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“You look amazing,” Charles said, taking me in his arms when I exited the bedroom. He sang an old love song we both liked, and together we swayed between the kitchenette and the dining area.

“Ugh, get a room!” Octo-Cat cried when Charles bent down to kiss me.

“Get a life!” I shot back.

“I already have one. And she’s currently right in my arms,” Charles said, flashing me a debonair smile.

I giggled and rolled my eyes. But that was Charles for you. He made everything better, even an open murder investigation.

“Be right back,” he said, letting go of me.

“Where are you going?” I pouted. I loved our impromptu dances and didn’t want this one to end.

“If you’re wearing this, then I’ve gotta change. I can’t be camping while you’re over here glamping it up,” he said, then closed the door behind him.

Chapter Sixteen

“This is the best I could do on such short notice,” Charles said when he emerged from the bedroom, spinning to show off his form-fitting black polo shirt and smooth khaki short combo.

“Not exactly black tie, but I suppose black shirt will do.” I giggled as he pulled me in for a hug. “Oh hey, I rummaged through our supplies a bit while you were changing and found a bottle of champagne. That gave me an idea.”

Charles crossed to the mini fridge and grabbed the bottle by its neck, then reached into the cupboard and pulled out a box with two glass drinking flutes inside.“I was saving this for our last night out, but I guess we could have it now,” he said with a shrug.

“No, don’t open it yet!” I cried as he began to work at the foil top.

He paused, his shoulders tensing as he waited for me to reveal my big idea.

“We need to take it to Sharon’s,” I said.

Of course, he didn’t get it. “What? Why?”

I put a hand on his waist and leaned in close.“As a means of entry. I’ll apologize for being weird earlier, thank her for the tuna, and present the champagne.”

He smiled now, coming around.“Yeah, and then what?”

“Well, we’ll have Octo-Cat with us, too, and I’ll ask her if her offer from earlier still stands. The one that involved coffee and gossip. She won’t be able to resist. Once we’re inside, you distract her while Octo-Cat and I talk to Chessy.”

His brows pinched.“Chessy?”

“Her cat. If she really comes here as often as she says, then I bet Chessy has picked up on some gossip as well. He can also tell us if he noticed anything funny with Sharon earlier today.”

“Like putting poison in a pie?” he suggested with a mischievous smile.

“Exactly.” It might not be that easy, but given Sharon’s penchant for gossip, it might not be that much harder, either.

“My girlfriend is so smart,” Charles said, giving me a quick peck. “Do you think it matters that we only have two glasses?”

I pulled away from him.“I’ll abstain. I need my wits about me anyway.”

“There’s one problem with your plan,” Octo-Cat said from where he lay splayed across the sofa. “I’m not going.”

I sat down beside him and attempted to stroke his fur, but he batted my hand away.“Please? You’re kind of our ticket inside.”

“I don’t want to go, and you can’t make me,” he pouted, his expression sour.

But I knew how to get kitty to come out and play.“I still have that can of tuna, you know.”

He turned his face away from me and mumbled,“If you’re trying to bribe me, it won’t work.”

“Charles?” I said, holding my hand out.

Catching on immediately this time, he retrieve the can from the glove box and placed it on my hand, then went to the kitchenette and retrieved a crank-style can opener. He handed that to me, too.

As soon as the seal popped on the can, Octo-Cat’s tongue poked out of his mouth and his eyes grew wide. No cat could resist the sound—or the smell—of a freshly opened can, and that’s exactly what I was counting on now.

“Just a small taste now, but you can go nuts once we’re back,” I said, waving the can around to entice him. “I promise we’ll be as quick as possible.”

“I’m not sharing with the raccoon,” the tabby responded, unable to look away.

I glanced around the camper. Usually, the promise of food would send Pringle into a tailspin as well, but he was nowhere to be seen. Had probably snuck out to do some snooping again. The scamp.

“It’s all yours, promise.” I plucked the lid from the top of the can and grabbed a chunk of fish from inside. “In fact, here’s your down payment.”

Octo-Cat gobbled down the flaky morsel in a single breath.“Very well,” he said after licking off his chops and tending to some light grooming ministrations.

“Can you put this somewhere Pringle can’t get into it?” I asked Charles and went to wash my hands.

And then we were off.

Refusing to be carried in my arms, Octo-Cat trotted at my side.

Charles walked on my other side, hanging onto the wine and both glasses. I was also counting on the fact that Sharon wouldn’t be able to resist him, given her flirtatious overtures earlier.

Sure enough, all the various pieces of my plan came together. It took almost no convincing at all for Sharon to welcome us into her home on wheels.