“Oh, my sweet, sweet precious baby,” said Opal, picking up the tiny bundle of fur and kissing the top of her head. “Are you happy mommy is home? Are you? Of course you are!”
The cat suffered the treatment stoically, and then produced a single meow.
“I’ll bet she’s hungry,” said Opal. “Won’t you all come in? I had dinner prepared.”
The second limo, which had parked behind the first one, had already disgorged its passengers, and the small company now made its way inside, followed by four cats, who seemed less than excited to enter. The sight of Prunella had clearly put them off, and Odelia thought she could guess why. As lady of the manor, Prunella wouldn’t enjoy welcoming intruders into her house, and cats can be quite vicious when unwelcome visitors trespass on what they consider their own personal territory.
“Don’t worry,” she said as she encouraged them to enter. “You’re all welcome here.”
“Prunella didn’t look happy,” said Dooley. “In fact she looked downright hostile.”
“That’s just your imagination, Dooley,” said Odelia. “She didn’t look hostile to me. In fact I think she’s happy to know that you’re all here to help her precious human.”
“I’m not so sure,” muttered Max, but they still followed her inside. A liveried servant closed the door, and when she glanced back she thought he looked about a hundred.
They were led into a large dining room, where the furniture was all dark mahogany, the chairs overstuffed, and the carpets high-pile and expensive. The walls were bedecked with pictures illustrating Opal’s illustrious career. And as Odelia studied the glossy framed photos, she could see the road Opal had traveled from lowly local reporter, not unlike Odelia herself, to who she was now: one of the richest women in the country, and definitely one of the most famous and respected.
“Let’s eat!” Opal cried, clapping her hands. “A table!”
Odelia happily complied, the rumble in her stomach indicating her body might still be on East Coast time, but her stomach was definitely ready for a West Coast meal.
Chapter 7
As the humans sat down for dinner, we were led into the kitchen where presumably we could enjoy our own meal. At least if that fierce-looking feline would permit it.
One of the servants led us along a corridor and into a large kitchen that looked as if it had been built specifically according to Nancy Meyers’s instructions. The movie director could have filmed her next picture there, possibly starring Meryl Streep or Diane Keaton, and she wouldn’t have had to change a thing. Gleaming marble countertops, gorgeous wooden cabinets, two gigantic kitchen islands, and light streaming in through French windows leading out onto a stone terrace with wrought-iron table and chairs… Nice!
“The cats are here,” announced the servant who’d accompanied us, and then promptly disappeared again.
Behind the stove, a woman was stirring a big pot. She was large and wholesome-looking, with cherry-colored cherubic cheeks. Next to her, seated on a kitchen stool, sipping a glass of some dark-colored liquid I suspected was port, sat a liveried middle-aged server. His cheeks were red, too, but not as an indication of health, but of the quantity of port he’d already imbibed.
“I don’t like it, Helga,” said the guy, frowning into his drink. “I don’t like it one bit.”
“Hey, that’s your line, Dooley,” I quipped.
“You’re right,” said Dooley good-naturedly. “He stole my line.”
“Well, like it or not, it is the way it is,” said Helga, still stirring that steaming pot as if her life depended on it.
“Don’t tell them a damn thing, you hear?” said the guy, a note of menace in his voice. “Not a single word.”
“My lips are sealed,” said Helga.
“And you better tell that boyfriend of yours to keep his big trap shut. I’ll know if he blabbed.”
“Oh, don’t be such a sourpuss, Hector,” said Helga. “You know my George wouldn’t breathe a word of what happened to that detective woman.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be too sure about that. He’s always had it in for me, George has. And if he sees a chance to get me booted out, he’ll take it—mark my words.”
“Stuff and nonsense. George would never do that. Not if he knows what’s good for him.”
Hector looked up. He’d finally spotted us and heaved a deep sigh. “Cats,” he said, proving he didn’t miss a trick. “When will she ever stop taking in those horrible furballs.”
Helga giggled. “They’re not her furballs, silly. They’re that detective woman’s cats. Opal told me to take care of them as if they’re her own. And that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
“Oh, go on, then. Spoil them rotten. See if I care,” said Hector, clearly a man who’d gotten up on the wrong side of the bed that morning.
Unless…
“Could this be the guy who poisoned Opal’s coffee?” I asked the others.
“He looks like a killer,” Brutus said. “He has that serial killer look.”
“And how would you know what a serial killer looks like?” asked Harriet.
“I’ve seen them on TV plenty of times,” said Brutus defensively. “The squinty-eyed look, the pinched face, the receding hairline. He’s got serial killer written all over him.”
“He could be the one,” Dooley said as he studied this Hector fellow, who was now draining his glass of port and then legged it out of the kitchen and into the corridor, presumably to return to his duties, whatever they were.
“Who better to put cyanide in a person’s coffee than someone with access to the kitchen?” I said. “And he could easily have sabotaged Opal’s car, too.”
“We’ll have to tell Odelia,” said Dooley. “She’ll know what to do.”
Just then, Prunella entered the kitchen looking as high and mighty as before.
We all went quiet, and I could feel the muscles in my hind legs tensing up, in full fight-or-flight mode.
“So who are you, then?” asked Prunella, allowing us the privilege of hearing her voice for the first time. She had a high and melodious voice. Very pleasant, I had to admit.
“I’m Max,” I said, figuring I better make the introductions. “And these are Dooley, Harriet and Brutus. We’re Odelia Poole’s cats—the New York detective your human hired?”
“Oh, right.” The cat paused for a moment, then said. “So who are you, then?”
“Um…”
She stared at me, clearly awaiting my response. “Well, Max,” I said with a laugh, figuring she was having me on. “Like I said, Odelia Poole’s cats?”
She stared at me, and blinked. “We have a very nice pool, thank you very much. Though I never go near it. Pools don’t particularly appeal to me. I can’t swim, you see.” She smiled. “Well, then. This has been so much fun. Gave me a real appetite.”
And to prove she meant what she said, she moved over to a large bowl which Helga had just filled with delicious-looking paté, and dug in voraciously. Within seconds the bowl was empty. Frankly I’d never seen anything like it.
“Yum,” said Prunella. “That was nice.” She then did a double take when she spotted me. “Hey, who are you, and what are you doing in my kitchen?”
“You’re kidding, right?” said Harriet. “Max has already told you his name twice. Are you messing with us or what?”
“Yeah, are you messing with us?” Brutus growled, taking a step closer to the cat.
Prunella blinked again. “I don’t like messes. Good thing we have Helga. She doesn’t mind cleaning up any mess I make.” She then licked her lips. “Say, I’m hungry.” She glanced up at Helga, who gave her a bright smile.
“Hungry again, eh, princess? Come here, I’ve got just the thing for you.” And she placed a large slab of fish on a plate.
“Yum,” said Prunella cheerfully. “Watch me dig in.” And she proceeded to attack the fish as if it was the first food she’d had in weeks.