Murder in Cherry Hills (A Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

hallway, her dog trotting by her side.
    Kat looked around as she waited. The lobby was clean, which pleased her. She had never been in a veterinary office before, and she had half expected the place to stink of urine or be overtaken by fur and dander. Yet, judging from the lobby, maintaining a sterile environment was as important here as it was in a normal doctor’s office.
    Sherry’s voice broke into Kat’s thoughts. “Katherine, Dr. Harry will meet you in Room B. Just go down the hallway to the second door on your left. Feel free to let Matilda out while you’re waiting for Dr. Harry to show up.”
    Kat stood up and headed in the direction indicated. “Okay, thank you.”
    The tiny exam room was also quite clean and smelled faintly of antiseptic. A small sink was built into the counter that stretched along one wall. A few glass jars containing cotton swabs, gauze pads, and the like sat on the counter next to a display of brochures that explained various pet diseases and treatment options. A metal table extended from the counter to the center of the room. Two chairs on one side of the table faced a rolling stool on the other. Kat presumed the stool was for the doctor.
    She closed the door and set the carrier on the table. “You can come out now,” she singsonged, releasing the latch on the carrier door.
    When Matty didn’t emerge after several seconds had elapsed, Kat crouched down to get a better look at her. Matty remained pressed against the back side of her carrier. She glared at Kat before wrapping her tail tightly around her body.
    Kat sighed. She couldn’t blame Matty for being cross. After giving the cat a brief pat on the head, Kat sat down in one of the chairs, figuring it would be better to leave Matty alone. She would be pestered by the veterinarian himself soon enough.
    She didn’t have to wait long before Dr. Harry Opheim entered through a second door located on the opposite side of the room. Today he wore a white, calf-length lab coat over his clothes.
    “Hi there,” Dr. Harry said, grinning as he shut the door. “I remember you from Jessie’s Diner. I’m Dr. Harry.”
    Kat did a double take when she got a good look at the doctor’s face. The bags under his right eye that she’d written off to fatigue the day before had transitioned into a full-blown black eye overnight.
    “I apologize for my appearance,” he said. “I had a little trouble subduing one of my larger patients yesterday. Some of the biggest dogs also turn out to be the biggest babies when it comes to getting their shots.”
    Kat stood up. “Oh.”
    Dr. Harry pointed to his eye. “This occurred during a skirmish with a distressed mastiff.”
    Kat didn’t say anything, shifting uneasily. She wasn’t quite sure whether to believe his explanation. Although Dr. Harry didn’t seem bothered at all by his appearance or concerned with masking his injury, Kat didn’t dismiss the possibility that his nonchalance was forced. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine this strong man overpowering Mrs. Tinsdale yesterday morning—and perhaps suffering a few facial bruises in the process.
    “All right then.” Dr. Harry turned his attention to the carrier. “Let’s just take a look at little Matilda here.”
    Kat’s mind churned as Dr. Harry stepped toward the table between them. Although she’d initially stopped by to determine what, if anything, Dr. Harry could tell her about Mrs. Tinsdale’s relationships with his staff, this visit was quickly turning into a stealth mission to determine if Dr. Harry himself might have been responsible for the old woman’s fate. That would mandate that Kat inquire about her dead neighbor a little more discreetly than she had originally planned.
    Kat swallowed hard. The prospect of questioning a potential killer made her nervous, but, she reminded herself, she’d come here for answers, and she needed to work fast before the vet deemed Matty to be in good health and sent them both on their way.
    Kat