Kilt at the Highland Games by Kaitlyn Dunnett Read Free Book Online Page A

the stool. “I’ve got to get going. See you tonight.”
    He winced as he stood, making Dan wonder if he’d hurt himself fighting the fire at Angie’s Books. That was yet another obstacle in the recruitment of volunteers. There were no benefits, and if a volunteer firefighter was paid at all for his services, it was at a rate of no more than eight dollars a call. Dan shook his head as he watched his neighbor walk gingerly toward the door.
    What a deal, he thought. Risk your life and pay for the privilege of doing it.
    * * *
    The quiet of Liss’s house acted like a balm after a day that had, at times, seemed endless. The latest news from the fire scene was mixed. Good because no human remains had been found. Bad because arson was looking even more likely, and the Hogencamps were still among the missing.
    Liss wanted nothing more than to collapse on the comfy sofa in the living room, put her feet up, and use the landline on the end table to call Graziano’s and order a pizza with everything. No way was she cooking supper. She felt as if it would use up her last reserves of energy just to lift the phone off the hook.
    The cats, of course, had other ideas.
    No sooner did Liss apply backside to cushion than Glenora appeared. She had stayed out of sight earlier in the day. She’d been taking no chances. What with Liss tripping over her and that godawful wailing siren, who could blame her? But cats had short memories, and bottomless pits where their stomachs should be. Staring hard at Liss, she let out a plaintive meow, cocking her head as if to ask, “Aren’t I just the cutest little thing you ever saw? Why aren’t you feeding me already?”
    Liss sighed. “Give me a break, okay? I’m too pooped to pop.”
    Glenora leapt into her lap and began to knead. Needle-sharp claws easily penetrated Liss’s cotton slacks to make contact with bare skin. Biting back a yelp of pain, Liss came to her feet, dumping the little black cat onto the floor. She could swear Glenora smirked at her.
    â€œAll right. All right. You win.” Brushing cat hair off her slacks, Liss followed the feline through the arch between the living room and dining room and headed toward the kitchen. She was not at all surprised to find Lumpkin waiting for them. “What are you? Backup?”
    The big yellow Maine coon cat was almost twice Glenora’s size. He had already opened the door of the kitchen cabinet where his food was stored. He had not yet figured out how to pop the top on a cat food can, and since he’d once chewed his way into a bag of dry food, Liss had taken to storing kibble in a large plastic container with a secure lid.
    By the time she’d dished out equal portions and refilled the cats’ water bowls, Dan had come in from his workshop. His custom jigsaw-puzzle tables were even more of a niche market than selling Scottish-themed knickknacks. It had only been in the last few years that profits had been high enough for him to stop working part-time in the family business, Ruskin Construction, with the occasional weekend filling in at The Spruces. Together, Dan and Liss managed to make ends meet and then some, and they’d long since agreed that being happy in their work was more important than earning a lot of money.
    Dan greeted her with a kiss, which instantly made her feel better. She was about to broach the subject of pizza and suggest they make it an early night when a quick, one-two rap on the front door was immediately followed by the sound of footsteps in the hallway. A moment later, Margaret Boyd walked into the kitchen.
    â€œOh, good. You’re here. We need to talk.”
    Liss and Dan exchanged a worried look. That was a phrase that never preceded good news.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Liss gestured for her aunt to take a chair at the kitchen table and sank into one herself. She was not at all sure she wanted to hear what Margaret had to say.
    â€œDo