M IS ALSO FOR MURDER

I waited a good minute before knocking again, this time harder. When Joe still didn’t answer, I made my way back to my van, grabbed a Post-it out of the glove compartment, and scrawled him a note to let him know I’d stopped by. I returned to the stoop, opened the storm door, and slapped the note in place.

The front door creaked open.

I froze as a chill washed down my spine that caused me to shiver despite the warm day.

“Hello?” I called. There was no answer. “Joe? It’s Liz Denton of Furever Pets. I’m here with Sheamus, your new cat. Are you here?”

Still, no one answered.

I debated on pulling the door closed and walking away, but something about how it had been left unlatched bothered me.

“Joe?” I pushed the door open a little farther. “Mr. Hitchcock?”

Feeling like an intruder, which I supposed I was, I entered the house . . .