Read Online 3 Panthers Play for Keeps by Clea Simon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Clea Simon
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as I raced us both back to my house. And when I left him in the car, promising to be quick, he barely responded.
“Cat?” I thought I heard.
“Yes.” I slammed the door behind me and ran up to my own front door.
“Watch it!” Wallis pressed both white front paws against my chest and pushed as I hugged her close. “I am not a… ”
“Toy, I know.” I said, nuzzling into the thick ruff of fur around her neck. “It’s just that…you don’t know what I’m dealing with, Wallis.”
I wasn’t sure how much to go into. After all, as much as I wanted Wallis to be wary, I didn’t need to frighten her with an image of a killer who would never come within miles of our front yard.
“Oh, don’t I?” That’s when I got it: the flash image of jaws, clamping down on the back of the neck. In Wallis’ case, it was a mouse’s neck, the tiny spine firm against her teeth, but I could feel it as if they were my own. She held on— I held on—until the pressure had suffocated the smaller beast. In my heart, I knew joy, my only frustration being that I hadn’t managed to crack the mouse’s spine, or even its skull, with that first bite.
“That’s how it’s done .”The image receded, and I found myself staring at Wallis, her eyes glittering with the thrill of the memory she had just shared.
“Thanks, Wallis.” I pulled back and looked at her, my heart swelling. Only Wallis would compare herself to a killer and be proud of it. I thought of that mouse and did my best to block the other image—the woman, half her head laid bare.
“What?” Her green eyes stared into mine, cool and calm. “You think we’re that different?” There was a mocking tone in her voice, and for once I couldn’t tell—not for sure—if she was teasing me or having a laugh at my human frailty. “Go back to that…dog .”Now the voice dripped contempt.
It did, however, remind me of whom I had left in the car. “Okay, then.” I released her small body. “But I won’t be out late. And I could use a consult.” It wasn’t simply flattery. Maybe she sensed it, because she drew herself up, wrapping her tail around her front paws, and didn’t complain when I reached to stroke her smooth striped head.
Spot was staring out the window when I got back to the car.
“Sorry about that.” It hadn’t gotten that cold, but I still felt bad about leaving him for what must have been close to fifteen minutes.
“Cat .”One syllable, that was it. I turned toward him, but he was staring out the window, at my house. Some things never change, I thought, and put my baby-blue baby in gear.
I got any additional proof I needed as I glided up Laurel Kroft’s drive. There, parked right in front, was Creighton’s unmarked car. It wasn’t a surprise, or shouldn’t have been. And I reminded myself that I had made my choice as I parked and walked around the car to open Spot’s door.
“Hunt?” The query was more a general question than a specific request. I read it as the dog’s way of asking what was going on.
“No need.” I reached to stroke that broad head. I needed the comfort, even if he didn’t, and with that I walked Spot up to my rival’s front door.
“Dr. Kroft.” I nodded as she opened the door and handed her the lead. Spot stayed by my side even as she took it, and I tried not to think of the symbolism of that.
“Pru!” I didn’t need the extra emphasis in her voice to let me know she was gloating. But before I could turn to leave, I heard another voice say my name.
“Glad you made it,” said Creighton, stepping out from behind her. “I wanted to speak with you both.”
I bit the inside of my lip, nodding at him as Laurel held the door open. As she led the way into the living room, I allowed myself to imagine what Wallis would have done with that nubby cream sofa.
Spot, however, was a very different animal. Without any cue that I could catch, he trotted over to a small brown rug by the window and sat. Whoever ended
“Cat?” I thought I heard.
“Yes.” I slammed the door behind me and ran up to my own front door.
“Watch it!” Wallis pressed both white front paws against my chest and pushed as I hugged her close. “I am not a… ”
“Toy, I know.” I said, nuzzling into the thick ruff of fur around her neck. “It’s just that…you don’t know what I’m dealing with, Wallis.”
I wasn’t sure how much to go into. After all, as much as I wanted Wallis to be wary, I didn’t need to frighten her with an image of a killer who would never come within miles of our front yard.
“Oh, don’t I?” That’s when I got it: the flash image of jaws, clamping down on the back of the neck. In Wallis’ case, it was a mouse’s neck, the tiny spine firm against her teeth, but I could feel it as if they were my own. She held on— I held on—until the pressure had suffocated the smaller beast. In my heart, I knew joy, my only frustration being that I hadn’t managed to crack the mouse’s spine, or even its skull, with that first bite.
“That’s how it’s done .”The image receded, and I found myself staring at Wallis, her eyes glittering with the thrill of the memory she had just shared.
“Thanks, Wallis.” I pulled back and looked at her, my heart swelling. Only Wallis would compare herself to a killer and be proud of it. I thought of that mouse and did my best to block the other image—the woman, half her head laid bare.
“What?” Her green eyes stared into mine, cool and calm. “You think we’re that different?” There was a mocking tone in her voice, and for once I couldn’t tell—not for sure—if she was teasing me or having a laugh at my human frailty. “Go back to that…dog .”Now the voice dripped contempt.
It did, however, remind me of whom I had left in the car. “Okay, then.” I released her small body. “But I won’t be out late. And I could use a consult.” It wasn’t simply flattery. Maybe she sensed it, because she drew herself up, wrapping her tail around her front paws, and didn’t complain when I reached to stroke her smooth striped head.
Spot was staring out the window when I got back to the car.
“Sorry about that.” It hadn’t gotten that cold, but I still felt bad about leaving him for what must have been close to fifteen minutes.
“Cat .”One syllable, that was it. I turned toward him, but he was staring out the window, at my house. Some things never change, I thought, and put my baby-blue baby in gear.
I got any additional proof I needed as I glided up Laurel Kroft’s drive. There, parked right in front, was Creighton’s unmarked car. It wasn’t a surprise, or shouldn’t have been. And I reminded myself that I had made my choice as I parked and walked around the car to open Spot’s door.
“Hunt?” The query was more a general question than a specific request. I read it as the dog’s way of asking what was going on.
“No need.” I reached to stroke that broad head. I needed the comfort, even if he didn’t, and with that I walked Spot up to my rival’s front door.
“Dr. Kroft.” I nodded as she opened the door and handed her the lead. Spot stayed by my side even as she took it, and I tried not to think of the symbolism of that.
“Pru!” I didn’t need the extra emphasis in her voice to let me know she was gloating. But before I could turn to leave, I heard another voice say my name.
“Glad you made it,” said Creighton, stepping out from behind her. “I wanted to speak with you both.”
I bit the inside of my lip, nodding at him as Laurel held the door open. As she led the way into the living room, I allowed myself to imagine what Wallis would have done with that nubby cream sofa.
Spot, however, was a very different animal. Without any cue that I could catch, he trotted over to a small brown rug by the window and sat. Whoever ended
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