A Body at Book Club: Myrtle Clover #6

Chapter One

It was another steamy hot summer afternoon and Myrtle Clover was keeping cool indoors by staying glued to Tomorrow's Promise, her favorite soap opera. Her avid viewing of Kayla's daring rescue from a bizarre cult was suddenly and rudely interrupted by a cat's screaming wail and the sound of dogs snapping and growling outside.

"Pasha!" she gasped, struggling to her feet from the padded softness of her recliner and knocking a half-finished crossword puzzle from her lap. Grabbing her cane in one hand and seizing a nearby pitcher of lemonade in the other, she bolted out the front door.

Two large dogs were on her front walk, snapping at and nosing a black, hissing, frightened cat that was trapped between them and fighting to get out. Myrtle bellowed, "Stop!" and flung the lemonade at the animals. The dogs stopped, swinging their heads around to gape at Myrtle. The cat bolted away as fast as she could go.

"Bad dogs!" snapped Myrtle sternly, brandishing her cane at them, towering over them with her full, nearly six-feet height. The animals instantly put their tails between their legs and lowered their ears, whining at her as they slunk away.

Myrtle's police chief son lived directly across the street from her and his door flew open at all the commotion. "You okay, Mama?" he called.

"They weren't snapping at me-it was Pasha they were after. Now she's run off and I don't even know if she's hurt or not." Myrtle was exasperated at the note of panic in her voice. It was surprising how important that feral cat had become to her.

Red dodged back inside, finally hurrying out again with his shoes on. He strode purposefully across the street. "There is a leash law in this town. I sure wish folks would remember that." His once-red hair, now mostly gray, stuck straight up on one side of his head and his voice was rough and raspy as if he'd just awakened from a nap.

"You know how the old-timers are here in Bradley," said Myrtle. "They ignore whichever laws inconvenience them. These dogs don't have tags on them and I don't recognize them." She started calling for Pasha. "Kitty, kitty, kitty?" Her heart was still pounding and she breathed deeply to settle herself down.

"Pasha's too smart to come out before she thinks she's safe, Mama. Maybe after I've put these dogs in the police cruiser, she'll come." Red whistled to the dogs and then held out his hand and the animals obediently followed him as if he were the pied piper.

"Treats? For bad dogs?" Myrtle was outraged.

"They're just acting like dogs, Mama. Dogs chase cats. And I've got to get them into my car. I figured hot dogs would be certain to lure them in there."

Sure enough, the dogs were all over those bits of hot dogs. Once they were in the car, Red slammed the back doors and walked around to the driver's side.

"Well, I know you're not arresting them, so where are you taking them?" asked Myrtle.

"Just down to hang out at the station until someone claims them. That way I can also remind their owners about the leash law when they pick their dogs up," said Red.

Myrtle watched as he backed out of his driveway and then rolled down his window. "Mama, I'll help you look for the cat when I come back, okay?"

Myrtle raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I thought you weren't exactly Pasha's number-one fan."

"I'm not. Shoot, Mama, it's a feral cat. How am I supposed to feel about my octogenarian mother hanging out with a wild animal? But it's better for me to be stooping under bushes to look for her, instead of you. You're unsteady on your feet as it is."

Myrtle glared at him. He was interfering, as usual. "I'm just fine on my feet, Red. This cane just helps me move faster, that's all. It's really more of a fashion accessory than anything else. Go along to the station. I'll get Miles to help me."