BooksBarbecue
Back Checking Out Crime Save as PDF
Chapters (24)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries
  3. Titles by Laurie Cass
  4. Dedication
  5. Chapter 1
  6. Chapter 2
  7. Chapter 3
  8. Chapter 4
  9. Chapter 5
  10. Chapter 6
  11. Chapter 7
  12. Chapter 8
  13. Chapter 9
  14. Chapter 10
  15. Chapter 11
  16. Chapter 12
  17. Chapter 13
  18. Chapter 14
  19. Chapter 15
  20. Chapter 16
  21. Chapter 17
  22. Chapter 18
  23. About the Author
  24. What’s next onyour reading list?

Because, once again, I needed to go riding with the bike club.

Chapter 12

That night, after a dessert of apple dumplings and ice cream with Kristen, I managed to schedule breakfast the following morning with both Ash and Rafe. This seemingly simple transition took, thanks to the wonders of modern communication, a surprising amount of effort, though that could have been due to the nature of my fellow texters, and not the technological medium itself.

Minnie: Hey, you two. How about breakfast tomorrow morning? Round Table at 7 am?

Rafe: On a school day???

Ash: A Monday, no less. What is she thinking?

Rafe: Too late for beauty sleep to help you.

Ash: Don’t need help, I’m already pretty.

Minnie (rolling her eyes): None of that answers my question.

Rafe: Don’t remember what it was.

Ash: Memory is the first thing to go, old man.

Minnie (shaking her head): See you at 7 am.

As I was getting ready for bed, Rafe texted me the not-so-stunning news that since he’d been hanging with his buddy Dave all weekend, he hadn’t had time to work on the house, and that he was glad I hadn’t spent any time over there, either, but not to worry because things were going to be okay.

That was my interpretation of his text message anyway, which was laden with questionable abbreviations and emojis that made no sense.

Eyeing the garbled message, I strongly suspected that Dave was still in town and that the two of them were hanging out at a local establishment that sold nothing but adult beverages. But I also knew that, deep down where he kept it hidden from the world, Rafe was a solidly responsible human being who wouldn’t drive while intoxicated, wouldn’t let his friend drive intoxicated, and would be in bed at an hour appropriate for a Sunday night.

I blew a kiss in the direction of the house and snuggled up with a purring Eddie to read Old Baggage by Lissa Evans until I fell asleep. The next morning was so mild that, even though Eddie looked at it longingly, I didn’t bother to plug in and turn on the space heater.

“You have a fur coat,” I said, while I was toweling my hair, post-shower. “You’re the last one on this boat that truly needs the extra heat.”

I got a sudden image of Rafe and me on the couch in front of the fireplace, curled up under a cozy blanket, wind howling and snow blasting outside. And Eddie was on the hearth, belly turned toward the heat, head tipped upside down so he would see me, one eye winking.