“Wait, you meditate? And read?” Razzy’s eyes blazed, and she glared at me. Her tail started flicking back and forth. “Yes, I read. I’m not a heathen. I also make sure I only choose free books, so you don’t get charged. I’m sorry if that offends you,” she said with a sniff, turning her back to me.
.jfif)
This was going to take some serious getting used to. Owning a pet was one thing, but having a pet roommate who was more well-read than I was? That was a switch.
I peeked under my desk, smiling at Razzy. She was sitting up, looking at me intently. I almost asked her for her thoughts when my phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw it was Georgia North. “Hi, Georgia,” I said, answering it before it could go to voicemail. “Hi, you know how you wanted me to look through some of Mark’s files? I think I found something.” I sat up straight in my chair, excited to hear what she had to say next. “Do you want to tell me over the phone?” “No, I need to meet you somewhere. I can get away in about fifteen minutes. Can you meet me at the Roasted Bean? It’s right by the bank.” “I’ll be there.” I ended the call and grabbed Razzy’s bag. I stuffed everything in the back pocket and headed out of my cubicle. Luckily, everyone was intent on their work and didn’t notice me lugging the bag out of there. As I got to my car, my open window reminded me I needed to get it fixed. I made a mental note to do that after I met Georgia.
Once I got to the coffee shop, I picked a table outside so I could bring Razzy with me. I ordered a cup of cappuccino and a pastry while I waited. After I broke off a small piece to share with Razzy, she thanked me quietly. Her eyes were wide as she took in the traffic noise and the bustle of the busy coffee shop patio. “Hannah, thanks for meeting me,” Georgia said, bustling up to the table. She had a file folder in her hand, and she looked around before she sat across from me. “Thanks for coming. I’m looking forward to what you found.” “Well, it’s pretty significant. In fact, I should probably turn this over to the bank and not a reporter, but I don’t think they’d do anything about it. I think Harms may be in on it.” Now I was thoroughly intrigued. I listened as she opened the folder and explained what she found. Some financial stuff was way over my head, but by the time she was done talking, I think I had a good grasp of it all.
“So, you’re saying Mark was embezzling small amounts from all of his clients? Nothing too much, just a little every month. Why do you think Harms is involved?” I asked. “Well, I pulled up their accounts last night after work. I noticed each of them had deposits that couldn’t be accounted for without that explanation. I think Harms knew what Mark was doing and wanted in on the action,” she said, closing the file folder and sliding it over to me. “I made you a copy of everything.” “Wow, I appreciate this. Do you have a problem if I share this with the police?” Her eyes darted around, and her neck reddened. “I guess that’s fine. Just, please, keep my name out of it.” “I will. Let me know if you find anything else out. I noticed Wesley Laughlin has a blue binder I saw in Mark’s office before. Do you think you could get a look at that?” “That’s Mark’s book of clients. I can try, but Wesley, the little worm, usually has it on him at all times.” “Well, if you can, that’d be great. There may be some good information in there.” “I will. I’ve got to get back. Thanks again,” she said, sliding her chair back. I opened up the folders and heard Razzy’s soft voice from under the table.
“Mama, that lady wasn’t telling you the whole truth.” I looked around and acted like I was tying my shoe to answer her without looking like a crazy person. “What do you mean, Razzy?” “I could tell she was keeping something back. I don’t know what it is, but she smelled like she was lying.” “You can smell lies?” She huffed and fluffed up her fur, turning around. I was going to need to get her out of the cramped bag and back home so she could stretch out. “It’s not that I smell lies. It’s just that human scents change when they tell lies. That’s why I like you so much. You’re always honest with me.” “Well, thanks. I need to call Ben, and then I’ll take you home, okay?”
She nodded, and I straightened back up, bonking my head on the table. I rubbed the sore spot and looked around. So far, no one seemed to look my way, so I hoped I hadn’t been seen having an in-depth conversation with my bag. I pulled out my phone and dialed Ben’s number. He answered on the second ring. “Hannah, what’s up?” “Hey, Ben. You’re never going to believe what I found out. Do you have time to meet me later?” “I’m gonna be tied up for the next few hours. Do you want to have dinner or something, and you can tell me then?” I paused, unsure of how to answer. Was this like a date? My palms started sweating. Why did he have to be so handsome? “Um, sure, I guess,” I said, stammering and feeling like a complete idiot. “Where would you like to meet?” “You know the Greek place that’s about three blocks from your apartment?” “Yeah, Santorini’s?” “That’s the one. Let’s meet up there at six.” “Okay, see you then.” I wasn’t sure how to process my feelings about meeting with Ben for dinner. I’m sure he just wanted to kill two birds with one stone, right? I mean, this wasn’t like a date or anything. It was just about the case. I rubbed my palms on my jeans and stood up, desperate for physical activity to keep my mind busy. I was going to go for an Olympic medal in overthinking if I wasn’t careful. I grabbed Razzy’s bag, deciding to head home and drop her off before I got my window fixed. As I drove home, my phone rang again. I answered it without looking. “Hannah! Where are you?” Tom asked, his usually gravelly voice sounding madder than usual. “I’m driving right now. I need to get my window fixed. Why, what’s up?” “Have you seen the piece Dave Freidrich did in today’s Times?” “No, I haven’t. What’s wrong?” “Pull over, read it, and get back to me,” he said, hanging up his desk phone with a bang. Well, that didn’t sound good. Since I was almost home, I drove on, parked, and ran up the stairs. I unzipped Razzy’s bag, and she stretched as I opened my laptop. She jumped up on the table next to me as the website for the Times loaded. “Mama, he sounded furious.” “Yeah, I guess we’ll find out why shortly.” I scanned through the piece, feeling angrier with every line I read. That rat! He claimed to have inside information and accused the local police force of covering up the real story. Ben, in particular, was portrayed as unflatteringly as possible. I took a deep breath and called Tom. “It’s me. I just read it. What is he thinking?” “Have you found anything like that in your research?” Tom asked, barking out each word. “No, but I have found something that could blow this case wide open. I’ll know more tonight, and I’ll have my story ready before the deadline for tomorrow’s issue.” “You better. I’m putting a lot of trust in you. Dave’s story makes us look like we’re missing the boat here, and I don’t like it. You need to get this moving!” I winced as Tom slammed his phone down again. Razzy rubbed her head against my cheek and purred a little. “Don’t let him get to you. You’ve got this,” Razzy said, sitting back down and looking at me earnestly. “I hope so, Razzy. I need to go over what Georgia gave me and then figure out if she’s lying about something.” “Trust me. She’s lying.” I patted her on the head and got ready to leave again. I’d get my window fixed in between now and meeting Ben. Luckily, Tom’s call had my stomach already worked into knots, making me forget about my nervousness over dinner. Almost.
~~~
It seemed routine, she felt like she had a migraine coming on and had to say "no" to a girls' night out with her best friend. She was getting ready to leave work, when Tom, her boss asked her to come into his office. He started by congratulating her on her latest article and then surprised her when he said that he wanted to try her on some harder pieces! Just what she'd been wanting... He promised that she would get the next big story!
Hannah was beginning to wonder and question, "Exactly what has happened?" To which she didn't have an answer. But, indeed, she was having a conversation...with...her...cat... She made it home, only to feel dizzy, sure that her migraine was going to be a bad one. If she only knew... Because something happened after she had laid down and later woke. She could hear a soft voice calling, "Mama, Mama..." She looked around, seeing only Razzy, so she laid there a little longer, even if it was now dark. But, soon, she heard the call again, "Mama!" She looked around and found she was in the nearby park! In her bed clothes! Had she sleep-walked? Why? But then she saw a small figure walking toward her and saw it was Razzy. “Say something, Mama. You’re scaring me. Why are you outside?” And the world stopped for a second. Until she thought she was dreaming...No, she was indeed outside in the park... And Razzy was sitting there as if waiting for an answer to the question she had heard, but thought she'd been hallucinating... Razzy kept telling her she was not dreaming, that he had followed her out of their front door, leaving it open, and he was not wanting to return home! Trying to make light of the situation, she quoted Shakespeare and she would follow, only to have Razzy correct her Shakespeare, like she was a literary critic...
It was also Razzy, who had stopped when a strange smell became noticeable up ahead... And, of course, Hannah just went on walking, just like we humans do, blindly, and clearly, not being willing to accept that her cat was telling her to stop before proceeding. Then Hannah fell over what was laying on the walk. It was a body. And, of course, being a reporter, she had her phone with her--in her pajama pocked--and pulled it out... But that was after Hannah, who still thought she was in a dream, reached down to his neck to check for a heartbeat... And Screamed! She was now awake, but it was Razzy who told her she should call the police... After she bit her big toe to ensure she was really awake and needed to stop pinching herself to try to wake up...
On the other hand, once Hannah was totally awake and aware of her surroundings and what had happened, she realized that this was the first major story! And it was HERS! Knowing she would have to stay until the police arrived, she looked down at her pink pajama bottoms with white cats, and knew it was not going to be a good interview coming up... LOL
And that's when she met Detective Ben Walsh--who as we expected would become Hannah's love interest as the story progresses...
...another man approached me. He was dressed in a suit and looked official. “Miss? I need to ask you some questions,” he said as he approached. As he got closer, I could make out his features. He had short sandy blonde hair. His eyes were startlingly light, but I couldn’t make out the actual color. His face was chiseled, and if I hadn’t just stumbled over a dead person, I might have been attracted to him. “Yes, I’ll be happy to help,” I said. “Who are you?” “I’m Detective Ben Walsh, with the Hills Police Department. Can I get your name?”
“I’m Hannah Murphy. I’m a reporter with the Post.” “Oh, you’re a reporter. I see.” I didn’t miss the look of distaste he shot me. Ah, he was one of those cops who didn’t like reporters. I heaved a little sigh. “I’m a reporter, yes, but I’m a viable witness. I found the dead guy over there about half an hour ago.” He glanced at the cat sitting next to me and my pajama pants and quirked an eyebrow. “Is this your cat?” I cleared my throat, embarrassed to be caught in this situation. “Yes, this is my cat, Razzy.” He held out his hands, knuckles first for her to sniff, before patting her on the head. “Nice cat.”
“Oh, he’s cute,” Razzy said. “Don’t screw this up.” “What?” I asked. “I said nice cat. Now, can you tell me what you’re doing in the park this early in the morning?” I needed to get a grip. I couldn’t be answering my cat right in front of this guy. What was my problem? I put my head in my hands and tried to come up with a good reason for walking in the park in my pajamas with my cat. A reason that wouldn’t implicate me in the death of whoever the corpse was. “I had a bad headache earlier, and I thought maybe some night air would help,” I said. “So, I took a walk. I live right over there. Sometimes my cat likes to come with me.” That felt pretty lame, but it was all I could come up with on short notice. What? I may be a reporter, but this situation was out of my wheelhouse. “You took a walk. At night. Alone, with your cat?” “Yep, we do that sometimes.” “Okay, did you hear anything before you discovered the body?” “No, I was surprised when I fell over him. I honestly don’t know who he is, or was, or why he’s here.” I ran my hands up and down my arms to warm up. Ben must have noticed me and shrugged off his suit coat, offering it to me.
~~~
Great cozy mystery... For me, I came to celebrate cats! Wish I could talk to mine! Seriously, if you enjoy cat cozy mysteries, this one is for you. The conversations between Hannah and Razzy are both fun and heart warming... Especially, when Razzy declares that the detective is worth notice and then proceeds from there... In the meantime, I had to get a little music into this book... so enjoy a couple below... Enjoy!
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