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“You’re welcome.” They watched as Chase caved. Shalonda Kenspeckle had shown up. She was the spitting image of Shayonne, only her long, dark hair sported red highlights. She was rocking a clingy white top and a miniskirt. Very stylish. Now both sisters were crying their eyes out. There’s only so much a man can bear, and soon the cameraman was hoisting the camera onto his shoulder with a triumphant flourish and filming resumed.

Chase came stumbling out of the house, looking sandbagged.

“What the hell just happened?” he asked as he took a seat next to Odelia.

“Welcome to reality TV, Detective,” she said. “Try to keep up.”

Chapter 7

While Odelia and Chase tried to take control of the crime scene, Dooley, Harriet, Brutus and I were busy trying to figure out what else we could do to solve this murder case. Clarice had pulled one of her disappearing acts again and had vanished like a puff of smoke. Typical. One minute she was there, the next she was gone. And without even bothering to say goodbye.

“Are you really going to share your meat with her?” Harriet asked.

“Sure,” said Brutus. “At least until I solve this murder. The moment I catch the killer she can kiss her meat goodbye.” I noticed the big bully sounded a lot more macho now that Clarice wasn’t there to keep him in line.

“Why would Clarice kiss her meat goodbye?” asked Dooley. “Wouldn’t she just eat it?”

“It’s an expression,” I told him.

“It doesn’t make any sense. Why kiss your meat goodbye?”

“Oh, Dooley,” said Harriet with a sigh.

“Yes?” he asked, looking up.

“Just go away.”

“Go away? Go where?”

“Anywhere. Just stop asking stupid questions.”

I patted my friend on the back.“It’s all right, Dooley. You know what they say. There are no stupid questions. Only stupid answers.”

“I didn’t know they said that.”

“Well, now you do.”

“We should split up,” Brutus said. “You and Dooley go this way. Harriet and I will go that way.” He was vaguely gesturing toward the house.

“Why?” asked Dooley, remembering there are no stupid questions.

“I’ve got a better chance cracking this case than you two losers. Isn’t that right, sugar pie?”

The sugar pie bit wasn’t directed at either me or Dooley. It was meant for Harriet, who fluttered her eyelashes. “Of course I agree, honey bunch. With your intellect and my charm I’m sure we’ll crack this case right open.”

I eyed Brutus suspiciously.“You’ve got a theory, haven’t you?”

“You bet your whiskers I do. I’m surprised you don’t. It’s staring you right in the face.”

Dooley looked around.“What’s staring us in the face?”

“Oh, Dooley,” said Harriet, rolling her eyes.

“Look, whatever you think you know, I’m Odelia’s cat, so I’m the one who helps her solve the murder. So you better tell me what you know.”

Brutus grinned.“Not this time, Maxie baby. This time we’re doing things different.” He tapped his chest, like a miniature King Kong. “I’m going to solve this case. And I’m going to make sure Odelia knows it.”

I shook my head.“You can’t do that. That’s not fair.”

Harriet shrugged.“I think it’s time you learned to share, Max. You’ve had Odelia all to yourself for far too long. It’s time to share her with Brutus.”

“But-but-but,” I sputtered. I caught Brutus’s eye and I could tell he was enjoying himself. For the first time since he arrived in town he had me licked.

“That’s not very nice of you,” said Dooley. “Odelia is Max’s human.”

Harriet walked up to him.“Odelia is our human, Dooley. She cares about all of us. You. Me. Max. And now Brutus. We’re one big happy family.”

She sold it so well I almost bought it. But Odelia knew all about Brutus’s habit of bossing us around. She’d never accept him into our home if I didn’t want to. So maybe I didn’t have to worry. Even if he solved the murder first, Odelia would still love me the most. Right?

I watched Brutus and Harriet stalk off.“You’re right, Dooley,” I said.

“I am?” he asked, surprised.

“It’s not very nice of Harriet to take Brutus’s side like that.”

“So she’s not our friend anymore?”

“She is, but she’s strayed from the path of true friendship.” I shook my head. “Somehow we’re going to have to show her the error of her ways.”

“I have no idea what you just said, but I think you’re probably right.”

“Let’s just do what we do best and find ourselves a killer.”

“All right,” he said with a yawn. “But maybe we’ll take a nap first?”

“No napping,” I said decidedly. “First we catch the killer, then we nap.”

Dooley sighed.“Oh, all right. So where do we start?”

“We’ll just snoop around. Be the perfect spies.”

“Pity the Kenspeckles don’t have cats. Otherwise this would be a snap.”

We both stared at Kane, who was staring back at us from a safe distance. He’d lost his fighting spirit after his scrap with Clarice. Or maybe he was trying to come up with a new strategy to take us down.