Back at the house, I took a moment to stand on the porch, enjoy the view, and just breathe. Buzzy’s property rolled softly to the dying crimson sunset like a gold and green quilt on an unmade bed. Acres were bright now with sunflowers and just over the ridge, apple and peach trees grew, white with petals in the spring, leaves russet in the fall. The scene embodied a kind of peace that was so rare, that sank into my bones.
No way I’d let Kyle and Emily spoil this view.
The lavender gingham curtain twitched by the window. Sprinkles and Rocky watched as I went inside and picked my way through a minefield of stuffed cat toys.
The aroma of pizza scented the air and my stomach growled. “It smells divine in here.” I swooped up Rocky and nuzzled him under my chin while Sprinkles trotted to her food bowl. Rocky struggled and I set him on the floor, where he immediately pounced on the toy mice.
“Pizza from Supreme—half-veggie, half-pepperoni.” Caroline smiled down at Rocky and popped the cork on a bottle of red wine. “Rocky let me give him a bath. He’s into everything but he’s easy to feed. Sprinkles is so fussy she won’t eat anything that doesn’t come in a pretty can with an enormous price tag.” Sprinkles raised her head from her dish and shot a hurt look.
Caroline poured me a glass of the wine as I sat at the table and took a slice of pepperoni. “How was the meeting?”
I savored a bite and took a sip of wine. “Tell me about the shop first. Everything okay?” I didn’t want to spoil the meal by telling her what I’d learned. We enjoyed a couple of slices and glasses of wine while we watched Rocky play.
Maybe it was exhaustion or the wine, but when I told Caroline what I’d learned at the meeting, she took the news calmly.
“Gerri made a speech,” I said. “You should’ve seen her.”
Caroline smiled. “She’s a character.”
Rocky wove around my ankles and I lifted him to my lap. He purred and let me stroke his soft fur.
“I made some decisions about Mike’s memorial,” Caroline said. “A lot of his football buddies and fraternity brothers have reached out to me. I’ll have a gathering in the fall at the frat house in Willimantic.” She swirled the wine in her glass and her voice took on a casual tone. “Detective Voelker said you can use Buzzy’s car.”
“Good.” I smiled to myself. Other people would probably tense at the mention of law enforcement, but Caroline relaxed whenever she said the detective’s name.
“Flo said she’d drive up with you to turn in your rental. Sad to say goodbye to your Mustang?” she teased.
Trading a sports car for a rusty forty-year-old station wagon? The pizza and wine made me philosophical. “All good things.” We clinked wine glasses.
As I brushed my teeth before bed, Rocky watched with that disconcerting feline detachment that made me feel I was the subject of an anthropological study. He watched me put my toothbrush in the glass and switch off the light, then he trotted into Buzzy’s bedroom instead of mine.
“Wait a minute. You’re not sleeping with me?” Rocky glanced back at me, then yawned. “Really? You’re choosing Sprinkles over me? Sure, she wanted you in, but I’m the one who opened the door. And I feed you!”
I couldn’t imagine Sprinkles sharing the royal bed. Rocky sauntered past Sprinkles’ bed to a box lined with a piece of cozy sheepskin and cat toys. Willow must’ve made it for him when she was cat sitting. I sighed. I never stood a chance.
But then Rocky jumped up onto a footstool and clawed himself onto Buzzy’s bed. So Willow’s bed wasn’t good enough either. He circled, the sound of his nails on the fabric making me wince, then he settled. He looked at me and blinked. I was dismissed.
“Darn cat. Okay. Good night. You know where to find me.”
Neither Caroline nor I closed our bedroom doors all the way. She left hers ajar so Sprinkles could visit; I kept mine ajar so I could hear Caroline. Now I hoped Rocky would visit.
I went into my bedroom, changed, kicked aside a pile of dirty laundry, and flopped into bed, making the old box springs creak. I was so tired I felt my bones become one with the mattress. Finally, I mustered the strength to raise my arm and turn off the light. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. A lot of ice cream had to be made, and I planned to try again to visit Angelica at the hospital.
Caroline believed that Darwin was innocent, and so did my dad. Both were excellent judges of character. But why was Pru so upset? Didn’t she believe her own husband? Or was there another reason for her worry?
A sound by my door, softer than a whisper, drew my attention to a shadow moving to the bed. Glowing eyes reflected starlight from the window as Rocky climbed onto my bed and curled up next to me. I stroked his soft fur as I drifted off.
I recalled Darwin’s words: “The cat came out of the darkness.” Seemed likely Rocky was an eyewitness to Mike’s murder. If only he could tell me what he’d seen.