Last Licks

“Ollie didn’t notice anything go wrong while they were working on Gardner,” Sunny objected. “But maybe we should file the facility’s mortality rate under motive. When I first met him, Gardner Scatterwell seemed like kind of a cheerful boob, rich and clueless. Then I saw his not-so-nice side, the way he treated his nephew and Elsa Hogue. If he found out that something wasn’t up to snuff at Bridgewater Hall, I have a feeling he wouldn’t be above a little blackmail.”

Will nodded. “The problem with blackmail is that it rarely stays little. Someone could have decided to get rid of Scatterwell instead of paying up.”

Behind them, the door swung open and a tall, distinguished figure stepped out into the sunshine. But Dr. Henry Reese missed a step when he saw them. “Good afternoon, Doctor,” Sunny said. “This is my partner in this investigation, Constable Price.”

Reese didn’t offer to shake hands, but it looked as though Will was pretty used to that. “Actually, Dr. Reese and I have met before,” he said. “He’s another Saxon alum from the class of ’66 that I tracked down for fund-raising. The name didn’t spark anything, but I definitely remember the face.”

The chief administrator of Bridgewater Hall showed no trace of recognition . . . and not much in the way of manners. “You’ll have to excuse me,” Reese said, frozen-faced. “I have an appointment.” He headed for his car as if he were afraid that Will might tackle him.

*

Shadow was not happy. He’d managed to get out while Sunny and the Old One were both busy, which was good. But the sun was hot, and even the shady patches were uncomfortably warm. He’d tried all the windows, even the ones to the Dark Place underneath the house, again without any luck. The only loose screen he found was for the little house behind, where all the boxes lived. That didn’t help at all.

He’d lain down to think about it but had fallen asleep instead. When he awoke, the patch of shade he’d picked for his rest had moved away. Shadow stood. He felt hungry, and his food dish was inside the house—inside the house he couldn’t find a way into. He sat on his haunches, looking up. There were windows he hadn’t been able to reach from the ground, windows on the second floor.

If I could fly like a bird, I could go up and look.

But that was a stupid thought. He pushed it away.

There was another way up, of course, but it meant climbing. Shadow could see the route. Up the trunk of the tree behind the house, out on that branch, and that would bring him to the roof, where the upstairs windows jutted out. Could he do it? There was only one way to find out.

Shadow went to the tree and leaped up, his claws catching in the bark. At least he didn’t fall. It was hard work and unpleasant, hanging by his claws, forcing his way up . . . hard and thirsty work, too. He thought longingly of his water bowl, hidden in the kitchen . . .

Something flashed past him. Instinctively Shadow ducked and slid back several inches, scrabbling frantically to keep a hold. He didn’t like to think what it would be like to fall from this height. It was many-many times the length of his whole body. He continued his ascent, and the flash came again—this time with a peck! Shadow clung precariously to the tree trunk, trying to look around. It was a bird, the stupid bird he’d chased. Now it was chasing him, darting at him, trying to keep him from climbing.

Stupid, stupid bird, he thought, freeing one paw while digging in with the rest of his claws as best he could. When she came diving at him this time, he swatted out with the paw that wasn’t clinging to the tree bark for dear life. It didn’t hit the bird, but it did scare her away.

It scared Shadow, too, as a chunk of bark tore loose, nearly sending him tumbling to the ground.

His claws scraped long scratches, but he managed to hang on. After that, it was like a bad dream, toiling endlessly upward, watching out for sneak attacks. Shadow was so distracted, he almost missed the branch he was aiming for. But once there, it was more like walking than climbing, and that dumb bird stopped bothering him.

Shadow made it to the roof. It hadn’t seemed to slope so steeply when he’d been looking at it from the ground, but he could walk on it—if he was careful. He carefully skittered along to the nearest window. It was open, and he saw Sunny’s room, but he couldn’t budge the screen.

This is getting very, very bad, he thought. If he couldn’t get in, he’d be stuck up here on the roof. The sun was beating down, and the shingles were burning hot under the pads on his paws.

Shadow scrambled along to the next available window. He let out a mew of relief. The glass was up, and this screen was older. It rattled when he touched it. Extending his claws, he scratched at the frame around the screen. It moved!