The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell

Polly said, "There was - and still is - some class distinction between living in and living on. The Ledfields live in the community of Purple Point. I've never seen their house, but I'm told it's magnificent. Doris invited me, but when I was working at the library I never had time to socialize with my board members. Having dinner with the dear ladies once a month was all I felt obliged to do."

"Interesting!" he said. "Do you have any more of these tarts?"

When Qwilleran returned to the barn, he was greeted by an exuberant demonstration designed to attract attention. Koko chased Yum Yum up the ramp and down again, after which he fought a battle with a scrap of newspaper. He clutched it, drooled over it, and tore it with his fangs - all in good fun, apparently. When Qwilleran finally retrieved the soggy wad of paper, it proved to be the missing photo of Harvey Ledfield.

"What's this all about, young man?" Qwilleran demanded. Koko never did anything without a motive. There was some reason why the cat took exception to the Ledfield heir.

Qwilleran lost no time in ordering his birthday present from the young widow in Kennebeck, as recorded in his private journal:

Saturday - Today I met the Kennebeck Knitter. Ordered a sweater - sleeveless. V-neck, tan with brown borders. My birthday gift from Polly, who also coached me.

Rule One - Call her Veronica. She doesn't like being called "Mrs." Does it bring back painful memories?

Rule Two - Don't mention her weather predictions. She thinks of them as an embarrassing disease.

For some reason I expected something spooky about the lady, but she's attractive, has a winning personality and a mellow speaking voice. Polly says she's a contralto. She reads the "Qwill Pen" and knows all about Koko and Yum Yum. Her cat is a gray tiger named Tiger. I gave her a yellow "Qwill Pen" pencil, and you'd think it was a gold-plated Parker pen.

She told me that her church is planning a fall concert with Uncle Louie MacLeod as director and she hopes Polly will bring me.

She also gave me some of the crunchy home-baked treats she makes for Tiger, but when I put them on the cats' plates under the kitchen table, they sniffed them and walked away. Twice I saw them return to inspect them, and the third time they gobbled them up! CATS!

Chapter 5

There was no such thing as business as usual in the days prior to the barn sketching. Pat O'Dell's cleaning crew scoured the interior top to bottom. Then Mrs. Fulgrove came in to dust, polish, and do what she called fluffing up - not forgetting to leave one of her unique notes:

"One of the kitties' dishes has a crack in it, which you should get a new one."

As for the two "Qwill Pen" columns, Qwilleran employed well-known tricks of the trade.

On Tuesday he would reprint Cool Koko's Almanac with bright catly sayings, such as "It's a wise cat that knows which ankle to rub" and "If at first you don't succeed howl louder."

On Friday he would reprint "by popular demand" witty letters from such readers as Dr. Bruce Abernethy, the pediatrician in Black Creek; Mavis Adams, attorney with HBB&A, and Bill Turmeric, Sawdust City schoolteacher.

Everyone loved these reprints - except Arch Riker, but his grousing was all an act, since everyone knew the K Fund owned the newspaper.

Next Qwilleran called his friend John Bushland. Bushy was a prize-winning photographer who had a portrait studio and darkroom in his home and also accepted freelance assignments from the newspaper and anyone else willing to pay. For Qwilleran he always forgot to send a bill. "I owe you one," he would say, referring to a hair-raising experience they had shared.