The Cats that Played the Market (The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

kind of heard it once,” Michelle corrected. “But it was much more subdued than usual.”
    Katherine agreed. “I’m going to have company in a few days. My friend Colleen and her mother are flying in. I’ll have to ask them if they want to contribute to the fundraiser as well.”
    “Sweet! The more the merrier! Okay, I’ve got you marked off to make Katz’s Kitty Cat cookies. Let me know what Colleen and her mom want to do.”
    “I will. I’ll text Colleen and ask later.”
    “Fun!”
    They both dug into their sandwiches and agreed to meet again for lunch later in the week.
    *              *              *
    After lunch, Katherine drove into the city to run some errands, then returned to Erie with a car load of groceries. As she pulled into the carport, she saw five cats sitting on the wide windowsill in the dining room. Clearly, they had been waiting for her to return home. She didn’t know if they were genuinely happy to see her, or if they knew inside one of those grocery bags was dinner — a premium gourmet feast. It was a toss between the two.
    When she turned the key in the side door and walked through the vestibule to the dining room, the cats met her with great anticipation and noise as they voiced their happiness at her arrival.
    “Inside voices, please,” Katherine said, struggling with two bags of groceries. “Let me feed you guys as soon as possible so you’ll give my ears a rest.”
    She set the bags on the glass-top Parsons table and stepped back to bring in more, but stopped when the kitchen phone rang. She answered it on the second ring. She would have answered it earlier, but Scout pounced on the phone and she had to wrestle the cat for the receiver. “Again, Scout? Stop it!” she scolded the rambunctious Siamese. “Hello,” she said into the mouthpiece.
    “Stop it?” an elderly female voice said. “What did I do?”
    “Oh, I’m so sorry. Who’s calling please?”
    “Is this Orvenia’s niece?”
    “Great niece, yes.”
    “I’m Elizabeth Brentwood. Friends call me Lizard. My son mentioned you the other day and gave me your number. I bet you didn’t know it, but I used to run around town with your aunt.”
    “Great aunt,” Katherine corrected in a friendly tone. “Mark Dunn gave me your number, but I haven’t had a chance to call. I never met my great aunt. I’d love to hear about her. Would you like to come for tea?” Katherine added at the spur of the moment.
    “Oh, I’d love to. I’ve been in your home many times and it would be swell to see it again. But you must understand, I don’t drive anymore. My chauffeur is my son, Robbie. Is it okay if he comes, too? We can give him a cookie or two and he’ll retreat to the corner,” the woman continued in a raspy voice.
    “Yes, of course. I met your son the other day. How about this Friday? Say four o’clock?”
    “I’ll write it on my calendar, and I’ll be there. Thank you so much for inviting us.” Elizabeth, also known as Lizard, hung up.
    Katherine turned to find five annoyed cats starring up at her from the ceramic floor. Scout’s and Abra’s tails were thrashing in unison — thumpity thump thump.
    “Okay, I surrender, Dorothy,” Katherine said. “I’ll feed you now.”
    “Yowl,” Iris cried in her sweetest voice.
    “Yes, Miss Siam, I do believe I’ll give you a bit more for being my darling girl.” Katherine picked up the seal-point and gave her a kiss on the back of her neck.
    The telephone rang again and Katherine moved to answer it. “I’m sorry, kids. Next time, I promise I’ll let it go to voice mail.”
    “Hello,” she answered.
    “Is this Katherine Kendall?” the male voice boomed on the other end.
    “Yes, is this Mr. Brentwood?” She recognized the loud voice, and held out the receiver to protect her ear.
    “Oh, we don’t have to be so formal. Call me Robbie. Listen, I just wanted to stop by for a minute. I’m the new volunteer curator of the Erie