“Oh, I see!” Bones set Mr. Javier back on the counter. “Yes, well, but wouldn’t he be more efficient with a jetpack?”

“A what?”

“A jetpack. You know, a pack worn on the back and propelled by jets so that one can move more speedily from place to place?”

“I know what a jetpack is!” Actually, I had never heard of one before, but this dog did have a way of getting under my skin.

“Of course you didn’t know what a jetpack was before I told you,” he said. “You didn’t know because they don’t exist yet. But I shall rectify that by inventing one this very day.”

“Whatever,” I fumed. “What I don’t know is why Mr. Javier would want one.”

Bones immediately cast a meaningful gaze upon Mr. Javier, who had only progressed a few short inches toward the oregano while we were speaking. The oregano, which I should mention, was still a good two feet away. Lunch, I feared, would be late again.

“Actually, Boss,” Mr. Javier admitted with a glance over his shoulder toward me, “I don’t think I’d mind my own jetpack. Sometimes, just doing the marketing can take me several days.”

“Fine,” I sighed. “But where am I supposed to find a jetpack small enough—”

I trailed off as the dog raised one paw in the air in what was quickly becoming a familiar gesture, a silly struck-by-lightning look upon his face. “Did you not hear me before? I shall invent one!”

“Of course you shall.” I yawned as I began to exit the room.

“Where are you going?” Bones called after me. “I was about to tell you about the crime that’s been committed!”

“Mr. Javier,” I said, ignoring Bones, “throw in some more pasta and add another place setting at the table. It looks like there’ll be one more for lunch today.”

“But where are you going?” Bones demanded.

“To take my nap.”

“Didn’t you just take one?”

“I take lots of naps.” After my time in the Cat Wars, I needed even more rest than I once did. “You’ll get used to it. Or rather, I should say, please don’t get used to it. Oh, but while you are here?”

“Yes?”

“Take off that ridiculous hat. You’re in the house!”

As I curled up on my favorite place to nap inside the house, the floral cushion in the bay window that catches the afternoon sun and looks out upon the street, I thought about how, thus far, I was not hugely impressed with the dog. But in an hour, all of that would change.