Zeke moved toward the back door, twisting the plastic blinds over the small window, letting in just enough evening light to showcase how run-down the kitchen looked. The space no longer radiated cheer and laughter. Instead it masqueraded as a horror film set with chipped Formica and worn flooring. When he pulled back the drapes on the window next to the old-fashioned dinette set, a missing pane explained the unknown critter’s presence.

“Well, this would be how whatever it is got inside. You’re going to need to call a glass company, but I can fetch something to cover it tonight. It’s already getting cool. Wonder if there’s a flashlight around here? With actual working batteries?” Zeke glanced around the space, which looked fairly bare of counter appliances.

“Here,” Olivia said, clicking on her cell phone flashlight app and handing it to Zeke.

“Thanks,” he said, taking it from her and stooping to shine the light within the cabinet. Two glowing eyes caught the beams before they illuminated a hissing cat. “Well, the good news is it’s only a cat. The bad news is that it’s really pissed off.”

They could hear the low, feral growl coming from the collection of pots and pans in the cabinet. The kitty was indeed spitting mad.

“What do we do?” Olivia asked.

Zeke stood and shut the cabinet. “I know what I’m not going to do, and that’s reach my hand into that cabinet.”

Chase poked her head in. “Maybe we can call a rescue or something? I had to do community service for one in Beverly Hills. They have traps and stuff.”

Zeke made a chuffing sound. “Yeah, uh, this ain’t Rodeo Drive, and that’s not a pet, so right now, I think we better leave it be.”

Olivia’s phone rang. She tapped her Bluetooth. “What did you find out, Marina?”

“They turned the service on and said it must be an issue on your end. I called an electric service company close to your location, but their only available tech is on another job at present. The soonest they can send someone out is tomorrow. And that’s only if, uh, Raymond doesn’t get hurt again this year. I don’t know what that means, but it has something to do with a rodeo in town?”

“A rodeo?”

“Yeah, and another piece of bad news—there are no hotels or motels available in a twenty-mile radius. You can drive into Redmond and I can get you a room at the Motel 7, but that’s the only hotel available.”

“You mean Motel 6?”

“No, it’s definitely Motel 7. It has a one-and-a-half-star rating, so I didn’t bother getting a room. The last review said something about a pest infestation?”