Cat Nap полностью

The weather was chill and blustery that afternoon as they made their way up Carolyn Dowdey’s walk. But that wasn’t the reason that Will looked so very ill at ease. “After last night, I’m going to be on pretty thin ice with the sheriff,” he muttered. “This could be considered a misuse of authority.”

“You’re helping to look for a lost kitty,” Sunny said. “What could be more innocent?”

She gave the bell a healthy ring and held her lost cat posters up. After a moment, Mrs. Dowdey opened the door a crack, peering doubtfully out at them. “Can I help you?”

“Oh, I hope so.” Sunny tried to put a little excess enthusiasm into her voice. “Have you seen this cat in the neighborhood?” She went to hand over a poster and then brightened. “Wait a minute, you’ve actually met Shadow. It’s Mrs. O’Dowd, right?”

The woman stiffened at having her name mistaken for that of the town’s worst dive bar. “It’s Dowdey,” she corrected.

“I’m so sorry.” Sunny went for her best contrite look. “It’s just that I’m nearly out of my mind with worry over this little guy. He went off wandering in this horrible weather.”

Mrs. Dowdey nodded, an odd expression on her face. “Some cats do that, I’m told.”

“Even if he’s adopted another family, I just want to know that he’s safe,” Sunny implored. She turned to Will. “Constable Price here has been kind enough to volunteer his time to help me search.”

“Constable,” the older woman repeated, giving Will a sidelong look. Will nodded, looking a little at a loss for words when confronted with the stink of spoiled perfume that wafted out the door.

“Yes, ma’am,” he finally managed in his best good-cop voice. “Any help would be appreciated.”

“I don’t know what help I can offer,” Mrs. Dowdey said dismissively. Then the Kittery Harbor Way kicked in as she added, “Other, perhaps, than inviting you in for a warm drink.” Will turned to Sunny, giving her a you’re-going-to-owe-me look.

Mrs. Dowdey led them into what had been a large, graceful center hall in the home’s original incarnation. A formal parlor stood off on the left, but the woman led to the right, down a short hallway with a drop ceiling, and into what would have been the family room if a family had been living there. Large glass windows let in pale daylight—and probably let out a lot of heat. No wonder Carolyn Dowdey was wearing a heavy sweater. And she had a large, high-end brocade reclining chair pulled right up in front of a built-in fireplace that seemed a little small for the room.

“How lovely,” Sunny lied through her teeth. “This looks like something Mr. Allerton would do.”

“That’s right.” Her hostess smiled, obviously pleased.

“A friend of my dad’s is considering some renovations, and that’s one of the contractors he’s considering. I understand he did a lovely job on Dr. Rigsdale’s office—the one in Portsmouth.”

“That’s true,” Mrs. Dowdey said, a bit less pleased at the turn in the conversation.

I wonder how much Allerton talked about that project? Sunny asked herself. Who might know about the secret panel?

“I heard he installed several exotic built-ins,” Sunny went on, keeping an eye on the other woman. Something was going on there, but she wasn’t sure what. “But there were some cost overruns. I guess you have to expect that with construction.”

“And with other things.” Mrs. Dowdey went to the fireplace, opening the glass doors that protected the hearth. She picked up the poker and turned to Will. “Would you mind, Constable?”

“Certainly not,” Will replied, stepping forward and reaching for the fireplace tool.

As he did, Carolyn Dowdey used it to whack him on the side of the head. Will went down in a heap.

“Overruns are all right when you’re adding on to a house,” the woman said to Sunny as if nothing had happened. “It’s a different thing when your pet’s life is at stake. Dr. Rigsdale deserved what I did to him.”

24

In the dimness beyond the ceiling, Shadow crouched, trying to sleep. Every movement he made raised a cloud of dust. How much longer could he stay up here? He’d explored every place he could get to and hadn’t found a way out.

Sooner or later, he’d come down for food or a drink, and the One Who Reeks would appear from behind the door. She’d find his hiding place and ensure he wouldn’t even have that empty escape.

Sunny, why did I leave you? For the thousandth time, he asked himself the question. And as he did, his ears suddenly flicked forward. He was wishing so hard, he thought he heard Sunny. Her voice seemed to come from the big room. Shadow charged along the metal path and squashed himself through the hole in the wall. Could it be? Had she found him?

As he came through, he heard a crash. Yes, that was definitely Sunny’s voice, getting louder.

*

“Excuse me?” Sunny popped out of her chair as Carolyn Dowdey advanced on her. “What are you doing?”