“You did?” I croaked the words out, my throat raw with emotion. I felt a stab of jealousy—when did Striker get Pepper’s number and how often had he been calling her?

“Yes. She said she’d be here any minute.” Striker looked through the window of the examination room to the dark, empty reception area then back at me. “Will you be okay until then? I want to go back to your house and help Augusta inspect the crime scene.”

“Sure.” I opened the door and he followed me out into the lobby. Since it was after-hours, there was no receptionist, no customers waiting, which suited me just fine. I could use some alone time.

We stood looking at each other awkwardly. I wondered what Striker was thinking … and why my stomach was flip-flopping.

Then the door opened and Elspeth swept in, breaking the spell.

“Where is she?” Elspeth’s worried eyes darted between the three examining room doors.

“In here.” I started toward the room Pandora was in. Striker gave me a wave and moved toward the door to the parking lot.

“Thanks,” I called after him. He turned and nodded to me, then was gone.

Elspeth was already at Pandora’s side, her hands lovingly caressing the cat’s fur.

“What happened?” She looked at me with puckered brows.

“Someone broke into my house and ransacked my living room. Pandora must have been there. I found her like this, under a pile of books.”

“Books?”

I nodded.

Elspeth’s face hardened and she pressed her forehead against Pandora’s, all the while crooning softly to the cat.

Pandora’s tail lifted a fraction of an inch, the kinked end sticking straight up in the air. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened. She gazed into Elspeth’s eyes as if the two of them were having some sort of telepathic communication.

Pandora put her paw on Elspeth’s forearm and Elspeth nodded, then turned the paw gently in her hand. Pandora’s claws shot out, revealing broken jagged edges.

“She fought the intruder,” Elspeth squeezed her paw gently and I saw the pinkie claw pop out. My breath caught in my throat … skewered on the claw was a scrap of navy blue fabric.

“That looks like the same fabric that was on the murder weapon. I should get Augusta to look at that.” I pulled the fabric off, found a plastic baggie on one of the drawers, and deposited it inside.

Holding the bag up in front of me, I felt a spark of hope. “I don’t know why the person who killed Lavinia would break into my house, but maybe this scrap of fabric will help the police figure things out.”

“That’s not the only thing that might help them,” Elspeth said.

“What do you mean?”