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“On behalf of the entire Cherry Hills Police Department, I’d like to thank you for your help in solving Landon’s murder,” Chief Kenny said, grabbing hold of Kat’s right hand and pumping it heartily between his own as he dragged her inside Imogene’s house.
“Oh.” Kat extracted her hand from his grasp before he crushed it. “I’m sure Andrew and Raoul would have solved it if I hadn’t.”
“Oh, now, I don’t know about that,” Imogene piped up from where she sat on one of her living room sofas. “Raoul Leon’s so green you could toss him in a salad.”
Chief Kenny chuckled as he planted himself beside Imogene. “You would know, eating like a bunny.”
Imogene slapped him playfully on the shoulder.
Kat sat down in a nearby armchair. “I hope Raoul’s not too disappointed that he wasn’t the one to break the case.” She also hoped he wasn’t too upset that she’d phoned Andrew instead of him after Deirdre had confessed. Although she didn’t really care for Raoul, she still felt a little guilty for once thinking he might have had a hand in Landon’s death.
Chief Kenny stroked Clover when the white cat jumped onto his lap. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about Raoul. He’s still got plenty of detective work to keep him busy.”
Alarm flitted across Imogene’s face. “Has there been another murder?”
“No, sirree.” Chief Kenny grinned. “Raoul’s learning how real detectives fill their days—with good ol’-fashioned paperwork.”
“Are you going to promote him permanently?” Kat asked.
“I reckon one of these days I’ll do just that. But I ain’t got the budget for it yet.”
Imogene crossed her ankles. “Well, now that this case is solved, you can focus on getting my office cleaned.”
“That’s next on my list, right after I file my own paperwork,” he replied.
“Oh, Kenny.” Imogene frowned at him. “How long is that going to take?”
“Not more than a day or two.”
Clover gave the police chief a dirty look. Apparently Imogene wasn’t the only human he preferred to handle with tough love.
Imogene flashed Chief Kenny a dirty look of her own. “You have one day. Then I’m taking matters into my own hands and sending you the bill.”
“Aw, now, don’t pout. I said I’d take care of it, and I’m a man of my word.”
“What’s taking so long anyway?”
“I’ve been shopping around, looking for the same shade of carpet you’ve got here. They don’t make this kind anymore.”
Imogene’s lips curved up. “You mean you’re having the carpet replaced, not just cleaned?”
“Yep. Figured you could sleep easier that way.”
“Well . . . thank you. I appreciate it.”
“You’re very welcome.” Chief Kenny reached into his breast pocket. “Here, I’ve got a little something else for you, too.”
Imogene sucked in a breath when she saw what was in his hand. Kat scooted forward, trying to get a better look herself. Her heart stopped beating when she spied the velvet-covered box.
“Now don’t go making a big fuss,” Chief Kenny said, a bead of sweat materializing on his forehead. “It’s nothing fancy, just something that caught my eye when I was out looking at carpet.”
Imogene didn’t seem to hear him. She snatched the box from his hands and popped the lid off. Kat couldn’t see what was inside, but from the way Imogene’s smile slipped, she didn’t figure it was an engagement ring.
“It’s a paperweight,” Chief Kenny said. He ruffled Clover’s fur. “Looks like the spitting image of this little guy, huh? Thought you might like it after what happened with your other.”
Imogene reached into the box and lifted up a white, ceramic cat. Kat could see now the box was much too large to hold a ring.
Clover scrambled to his feet and hissed at the offending creature. He took a swipe at it with one paw, knocking it to the floor.
“Clover!” Imogene scooped the paperweight off the carpet. “Behave yourself!”
“Hey now, buddy.” Chief Kenny rubbed Clover between his ears. “Don’t go getting your tail in a knot. It ain’t real.”
Clover clearly didn’t appreciate the advice. He glared at the humans before hopping onto the floor and trotting over to Kat. He joined her on the armchair, where he laid down on her lap and subjected the others to a death stare.
Imogene didn’t pay him any attention. Her smile was back in full force now as she gazed at Chief Kenny. “Thank you, Kenny. But you didn’t have to buy me this.”
He grinned, looking more relaxed in the face of Imogene’s approval. “It was my pleasure.”
“But I didn’t even get you anything for your birthday.”
“What’re you clucking about? You threw me a party.”
“A party with food you hated.”
Chief Kenny grimaced. “This pains me to say, but that peahen wheelbarrow thingy wasn’t half bad.”
“You mean the chickpea pinwheel?” Imogene squinted at him. “You tried it?”
“What else could I do? The dang thing was falling apart in my hands.”
Imogene hooted with pleasure, then hugged the paperweight to her chest. “I’m going to treasure this.”
Clover’s tail pummeled Kat’s stomach. She petted him, hoping the surly feline wouldn’t break the new paperweight at his first opportunity. It might very well be the first present Chief Kenny had ever given Imogene.
Imogene rested her head on Chief Kenny’s shoulder. “Okay, you’re forgiven for the carpet—for now. Any more delays though and I’ll be expecting more presents.”
“Deal.”
Watching them, Kat had to smile. If she’d had any lingering doubts about them being more than friends, the way they were snuggling together banished them. Whether or not Imogene and Chief Kenny chose to acknowledge their attraction in public, it was clear they shared more than a platonic connection.
She thought about Landon Tabernathy and Deirdre Solomon, two people who shared a genetic connection but not much else. She wondered if Deirdre had ever experienced the kind of love she had so desperately craved from her father. Kat hoped so, because one thing she had learned in her thirty-two years was that you didn’t necessarily need genetics to tie you to someone.
Sometimes the best family wasn’t the one you were born into, but the one you created for yourself.
