Meow or Never (Vanessa Abbot Cat Protection League Cat Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) by Nancy C. Davis Read Free Book Online Page B

he was going to shoot at me, either. But I
saw him in the window of the barn, and when you asked me who knew we were going
to view the property, I put two and two together. I should have told you then
and there that I was the one who tipped him off, but I just couldn't bring
myself to face you. I thought the police would try to pin the murder on me.”

    Vanessa stared at her. “But why would
you tell him, Julie? You must have known he meant mischief.”

    Julie shook her head. “You don't
understand. I've known Walter Connelly all my life. He was my mother's second
cousin, and he was always perfectly nice to me. I never knew he was arrested
for all those terrible crimes until I got back to the office and told one of
the other agents about him shooting at us. You could have knocked me over with
a feather. When he called me up this morning, he asked me if I knew where to
find you. I didn't think twice. I told him I was meeting you.  I told him where the property was and what
time we would be there. I'm so sorry, Vanessa. I didn't know he would come
after you with a gun, and I certainly didn't know he would shoot at me, too.
That's gratitude for you.”

    Vanessa shook her head. “Well, that
solves that mystery. But it doesn't bring us any closer to finding him and
stopping him from threatening us again.”

    “I can tell you where to find him,”
Julie returned. “He's staying in that old flour mill outside of town.”

    Pete Wheeler stiffened. “That's right
next door to the aluminum plant.”

    “What if it is?” Julie asked.

    “He could have snuck in there from the
flour mill,” Pete pointed out. “He could have found a way to get in after the
plant shut down for the night. He could have done all his tampering then.”

    Julie shook her head. “If I hadn't seen
him with a gun this afternoon, I never would have believed he could do such a
thing.”

    “Believe it,” Vanessa shot back. “So
he's in the flour mill. How are we going to catch him?”

    “ We aren't going to catch him,”
Pete told her. “You, Penny and Alan are going to stay right here while the
police apprehend Walter. Julie, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to stay
here, too. We can't run the risk of you tipping him off again.”

    “Oh, I won't tell him anything ever again,”
she snapped.

    “Still,” he told her. “You'll have to
forgive me for taking precautions. You did it before, and it almost cost you
and Vanessa your lives. Please stay here while I get a squad together to bring
in Walter.”

    Julie nodded. “I understand. Where
would you like me to stay?”

    Pete hesitated, and Vanessa intervened.
“You can stay in the room next door with me, Julie. We'll both be safe there,
and Pete can come and let us know the moment he has Walter in custody. What do
you say? The room's all paid for and everything.”

    “All right,” Julie replied. “Thank you,
Vanessa. I don't think I would be as forgiving as you are.”

    Pete stepped out, and Vanessa went out
with him. He paused on the sidewalk and took her hand. “Are you sure this is a
good idea, sharing your room with her? She could be one of Walter's agents, and
this could be a ploy to get close to you to make another attempt on your life.”

    “If she is one of Walter's agents,”
Vanessa replied, “then there's no better place for her than in the same room
with me. I can keep an eye on her, and there won't be any chance of her telling
Walter you're on your way to arrest him.”

    “Just be careful, will you?” he asked.
“You've run too many risks and faced too many dangers already.”

    She moved closer to him. “Don't worry.
I'm being as careful as I can. Now go get Walter and we can all go home.”

    He kissed her on the forehead. “I'll
come back and let you know the minute we have him behind bars.”

Chapter 8
    Vanessa lay down on the bed in the
motel room next to Penny and Alan's room. Julie sat down at the table and
fiddled with her cell phone. Vanessa