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She saw her entering the elevator and cursed under her breath. Then her eye fell on the staircase. Taking a deep breath, she waltzed into the stairwell, and started mounting the stairs as quickly as she could. In spite of her age she was in excellent fettle, the advantage of working as a doctor’s receptionist—and when she exited the stairwell on the fourth floor saw Jamie as she placed her keycard against the door and opened it.

“Jamie, hold up!” Vesta yelled, and hurried over.

“What is it?” asked Jamie, none too friendly.

“I’m sorry. You’ll probably think me some gossipy old lady, but it pains me to see a beautiful young couple like you and Charlie going through a bad patch. I can tell how much Charlie loves you, and you’re clearly very fond of him, so…”

Jamie’s pout intensified. “He had no business telling me singers who write their own material are superior to singers that don’t. Lots of artists buy their songs, and does anyone call them out for it? No, they don’t. Charlie himself doesn’t write his own stuff.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that,” said Vesta, raising her voice so her cats, if they were still inside, could get the hell out of there.

“No need to shout,” said Jamie, still pouting.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m a little hard of hearing, and you know how it is, you start to talk louder because you think everybody is hard of hearing. Look, if you want my advice, I don’t think Charlie meant anything by what he said. He’s obviously crazy about you.”

“I guess so,” said the girl, who was, Vesta now realized, very young indeed. Maybe not even twenty yet.

“Lighten up a little, honey,” said Vesta, adopting a motherly tone. “Life is too short to make a mountain out of every molehill, and your relationship will only suffer.”

“I know. It’s just that… he drives me crazy sometimes. He’s so annoying, you know?”

“That’s because you’ve been cooped up together in here for too long. Maybe you should go for a walk. Get some fresh air.”

She nodded.“Maybe I will. It’s true that Charlie and I have spent an awful lot of time together. And maybe I need to clear my head. Thank you, Mrs. Muffin. You’re very kind.”

“You’re welcome, Jamie. And it’s Vesta.”

And as Jamie passed into her room, Vesta glanced beyond her, and could just see Dooley’s tail as it disappeared into the next room.

Phew. Saved by the bell.

Vesta made her way down again—this time taking the elevator—and hoped her cats had found something useful. When she joined the others she was gratified to see that her tray hadn’t been cleaned away. So she sat down, and dedicated herself to the consumption of the best breakfast she’d had in a long time, from time to time directing a question at her messmates, and Laron in particular, who she felt had the most to gain from Chickie’s death. But no matter what question she lobbed at the guy, he always had his answer ready.

But if he hadn’t killed Chickie Hay, then who had?

Chapter 29

Jamie closed the door and immediately walked over to the bedroom. How could she have been so stupid to leave that letter lying around? With the police searching high and low. Laron had told them the police wouldn’t touch them—that he’d used his influence with the Mayor to call off the dogs—but she knew that was only a momentary reprieve. Sooner or later they would be interrogated, and if they found that letter in her room…

She dove under the bed and her heart stopped when she discovered the letter gone.

Oh, no!

Had Charlie found it? But if he had, he would have told her about it. He’d found religion, and honesty was part of his new deal. At first his religious fervor had been fun and refreshing. Now it irked her that every time something was on his mind he’d start yapping about it. A good relationship could only survive if you kept a couple of secrets from your partner, but that wasn’t how Charlie thought about it at all. Or his pastor.

She searched her memory. Where could that letter be? She’d been reading it last night, but then Charlie had suddenly come into the room and she’d had to drop it to the floor, where it had remained. She’d intended to pick it up and hide it but hadn’t had the chance. And now with that nosy old lady going on and on about the investigation, clearly a spy for her chief of police son, she’d felt the sudden urge to go back for that letter and destroy it. No good could ever come of anyone reading its content. No good at all.

She looked around, then pensively walked into the living area of their suite. And then she saw that the connecting door was ajar. Could it be… She quickly opened it and glanced around Laron and Shannon’s room. And that’s when she saw it: a cat’s tail, disappearing into the bedroom. Could Cleo have stolen her letter? Were cats that smart?

She stepped into the bedroom and found five pairs of eyes staring back at her. She recognized that horrible hairless cat of Shannon’s… and the four cats from last night. Vesta’s cats. And one of those cats had her letter clasped between its teeth.