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“What?” Lauren gasped.
“At least we didn’t find the body this time.” Zoe’s voice faltered as she seemed to realize what she’d just said. “Sorry.”
“Where is she?” Mitch asked.
“In the back garden,” Father Mike answered. “But I have no idea what she was doing out there.”
Jerry crumpled up his newspaper, the crackling audible in the sudden silence. “Are you sure?” he asked, looking incredulous.
“Yes,” Father Mike replied.
“Let’s go.” Mitch started toward the exit.
“What about us?” Zoe asked.
“Stay here,” he ordered. “Chris, you’d better come. We can both check for a pulse.”
Zoe looked like she was about to argue, but tightened her lips instead.
“Is your boyfriend a cop?” Jerry asked, his gaze inquisitive as he tracked their progress through the hall.
“He’s a detective here in Gold Leaf Valley,” Lauren explained.
“And Chris is a paramedic. That’s why he got to go,” Zoe muttered.
Lauren wasn’t about to complain about being left out. The last thing she wanted to see was Kathleen’s body. She didn’t even want to think about it. She shook herself, but the news that Kathleen was dead didn’t just vanish. Unfortunately.
“What about her cat?” Zoe suddenly posed the question. “Mrs. Snuggle Face Furry Frost?”
“You’d better let your guys know about him,” Jerry suggested. “Maybe it was a robbery gone wrong.”
“Someone wanted to steal her cat?” Zoe sounded incredulous.
“She’s a winner,” Jerry explained. “Although now we know Kathleen must have paid for a lot of those ribbons, if word gets out into the show world, and she was stolen, the thief mightn’t think she’s valuable anymore.”
“Poor cat,” Lauren murmured.
“Brrp,” Annie agreed softly.
“I’m sure everything will be okay,” Lauren told her. She didn’t want Annie to worry. “I’m sure Mitch will get to the bottom of it all.”
“And if he doesn’t, we will,” Zoe declared, her face lighting up.
“You girls have helped in police investigations?” Jerry asked curiously.
“Mrrowp?” Toby asked.
“Yep,” Zoe told him. “We’ve solved – how many murders is it, Lauren – seven?”
Lauren mentally ran through their “sleuthing” attempts.
“Yes.”
“Then you two should be checking out the scene,” Jerry suggested.
Zoe looked torn.
“I’m staying here,” Lauren told her cousin. There was no way she was leaving Annie alone in the hall, especially now that one of the exhibitors was dead.
“I’ll stay with you.” Zoe touched her arm. “We’re a team.”
“Yes, we are.” Lauren smiled at her. Zoe always had her back when it counted. She hoped she always had Zoe’s.
“Maybe it was natural causes,” Lauren offered.
“Like a heart attack! Didn’t you say she looked unwell when she stormed out of here?” Zoe said.
“Yes,” Lauren replied.
“Then it probably was a heart attack.” Zoe nodded. “And her cat is in the car, wondering why Kathleen isn’t driving her home already.”
“We’d better let Mitch know about Mrs. Snuggle Face Furry Frost.” Lauren didn’t want the feline to suffer if she was trapped inside a warm car with the windows shut. She pulled out her phone and texted Mitch.
A few seconds later, her phone buzzed. One word – Thanks.
“What did he say?” Zoe peered over her shoulder. “Oh – is that all?” She sounded disappointed.
“What’s happening?” Jerry asked.
“I don’t know.” Lauren shook her head.
A second later, another text came through. The cat is here.
“Oh, that’s good.” Zoe peered over her shoulder once more. She turned to Jerry. “It sounds like the cat’s okay.”
“I’m glad nothing’s happened to her,” Jerry said.
“I still think we should go and check on the – Kathleen. Hey, I know!” Zoe clicked her fingers. “We can take out refreshments to Chris and Mitch.”
“You go,” Lauren said. “I’ll stay here with Annie.”
Jerry cleared his throat. “I can watch her for you if you want to go outside. You watched Toby for me.”
“Thanks, but I might be longer than a few minutes,” Lauren said. She glanced at Annie.
“Brrt?” Annie enquired softly.
“You don’t want to go outside and watch Mitch at work, do you?”
“And Chris,” Zoe added.
“Brrt.” Yes.
“What if you just stand outside with Annie and I’ll take a look?” Zoe bargained.
Lauren hesitated.
“Brrp,” Annie urged softly.
“Okay.” Lauren sighed.