eb93c43e214c621f9157c05b4b6a6878

“Sports?” I suggested. I didn’t want to tell him that the most requested pay-per-view channels in hotels are often of a distinctly erotic nature. Then again, I guess erotica is a kind of sport. It does involve a lot of movement, plenty of stamina and some acrobatic prowess. Though I doubt youcan win any medals.

Just then, the door swung open, and much to our delight, Odelia walked in, looking thoughtful.

“So? How was it?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,” she said as she took a seat next to us on the bed. The excellent box spring mattress gently bounced. “Agatha seemed… out of sorts somehow.”

“I guess being arrested for murder will do that to a person,” I said.

“Yeah, of course. Only… she kept harping on the fact that I should take care of her son Tucker. And she also seemed unusually unwilling to do what it takes to prove her innocence.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I told her to produce the knife Inspector Giblet says she used to stab Astra, which according to Agatha is safely tucked away in a drawer back home in the States. But when I suggested she get a member of her household staff to ship it here so she can prove it wasn’t her knife that killedAstra, she seemed reluctant to take my advice.”

“She’s not thinking straight,” said Dooley. “It happens when you witness a crime. It’s all fine for us to see a dead body—we’re used to that kind of thing by now. But for a layperson like Agatha, it’s shocking.”

I distinctly remembered how Dooley had almost passed out the night before when he caught sight of Astra’s mortal remains, but chose to keep my tongue. For some reason Dooley was acting a little strangely, I thought. More self-assured somehow. Even, dare I say it, cocky?

“Look, I told Agatha I’ll do whatever it takes to prove her innocence, and that’s what I’ll do,” said Odelia as she slapped her thighs for some reason. “And I sincerely hope you’ll assist me. Just like you do back home.”

“Oh, sure,” I said. “Absolutely.”

“It’s Marion we need to talk to,” said Dooley. “She’ll be able to identify the cat burglar, and I’m convinced he’s the killer.”

“Okay, so who is this Marion person?” asked Odelia. “And where can I find her?”

“On the roof, mostly,” said Dooley. “Though during the day she often spends time in the lobby. But Max and I figured we’d better meet her in the manager’s office, since that’s familiar ground for her, and we can prove once and for all that humans can talk to cats.”

Odelia started a little.“But Dooley, that’s our little secret, remember? Nobody is supposed to know about that.”

“Oh, but Marion won’t mind. In fact she needs to know. Otherwise she’ll get upset again, and walk away from us like she did last night on the roof.”

Odelia stared at him for a moment, then her face broke into a big smile.“Marion is a cat, isn’t she? That black cat belonging to Barney that we saw yesterday when we checked in?”

“Of course,” said Dooley. “What did you think?”

“Doesn’t matter what I thought,” said Odelia, getting up. “Let’s go downstairs and start on those interviews. Barney said he’d set them up in his office and I want you guys to be there and pay close attention.”

“Okay, but first we talk to Marion, right?” said Dooley. “She’s very nice. And also very pretty. And I think she has green eyes, though it could also be chocolate. Or maybe even a sort of dark caramel with flecks of gold.” He sighed excitedly. “She’s wonderful. And very saucy.”

Odelia locked eyes with me. I gave her a significant look and she flashed me a grin, then made a heart with her fingers and I nodded in confirmation.

She patted Dooley on the head.“Sweet Dooley. My sweet, sweet Dooley.”

Now it was Dooley’s turn to give me a curious look, but I just grimaced and hopped off the bed. We had work to do. And a woman’s innocence to prove!

CHAPTER 16

[Êàðòèíêà: img_2]

Unfortunately for Dooley, when we arrived in the lobby Marion was nowhere to be found. So no interview in close quarters with the saucy feline for now. Instead we encountered Tucker Kinetic in Barney’s office, who’d apparently been waiting for us there impatiently, and looking distinctly unhappy.

Agatha’s son was a handsome young man in his early twenties with a sort of floppy blond mane and one of those square jaws that used to be all the rage in Hollywood’s leading men once upon a time. Maybe they still are. Just that you don’t see them that often. Nowadays it’s the more sensitive type with the pointy chin who’s in vogue. That and the overly muscular he-man. When we entered the office, he was in Barney’s chair behind Barney’s desk, one leg dangling over the side of the chair and smoking a cigarette, aiming a plume at the ceiling.

“Oh, finally,” he said. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you?”

“I’m very sorry,” said Odelia as she pulled out the chair in front of the desk and took a seat. “I went to visit your mom at the police station, and it took longer than I expected.”