“I think lots of things,” Rafe said. The humans were sitting in Adirondack chairs we’d moved to the sunny corner of the yard, and the feline part of the trio was flopped at our feet, belly up to the last of the day’s sunshine. Rafe was edging his left foot forward to the part of Eddie that was closest—his tail—with a clear intent to annoy.

“You realize that isn’t going to end well, right?” I asked, watching.

Rafe gave me a “What?” look, but didn’t stop his attack. Sure enough, the moment he trapped the tip of Eddie’s tail with his foot, Eddie instantaneously curled himself into a defensive ball. His paws clutched at Rafe’s running shoe and his pointed teeth sank into the layers of nylon.

“Ow!”

Rafe jerked his foot back and Eddie sprang to his feet and galloped to the safety of the back deck railing, where he sat up tall with perfect posture, his tail lashing back and forth and back and forth.

“Rotten cat,” Rafe muttered, peering at his shoe’s new puncture marks.

“Seems to me you got what you deserved.”

“Well, sure, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yet in five minutes, he’ll be back, up on your lap and purring.”

“We have an understanding,” Rafe said contentedly. “Right, Mr. Ed?”

“Mrr.”

Human or feline, men were men. “Back to the thinking thing. What I meant was, what do you think about the suspect list?”

“Right. We’re down to four, what with Skyler’s alibi and assuming you’ve given up the ridiculousness of including Jenica Thomas on the list.”

I had, but . . . “You know,” I said slowly. “She met up with Pug right before he was killed. It’s a long shot, but it’s possible he told her something that didn’t mean anything to her or Hal Inwood, but might to us.”

“Let’s go find out.” Rafe heaved himself out of the low-slung chair and offered me his hand. “It’s Friday night, which means that in forty-five minutes, Jenica will be at Moose Jaw Junction for the fish fry. You know, that place at Larks Lake? We need to eat, so let’s take advantage of this happy coincidence and go on a little road trip.”

I let him pull me to my feet. “How is it you happen to know her eating habits?”

“Genius,” he said, tapping his chest. “Can’t believe you forgot.”

Just under an hour later, after we’d encouraged Eddie into the house and driven into the heart of Emmet County, we parked on the roadside strip of gravel that was the parking lot, and went inside, hand in hand.