Emma shrugged. “Maybe. I’m just glad he didn’t find it.”

“But that would be a good sign. If he had to look on both sides, it means they don’t really know where the shelter is now,” Elspeth said.

“But you’re sure you saw him?” I asked.

“Oh, yes. I wasn’t that far from him in the woods, and who could miss that big old car they have?”

The car must have been the same one Ophelia had seen. I’d seen the car myself earlier that day in the garage. There was no question … Derek had been in town at the time of Lavinia’s murder. Should I add him to the suspect list? The only problem was, I wasn’t sure if he met any of the other criteria. His family was rich as anything, so he certainly didn’t need money.

I thought back to earlier in the day … had he been wearing a ring? No, I was sure he hadn’t been. Since Lavinia had mentioned it, I’d programmed myself to look at everyone’s hands and I was sure I would have noticed.

But the truth was, he had been speeding away from town that morning. The only question was … had he been speeding away in frustration because he couldn’t find the cat shelter, or had he been fleeing because he’d just committed murder?

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Pandora woke from a long sleep, stretching her legs out lazily. She slitted one eye open. Where was she? Rolling on her back, the soft blanket underneath cushioned her while she watched a rectangle of light play on the plywood floor. 

Opening both eyes, she remembered chasing the mouse up into the attic where she’d promptly fallen asleep on the old blanket. The blanket had been Anna’s and she often came up here to feel closer to her previous human. It comforted her. 

But now it was time to get up—she knew she’d been asleep for a long time. Catnip always made her so tired. And hungry.

She rolled onto all fours, pushed her front paws out in a stretch that elongated her back, then shook and trotted downstairs. 

The smell of savory salmon feast tweaked her nose as she approached the stairs. Had Willa come home? Her heightened senses told her the house was empty now, but she did vaguely remember hearing Willa call for her while she was sleeping. 

In the kitchen, she had her answer. Willa had been here and conveniently filled her cat dish. It looked like her training of the human was beginning to pay off.

Sticking her tongue out tentatively, she licked the top of the food. It was a little dry indicating it must have been sitting out for a while. Normally, Pandora would turn her nose up at such an insulting meal, but she was unusually ravenous, so she dug in to the mound with gusto.