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The kid stared at the chief of police, his jaw dropping so precipitously Odelia had the impression it was going to fall off.

“Wait, what?” Olaf said, suddenly adopting a normal tone.

“I think he could be,” said Tyson. “He’s crazy enough.”

“Take a seat,” said Uncle Alec, and gestured to a chair.

“No, but wait,” said the kid. “What did you just say?”

“Sit. Down,” the chief growled, and pushed Olaf down onto a chair.

Faced with two police officers, Odelia and Tyson, Olaf suddenly was a lot less cocky.

“Chickie is… dead?” he asked in a small voice.

“You know perfectly well that Chickie is dead,” growled Uncle Alec. “You killed her.”

“What? No! You–you’re kidding, right? Chickie is fine and you’re just joshing me.”

“Do I look like I’m joshing you?” asked Uncle Alec, his face a thundercloud. “Where were you between six thirty and seven this morning?”

“I–I was out there,” he said, pointing to the window.

“Out where? Be specific, Olaf.”

“Out there by the fence, waving at Chickie.”

“So you waved at Chickie and then you jumped the fence.”

“No! I’m allergic to ivy so I would never jump that fence. Eww.”

“It’s just ivy, Olaf, not poison ivy,” said Tyson. “So there’s no way you’re allergic.”

“So you didn’t scale the fence, go into the house, and murder Chickie,” said Chase. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes! Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying!”

They all stared at the pink-haired kid for a moment. He was the perfect suspect, Odelia thought. He was obviously obsessed with Chickie, and he’d already proved he could scale the gate. Still, it was hard to prove he was the one they were looking for. First they would need some more information from Abe. Fingerprints, maybe, or DNA.

“Arrest him,” said Uncle Alec.

“Wait, what?!” said the kid, now looking distinctly terrified.

“I think you did it,” said Uncle Alec. “I think you’re exactly the kind of creep who would do such a horrible thing and I don’t want to risk you fleeing the scene. Get him out of my face,” he told Chase.

“Wait, I didn’t do anything!” said the kid. “I didn’t do it, I swear! Tyson, you have to believe me. You know I would never harm Chickie. Never! I’m her biggest fan!”

“And her soulmate, yeah, we get it,” said Alec. He got up into the kid’s face. “You did it, Olaf. And I’m going to prove it.”

Chapter 14

The good news was that I’d managed to get off the fence. The bad news? I was on top of an ambulance which, as we all know, is like a big box on wheels. So I was still stuck.

Suddenly a voice rang out behind me.“Hey, Max!”

“Dooley!” I said when the familiar figure of my friend gracefully dropped down next to me. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m keeping you company until someone can take you down.”

“But… you shouldn’t be up here, Dooley,” I said, even though I was touched by the gesture.

“Harriet and Brutus have gone in to tell Odelia, so it’s only a matter of time before help arrives. So I thought I might as well come up here.”

I traced the route my friend had followed: he’d climbed a tree, then hopscotched across an overhanging branch and hopped onto the ambulance like a feline Tarzan. “Well done,” I said admiringly. “Well done indeed.”

“Thanks, Max. Nice view from up here.” I followed his gaze and had to admit the view was nothing to cavil about. Cats like to seek out high places where they have a perfect overview of their surroundings and we got all that and more.

“The only thing that’s missing is food,” I said. I’d secretly hoped to catch a bite to eat from Boyce Catt’s food bowl but instead found myself on top of a food-less ambulance.

The ambulance stood parked in front of the house, and soon two of Abe’s people came walking out, carrying a stretcher on which a form was placed covered with a sheet.

“Chickie,” said Dooley softly as we stared down at her inert form.

“Yeah, Chickie,” I confirmed. “Poor woman. She could sing like an angel, and now her voice will forever be silent.”

The stretcher was placed inside the ambulance and the doors slammed shut.

“This is our opportunity, Dooley,” I said, and so we both opened our throats and meowed up a storm to attract the attention of the two paramedics. Unfortunately, they either didn’t hear us or chose to ignore us. At any rate, suddenly the ambulance lurched into motion, and we were on the move!

“Max!” Dooley cried. “We’re moving!”

“I know!”

“I don’t like this!”

“Me neither!”

The ambulance gained speed, even as we hollered up a storm. No one was listening, though, and soon we were zipping through the gate and then the ambulance really picked up speed and was racing away from Chickie’s house at a fast clip.

“Where are they taking us?” asked Dooley.

“Hauppauge,” I said. “That’s where the county coroner’s offices are located.”

“But I don’t want to go to Hauppauge, Max! I don’t even know where Hauppauge is!”

“Me neither!”

So we both hunkered down on top of the roof, and as the wind played through our manes and our ears were flattened against our heads, I reflected this was definitely not the most pleasant adventure I’d ever participated in.