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“Nobody knew! I think they completely forgot about it themselves, the doofuses.”

“So you think they’ll sell?”

“Of course they’ll sell! They’d be crazy not to! Now I know that Marge has an eccentric streak, and your father isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in God’s big shed, but even they wouldn’t be so dumb as to leave a couple million dollars on the table.”

“Millions? You really think they’ll fetch millions for that piece of land?”

“From what Charlene said this morning? It sure looks like it to me.”

“Yeah, I suppose a deal like that is too good to turn down.”

“Which is exactly what I told them. And they should move fast, too. These developer types are tricky. They’ll pay you millions today and pennies on the dollar tomorrow—for the same land!”

“Do you think that mall will actually be built?”

“Of course that mall will be built. Everybody wants money, honey. And politicians like Charlene most of all. I’m pretty sure she’ll be getting all kinds of kickbacks and backhanders, and so will the other council members.” She tapped her nose. “Take it from me—a lot of people will get filthy rich off this deal, and Hampton Cove will be left with a town center that’s deader than a dodo. But hey, that’s progress for you: some people get rich, and others get poor. Let’s just make sure we’re on the right side of the equation.”

“If you really believe this mall will turn downtown Hampton Cove into a dead zone, don’t you think we should organize some kind of protest? Try to convince Charlene to stop this development?”

Gran shrugged as she sat hunched over the steering wheel, driving through town at breakneck speed as was her habit.“Fat lot of good that’ll do. These two-faced politicians will do whatever they want to do. They’re not going to listen to the likes of you or me.”

“Why not? Your son is Charlene’s boyfriend, which practically makes her your daughter-in-law.”

Gran grinned.“Where have you been, honey? Nobody ever listens to me! And the ones who are least likely to do what I say is my own damn family!”

Odelia smiled. Gran had a point.“I still think that if you hate that mall, you should tell Charlene. You never know—maybe she’ll actually listen.”

“Yeah, right,” muttered Gran, and aggressively bypassed a vehicle, gesticulating widely as she did, then took a hard right and pulled over, stomping on the brakes.

Odelia was propelled forward, saved by her seatbelt, and so were the cats. Who wasn’t so lucky was Rambo, who’d been seated in the trunk of the car, due to his sheer size, and now came rocketing forward and plopped down on top of the cats, burying them in a mountain of dog.

By the time he’d managed to scramble out of the car, four cats were gasping for air, and looking more than a little unhappy.

“When you said you’d hire a guard dog to keep us safe, you didn’t mention that he’d try to kill us!” said Harriet, who was never shy to voice her grievances loud and clear.

“I’m sorry,” said Gran. “Things will get better once Gofunkus buys me my Escalade.”

“Or a whole lot worse,” murmured Max.

They all stood on the sidewalk and watched Gran take off again—like a bat out of hell.

“She should really learn how to drive,” said Brutus.

“Yeah, for the leader of the neighborhood watch she’s this neighborhood’s biggest threat,” said Max. “In fact we probably need a second watch to watch the first watch.”

“I’m never setting foot in a car with Gran again,” Harriet vowed.

“I think she means well,” said Dooley.

“I’m hungry,” said Rambo with a yawn. “When do we eat?”

“Step into my office,” Odelia said. “As long as this cat killer is on the loose, I think it’s best if you guys stick close to me.”

It was with some reluctance that her cats followed her into her office. Then again, she couldn’t very well ask Chase to keep an eye on them again after last night’s eventful shift. And even though they now had their own watchdog in the form of Rambo, she still felt more relaxed when the entire cat troupe stayed where she could see them at all times.

And so once again she was faced with her initial conundrum.

How to proceed with the Frank Butterwick case!

Chapter 30

Gran arrived home in record time and parked her car haphazardly at the curb, then hurried into the house. She’d left her phone in her room that morning and she felt bereft without the little technological wonder.

For one thing, she wanted to know where they stood with the Goflunky campaign. How many thousands of dollars they’d already collected and when she could finally go and buy herself that shiny new Escalade!

She’d already visited the car dealership that morning and had picked out the make and model. Now all she needed was the cash to buy the darn thing and they were in business.

She stormed into her bedroom, picked her phone from the nightstand and then stormed down again. Only she must have missed a step, for suddenly she faltered and before she knew what was happening she was airborne… for just a couple of seconds, unfortunately, and then she was tumbling down the steps—face forward!