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“Yeah, he went to see some woman yesterday, some fortune teller? And she said he’d inherit a winery soon and would go and live in Florida. Now I have to add it’s always been Fido’s dream to inherit a winery and move to Florida. I think he got it from some movie he once saw, or a book he read. And even though I could have told him that we’ve got a pretty sweet life up here, of course he wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Probably because he can’t understand a word you say,” Brutus pointed out.

“Yeah, there’s that, too,” Buster admitted. “So this morning, picture my surprise when Fido got a letter in the mail announcing the recent death of some uncle or whatever in Florida, leaving him his winery!”

“Amazing,” Harriet marveled.

“This Solange keeps getting it right,” said Brutus, equally impressed.

“Yeah, so it looks like it’s adieu from me, you guys.” Buster sighed. “I’d much rather stay here, though. I like Hampton Cove. And who knows if I’ll find friends as nice as you down there in Florida.”

“I hear they’ve got very nice alligators,” said Brutus with a grin.

“Yeah, that’s not exactly the same.”

“Oh, I’ll bet they’ve got cats, too,” said Harriet. “There’s cats everywhere, Buster. Even in Florida.”

“I hope so,” said Buster, but he didn’t look happy. “You know the weirdest thing, though? Fido didn’t even know he had an uncle in Florida.”

“Huh. That is weird,” said Harriet.

“So the reason we’re here,” said Brutus, “is to find out what happened to Chief Alec. He’s been kidnapped, and we can’t seem to find him.”

“Kidnapped! You don’t say.”

“Yeah, I do say,” said Brutus. “So do you have any idea where he might be? Anything you might have overheard or seen?”

The Main Coon thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head.“Nah, I don’t think so. In fact this is the first I’ve heard of this kidnapping business. Fido hasn’t mentioned it either, that’s for sure.”

“Ok, thanks, buddy,” said Brutus.

“If you do hear something, let us know,” Harriet added, feeling a little dispirited now that even Buster was a bust.

“Oh, sure,” said Buster. “And let’s get together before I take off for Florida.” He smiled a wistful smile. “I don’t want to leave before saying goodbye to all of my friends.”

“Buster didn’t seem happy about the big move, did he?” said Harriet once they’d left the barbershop.

“I don’t blame him,” said Brutus. “If Odelia suddenly decides to move to Florida I wouldn’t be happy either. Leaving all our friends behind.”

“Yeah, but that’s life, isn’t it? Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. And a winery in Florida? I think that would be a great new adventure.”

Brutus gave her a curious look.“You’re not secretly hoping Odelia wins a winery in Florida, are you?”

“I’m just saying if it did happen, I’d happily go along with it.”

“So what now?” asked Brutus, sinking down on his haunches. They were sitting on the corner of Main Street and Downing Street, and wondering where to go from there.

“I don’t know,” said Harriet. “I’ve run out of ideas, snow pea.”

“Me, too,” said Brutus, glancing around.

Suddenly Harriet saw a man with a funny-looking straw hat across the street and thought he looked familiar.“Hey,” she said. “Isn’t that Ted Trapper?”

“He looks… happy,” said Brutus, referring to their neighbor, the mild-mannered accountant Mr. Trapper.

Ted was coming their way, and as he passed was halted in his tracks by a bald man with bulbous eyes.“Trapper!” said the bald man. “I came to see you at the office and they said you weren’t there! What gives, man?”

“I just resigned, Matt,” said Ted, a big happy grin on his face. “I quit my job!”

“Quit your job? Are you crazy? A nice steady job like that?”

“We just won the Powerball! One hundred million dollars if you please! We’re rich!”

“Well, congratulations,” said Matt, shaking the ecstatic ex-accountant’s pudgy hand. “Say, could I perhaps trouble you for a small loan?” he asked as both men walked on. “How about a hundred thousand? Or better yet, make that two hundred.”

Harriet and Brutus shared a look of surprise.“It’s raining lottery winners these days,” said Brutus.

“Yeah, looks like,” said Harriet. “Hey, watch it!” she yelled when a woman practically stepped on her tail.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” said the woman, speaking into her phone while she waited for the lights to turn green. “I just talked to Madame Solange yesterday and today I got word that the adoption papers will be filed next week. We’ve been waiting two years, Maggie, and all of a sudden it’s happening next week!”

The lights did turn green then and the woman walked on, still excitedly chattering into her phone.

Harriet and Brutus shared a look, then nodded.“Let’s pay a visit to this Madame Solange,” said Harriet, saying what they were both thinking. “We could use a bit of luck.”

Chapter 31

“Max?”

“Yes, Dooley?”

“If Madame Solange is so smart, maybe she’ll be able to talk to us.”

“I doubt it, Dooley. It takes a very special skill to talk to cats, and I very much doubt whether Madame Solange possesses that particular skill.”