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“Oh, God,” said Vesta with a groan. “I’m too old for this nonsense.”

“We’re going to try and stop the wedding, though,” said Harriet. “So there’s still hope. And Lil Ran said he’s going to help us, even though he seems to think his human is not into women but into men instead. But clearly he’s mistaken, as Randy is interested in Marge, and Marge is a woman, right?”

“Last time I checked she was,” said Gran with a bemused smile. “So you’re going to try and stop this wedding, huh? And how are you going to do that?”

“We haven’t really come up with a plan yet,” said Harriet. “First we wanted to sabotage your wedding, but then I liked my tiara so much I was starting to have second thoughts about my commitment to the plan. Now I’m thinking that the opportunity to wear a tiara isn’t worth having to go and live with Randy at his mansion, and for Dooley to have to go and live with Wilbur above the store.”

“I told you, Harriet. No way in hell am I getting married to that man.”

“Oh, right,” said Harriet, who had a hard time following the plot. People were getting married, then they weren’t getting married, then they were getting married again. Who could blame a poor cat for getting all confused! “So you’re not getting married but Marge is,” she said, nodding to herself. “Got it.”

“The only reason I was over at Wilbur’s is I wanted to talk to Kingman,” said Gran, leaning against the car and folding her arms. “I thought he might be able to tell me where Brutus was. But no such luck, I’m afraid. He says Brutus went off to look for turtles in a pond and free them. Though he secretly thinks Brutus went off on a toot because of the wedding.” She shook her head. “So many weird stories doing the rounds. I think it’s time for Odelia to set the record straight. Print an article in the Gazette before this whole thing gets out of hand.”

“So… did you find Brutus?” asked Harriet, trying to decode Gran’s stream of words.

“Nah. I checked the pond. No Brutus anywhere in sight—or turtles for that matter. I even asked the park ranger and he says there have never been turtles and there never will be turtles at the park. The ducks would eat them, and they can’t have that.” She sighed deeply. “I really don’t know what that cat is up to, honey.” She glanced down at Harriet. “Did you have better luck?”

“No, like I said I was down at the church for wedding prep,” said Harriet, a little shamefaced now.

Gran smiled.“Don’t worry. We’ll find Brutus. He can’t have gotten far, and at some point someone must have seen him, right?”

Harriet nodded.

“Okay, let’s go,” said Gran now, and opened the car door for Harriet to hop in.

“Go where?” asked Harriet as she did as instructed. Probably to go look for Brutus.

“To the vet, of course,” said Gran. “I haven’t forgotten about your eyes, honey, and Vena is expecting us.”

“Gran—noooo!” said Harriet, but too late. The door was already closed. And locked!

Chapter 35

Tex had been brooding all day about the stuff Randy had told him that morning, and as he got ready to leave his office, he thought he’d finally hit upon the way to proceed.

Marge was feeling there was a distinct lack of spark in their marriage—a lack of romance. So he’d simply reinstate a tradition they’d dropped years before: the tradition of their weekly date night. They used to go out on a date once a week when Odelia was little. Sometimes they’d have dinner, other times they’d go for a walk along the beach.

But the tradition, as so many things, had slowly been forgotten when life became more hectic, and now was probably a good time to get back on track.

So he’d called the Hampton Cove Star and booked a table for two, and on his way home had dropped by the flower shop to pick up a bouquet of long-stemmed white roses, and as he prepared a speech in his head, he was starting to perk up a little.

Randy’s words had come as a shock to him. It’s not much fun to hear that your wife is harboring second doubts about her marriage—especially when she’s decided to confide in another man, even though that other man wasn’t interested in Marge at all—or so he’d assured Tex.

But when the doctor arrived home, and didn’t find Marge at the house, or in the backyard, he took a firmer grip on his bouquet and figured she was probably next door.

So he set foot for his daughter’s place. And when he arrived there, he was more than a little bit surprised when he found not only his wife, dressed to the nines in a gorgeous low-necked dress, her hair done up and her face made up to perfection, but also Randy—and they were clearly having a very cozy early dinner—just thetwo of them!

“What’s going on?” he asked, though it was pretty obvious what was going on!

“Oh, Marge invited me to dinner,” said Randy with a smile as he unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap. “I hope you don’t mind?”

He realized he was gawking, and made a conscious effort of reeling in his lower jaw, then cut a hurt look at his wife.