Riley went to the counter, leaned over it, and snatched a few tissues, bringing them to Janie. “I think he was poisoned.”
“Oh my God! I can’t imagine what he could’ve gotten into.”
After a short debate with herself, she decided not to say that she suspected someone was poisoning pets. “That’s why I’d like permission to do an autopsy.” At Janie’s hesitation, Riley added, “At no charge. It’s professional curiosity on my part.”
“It might upset Kellie.”
“She doesn’t have to know. In fact, I think it would be better not to tell her what I suspect. Afterward, I’ll call you to come get him. I’ve found that it helps children if they can have some kind of ceremony, and for the first week or two, they like to put flowers on their pet’s grave.”
“Do you think an autopsy’s necessary? I hate to think of any more being done to him. He was such a good cat.”
“I really do. Was Max an outside cat?”
Janie shook her head. “No, but he escaped sometimes. Usually when Kellie left for school. He’d go looking for her, which he did early this morning. I left soon after her to run some errands and didn’t even notice he had gotten out. I feel so bad. If only I’d searched for him.”
“Cats are the best of escape artists. You can’t blame yourself. Did you notice anything unusual? Anyone in your neighborhood that you didn’t recognize?”
“No, nothing. After Kellie came home from school, she found Max in the bushes. I have no idea where he spent his day.”
Although she hadn’t expected Janie to be able to point a finger at the bastard killing pets, she’d hoped for a clue of some kind.
“Look, Mama, isn’t she cute?” Kellie skipped to her mother, holding the three-month-old black-and-white kitten that had been left in a box at the clinic’s door a few days before. “Can I have her? Please? Please? Please?”
“I’m sorry. She heard the kitten meow and wanted to see it,” Brooke said, following Kellie back to the waiting room.
After a few minutes of begging by her daughter, Janie gave in. “Has she had her shots?”
Riley assured her that the kitten had all the vaccinations needed at that point.
“I’m going to name her Princess. Can I show her to Max so he’ll know I’m not crying too much?” Kellie turned to Riley. “Max hates it when I cry.”
“If your mother says it’s okay. Just so you know, I need to keep Max with me for a day or two, then your mom’s going to come get him so you can—”
“Max has to have a funeral like Grandpa had.”
Riley smiled. Kids were so resilient. “I think Max would like that very much.”
After Kellie visited with Max, talking to him, telling him about her new kitten, Janie left with her daughter.
“This one makes five,” Brooke said, as she and Riley stared at poor Max.
“I know. Somehow I’m going to find out who’s doing this. I’m doing an autopsy after we close, see what kind of poison they’re using.” She’d wanted to perform one on the last animal, the little terrier, but the owner had refused.
“I’ll stay and help.”
Riley gave her assistant a tired smile. “Thanks. I’d appreciate it.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Riley Austin was late coming home. Cody checked his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time. A last-minute operation to track down a runaway teenage couple had popped up that afternoon. Some high government dude’s daughter and her boyfriend had taken off when the man had forbidden her to see the boy. Although the boss hadn’t said so, Cody would bet that Kincaid had agreed to find her because once they did, the man would owe Kincaid. The boss was very good at collecting favors.
Where was his beautiful neighbor? He and Doc would be leaving the next day, and Cody needed to make arrangements to board his dogs. Some thirty minutes later, she arrived home, and he headed over.
“Stay,” he said, when his dogs reached the edge of the sidewalk. “Hey, long day?” he asked when he came up next to Riley on the lighted porch. The first thing he noticed when she glanced at him was that she looked tired. The second thing was the sadness in her eyes.
“Very,” she answered as she fumbled with her keys.
He took them from her. “You okay?”
“Sure.”
At the tears pooling in her eyes, he tsked. “Little liar. Wanna talk about it?” What was he doing? The last thing he needed or wanted was to take on someone else’s problems. He was already keeping an eye out for the car that had tried to run her over. That right there was beyond how involved he wanted to get with her. Now who was the liar? He’d like very much to be involved with her, just in a different way.