Thirty-two

I tried to be calm. “What about them?”

“They’re at home all by themselves with no one to protect them. If someone is stalking me, how do I know he won’t hurt my cats? What if he sets fire to my house? What if he breaks in? Didn’t you see Fatal Attraction?”

As remote a possibility as that was, I understood completely. I would have been every bit as concerned about Trixie and Twinkletoes. “Let’s go get them.”

“Really?” Zelda’s woe changed to hopefulness.

“Sure. We can take a golf cart. How many carriers do you have?”

“It’s not far. Some of them can buddy up in carriers,” said Zelda. “And Leo can ride in the golf cart like a dog.”

I would have grabbed my white denim jacket, but I couldn’t find it. Instead, I slipped on a lightweight teal sweater. I checked the time. Casey would be on his way soon. I called him and asked him to meet us at Zelda’s house.

“Safety in numbers,” I said.

I let Oma know where we were going in case anyone needed something at the inn, and we hurried out to the golf carts. Trixie tagged along. I hoped Twinkletoes wouldn’t throw a hissy fit when she found she was having feline company for the night.

When we parked in front of Zelda’s house, she started to step off the golf cart, but I nabbed her arm. “Wait.”

We sat in the quiet night for a moment. Not a single light shone in Zelda’s windows or in the house next to hers.

“What are we doing?” whispered Zelda.

“We’re waiting for Casey and making sure the stalker isn’t hanging around.”

“Oh! Good idea. I don’t see anyone, do you?”

“Not yet,” I said.

“Boo!”

Zelda and I screamed. Trixie jumped out of the golf cart and ran to Casey, who had come up behind us.

“You scared us half to death.” Zelda clasped a hand to her chest. “I thought you were the killer.”

“Gosh, I’m sorry. How come you’re so jumpy?”

While we walked to Zelda’s front door, I explained the situation to Casey. Trixie scampered along, apparently unconcerned, which reassured me.

“You mean you called me to keep you safe from Zelda’s stalker?”

Zelda unlocked the door and flicked on the lights.

I thought I saw Casey’s chest puff up just a little. “Cool! Nobody has ever done that before.”

Seven cats came running. I shut the door so they couldn’t race outside.

Trixie yelped once. “Shh, Trixie,” I said. “You’re the guest here.”

Zelda walked through the house with all the cats following her. Casey and I waited in the kitchen while she retrieved cat carriers.

She returned and said, “Everything looks okay.”

We helped her coax unhappy cats into the carriers.

Zelda handed me a cat carrier. “Here, you take this one. Casey, would you carry the second one? I’ll lock up and bring Leo and the other two cats.”

I kept a watchful eye out for Zelda’s stalker, but he didn’t show up. I was glad that we didn’t encounter him, but it made me wonder if the stalker knew Zelda was staying at the inn. Didn’t that point a finger of guilt at Axel?

I didn’t mention that to her. Zelda was already jittery, and I didn’t think it would accomplish anything to tell her.

We were packed into the golf cart like the proverbial sardines that cats liked to eat. Zelda was right about Leo. He rode in the golf cart like a dog, sitting up and looking around.

At the inn, we piled into the elevator. Trixie had a fear of small, enclosed spaces and balked at riding the elevator. She waited until the doors were closing before taking off. She met us at the door to the apartment, wagging her tail.

Twinkletoes got along with Leo and appeared pleased to see her old pal. But the second she noticed the other cats, the fur on her back rose in panic. In one swift move, she turned and jumped to the fireplace mantel, where, with horrified round eyes, she watched six more cats enter her domain.

Ben hadn’t returned from his dates yet. In the interest of a night without caterwauling, I gave Zelda and her kitties my bedroom and opted to sleep on the roll-away bed.

While she got them settled, I took Trixie and Twinkletoes down the back stairs to the kitchen for a very late dinner. Trixie dined on Country-Style Surf and Turf. I ate spinach salad with a honey mustard vinaigrette, but Twinkletoes turned her nose up at everything I offered.

We trudged up the stairs, and I tried calling Ben one more time. Still no answer. I gladly fell into bed.

In spite of my exhaustion, I tossed and turned that night, unable to think of anything other than the murders and Zelda’s stalker. When I heard the sound of a key in the door around two thirty in the morning, I opened an eye. The light from the hallway illuminated Ben and Huey from behind.

I rolled out of bed, picked up Randall’s plastic-wrapped business card, and followed Ben into the guest room. Huey wagged his tail in greeting.

Ben flicked on the light and when I spoke, he let out a huge “Gah! You scared me. What are you doing up?”

“I cannot believe you’re just getting in. And what’s with your phone? Did you turn it off?”

“No.” Ben sat on the bed and examined the phone. “Yes.” He flicked it on. “Must have been accidental. What’s so important that you waited up for me?”

I showed him the card. “What’s a Saurian?”

“It’s from a video game about dinosaurs and surviving in prehistoric times. But aside from the game, a saurian is a lizard. Why is it wrapped like this?”

“So we won’t leave fingerprints on it. Lizard Pail? What does that mean?”

Ben shrugged. “Is there a definition of pail other than bucket?”

I borrowed his phone and looked it up. “Swell. A round container with a handle.”

“Why are you obsessing about this?”

“It was in Nessie and Sky’s room and had fallen under a bed. Zelda thinks it means one of them had contact with Randall.”

“Did you call Dave?”

I told him about Zelda’s stalker. “She thought it best for you to talk with Dave since we’re under suspicion. But you were otherwise occupied.”

“How do you get yourself into these things?” Ben yawned and stretched out on the bed. His head on the pillow, he closed his eyes and murmured, “I’ll talk with Dave in the morning, okay?”

That was no help. “Brush your teeth,” I said. Huey followed me out of Ben’s bedroom, and I closed the door.

Now I was even more awake. Nevertheless, I crawled into bed. Twinkletoes jumped up to snuggle with me. I watched the time tick by on an illuminated clock. Two forty-five. Three o’clock.

The sound of dog claws tapped the floor ever so gently. Twinkletoes jumped off my bed.

I heard someone at the door. Somebody was trying to get in!