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“So why did you eat them then?” asked Vesta, before realizing she wasn’t supposed to talk to her cats. She gave the vet a smile—the smile of a confused old lady who doesn’t know what she’s doing half the time.

“I ate them because I’d read—on mytablet—that carrots are good for the eyes.”

Vesta rolled her own eyes, then patted her cat on the back.“She’s a sweetheart, but sometimes when she gets something in her head, it’s very hard to get it out again.”

“She’s not the only one,” said Vena, who’d taken place behind her desk and was writing out a prescription. “In fact I think Harriet takes after you, Vesta.”

Vesta frowned and caressed Harriet’s fur. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Father Reilly told me you and Wilbur are about to tie the knot. Even though you’ve been stubbornly denying the news. So let me be the first one to congratulate you.”

“I’m not getting married!”

Vena cocked an eyebrow.“See? Stubborn, just like you, sweet Harriet.”

“Oh, for God’s sakes,” said Vesta, and gathered up her cat, her prescription, and stalked out.

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Marge cursed under her breath when her phone chimed. She’d totally forgotten to switch it off. “I’m so sorry,” she said as she fumbled for the device.

“That’s all right,” said Randy. “It’s probably your husband.”

She picked up and said,“Tex, where are you?”

“Marge? Marge Poole? It’s Johnny. I think I’ve got one of your cats here. A black one?”

She placed a hand on her phone then said,“It’s about Brutus. Someone seems to have found him.”

“Oh, great,” said Randy, though he didn’t seem all that excited by this development.

“Hi, Johnny,” she said, well pleased. “Yes, this is Marge. Where did you find Brutus?”

“He managed to sneak into the basement. If you want I can come over and drop him off.”

“No, that’s all right. I’ll come and get him. Where are you?”

He gave her the address and she hung up after assuring him she’d be there in five minutes. But that was before she realized Odelia had gone out with Chase, taking her car, Vesta had gone out taking her car, and Tex had just left, presumably taking his car.

“Do you have transport by any chance?” she asked. “I need to go and pick up my cat. I’m so sorry for cutting our dinner short.” In fact she wasn’t all that sorry. Randy had been asking a lot of personal questions and she still hadn’t discovered anything of note about the man himself. Almost as if he didn’t want to talk about his personal life. On top of that she was worried about Tex, which put a damper on their nice dinner.

“Oh, sure, I’ll drive you,” said Randy. “Where is it?”

“Pete’s Pet Paradise,” she said. “Apparently Brutus slipped in through the basement window and now he can’t get out.”

She thought she saw a strange gleam come into the man’s eyes, but then it was gone. He offered her one of his trademark warm smiles. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s go and get your cat!”

Moments later they were cruising along the street, on their way to the pet store. Randy had once again donned a convincing disguise: this time he was wearing sunglasses and a ball cap.

“You look virtually unrecognizable,” said Marge admiringly.

“Years of experience evading the paps,” said Randy.

He parked across the street from the pet store, and she got out, followed by Randy.

“Oh, you don’t have to come,” she said. “I’ll be back in a sec.”

“No, it’s fine,” he assured her. “We are still on our date, aren’t we? So let’s pretend this is all part of the lovely evening you had in store for me.”

“An evening at the pet shop,” she said with a smile, and they both crossed the street at a little trot, avoiding incoming traffic.

The door to the pet store was open, so she pushed her way inside. The first part of the store consisted of plenty of fish tanks, just like the big one in the front window, and as they headed deeper, in search of Johnny Carew, Marge saw plenty of rabbits, gerbils, birds and even a snake slithering about in its cage.

She’d never actually set foot in there since the shop had changed owners. She hadn’t even been aware that it had reopened, nor that Johnny was now working there.

“Johnny?” she called out when she didn’t see any sign of life apart from the many pets. “Johnny, where are you?”

“Down here, Marge!” Johnny’s voice rang out.

She glanced back at Randy and gave him an apologetic smile. They set foot for the staircase that led into what looked like the basement, and she called down,“Johnny?”

“Yeah, just on come down, Marge. I’ve got your cat right here.”

She hurried down the stairs, eager to see her sweet fur baby again, and was surprised when not Johnny greeted her but Jerry, along with five giant tanks filled with water and… turtles. There must have been thousands of them.

“Hi, Jerry,” she said. “Where’s Johnny?”

“I’m right here, Marge,” said Johnny as he ducked up to her right, holding Brutus in his arms. “Look who’s here, kitty,” he said with a purr in his voice. “It’s your mama. Yeah, that’s right. Mama is here to come and get you, sweetheart.”