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

coughed. “So, Dr. Harry, I actu—”
    Her words were interrupted when the door swung open again. Greta Opheim stepped into the room. “The computer’s finally cooperating, so I printed out that information you asked for.” She turned her attention to Kat. “Oh, hi. Jessie’s Diner, right?”
    “Yes.” Although Kat was somewhat relieved by a second person’s presence, probing the doctor for information had just become that much more difficult. “I’m Kat.”
    “Greta.” She reached out to shake Kat’s hand.
    “Greta helps me out with administrative duties when she’s not otherwise occupied,” Dr. Harry said. He turned toward his wife. “I was just getting ready to examine Kat’s cat.” He chuckled, presumably over the alliteration. “Greta, since you’re here, if you’ll hold onto the carrier I’ll get our newest little patient out in the open where we can meet her.”
    “Okay.” Greta grabbed the sides of the carrier and braced her legs.
    Dr. Harry slipped his hand inside the opening. “You ready for us, Matilda?”
    As Greta steadied the carrier, Dr. Harry worked on persuading Matty to come out. The tension that Kat had observed between the couple yesterday didn’t seem to be present now. Kat didn’t know if they were simply acting professional for her benefit or if she had merely caught them in the middle of a fleeting disagreement yesterday.
    A loud commotion diverted Kat’s attention from her musings. Her stomach lurched when she saw that Matty was now thrashing inside the carrier, the structure rocking from her efforts despite Greta’s hold on it. Matty couldn’t seem to make up her mind as to whether hissing or howling would be the more effective way to communicate her displeasure.
    Kat’s protective instincts kicked in, and she took an automatic step forward. But Dr. Harry backed away from the table before she could interfere.
    “My gosh,” he said. “Your cat certainly doesn’t want to cooperate today.”
    Kat felt another pang of guilt for using Matty as a prop in her investigation. “Maybe I should ease her out myself.”
    Dr. Harry nodded. “It might help if we left you alone for a moment.” He set one hand on Greta’s back and guided her to the door. “Perhaps she’ll respond better with fewer people in the room. Why don’t you work on her, and once you’ve succeeded prop the door open so I know you’re ready.”
    “Okay,” Kat agreed.
    Matty calmed down after the Opheims left. Still, it took Kat a good ten minutes to convince the cat that it was safe to come out. After she shut the carrier and set it in one corner so Matty couldn’t crawl back inside, she pried the doctor’s door open a crack.
    Dr. Harry returned two minutes later. He smiled at Matty, who had curled up in the sink. She flattened her ears back against her head in response.
    “Are you going to let me have a look at you now, little Matilda?” Dr. Harry crooned, approaching the cat slowly.
    “I’m really sorry about her behavior,” Kat said. She looked at Dr. Harry’s black eye again, willing to give more merit to his mastiff story now than she had been twenty minutes ago.
    “Not a problem. Happens all the time.” Dr. Harry reached for Matty, clamping his hands around her rib cage and lifting her gently from the sink. He set her down on a flat, plastic scale. “All animals react differently to stress.”
    Kat took a deep breath, sensing an opening. “Her stress might have something to do with the fact that her previous owner just died—and violently, I might add.”
    Dr. Harry glanced at her. “You’re referring to Hilda Tinsdale.”
    “Yes.”
    Dr. Harry didn’t say anything as he relocated the cat to the examination table. Matty let out a low, constant, growl, but she allowed the doctor to move her. Once she was on solid ground again, Dr. Harry slowly caressed the cat. He started with her head and proceeded past her neck and down her torso. Kat presumed he was checking for lumps or