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“A very big town, I might add,” said Uncle Alec, clicking his seatbelt buckle into place.

“Yeah, it would take us forever to get across town. LA is notoriously congested.”

“And we might as well mingle with the other conference attendees,” Alec said.

“But we could meet for dinner,” said Chase. “You could all come to the hotel.”

“Let’s see what Opal wants from me first,” said Odelia. “For all I know she’ll send me on a wild-goose chase to hunt down some missing relative or something.”

“You think that’s why she asked you?”

“I have absolutely no idea!” she said, throwing up her arms. It was mildly frustrating not to know what she was getting herself into. Then again, this was Opal. It wouldn’t be something fishy or illegal. Or would it?

“Whatever it is, text me the moment you know about your plans, all right?”

“Of course.” She wondered, not for the first time, why Opal had hired her, and not one of the no doubt hundreds of perfectly capable and professional private detectives in the LA area. Then again, all in good time. She simply had to trust Opal’s judgment.

Mom turned.“Who is this kid sitting next to your grandmother?” she asked.

“And how old is he?” asked Uncle Alec.

“He looks about twelve,” said Tex, joining the conversation.

“His name is Hank and he’s Gran’s new boyfriend,” said Odelia. “That’s all I know.”

“Her boyfriend!” said Marge with a gasp of shock. “No way!”

“He’s of age, though, right?” said Uncle Alec, who looked genuinely worried. “They’re not going to arrest my mother for hooking up with some pimply teenager, right?”

“He doesn’t have pimples,” said Marge. “Not as far as I can tell. Nice, clear skin. What?” she asked when they all stared at her. “I’m just saying he has very nice skin.”

“He’s young, Marge,” said Tex. “We had skin like that when we were young, remember?”

“No, I don’t,” she said sadly.

“He’s young but not too young, though, right?” said Alec, still worried about his mother’s reputation.

They all turned to look at the couple. Odelia had to admit Hank did look as if he belonged in school.“Um… I’m sure Gran knows what she’s doing,” she said finally.

“Check his passport,” said Tex. “Just go over there and discreetly check his passport.”

“Too late,” Odelia said, pointing to the ceiling, where the intercom was spitting out another message from the pilot, and where the ‘fasten seatbelts’ sign was still on.

“Hank,” said Uncle Alec, shaking his head. “Where does she find them?”

“At the stud farm,” Tex muttered dryly, which elicited a snicker from Marge and a suppressed guffaw from Chase.

And then the plane suddenly banked left, and they were descending fast.

Chapter 5

When we finally walked off the plane, I was feeling a little groggy from all the emotions we’d gone through. But at least we hadn’t crash-landed on a desert island, and been forced to spend the rest of our lives talking to a ball on a stick like Tom Hanks. Two stretch limos stood waiting for us on the tarmac, and when the door of the first limo opened, who would emerge but the queen of daytime talk shows herself!

“Opal!” Harriet cried, who was a big fan.

“Opal!” Gran screamed, who was an even bigger fan.

“Opal!” all the others gasped, as they suddenly came face to face with one of the best-known faces in America.

Opal, wearing thick horn-rimmed glasses, opened her arms and was smiling a wide, radiant smile. She was wearing a kaftan, the sort of dress only she could get away with.

Even though I was pretty sure the hug Opal hoped to dispense was intended for Odelia, Gran jostled her granddaughter out of the way, then threw herself into Opal’s arms.

“I’m your biggest fan!” she gushed.

Opal produced a loud chuckle. I had a feeling this kind of thing happened to her all the time.

“This kind of thing probably happens to her all the time,” said Harriet, voicing my exact thought. She looked a little shaky. Like the rest of us, she thought the fact that the captain’s name was Mayday was a lousy joke.

Dooley, who was shaking even more than Harriet, his teeth chattering audibly, said,“I’m never setting paw on a plane again, Max. No, I mean it this time. It’s scary!”

“It is scary,” I agreed, and then suddenly found myself being lifted into the air and pressed to an outrageously ample bosom.

“And who do we have here?” asked Opal, then held me aloft, which is a tough feat to accomplish, as I’m not the lightest cat in the world. She managed it without flinching, though. “What a cutie-pie!” she cried. “What an absolute sweetie!” And then pressed me to her bosom once more. For a moment I experienced nothing but softness and warmth, and my heart melted, then I was down on the tarmac again, watching how one after the other Dooley, Harriet and Brutus were undergoing the same treatment.

“What an adorable bunch!” said Opal, clearly a cat lover through and through.

“They are,” said a proud Odelia.

“Can I just say that you’re a personal hero of mine?” said Marge, a hand to her heart.