Poisoned in Cherry Hills (Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Book 3) (5 page)

Kat mulled over her recent run-in with Lucy Callahan during the drive to Rebecca Smith’s house. Although Lucy hadn’t seemed particularly bothered by Heidi’s murder, she also wasn’t giving off a guilty vibe, at least not one that Kat had detected. Or, could her satisfaction over eliminating an old rival be enough to mask any remorse she felt over taking another person’s life?

Kat took a deep breath, the delicious aroma of Jessie’s lasagna filling her nostrils and causing her stomach to growl. If she didn’t have to keep her hands on the wheel she might be tempted to eat the whole thing herself, leaving her with nothing to offer Heidi’s grieving sister.

That assumed, of course, that Rebecca really was grieving and hadn’t murdered her sibling so she wouldn’t have to split their parents’ estate.

But Larry was right that Rebecca certainly didn’t look as if she needed the money, Kat considered as she pulled up to the address Imogene had given her. The yard was immaculate, and the house’s exterior didn’t sport so much as a single fleck of peeling paint or a solitary gutter dent. Still, Kat couldn’t overlook the possibility that maintaining appearances had driven Rebecca’s savings into the ground and she was more desperate than her beautiful home would suggest.

Kat groaned, wishing she could shut off her mind. She was here to pay her respects to a woman who had just lost a close family member, she reminded herself, not to evaluate her as a murder suspect.

Imogene’s car pulled up to the curb, and Imogene and Willow climbed out, both of them holding foil-covered casserole dishes. Kat got out of her own car and waited for them to catch up.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Kat said as they approached the house together. Not ever having met Rebecca, she had been nervous about being the first to arrive.

Imogene inhaled and depressed the doorbell. “Smells like you persuaded Jessie to make her famous lasagna.”

Kat shifted the still-warm pan in her arms to keep it from singeing her skin. “She was all too willing when I told her who it was for.”

The door eased open, revealing a woman who looked vaguely similar to Heidi. She shared Heidi’s bone structure and blond hair, at any rate, but her eyes were red-rimmed and her nose looked ruddy from crying.

“Becca, meet Kat Harper, our new 4F treasurer,” Imogene said, jerking her elbow toward Kat. “And I believe you already know Willow Wu, our secretary.”

Rebecca nodded at them. “Yes, come on in.”

Imogene stepped inside first, with Willow and Kat following. “We felt the least we could do was bring over some sustenance,” Imogene said. “Especially after you were kind enough to agree to see us after suffering from such a terrible personal loss.”

Rebecca twisted around to shut the door, obscuring her face before Kat could study it for a reaction.

Imogene bit her lip. “I must say, I feel somewhat to blame for what happened.”

Rebecca faced her, her head cocked to one side. “What do you mean?”

Imogene grimaced. “As the 4F president, the benefit dinner was my responsibility.”

Rebecca flapped her hand, but the motion lacked any energy behind it. “You couldn’t have known.”

“Nobody could,” Willow said, looking pointedly at Imogene.

Imogene nodded, but the creases framing her mouth suggested she was still mentally castigating herself.

Rebecca collapsed onto the loveseat as if someone had ripped her spine out. “You can set your stuff on the coffee table.”

They did, then Willow and Kat took seats on the larger couch while Imogene planted herself next to Rebecca.

Rebecca’s eyes filled with tears. “I still can’t believe she’s gone.” She snatched a tissue from the box on the end table and swiped at the corners of her eyes.

Imogene patted her hand. “We can’t imagine how you must be feeling right now. To lose your only sister like that.”

Rebecca blew her nose. “She was my last remaining relative. I mean, I have some aunts and uncles and cousins, but they all live on the East Coast. I haven’t seen them since Mom and Dad’s funeral.” She frowned. “Though I guess they’ll have to fly out here again now.”

“Is there anything we can do for you?” Willow asked.

Rebecca shook her head. “There’s nothing anybody can do except catch the slimeball who did this.”

Kat folded her hands in her lap, unable to think of anything to say that might provide even an ounce of comfort. Plus, as much as she didn’t trust Lucy’s judgment when it came to Heidi Smith, she also couldn’t dismiss her speculation that Rebecca might be the guilty party.

Rebecca looked at Kat. “Imogene said your boyfriend is that police detective who was there last night.”

Kat felt her cheeks flame. “He’s not my boyfriend. But yes, we attended the benefit dinner together.”

“They’re good, good friends,” Imogene piped up.

Rebecca hunched forward, her eyes boring into Kat’s. “Does he have any guesses as to who killed her?”

“I’m not sure,” Kat admitted.

Rebecca’s eyes darkened. “I bet it was that tramp Lucy. I saw her and Heidi arguing before the dinner started.”

Kat didn’t respond, unable to fault Rebecca for her conclusion. The image of Lucy leaning against the wall of her apartment hallway while she chattered about new beginnings and old baggage flashed through her head.

Rebecca’s hands balled into fists, crushing the tissue she was holding. “They’ve hated each other ever since they became interested in boys back in middle school. Lucy always blamed Heidi for stealing her boyfriends, but I don’t know of any sane man who could spend more than a week with that shrew.”

Imogene cleared her throat. “Well, I’m sure the police are conducting a thorough investigation.”

Rebecca ignored her, her eyes never leaving Kat’s. “Tell that detective friend of yours that I want to see justice served. I want to see Lucy Callahan behind bars before the summer is over.”

“Assuming she’s guilty,” Imogene interjected.

Rebecca scoffed. “Of course she’s guilty. Heidi didn’t have any other enemies. Nobody else had any reason to hurt her. In fact, I don’t know why Lucy wasn’t arrested on the spot.”

Kat bit the inside of her cheek. She was tempted to ask exactly how much Rebecca had to gain financially from her sister’s death, but such an insensitive inquiry was sure to get her blacklisted from not only Rebecca’s social circle but quite possibly Imogene’s and Willow’s too.

“Did you hear me?” Rebecca said, her voice breaking into Kat’s thoughts. “Tell your detective friend I demand to see justice served. I want to see Lucy pay, and I won’t rest until she does.”

Kat swallowed. “I’ll be sure to relay your message.”

Rebecca leaned back into the sofa, appearing satisfied with Kat’s answer. “He’s a good detective.”

Kat didn’t say anything, not sure where Rebecca was going.

“He helped to convict the alcoholic who killed Mom and Dad,” she continued.

Imogene clucked her tongue. “Such an abysmal situation.”

Rebecca tilted her head down and started picking at her fingernails. “It was. Especially for Heidi. She used to have this passion about her, but after the accident she didn’t care about anything anymore.”

Imogene tsked. “It always takes some time to get over losing a loved one.”

“I guess,” Rebecca said, but without much conviction. “I just missed the old Heidi, you know? We used to get into these heated debates about politics and whatnot, but it was like her verve for life died when Mom and Dad did.”

Kat played through her encounter with Lucy and Heidi at the 4F benefit event again. Now that she thought about it, Heidi hadn’t appeared truly involved in the argument. It had been Lucy who had been ranting with enough gusto to give the illusion that both women were equally engaged.

“And now she’s dead too,” Rebecca went on. She unfolded the tissue in her hand and blew her nose as a fresh barrage of tears slipped down her cheeks.

Watching her, a weight settled in Kat’s chest. With Rebecca in such obvious distress, Kat couldn’t believe she had anything to do with her sister’s death. Unfortunately, that conclusion still left her with one unanswered question.

Who had?

After paying her respects to Rebecca, Kat’s spirits were at an all-time low. Having grown up in foster care, she knew better than most people what it was like to not have any relatives, but the thought of having a family—one that could be remembered, anyway—and then losing everyone in it seemed almost unbearable.

At least she had Matty and Tom now, Kat thought as she let herself into her apartment. Although it was the first time in her thirty-two years that she’d ever had pets, she couldn’t fathom how she’d lived without them for so long. Even watching them sleep cheered her considerably.

Tom walked over to her and rubbed against her legs as she toed her shoes off. She could hear him purring before she even crouched down to pet him.

“I’m glad to see you too, buddy,” she said. “What did you do while I was away?”

Their reunion was interrupted by a knock on the front door. Frowning, Kat glanced at the clock in the living room, trying to remember if she’d made an appointment she’d forgotten about.

“Kat?” a voice called from outside. “It’s Lucy Callahan.”

Kat tensed. Matty glowered at the door from her spot on the couch, as if to question who dared to interrupt her peace. Tom, on the other hand, crept closer and tried to peek through the crack between the door and the floor. As long as he netted some belly rubs out of the deal, Kat figured he wouldn’t have any issues with a suspected murderer paying them a visit.

Fighting a sigh, Kat stood up and swung the door open. The apartment walls weren’t very thick and she was pretty sure Lucy had already heard her talking to Tom, eliminating any chance she had of fooling her unwanted visitor into thinking she wasn’t home. That was what she got for carrying on conversations with cats, she thought.

Lucy’s grinning face came into view. “Hi, neighbor. I was across the way measuring the dimensions of my new apartment when I heard your footsteps in the hallway.”

Kat didn’t say anything, scrambling for some excuse to retreat back into her unit alone. But what could she say? That she’d only come home to grab something she’d forgotten? She’d already taken off her shoes.

Lucy bounced from foot to foot, craning her neck as she attempted to see into the apartment. “If you’re not busy, I thought maybe you could give me some pointers on caring for cats. I need a break anyway.”

“Oh, sure.” Although she didn’t feel like entertaining, Kat held the door open. “Come on in.”

Lucy scooted past Tom, who sniffed at her ankles. “Who’s this big guy?”

“That’s Tom.”

Lucy squatted on the floor and ran her hands down Tom’s sides. He rolled onto his back and held his paws above his head.

Lucy laughed. “He doesn’t waste any time, does he?”

In spite of herself, Kat couldn’t help but smile. “He never gets enough.”

Lucy peered at Matty, who hadn’t budged from her position on the couch. “What about that one? He looks a little more reserved.”

“She,” Kat corrected. “And yes, Matty is much less of an attention hog.”

“Are they related?”

Kat shook her head. “They just have similar colorings.”

Lucy leaned closer to Tom and crooned, “Well, I think you’re gorgeous, big fellow.”

Tom rubbed his face against the carpet as he dragged himself along the floor, basking in the attention.

Matty stood up, tilting her nose in the air as she eyed Lucy and Tom. She jumped off the couch and stalked down the hallway, evidently unable to stand the sight of Tom degrading himself like that any longer.

Kat lowered herself onto the couch. “So, what is it you need help with?”

“Nothing in particular,” Lucy replied. “I read a couple articles online about cat care, but I don’t trust anything posted on the Internet. Besides, they only touched upon the basics, things like making sure they’re fed and cleaning out their litter box. What else do I need to know?”

“Nothing really. Besides that, regular vet visits, and lots of love, they’re fairly independent.”

Lucy nodded. She didn’t look surprised, which made Kat wonder if she’d actually come over to be social.

Tom must have finally gotten his fill of belly rubs. He righted himself and wandered down the hallway. Kat wasn’t sure if he was going in search of Matty, his litter box, or a comfortable napping spot. Tom seemed to be under the impression that the queen-sized bed belonged to him.

Lucy relocated to the sofa opposite Kat. “I think I’m going to like having a cat.”

“If you’re anything like me you will,” Kat agreed.

“Did you have to train them to use the box?”

Kat shook her head. “Their mother usually teaches them, assuming they aren’t removed from her care too soon. And cats are naturally clean animals. All the ones up for adoption from 4F are already litter-trained.”

Lucy relaxed into the couch. “That’s good. I was worried about that.”

Matty stalked through the room. After disappearing into the kitchen for a moment, she planted herself at the edge of the living room and glared at Kat.

Lucy’s mouth crooked. “She’s not very friendly, is she?”

“She’s very friendly, actually,” Kat said, feeling compelled to defend the feline. “She’s just not as open with her affection as Tom is. And that look she’s giving me means her food bowl is empty, a situation she dislikes immensely.”

Lucy stood up, her eyes brightening. “Maybe I could help you feed them. You know, get some practice in.”

Kat lifted one shoulder before standing up and heading toward the kitchen. Although she couldn’t determine exactly what Lucy thought would be involved with feeding cats other than scooping some kibble into a couple bowls, she didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot with her new neighbor—just in case she wasn’t a cold-blooded killer.

As soon as Kat opened their food bag, Tom came tearing into the kitchen. He screeched to a stop in front of one of the empty bowls and meowed.

Lucy laughed. “I should have figured that one likes to eat.”

“A hearty appetite is a universal cat quality.”

Kat poured some kibble into each of their bowls. Tom tore into the food, wolfing it down as if he hadn’t consumed a decent meal in weeks. Matty took a few bites from her portion, then looked over her shoulder at Tom.

“What’s she doing?” Lucy asked.

“She’s convinced I give him better food,” Kat said, her mouth twitching as Matty’s tail started to flick back and forth. “Watch.”

Sure enough, a second later Matty sauntered over to Tom and proceeded to sit down and stare at him until he became uncomfortable enough to relocate to Matty’s food dish. Matty then moved forward and began nibbling from Tom’s bowl.

Lucy giggled. “I never would have guessed they were that silly.”

Kat laughed along with Lucy but froze mid-chuckle as something occurred to her.

Heidi and Rebecca Smith had ended up in Andrew’s and Kat’s designated seats at the benefit dinner. The iced teas had been poured before the guests were let into the area. Anyone in attendance could have used the printed place settings to determine where the guests would be sitting—assuming they didn’t switch places. It wasn’t a stretch to think the poison was already in one of the iced tea glasses before Kat had offered to switch places with the Smiths.

Kat’s pulse pounded as her brain tried to wrap itself around the possibility that the poisoned beverage might not have been intended for Heidi at all. Maybe it had been waiting for Kat or Andrew to take that first, fatal sip.

But, for the life of her, Kat couldn’t think of anyone who might want to do her harm. She certainly didn’t think she had any enemies who hated her enough to kill her.

Andrew, on the other hand, dealt with unsavory characters all the time, she thought, breaking out into a sweat. As a member of the police force, how many criminals had he helped to convict over the years? She didn’t know, but figured the number was substantial. It wasn’t impossible to think one of them might come after him personally.

And if Andrew was the killer’s target, she had better warn him before they made another attempt on his life.

Kat whipped toward her guest, her heart feeling as if it might explode out of her chest. “Lucy, would you excuse me? I just remembered I’m supposed to be somewhere.”

“Oh.” Lucy’s face fell a fraction. “Sure.”

Kat briefly considered assuring Lucy that her hasty departure had nothing to do with her, but that would require a delay she didn’t want to incur. Instead, she brushed past the startled redhead and raced back into the living room.

Lucy followed more slowly, her forehead furrowed in consternation. “So, maybe we can meet up again later?”

“Okay.” Kat snatched her purse off the coffee table, crammed her feet into her shoes, and flew out the front door, almost beating Lucy out of her unit.

Sprinting down the corridor, one question cycled through her mind on autoplay: Who was the intended victim yesterday evening, Heidi Smith, Andrew Milhone, or herself?