“So, another case closed by Katherine Harper,” Andrew said, flipping his notepad shut and tucking it back into his shirt pocket.
They were sitting on one of the benches inside the DataRightly building’s first-floor lobby. Kat had just finished giving Andrew her statement. Allen Bolt had already been led away in handcuffs. She’d watched as the arresting officers drove off with him in the back seat, glad to see him in custody.
Now only she and Andrew remained on the premises. At least, they were the only humans on the premises.
She looked out the window. “I wonder if the white cat is still out there.”
“I suppose we could go look for him,” Andrew said.
“Now?” It was already dark outside, and Kat knew Andrew had to be as tired as she was.
“Why not? With Sadie’s killer behind bars, there’s nothing urgent on my plate. I can take an hour or so off before finishing up my paperwork.”
Kat hooked her arm through his, her heart swelling. She knew he was only volunteering to look for the white cat because it was important to her. The fact that he was willing to sacrifice his evening for her made her appreciate how lucky she was to have him in her life.
“Okay,” she said, jumping off the bench and heading for the door. “Let’s go find us a cat.”
Although it was colder now that the sun had gone down, being close to Andrew kept her body temperature elevated. If he would just agree to stick by her side whenever she ventured outdoors, she wouldn’t need a new coat after all.
“I haven’t yet had a chance to ask you how the new job is going,” Andrew said, zipping up his jacket.
“You mean other than finding a dead body on my first day?” Kat asked.
He grimaced. “Yeah, other than that.”
“I’m enjoying it, actually. I like my boss, Maura. She’s going to adopt one of 4F’s foster cats, you know.”
“How’d you talk her into that?”
“I didn’t have to. She volunteered.”
“That’s great.”
“And it feels good to be getting back into programming,” Kat went on. “I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it until Maura gave me this piece of code to work on.”
Andrew smiled. “It’s nice to see you this excited.”
“I’ll be even more excited if we can find that white cat.”
“I’ve got a flashlight in my car,” Andrew said.
Kat didn’t argue, although the reflection of the parking lot lights against the snow still piled up alongside the building almost convinced her they didn’t need a flashlight.
She looked around while Andrew fished in his trunk. She didn’t see the white cat anywhere, but she did note that the kibble she had set out earlier was now completely gone. The feline must have returned sometime this afternoon and gobbled up the rest of it.
Andrew held up the flashlight. “Got it.”
“Let’s start over there,” Kat said, pointing. “That’s where he seems to hang out.”
“Okay.”
They walked over to the snowbank where she had first seen the cat. Being so close to where Sadie had died, she couldn’t help but reflect on how drastically things could change in such a short period of time. It was hard to believe that less than thirty-six hours ago Sadie had still been alive. Now she was dead, destined to be sixty years old forever.
“Andrew, do you have a will?” Kat asked.
“No, why?”
“Just curious.”
He stopped walking. “You’re thinking about what happened back in Bolt’s office, aren’t you?”
Kat halted beside him. “You know, if I died—”
“Don’t talk like that,” Andrew cut in.
“You’re a cop. Don’t you ever think about your own mortality?”
His silence was as good as an answer in the affirmative.
Kat shoved her hands in her coat pockets. “Anyway, it’s not like I own much. But Matty and Tom—”
“If, for some reason, you can no longer take care of them, I’ll do it,” Andrew said.
She met his gaze. “You will?”
“Sure. I love those cats.”
A tingle raced up Kat’s spine. Andrew still had yet to say he loved her, but somehow she couldn’t imagine feeling any happier if she had been the subject of his declaration instead of her cats.
Andrew broke eye contact and shone the flashlight around, Kat’s cue that he wanted to drop the subject of her death.
That was fine with her.
They didn’t say anything as they scrutinized the landscape. It took a few minutes, but Kat finally spotted a tiny white face near the edge of the parking lot. “There he is,” she told Andrew, excitement bubbling in her chest.
Andrew pointed the flashlight where Kat indicated, careful not to aim it directly at the feline. “Think he’ll let you get near him?”
Kat thought about Stumpy working up the courage to trust Maura. “I hope so.”
“I’ll hang back here so I don’t spook him,” Andrew said, wandering off to the side. He only made it two steps before he stopped and redirected the flashlight beam at something wedged in a nearby snowbank.
“What is it?” Kat said.
“It looks like a piece of paper.”
Kat squatted next to Andrew and started digging the paper out. It was damp after having been submerged in snow, and she had to be careful not to tear it.
Once she’d brushed enough snow aside to free the page, she brought it up to her face using both hands. Her heart lurched when she realized she was staring at a flier for a lost cat—a lost cat named Snowball who looked suspiciously similar to the one Kat had in her sights.
“Looks like he escaped over Thanksgiving weekend,” Andrew said, leaning over her arm to read the flier himself.
“So he does have a home.” The thought made Kat smile.
“Now we just have to get him there.”
Kat handed the flier to Andrew. “You take this, and I’ll see if I can grab Snowball.”
Snowball hadn’t moved from his spot across the parking lot. Kat started off in his direction, careful not to move too quickly. When she was close enough to touch him but not so close that he was likely to feel threatened, she crouched down and looked him in the eye.
“So now I know what to call you,” she said. “Snowball.”
Snowball’s ears pricked as if he recognized his name. Maybe if she said it enough times he would start to understand she was on his side.
“Snowball fits you.” She extended a hand toward him. “Are you going to let me pick you up, Snowball? I know you have a home, so you must be used to humans.”
Snowball slowly closed his eyes before opening them equally slowly. Kat found the gesture encouraging. Maybe he would let her touch him.
She stretched her hand out a little farther and gave his cheek a light stroke. Snowball stood up and rubbed against her fingers. Kat petted him for a while before she dared to hook her hands around his chest. When he didn’t offer any resistance, she lifted him up.
Andrew joined them, although he stayed a few feet back. “You got him.”
“Yes.” Kat could feel the steady thrum of the feline’s body against her rib cage. “And he’s purring.”
“He only lives a couple blocks from here,” Andrew said, reading off of the flier. He pointed. “That way.”
Kat strode forward. “Then let’s go.”
Andrew fell into step beside her. “He’s acting pretty docile. I’m surprised he’s not fighting you more.”
“He’s probably had his adventure and is ready to go home.”
And, Kat thought, hugging the cat close, she knew exactly how he felt.