Kitten Kaboodle (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 20) by Kathi Daley Read Free Book Online Page A

looked at the dog toys while we waited for the customers to leave, then worked my way back up to the counter.
    “Looks like Charlie found a toy he likes,” Chris commented.
    I was more than a little bit impressed that Chris knew Charlie’s name. He really had done his homework.
    “Yeah, I think he’s made his decision. The only other thing I really need today is dog food.”
    “I’ll be happy to load it in your car for you.”
    “Thanks, I’d appreciate that. So, what did you think of Edna’s breeding operation?”
    “Think?”
    “You said you delivered supplies there. I guess I assumed you must have had access to the cats.”
    “No, ma’am. Ms. Leech kept her supplies in a shed and I delivered them directly there. I asked once if I could see the cats, but she said she didn’t allow anyone inside the barn except her maintenance person.”
    “Maintenance person?”
    “The man who cleaned the pens. I met him once. Nice man.”
    “Do you remember his name?”
    “Fritz. Don’t know his last name.”
    “Do you happen to know his address or phone number?”
    “No. It never came up. I heard Ms. Leech fired him a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know for certain whether he’s still even in the area. That’ll be seventy-two dollars and thirty-six cents.”
    I handed Chris a credit card. He completed the transaction, then hauled the dog food out to my car, and I thanked him and headed home. I wished I had time to follow up on the new suspects that had come to light, but if I wanted to make it to my own dinner party on time I was going to have to investigate another day. Both Wanda Ferguson and Fritz the handyman seemed to have motives for wanting Edna dead, as did her neighbor Jethro. I was really glad these new candidates had come to light; there had been a small part of me that had begun to believe Salinger was right and Nona really was the best and only suspect.
    I loved Nona. She was fun and carefree and she continually said and did things that surprised me. I hated to think she might be capable of killing anyone, but she did have a temper, and I’d seen her act without thinking on a number of occasions. The more I thought about it, the more I’d had to admit that it wasn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility that Nona had gone back for the kittens and Edna had attempted to stop her, resulting in an altercation that had ended with Edna dead on the barn floor.
    I decided I would put a pin in the nagging fear in the back of my mind and focus all my effort on figuring out who else other than Nona had motive to want the woman dead.
    She was in the drive warming up her bike when I arrived home. “Going somewhere?”
    “Gotta hot date.”
    I frowned. “Maybe under the circumstances you should hang out here tonight. Ellie and Levi are coming over. You can join us for dinner.”
    “No offense, dearie, but hanging out with a bunch of kids doesn’t in any way compare to spending time with the hot cowboy I intend to lasso.”
    “Cowboy? I thought you were dating a gator wrangler.”
    “That was days ago. I figured out a long time ago that the spice of life is variety. Now if you don’t mind, I need to be on my way.”
    I wanted to argue, but it occurred to me that Nona was fifty years my senior. Why in the heck did I think it was my job to parent her?
    “Do you have your phone?”
    “In my pocket.”
    “And money?”
    “In my bra next to my emergency cigar.” Nona leaned over so I could see for myself that she was telling the truth. The woman certainly knew how to work her assets.
    “Okay.” I gave in. “I guess you’ll be fine, but please try not to be late. I worry about you.”
    “Oh, I’m gonna be late.” Nona laughed as she climbed onto her Harley and sped away in a cloud of dust.
    I rolled my eyes, but because there wasn’t a thing I could do about Nona’s wild ways I decided to let it go as I began unloading the groceries from the trunk of my car. I was halfway done when both Ellie