d been keeping it.

He padded over to her, which made her smile. Maybe, she thought, he’s getting used to the leash. My training is working.

Before she realized where they were heading, she found herself in front of the neighborhood tavern, standing in the very spot where Dickie Byrd had been kissing the woman who was not Monique, his wife. She wanted to stop a moment to think about things, but Quincy wanted to keep moving. The sidewalks everywhere were shoveled and dry. A squirrel scolded Quincy from halfway down the trunk of a tree planted in the sidewalk.

“You won’t catch him, you know,” she said to Quincy.

“Won’t catch who?” a man’s low voice said.

Chase turned in time see a short man stagger out the door. His overcoat was open, showing his plaid vest. Langton Hail must have overheard her comment.

“Are you talking to me?” he asked. “I’m not trying to catch anyone.” His words were slurred and he grabbed the trunk of the tree, right where the squirrel had been, to steady himself. The squirrel scampered to the topmost branches and quit chattering.

“No, I . . . My cat . . .”

The man was a lot drunker than she’d seen him either the night of the reunion or at the restaurant where she’d been with Eddie.

“What’re you lookin’ at?” His body swayed toward her.

“Sorry, Mr. Hail. I’m out walking my cat. Do you need some help?”

“Who you think you are? I don’t need any help. How do you know me anyway? Get outta my way.”

Chase was glad to oblige him and walked briskly down the sidewalk. When she reached the corner, she glanced behind. Langton Hail was still clutching the tree, reeling in an attempt to stay upright. He didn’t seem to have any idea who she was, but why would he? She was one of the many alums at the reunion and he’d been an outsider, easy for everyone to notice. His code name, PHOTO, in Ron North’s notebook, had one less numerical entry beside it than PRINCE, Mr. Snelson’s code name, and she hadn’t seen anything pass between those two that night. Had Hail refused to pay Ron North? Had they had an altercation later, maybe when Ron attempted to extort the money? Had it ended up with Ron dead? And that’s why the man was drinking so much. Remorse and guilt. Trying to wipe out the memory of what he’d done.

She hoped Hail was firmly in Detective Olson’s sights along with Julie. He belonged there. Julie didn’t.

When she got home and released Quincy from his harness, she gave him a warm Kitty Patty and told him what a good boy he was. Then, after pacing her kitchen for a few minutes, she called Anna.

She sat in her cushy chair and stared out at the street below. It was mid afternoon but, this far north, the sun was setting and it was already beginning to get dark. Anna’s phone rang and rang. As Chase decided she wasn’t going to answer, Anna picked it up. She sounded sleepy.

“Did I wake you?” Chase asked. “Were you taking a nap?”

“Not a nap. I closed my eyes for a few minutes.”

Yeah, right, Chase thought. It was that kind of day, chilly and gray, a good day for napping. In fact, her voice sounded like she was awakening from a sound sleep.

“You aren’t practicing for the baking contest?”

Anna’s sigh came over the phone with a whoosh

. “I can’t.”

“What’s wrong?” Chase sat up straight. “Why can’t you?” There was an air of defeat in Anna’s tone that Chase had seldom heard.

“I mean I don’t think I need to. I’m ready. Practicing more won’t make me any better.”

“Are you ready to beat Grace Pilsen?”

“Who knows?”

That wasn’t like Anna. “Anna, don’t be discouraged. You probably don’t need to rehearse anymore. You’ve got this in the bag.”

“I’m not discouraged, Charity,” she snipped. That wasn’t like her, either. She was discouraged, Chase just knew it. “Is that why you called? To make sure I’m working on my entry?”

“No, actually. I called about a couple of things. I wanted to tell you that the principal, Mr. Snelson, is no longer a suspect for Ron North’s murder.”

“Does anyone know why I saw his wife driving around with all those clothes in her car?”

“I told Niles about that. He says Mr. Snelson’s wife kicked him out when he told her he was involved in the land swindle. Then she admitted to the police that he hadn’t been home that night. Detective Olson has decided he slept at the high school all night. The janitor confirms that. She saw him waking up on his couch the next morning.”

“Where does that leave Julie?”

“Still in the bull’s-eye, unfortunately. But I also need to tell you about seeing our classmate in the hospital. Julie and I went there at lunchtime.”