It seemed that Lisa had discovered a second career, and Hannah wasn’t about to thwart her. “Okay. I told you everything I know. You come up with something tonight and call me before I leave for the gym in the morning. As long as it’s not an outright lie or something the sheriff’s department asked me to keep quiet, you’re welcome to tell it to everybody who comes in the door.”

Evening came early in November. At five thirty on the dot, Hannah flicked off the lights on her cookie truck, locked the doors behind her, and hurried up the stairs to her condo, eager for warmth and light. She inserted her key in the lock, dropped her purse to the floor, and held out her arms as she pushed the door open.

She was not disappointed. An orange-and-white furry ball hurtled into her arms, sending her back two steps. It might have knocked her over if she hadn’t been standing with her feet braced apart, but Hannah was well acquainted with Moishe’s coming-home ritual. She picked up her purse, carried him inside, and placed him in his favorite position on the back of the couch.

“So you’re glad to see me tonight?” she asked him.

“Rowww!”

“And it’s not just because you know I’m going to give you one of your favorite treats?”

“Rowww!”

She laughed and scratched him under the chin. Hannah loved the way Moishe answered every question she asked him. She’d counted once, just to see how long he would keep it up. His record was almost forty answers to her questions. “Hold on a second. I’ll get something for you.”

Hannah headed to the kitchen to fetch the round canister of fish-shaped, salmon-flavored kitty treats. Once Moishe was munching on one and another two sat on the edge of the couch in easy paw reach, Hannah hung up her parka, switched on a few more lights, kicked off her shoes, and carried them back to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable.

It didn’t take long to slip into gray sweatpants and a green sweatshirt. She pulled on fleece-lined moccasins and padded back to the kitchen. She had just enough time to feed Moishe, bake another batch of Candy Bar Bar Cookies in her home oven for dessert, and set the round table in the living room with plates, glasses, silverware, and napkins for her sisters and Norman.

“You ate all your food again?” Hannah stared at Moishe’s Kitty Valet in disbelief. There was plenty of water left, but the food was all gone. She turned to watch her gluttonous gato as he strolled into the kitchen, but he didn’t seem appreciably larger, his stomach wasn’t distended, and he didn’t look uncomfortable. How could he chow down on twelve cups of kitty crunchies and look perfectly normal?