31906844db5c02010017a90f3f2ca805

“But I wasn’t!” she said. “Relax, you guys. I’m fine.”

Finally, Gran said,“So there’s a video of this Fae girl killing Camilla?”

“Yes, there is,” said Uncle Alec, but then caught Gran’s intense look. “Oh, no. You’re not posting that horrible video on your YouTube channel!”

“Oh, yes, I am.”

“No, you’re not! That’s police evidence. Besides, that video is too graphic to post.”

“I need this, Alec. Scarlett Canyon…”

“Not with that woman again!”

And as Alec and Gran took their discussion outside, the others all laughed heartily. Even Odelia laughed, even though her ankle hurt like hell, and other parts of her body that had come into contact with an unyielding staircase were now starting to hurt pretty badly, too.

And as Chase helped her up and moved her over to the couch, there was a knock on the door.

A woman stepped inside and glanced nervously at all the people present. She was pale and thin, her hair limp and lifeless, but her eyes shone with the fire of determination.

“Um… hi,” she said. “Odelia Poole?”

“That’s me,” said Odelia.

“Hi, my name is Elsie Delaney. You don’t know me, but… I know you—or know of you. From your articles in the Gazette? And um… I’m the one that left three kittens on your doorstep a couple of days ago. So…” She was wringing her hands now, and when she suddenly saw the threesome, who were dangling from the curtains again, she haltingly smiled, then released a stifled sob. “I’m so sorry, but… my husband left me last week and I guess I just… lost it. So I thought to give them to you, as you always write about cats with so much love, and…”

“Well, I’ve taken good care of them,” said Odelia.

“Thank you so much,” said Elsie with a watery smile. “And I’m so, so sorry. I should never—I realized the next day I’d made a big mistake. I love cats. And I should never have done this. It’s just that… I was desperate. Desperate to move away from here—far away. I’m pretty sure my husband will get the house in the divorce, and I planned to move back inwith my parents in Massachusetts. But then a friend convinced me yesterday to give Hampton Cove one more chance. She’s going to help me find an apartment I can afford, and I realized that I… I have a job down at the senior center… and my colleagues are all so nice to me, and…” She suddenly broke down and started weeping, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Odelia got up from the couch and limped over to the woman. She then held her in a warm hug.“I understand,” she said softly. “Of course I understand. And it’s fine.”

And she did. And it was.

Odelia held her for a long time, until the sobs subsided. Marge handed her a tissue, and Elsie gratefully took it.“I’m so sorry,” she said. “You must think I’m an idiot.”

“We don’t,” Marge assured her. “We’ve all been there, sweetie.”

Elsie glanced at the kittens, and Odelia could see the love in her eyes.

“You can have them back,” she said. “Only I already named them. Bim, Bam and Bom.”

Elsie laughed through her tears.“Bim, Bam and Bom?”

“My grandmother’s idea. Admittedly, she’s a little crazy.”

Elsie laughed again, and then Odelia led her over to the curtains, where the three little babies were dangling happily. Odelia plucked them from her curtains and handed them to Elsie, who hugged them with such tenderness Odelia knew she was doing the right thing.

“Thanks,” said Elsie with a shaky voice. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

“There’s one condition, though.”

“Anything.”

“I can come visit them. And they can come visit us. Cause we’ve grown very fond of these three little babies.”

“Of course,” said Elsie. “As much as you want.”

Suddenly a loud snuffle could be heard. They all looked down. It was Harriet.

“Are they going away?” asked the white cat.

Odelia nodded, and Max confirmed,“They’re going back home.”

“I’m going to miss them,” said Harriet. “They’re so cuuuuuuuuuuuute!”

Epilogue

Odelia was seated in her usual chair, only her right leg had been propped up on a second chair. She’d twisted her ankle, but she’d assured us she was going to be just fine.

“I don’t like how Odelia keeps getting hurt by these murderous people,” said Dooley, who was lying next to me on Marge and Tex’s porch swing.

“I don’t like it either,” I said. “But I guess that’s the nature of the job.”

“What, reporter?”

“No, sleuth.”

“I think she’s a great sleuth,” said Brutus. “In fact she’s probably the greatest sleuth ever since they invented sleuths.”

“Nobody invented sleuths, Brutus,” said Harriet.

“Of course they did. Or do you think there have always been sleuths? Someone must have been the first sleuth, and that person invented sleuthing.”

“Well, I don’t care who was the first one, I just wish Odelia would be more careful and not fall down stairs or almost get shot or stabbed or whatever.”

“She’s promised to be more careful,” I said. “And I’m sure Chase will make sure she keeps her promise.”

Chase had been at Odelia’s every beck and call, catering to her every need, and fussing over her at every turn. It had ingratiated him to us even more, if that was possible.