Read Online Lawyer for the Cat by Lee Robinson - Free Book Online

the smile that’s tugging at the corners of my mouth.
    â€œNo, but like I said, Lila told me about him. She always said he wouldn’t hurt a flea, but Billy—”
    â€œSo you’d prefer not to live here?”
    â€œNot unless we have to. Like I said, Beatrice would be fine at our place, wouldn’t you, precious?” Gail strokes the cat’s back. Beatrice’s eyes are closed, her body relaxed. “She’d get along fine with SpongeBob and SquarePants. They behave themselves pretty good most of the time.… Anyway, I think I could do as good a job as anybody, with Beatrice, I mean. Does the will or whatever say we definitely got to live here?”
    â€œThe trust states … let me see, I have a copy … that ‘the chosen caregiver shall reside with Beatrice, during Beatrice’s lifetime, at my home … and shall endeavor to provide Beatrice with the same lifestyle, routine, and emotional environment as she has become accustomed to in my care.’ What do you think that means?”
    â€œDoesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I thought ‘environment’ is about the outside, but Beatrice never did spend much time outside. I know the ‘routine’ thing is important, though, for a cat.”
    â€œWhat’s her routine?” I’m taking notes: Beatrice comfortable with Gail. Gail’s affection for her seems genuine.
    â€œShe likes to sleep with Lila—I mean, before—but if I take care of her I guess she’ll sleep with me and Billy.”
    â€œThat wouldn’t upset your cats?”
    â€œOh, they’ll be okay after everybody gets adjusted. You want to see upstairs? Everybody always wants to see the upstairs, it being so historic and all.”
    â€œSure,” I say, though I don’t really care for a tour, “but let me finish up with my questions.”
    â€œI guess that’s what lawyers do,” she says. “They ask a ton of questions!”
    â€œWe were talking about the cat’s routine.”
    â€œRight. She wakes up pretty early, wants something to eat. She’ll walk around her empty bowl until you give her something, acts like she’s starving to death! Lila would always say, wait until supper-time, feed her once a day, but as fat as she is—the cat, I mean—looks like she broke her own rule, so when I had her—I gotta tell the truth—sometimes I spoiled her, gave her a little something in the morning. And then she’d pretty much sleep the rest of the day, unless it was story time.”
    â€œStory time?”
    â€œYeah, I know it sounds crazy, but Lila would read her stories. There’s one of the books right there, beside you.” Atop a stack of newspapers there’s an old book, with a brown leather cover, faded gold letters on the binding: Aesop’s Fables. “It’s the darnedest thing, I could swear Beatrice understands it. The one about a cat and a fox—that’s her favorite.”
    â€œMaybe she just liked the sound of Mrs. Mackay’s voice.… You said you work part-time. What about Billy?”
    â€œWhen he’s not shrimping, he takes people out on fishing charters. Right now things are kinda slow.… Let me show you upstairs.” She’s insistent. “Kinda run-down, but interesting … all those antiques and all.”
    â€œOkay, sure.”
    â€œWe’ll just let Beatrice stay right here where it’s warm. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. Won’t you, precious?” The cat opens her yellow eyes briefly as she’s transferred from lap to hearth, then closes them again.
    I follow Gail up the wooden staircase to the main floor. She moves with a self-assured, muscular grace. It’s hard to believe she’s afraid of anything, much less a ghost. “You see what I mean?” We’ve reached the landing, which is really a central hall. “In the old days