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“Well…” I said. I’m not a doctor, of course, but all this shouting couldn’t be healthy, especially for an older lady like Gran, or even a young one like Odelia. Scarlett, meanwhile, kept well out of things, and intently studied her fingernails while Gran did most of the shouting. Chase, too, had decided to be a random bystander as he randomly stood by and watched.

“Odelia, you have to stop shouting!” Dooley suddenly shouted. “Your head is going to explode and that’s very bad for you!”

His words had the effect of shutting both Gran and Odelia up for a moment. Then they glanced at each other and… suddenly burst out laughing!

“Why are they laughing, Max?” asked Dooley, nervously monitoring Odelia’s head as if it was the top of a volcano.

“I think it’s because they just realized how silly they were being.”

“I’m sorry, Gran,” said Odelia finally. “I should have told you I was planning this visit.”

“And I’m sorry, too, honey,” said Gran. “I should have told you about what I was up to.”

“Phew, finally,” said Scarlett. “Now kiss and make up and let’s get out of here, shall we? This place gives me the creeps.”

“We overheard something that might be important,” I now revealed. And so I conveyed the conversation we’d overheard between Bobby Garibaldi and his mother.

“Interesting,” said Odelia.

“Yeah, looks like this Marcia person is someone we should pay a visit,” Gran agreed.

“You guys!” suddenly a voice cried out from across the parking lot. It belonged to Harriet, and as she and Brutus came tripping up, it was clear they had important news to share. Panting a little, she announced, when she’d finally joined us, “There will be blood in the water.”

“Blood in the water?” asked Gran. “What are you talking about, Harriet?”

“That’s what one of the people working for Bobby Garibaldi said,” she explained. “There’s going to be a big fight between Marcia and Quintin Gardner about the succession.”

Odelia and Gran shared a look, then Scarlett and Chase shared a similar look, only this one was filled with confusion.

“Can anyone please explain what the cats are saying?” cried Scarlett. “It’s driving me nuts that y’all understand what they say and we’re just standing around like idiots!”

“What Scarlett said,” Chase grunted with a nod.

So Odelia and Gran dutifully relayed our words to the only non-feline language speaking members of the team, and soon we were all up to date.

“I think this succession business needs looking into,” said Chase as he leaned against the hood of his squad car. “Why don’t I pay a visit to Marcia Gardner and ask her point-blank what’s going on?”

“Good idea,” said Odelia. “I’ll go with you.”

“Can we come, too?” asked Harriet. “We found the clue, after all.”

“We found a clue, too,” I argued.

“Yeah, but our clue was bigger than yours,” said Harriet.

“Not true,” I cried. “Our clue was bigger and better than yours.”

“Oh, please can you not fight?” suddenly Dooley yelled. “I hate it when you fight. Max, please apologize to Harriet, and Harriet please apologize to Max, and then we can all be friends again, okay?”

Harriet and I shared a look of surprise. It wasn’t like Dooley to have an outburst like this, and it told us he was frankly fed up.

“All right,” I said. “Harriet, your clue is very important, and if you want to join us, please be my guest. And I’m sorry for calling your clue less important than mine.”

Harriet sighed.“And I’m really sorry for laughing at your mishap, Max. I shouldn’t have done that. Friends don’t make fun of their friends, and I apologize.”

“Me, too,” grunted Brutus. “That crack about your sixteen-pack was uncalled for and frankly plain rude.”

I smiled.“It’s all right, Brutus. Actually I thought it was kinda funny, to be honest.”

The big black cat’s face lit up. “See?” he cried. “I knew it was funny when I said it.”

“Sixteen-pack,” I chuckled. “Well done, Brutus.”

“Thanks, Max. I have my moments.”

“I know you do, buddy.”

“For the love of God can someone please tell me what they’re saying?!” Scarlett screamed.

“They’re resolving their differences,” said Odelia.

“Wait, cats fight, too?” asked Scarlett.

“Oh, sure,” said Gran. “They fight all the time. And then they make up. Cats are just like humans. They just love the drama.”

Harriet grinned a little shamefacedly.“Busted,” she murmured.

Bruno the security guard who’d chucked us out twice in two days, now came legging up to us. “What are you folks still doing here? I thought I told you to clear out?”

“You can’t tell a cop to clear out, you bozo,” said Gran, assuming fighting position, which in her case was balling her fists and drawing back her bony shoulders.

The burly guard grinned as he watched the old lady square off against him.“Hold your horses, Mrs. Muffin,” he said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Just saying you folks probably shouldn’t go around impersonating Russian billionaires if you want to get anywhere with your investigation.”

“What do you know about our investigation?” asked Scarlett, stepping forward.