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“The mall meeting?”

“I canceled it. For now.”

“Good,” he said, making perfectly clear what he thought of the project.

Chapter 10

I was sipping from my bowl of water when I noticed Dooley intently looking at me from the sidelines. It was a little disconcerting, to be honest. I’m one of those cats that don’t like it when people look at them when they’re eating or drinking. I don’t know why, but it simply makes me nervous. Even when it’s a close friend like Dooley doing the staring, it makes me a little giggly. And it made me more than a little giggly now.

“What?” I asked finally, when he wouldn’t stop looking.

“How can you do that, Max?” he asked, shaking his head.

“Do what?” I asked as I licked the few drops of water dangling from my mustache.

“Drink without making sure if the water is clean.”

I frowned at him.“I’m pretty sure that Odelia wouldn’t give us bad water to drink,” I said. “And besides, I also like to think that my sense of smell and my sense of taste are capable enough to make sure that this water is fine for feline consumption.”

“But how can you be sure, Max?” he insisted. “How can you be absolutely sure?”

“Um… Well, I guess one can never be one hundred percent sure, but that’s where trust features into the thing. I trust Odelia not to poison me, so there’s that.”

He shook his head sadly, then said,“Are you absolutely sure the water was fine?”

I glanced at my bowl, then back at my friend.“What do you mean?”

He suddenly gestured to a carton of grapefruit juice lying next to him. I recognized it as belonging to Chase, who likes all forms of fruit juice, and likes to switch things up, too.

“Are you sure the water didn’t taste like… grape?” asked Dooley with a meaningful look in his eyes.

“I…” Giving the water another lick, I determined that yes, it did indeed taste a little bit like grapefruit juice. But just a hint, you know. I smiled at my friend. “You tricked me!”

“I did,” he said gravely. “Just to show you that you can never be too careful.”

And then understanding dawned.“Is this still about the peeing in my bowl thing?”

“Oh, Max! You say you would have noticed if I peed in your bowl. That Odelia must have changed the water before you had a chance to drink from that contaminated bowl. But I think what happened is you simply didn’t pay attention and you drank that entire bowl. Just like you did now.” His voicebroke, and that mournful expression was back.

“Look, even if I did, no harm done, right? A little bit of pee won’t kill me.”

He gave me a look of profound shock.“Max, how can you say that! I tried to poison you and you’re treating the whole thing so—so flippantly!”

“Because it’s not a big deal,” I said, and patted my friend on the back. “Hey, now. Don’t feel bad, Dooley. We all make mistakes, and that’s fine. No harm done, right?”

“Oh, Max,” he said. “I don’t deserve a friend like you. I really don’t.” And with these words, he shuffled off, looking even more dejected than before.

And I would have gone after him to get it through that thick skull of his that it really wasn’t a big deal, but then Gran waltzed in and made a beeline for me. “Max! Great news, buddy. The watch will be patrolling the streets of this neighborhood tonight, and if we see any sign of this cat killer, we’ll nab him and nab him good!”

“Great,” I said without much excitement.

“Aren’t you thrilled?” she asked censoriously. “You should be thrilled. The watch is here to protect you. You and every other member of our neighborhood.”

“No, it’s just that… Dooley is acting really weird, and I don’t know how to get him out of his funk.”

“The watch can’t help you there… but I can,” she finished on a triumphant note. “I’ll talk to that young whippersnapper, shall I? What seems to be the problem this time?”

“He peed in my water bowl and now he blames himself and figures I’m angry with him—which I’m not.”

“Peed in your water bowl,” said Gran, committing this to memory as she tapped her temple. “Got it. I’ll get on it right away. Anything else?”

“No, that’s it.”

She picked me up and gave me a closer scrutiny.“No lingering effects from the fire?”

“No, I’m good.”

“Are you sure? Cause I can get you a pet shrink if you want. Or a trauma specialist.”

“No need,” I said. “And with you patrolling the streets I feel so much safer already.”

Her smile was infectious, and touching.“That’s what I’m doing this for, Max. For people like you.” And with these words, she put me down again and was off with a spring in her step. “The watch is watching!” she announced as she passed through the door and out into the backyard. “So watch out!”

I couldn’t help but grin at this. And if she could make Dooley see the light, so much the better. And it was with a heart filled with hope that I set paw for the great outdoors myself. The sun was out in full force, and frankly I could do with a bit of fresh air. And I was just passing through the hole in the hedge and going in search of Brutus and Harriet when suddenly Tex came walking out of the house, a clean-cut young man in tow.