04b1ef9c60873c444a27c4afd3197be1

“Are you two lovebirds up yet?”

Chase and Odelia exchanged a glance.“Gran,” they said in unison.

“Come on up, Gran!” Odelia yelled.

“Wait, no,” said Chase, but too late.

Already feet could be heard pounding up the stairs, and moments later a little old white-haired lady burst through the door. When she saw Chase loaded with cats, she laughed.“Well, now ain’t that a sight for sore eyes!”

“Ha ha ha,” said Chase, but I could tell his heart wasn’t in it. His next words proved this. “What do you want, Vesta?”

Her smile vanished.“Be nice to your granny-in-law, mister,” she growled.

“You insulted my singing last night! Called it caterwauling!”

“I was only trying to offer you a learning opportunity. How do you two feel about a trip to England?”

“England?” said Odelia, staring at her grandmother.

“It’s a country. In Europe.”

“I know what England is. Why would we go on a trip there?”

“Why not? You remember Angela? Angela Torrance?” When Odelia shook her head, she added, “When I tell you she’s the mother of Tessa Torrance?”

“Oh, that Angela,” said Odelia, nodding.

“Who’s Angela Torrance?” I asked.

“She lived around the corner for a while and was great friends with Mom,” said Odelia. “Gran used to babysit her daughter Tessa—we’re the same age.”

“Tessa Torrance as inthe Tessa Torrance?” asked Chase. “The princess?”

“Technically she’s not a princess, even though she married a prince,” said Gran. “The English are weird like that. Anyway, I got a call from Angela just now. There was an incident with her daughter and she wants us to go over there and find out what’s going on.”

“Incident?” asked Odelia. “What kind of incident?”

“A big stone almost crushed her. She’s lucky to be alive.”

“But… don’t they have cops in England?”

“They do. But Tessa wants to keep the whole thing quiet. She told her husband Prince Dante it was an accident but she’s not too sure herself. And now she wants us to investigate. Isn’t that great?!”

“But…”

“What’s with all the buts? Don’t you want a free European vacation?”

“Of course I do, but I don’t see—”

“Look, Angela has read all about your sleuthing adventures, and she’s told Tessa about it, and now they want you to go over there to keep an eye on things. Is that so hard to understand?”

“But…” She ignored Gran’s expressive groans of frustration. “I can’t just waltz in there and start snooping around. Doesn’t she have protection officers and royal guards and Scotland Yard or whatever?”

“I told you. She doesn’t trust anyone.”

“You didn’t tell me that.”

“Well, I’m telling you now. Angela will arrange everything. You will pretend to be Tessa’s cousin, and I’m her grandmother.”

“Her grandmother!”

“What? You don’t think I can pull it off?”

“Oh, Gran. This sounds like a really bad idea.”

“No, it doesn’t. It sounds like a great idea. Now get up and get ready. No time to waste.”

“Does Prince Dante know?” asked Chase.

“No, he doesn’t. Like I said, Tessa doesn’t trust anyone.”

“Not even her own husband?”

“Hey, I’m just the messenger here, singer boy.”

“What about us?” I asked.

Gran grinned widely.“Surprise! You’re all invited, too!”

“We are?!”

“I told Angela that you’re Odelia’s secret power. That she feels she can’t do a proper job without her cats by her side.”

“Like her talisman?” said Dooley.

“Exactly!” Gran cried. “You’re Odelia’s talisman, so Angela is going to arrange for all of you to be flown out there, too. On a private jet, no less.”

“Do you know what this means?” said Harriet excitedly. “We’re going to see the Queen!”

“And her corgis!” said Brutus.

“Who wants to see a corgi?” I said.

“What’s a corgi, Max?” asked Dooley.

“A dog. The Queen is crazy about them.”

“What are they talking about?” asked Chase.

“They’re talking about the corgis,” said Odelia. “They’re not sure if they’re going to like them.”

“Of course you’re going to like the Queen’s corgis,” said Chase, patting me in an exaggerated fashion. I can always tell a dog person from a cat person. A dog person pats you as if they’re trying to stomp you into the ground. A cat person is gentle and strokes you with delicate movements.I wasn’t going to hold it against him, though. The man was obviously on a learning curve.

Odelia quirked an eyebrow.“Well, then. Looks like we’re going to England.”

We all yipped. Oh, if only I’d known then what I know now!

Chapter 4

Suddenly everything had to move fast. Angela Torrance had insisted there wasn’t a moment to lose, as her daughter was apparently in grave danger, and she needed Odelia and her sleuthing skills in England now, right speedily!

Odelia had already packed her bag, and so had Chase, and she was now thinking about what to bring along for her cats.

“No worries,” said Gran, waving an impatient hand. “Angela said she’d take care of everything.”

“That’s very generous of her,” said Odelia’s mother Marge, who was overseeing proceedings.

“But they need their litter boxes and their favorite food and—”

“What they need is their humans,” said Gran. “The rest will be provided by Tessa. The best of the best of the best. Angela’s words, not mine.”