Six Cats A Slayin'

I might as well go to work, I decided. Even though I no longer worked full-time, I did stay busy enough that on days when I didn’t work I sometimes felt at loose ends. Now that Helen Louise had cut back her work schedule, at least she was sometimes available and we could do things together. Today, however, she was working so that one of her full-time staff could take care of medical appointments for her child.

Accordingly, after I cleaned the litter boxes, I hurried up to the shower and got ready for work. Diesel wanted to stay home, and I let him in with the kittens. Azalea promised to let him out when he was ready. During the drive to work, I left a message on Helen Louise’s cell phone, giving her a quick update on what I knew.

I made it to my office a few minutes after eleven. Melba was not at her desk when I entered the building. I would text her to let her know I had arrived, and I knew she would appear in my office sometime soon after that. I wondered if Kanesha had questioned her yet. I would take my cue from Melba. If she didn’t mention that she had an interview with the chief deputy, I wouldn’t talk about mine, either.

Text message sent, I settled down to work, firmly resolved to keep my mind focused on the tasks at hand and not to let it wander over anything else.

Melba appeared in my office a few minutes after noon, when her lunch hour began, and made herself comfortable in the chair across the desk from me. She held up a paper bag and a bottle of water, saying, “Mind if I eat while we talk?” Without waiting for a response, she pulled a sandwich from the bag and unwrapped it.

“No, go right ahead,” I said a bit dryly. “How are you today?”

“Just peachy,” Melba replied after swallowing a bite of her sandwich. “How about you? How come you’re so late today?”

Azalea obviously hadn’t shared the news about the late-night vigil and Alex’s condition, although I had little doubt that Melba had tried to prize it out of her.

I gave her a brief summary of the situation, and her eyes filled with tears. “Poor Alex,” she said. “I can’t imagine what she’s going through. This has to be tearing her apart. Sean, too.” She dabbed at her eyes with her napkin. “If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”

“Thank you. I know they’ll both appreciate your concern. For now, I think we have to wait and let the doctors and nurses do what they can to help her get her physical strength back, and Anne Marie, I have no doubt, will be able to help her with her state of mind.”

“Who did you say this Anne Marie is?” Melba asked. “I don’t think I know her.”

“She is the sister-in-law of Alex’s best friend’s husband. His brother’s wife, I believe. You know Caroline Pitcairn, right?”

Melba nodded and took a bite of her sandwich. When she swallowed, she said, “Used to be Caroline Jamison. I know the family.”

“I was sure you would.” I smiled. “I may leave early today, I don’t know yet. Depends on when I hear from Sean.”

“Heaven knows there’s nothing urgent here,” Melba said. “Andrea”—the library director and our boss—“left this morning for Texas. She’s spending Christmas with her family.”

“Safe travels to her,” I said. “Are you still planning to join us for Christmas dinner?”

“Around one o’clock, right?”

I nodded.

“I’ll be there, but if you change your plans because of what’s going on with Alex, I’ll understand,” Melba said.

“At the moment we’re not changing anything,” I said. “That reminds me, though. I want to call Caroline in a little while to find out how things are going.”

Melba, having finished her sandwich, delved into her lunch bag and brought out a slim tube of cheese encased in plastic. She swore it tasted good, but I remained dubious of processed cheese. Helen Louise, with her gourmet’s tastes and knowledge, had weaned me off it.

“If Andrea is gone for the holidays,” I said, “what are you going to do? Are you taking any time off?”

“Yes, the week between Christmas and New Year’s,” Melba replied. “By the way, this afternoon I have to be at the sheriff’s department at one thirty. Kanesha wants to ask me more questions. To tell the truth, I’m not real anxious to talk to her and answer any more questions.”

“Why not?” I asked. “You certainly don’t have anything to hide.”

Melba looked uncomfortable. “That’s the whole point. I do have something to hide.”

I couldn’t believe I’d heard Melba correctly. What on earth was she afraid to tell Kanesha?

TWENTY-TWO

“Can you tell me what it is?” I asked.

“It’s about Jared,” Melba said. “I think he knows more about Gerry than he ever let on.”

“Why do you think that?”

Melba hesitated. “Something I overheard the other night made me a little suspicious. It was when she wanted to talk to him and pulled him away from me. Remember?”

I nodded. Melba hadn’t been pleased with Gerry’s behavior.