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“They sure will.” He stared at her, and she noticed for the first time that his brown eyes were flecked with gold. He was pretty amazing himself. Then he shook his head and smiled, flashing those dimples at her. “You should have been a cop, Odelia. Are you sure you don’t want to join the force? I bet we’d make one hell of a team.”

“What would Dan do without me? I’m the only reporter he’s got.”

“He’ll find someone else.”

“Why don’t I stay a reporter and we can still be one hell of a team?”

He grinned.“Teaming up with the world’s nosiest reporter, huh?”

“Why not? This is Hampton Cove, Detective. We do things—”

“—a little differently out here. Yeah, I got the memo.”

He was leaning in now, and for a moment she thought he might kiss her. But then a sharp voice sounded from behind them.“How long do I have to sit here in this stinking truck?! I have rights! I demand to see my lawyer!”

Chase patted the truck and moved away.“Duty calls, Poole.”

“If I’m not mistaken it’s the black widow calling.”

He cocked his index finger at her and lithely rounded the truck and slid behind the wheel.“This time you follow me, Poole. No more surprises.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, tipping an imaginary cap.

She climbed into her own pickup and let the four cats in behind her. They jumped up onto the backseat and she slammed the door shut, then put the car in gear and drove off in Chase’s wake.

“You guys did great,” she told the fearsome feline foursome.

“Is Chase staying?” asked Harriet eagerly.

“He is.”

“Oh, thank God,” said Brutus.

“Thank Max,” said Odelia. “He’s the one who got us out here.”

“Thank you, Max,” said Harriet.

“Yeah, thanks, Maxie, baby,” grunted Brutus, then held up his paw. “Hit me, bro.”

“Oh, God,” muttered Max, rolling his eyes, but then he did as instructed and gave Brutus a high five.

Odelia, watching the cats through the rearview mirror, noticed that Dooley was the only one who wasn’t smiling. “What’s wrong, Dooley? Cat got your tongue?”

“Ha ha. Very funny. Max scratched my nose. It hurts.”

“All for a good cause, Dooley,” said Max.

“Yes, you’ll get over it, Dooley,” said Harriet.

“It’s called taking one for the team, Dooley, baby,” said Brutus.

“I’m not a baby!”

“Oh, yes, you are, you big baby,” Harriet cooed, and gave Dooley a peck on the whiskers. It perked him up considerably and he touched the spot reverently.

“We make a great team, you guys,” said Brutus. “A great team with a great leader.” He thumped his chest. “Yours truly. Bruce is back!”

“Oh, God,” muttered both Dooley and Max.

Odelia smiled. The four cats had accomplished the seemingly impossible: expose the Commissioner’s affair and exonerate Chase. And as she turned on the radio, a song of John Paul George came on.

“I’m Your Bi-ba-boy,” the singer crooned. “Your bi-ba-bad bad boy.”

Soon, they were all singing along, four cats and one human giving John Paul George a run for his money. Pop music had never sounded so bi-ba-bad.

3. PURRFECT REVENGE

Prologue

Clarice casually licked her paws. She’d snapped up a few morsels and was taking a breather on the windowsill. Overhead, a full moon shone, and inside the house all was quiet. Just the way she liked it. Word in town had it there were rodents to be found at the beach house, and word hadn’t lied. She’d snapped up a few critters anddecided this place was a keeper. Usually she liked to hang out in the hills west of Hampton Cove, but since she owed allegiance to no one, being a free spirit and all, she went where she pleased.

Clarice was a feral cat, her hide a mottled reddish brown riddled with bald spots. Once, she’d belonged to someone. Some tourists passing through who’d gotten her for their kid. When she’d gotten sick in the back of their Toyota Camry they’d decided she was more trouble than she was worth, and had tied her to a tree and left her. Good thing some kind soul had come along and freed her, or she would still be fettered to that damn tree, chewing bark.

The beach house was a property that had recently gone through a major renovation. They’d taken a worn-out beachfront property, completely gutted it and turned it into a remarkable success story. Currently it was occupied by a sprawling family of exceedingly attractive females who’d come straight down here from Hollywood to film some scenes for a popular reality show. The three sisters lived in the main house while a small film crew had taken up lodgings in the guest house. The house was guarded twenty-four seven, but since no one ever stopped to frisk a cat, Clarice had easily slipped in and out.