Bird of Paradise Read Online Free PDF Page B

entirely successful.”
    “Poor puss,” Hero cooed, stroking the cat as
he rubbed against her, admiration for the sort of man who’d stop
for a wounded cat—not to mention pay for its surgery—doing much to
take the edge off her irritation with him. He might have named the
cat inappropriately, but he evidently had a very soft heart. “I
don’t think very many people would take in such an odd animal.”
    A rueful smile curled the man’s lips “I seem
to have a habit of acquiring them. Back home I have a maniac
pheasant who likes to chase cars, a parrot that speaks only
Mandarin Chinese, two dogs that have six legs between them, and a
pygmy goat that’s happiest when she’s playing on a swing set. Him I
found about a year ago.”
    Hero scratched behind the cat’s ears. He
leaned into her and almost pushed her over. “He must have suffered
terribly.”
    “Yes, he has suffered, and he’ll suffer even
more if you tell the officials what you saw.”
    The man’s eyes were dark with pleading.
Despite her earlier vow of revenge, Hero couldn’t help but be
affected by his obvious love for the huge cat. “I’m sure they
wouldn’t harm him. They’d just put him quarantine for a few months.
The animals are very well taken care of, I’m sure.”
    “It would kill him,” the man argued, his
eyes soft as he scratched behind the cat’s ear.
    “Oh, you exaggerate. I’m sure it wouldn’t’
be fun for Jesus, but I hardly believe quarantine would kill him.
I’m quite sure the attendants are fond of animals.”
    “It’s not that,” he answered morosely,
looking up and giving her the full benefit of his attention. Hero
rocked back on her heels in response. Lord, but he was everything
she could want in a man . . . except for his proclivity for
smuggling, that is. “Jesus is depressed. Suicidal, in fact. That’s
why I’m here, in an attempt to cure his depression.”
    “Really?” Hero stood up slowly as the cat
strolled over to her luggage and began investigating it. Her heart
melted at the thought of a man who went to the trouble and expense
he did just to find a partner who would love and care for his cat.
He truly was one in a million. If only he could look beyond
appearances to see that such a woman didn’t have to come in a
svelte, tanned package . . . “I suppose you’re here to find him a
mum?”
    “What?” The man looked startled. “Oh . . .
er . . . yes, that’s it. I’m here to find him a . . . mum.
Yes.”
    “That’s terribly affecting, but you know, I
have to say . . . What is your name?”
    He stood up. Adam . . . er . . .
Monday.”
    “Adamermonday? That’s an unusual name.” Then
again his cat was named Jesus.
    He looked intriguingly confused. “It’s just
Monday. Monday Marsh. Although my friends call me Adam.”
    Her eyebrows rose.
    “It’s . . . ah . . . middle name,” he
answered her silent question. “Prefer it. Over Monday.”
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Marsh. As
I was saying, your story is very affecting, but these countries
have quarantine laws for a reason. I believe they are in place to
prevent the spread of rabies from areas where the disease has been
eradicated. You can see that it’s not fair to the other animals on
the island if your cat is allowed to bypass regulations.”
    He pulled out a small sheet of paper.
“Here’s his health certificate. The vet certifies that Jesus is
free from any disease, rabies included.”
    Hero looked at the sheet. “Oh. Well, yes, I
can see where you might feel it was acceptable for you to bring
your cat if he poses no threat, but still—”
    “You don’t understand; I have no choice in
this. He is deeply depressed and has had two suicide attempts
already; I can’t leave him alone. His therapist says now is a very
critical time for him.”
    “Therapist?” Your cat has a therapist?” Hero
glanced over at the cat that sat cleaning his face by licking his
front paw and wiping it over his long white whiskers. She’d