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“What?”
“Brrt?”
Lauren and Annie stared at Zoe.
“I was busy with customers so I didn’t see how it happened, but Brooke walked in and said this had been slipped under the door.” She held out an envelope, the seal torn, and a note inside. It was addressed to Lauren and Zoe.
“What does it say?” Lauren asked.
“Read it for yourself.” Zoe gave her the missive.
Bring Mrs. Snuggle to the Gold Leaf Valley park at five o’clock today OR ELSE!
“Or else what?” Lauren frowned.
“Or else ...?” Zoe slid her finger across her throat.
“But why would someone leave this note here? We don’t have Mrs. Snuggle.”
“But Father Mike does,” Zoe replied.
“Brrt!” That’s right!
“So, whoever wants Mrs. Snuggle knows where to find us, but they don’t know where to find Father Mike,” Lauren thought out loud.
“Exactly.” Zoe’s brunette pixie bangs bounced against her temple.
“So, it’s someone who knows we run this café.”
“Like someone from the cat show!”
“But everyone we met seemed to be from Sacramento. Why would they want to meet here, on our home ground?”
“Maybe it’s not someone from Sacramento,” Zoe said slowly. “Or maybe they know this area. Maybe they have friends or family who live here.”
Lauren racked her brain but couldn’t remember Nina, Jerry, Dana, Robert, or even Sylvia, Kathleen’s next of kin, mentioning anything about having a connection to Gold Leaf Valley.
“There’s no way we’re going to deliver Mrs. Snuggle to this person, whoever they are,” Lauren stated.
“That’s right. Father Mike has started bonding with her.”
“I’m going to call Mitch.” Lauren grabbed her phone from behind the counter and dialed. Straight to voice mail.
“He’s busy interviewing people.” She made a face. Now she remembered him telling her last night after the movie that he would be in Sacramento all day, questioning the vet and the other suspects from that area.
She left a brief message, telling him about the note.
“I think we should keep this for Mitch. Put it with Mrs. Finch’s shopping list.” Lauren opened the drawer and placed the note on top of Annie’s find.
“Brrt,” Annie said in an approving tone.
The entrance door opened. All three of them swung around to see who it was.
Tap tap.
“Hello, dears.” Mrs. Finch smiled at them. “I’ve lost my shopping list. Did I leave it here by any chance?”
“Brrt!” I found it!
“Here you are.” Zoe pulled open the drawer and handed over the list. “Annie discovered it after you left.”
“You are a clever girl, Annie.” Mrs. Finch beamed at the Norwegian Forest Cat.
“Brrt.” Thank you.
Lauren escorted the senior to the door. “Are you okay to walk home? I can drive you.”
“I’ll be fine,” Mrs. Finch replied. “I feel quite active today. The exercise will do me good.”
“If you’re sure.” Lauren looked after her in concern, but Mrs. Finch seemed okay as she ambled along the street.
“I guess that’s one mystery solved,” Zoe said as Lauren rejoined her and Annie. “But what are we going to do about this demand?” She waved the note in the air.