Six Cats A Slayin'

He held up his hand. “It’s okay, Charlie, you don’t have to explain. Sean called Laura this morning to let her know what was going on.” He shook his head. “Alex has been needing help, and it sounds like she’s getting it. I feel bad for her and Sean. I feel incredibly lucky that Laura didn’t go through this.”

“Yes, it’s been such a difficult time for everyone concerned,” I said. “I hope Sean didn’t stay all night at the hospital and then try to go to work.”

“He came home for a while this morning. He told Laura that he didn’t care if the office burned to the ground. He was going back to the hospital as soon as Azalea’s cousin’s daughter could get there to start looking after Rosie. Caroline has gone home but is planning to come back later.”

“Then I won’t call him. I’ll wait until he calls me,” I said. “He looked like he was at the point of collapse himself last night. I was afraid he might end up in the hospital with Alex.”

“Now that Alex is getting the help she needs,” Frank said, “I’m sure he’ll bounce back pretty quickly. One thing I’ve learned about him and Laura is how resilient they both are.” He smiled. “I think they take after you in that regard.”

“Yes, they are resilient,” I said. “Whether they take after me is another matter.” I decided to change the subject. “Everything is set with the video camera now?”

“Almost,” Frank said. “We need to download an app to your phone and install it on your laptop, or the desktop if you prefer.”

“Phone and laptop will be sufficient, I think.” I gave him my phone.

While he downloaded the app, I retrieved my laptop from the den. Once he finished with the laptop, he showed me how to access any video from both devices.

“Pretty simple,” I said. “At least this part is, anyway.”

“It was an easy job,” Frank said. “The camera is motion-activated, so it won’t record unless movement triggers it. It will keep recording as long as there is some activity. There are actually two cameras. One is hidden in the wreath on the door. The other one is sitting in one of the shrubs, aimed at the living room windows.”

“That’s great,” I said. “I hope the object of all this didn’t see what you were doing.”

“I don’t think so,” Frank replied. “I never saw anyone, and it took me only about three minutes to place the cameras outside.”

“What about wires?” I said. “Are they visible?”

Frank grinned. “No, I used invisible wire.”

If I hadn’t still been so tired, I would have picked up on his meaning right away. As it was, I think I stared blankly at him until he said, “They’re wireless, Charlie.”

“Right,” I said. “Sorry, I’m slow on the uptake this morning.”

“Understood.” Frank grabbed his tool bag and another bag that I presumed had contained the equipment he brought. “If you have any problems or questions, let me know. I need to get to my office at school to pick up something, and then I’m heading home to take care of Number One Son while Laura goes to the grocery store.”

I thanked him again and let him out the front door. Diesel meowed at me, rather insistently, and I wondered what he was trying to tell me. Then I realized what it was. The kittens were overdue to be fed. I checked the time: nearly nine forty-five.

Azalea greeted me when the cat and I entered the kitchen. I apologized for being late, but she shook her head. “No need. I know what’s going on.”

Of course she did, I realized. Her cousin’s daughter, whose name I couldn’t recall at the moment, was now taking care of my granddaughter.

“You sit right down there and have some breakfast,” Azalea said in her no-nonsense tone. “It’s ready, and I know if you don’t have your coffee soon, you won’t be fit to talk to.”

“I have to feed the kittens first,” I said.

“I did that already,” Azalea replied. “Didn’t clean out those boxes, but you can do that after breakfast. Won’t hurt them to wait a little longer.”

Diesel meowed loudly at that, and I supposed he was seconding Azalea. I wondered why he had meowed so insistently a few minutes ago then. Perhaps he’d wanted me to get to the table because he knew he might receive a few bites of bacon, one of his favorite treats.

“All right, no arguing with that,” I said. “Besides, I need coffee. I’ve got a good start on a caffeine-withdrawal headache.”

Azalea set a full mug on the table in front of me, and I quickly added cream and sugar. That first sip went down like nectar—hot, reviving nectar. Next came a plate of scrambled eggs, grits, bacon, and toast. I ate like I hadn’t eaten in three days, occasionally pausing only to dole out a little bacon to the cat.

When Azalea refilled my coffee, she said, “I called your work and told them you might not be in. Seems to me you could stand to take the day off and rest.”

“Work.” I groaned. “Thank you, Azalea, I completely forgot I was supposed to be at work today.” I thought about staying home. Sean might need me for something—to talk, if nothing else. Until he called me, though, I wasn’t going to risk calling him and disturbing his rest.