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“What if that’s not the case? What if Ray Cooper was the real target?”

Chase gave this some thought, and finally Uncle Alec clapped him on the shoulder.“Listen to Odelia, Chase. She’s always right.”

Chase nodded slowly.“So we’ve been looking in the wrong direction all this time? Is that what you’re saying?”

It wasn’t what she was saying—it was what her cats were saying, but she nodded. “Maybe we should talk to Toby. I have a feeling he might be able to tell us something.”

“You know what? Why don’t the two of you go out there and talk to what’s-his-face,” said Uncle Alec. “While I go over to Odelia’s and give Tex a hand with that pet door before he wrecks the damn thing.”

Odelia gave her uncle a grateful look, and he returned it with a wink. Unlike Chase, Uncle Alec knew all about the Poole gift of being able to talk to felines. He’d told her many times he wished he shared her facility. But unfortunately only Poole women had the gene.

Chase held up his hand, fingers spread.“Five minutes. Quick shower and I’m all yours.”

“All mine?” she asked with a cheeky grin.

He returned the grin, then pulled her in for a kiss.“All yours,” he repeated.

“Oh, boy,” said Uncle Alec, and watched Chase jog into the house, then up the stairs. Moments later, they could hear the shower running. “Max told you about Mulvaney?” he asked.

“He heard it from Shanille, Father Reilly’s tabby? She was there when Ray Cooper was shot. Saw the whole thing. Said it looked like this Mulvaney guy was picking a fight with Cooper, getting into his face. Moments later the shot was fired and Cooper was dead.”

“Those cats of yours are a godsend, Odelia. I just wish I could deputize them.”

“If you want to see your face on the front page of theNational Enquirer you should do just that,” she said with a laugh.

“If they solved this case, I’m giving them a medal. I swear to God.”

“And where are you going to pin it?”

He mussed up his hair.“Good question. Maybe I’ll buy them a toy instead.”

“Cat Snax. You can never go wrong with Cat Snax.”

“Imagine paying your best detectives in cat kibble.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?”

“Easy on the police budget, too.”

Chase came jogging down the stairs, now dressed in jeans and a fresh shirt, and they were off. His hair was damp, a lock dangling across his brow, and he smelled of musk and cologne. As they climbed into her pickup, the heady scent of manliness made her swoon.

“Are you all right?” Chase asked. “You look kinda feverish.”

She swallowed.“I’m fine.” And so was he.

It didn’t take her more than twenty minutes to make the drive to the Dieber place, and this time the guards greeted them like a couple of old friends. Inside, there was sheer pandemonium, as usual, only this time it wasn’t because of Charlie’s antics but because of a lack of Charlie.

“He didn’t come home last night!” Roulston screamed. Now he was the one pacing the living room. “No telephone call, no messages, no nothing! We have no idea where he is! He took off last night—after you guys caught Luca—and hasn’t been seen since!”

“He’s probably still driving around,” Odelia said. She told the security man about her run-in with Dieber. She also told him he’d been seen at The Hungry Pipe—though she refrained from mentioning the source of her information—and that another witness had told her Charlie was on some kind of crazy cat-collecting all-nighter.

Roulston dragged his hands across his stubbly head.“That kid is driving me nuts! Collecting cats, partying in the wake of an assassination attempt, leaving the safety of the compound to go on some joyride! He’s every security professional’s worst nightmare!”

“He’s with his driver,” I said. “I’m sure if you call him he’ll be able to tell you where they are.”

He walked off, taking out his phone and angrily jabbing it to life.

“How come you know so much about what the Dieber was up to last night?” asked Chase.

She gave him what she hoped was an enigmatic smile.“I have my sources.”

“So you have,” he said with a shake of the head.

They caught sight of Toby Mulvaney and joined him.

“Do you have a minute?” she asked the large red-headed man.

He gave her a curious look.“Sure. What do you want to know?”

They walked out of the living room, through sliding glass doors and onto the deck. The pool area was quiet this morning, Dieber’s Bediebers probably still sleeping. Several cats stalked about, stropping themselves against the lounges, while others lay around, blinking at the morning sun and generally being their lazy, perfectly contented feline selves. Odelia counted at least a dozen, with more probably inside enjoying ahearty breakfast.

“The thing is, a witness has come forward,” said Chase, once again lying his heart out. “This witness claims you got into a fight with Ray Cooper just before he got shot.”

Toby laughed.“Me? Get into a fight with Ray? Better send your witness to an eye doctor. Ray and I got along great.”

“Our witness is adamant, Toby,” said Odelia. “She saw you and Ray. Up close.”