Read Online Death Takes a Ride (The Cate Kinkaid Files Book #3): A Novel by Lorena McCourtney - Free Book Online
Authors: Lorena McCourtney
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get Clancy. Shirley found a kennel for him.” Cate held out her hand for the leash.
“Oh. Good.” Mitch’s tone was neutral, but he kept a tight hold on the leash. “Have you checked out the place?”
“Checked it out how?”
“You can’t leave an animal just anywhere.” He sounded indignant. “What’s the staff like? How clean is the place? Do they exercise the animals or just leave them sitting in a cage all day?”
Cate granted that knowing all that would no doubt be an excellent idea, but she was a little surprised by Mitch’s vehemence.
“Actually,” Mitch added, looking down at the dog, “I don’t think he’s going to be happy locked up in any kennel.”
“I don’t see any alternative.” She explained why Shirley couldn’t keep him.
Mitch seemed to weigh that on some invisible scale. It tipped in an unexpected direction. “I suppose I could keep him for a few more days, until his owner gets out of the hospital.”
“Sleeping on the foot of your bed?” Cate asked doubtfully.
“That was a temporary arrangement. He’ll sleep on the floor tonight.”
Cate looked at Clancy now sprawled at . . . well, on . . . Mitch’s feet. Dogs couldn’t smile or wink, but Clancy had a smirky expression that strongly suggested if anyone slept on the floor tonight, it wasn’t going to be him.
8
Cate tried to call Shirley to let her know Clancy was taken care of, but she had to leave a voice mail message. She spent the day on the continuation of a job locating a wife who’d taken off with papers important to a Belmont Investigations client. She followed several leads until one took her out to Junction City and she located the woman at a cousin’s home. Routine stuff, the kind that paid a PI’s bills.
Cate and Mitch had tentatively planned to watch a DVD at his condo that evening, but he called to say he had to do an emergency virus removal job for a client.
“What about Clancy?” Cate asked.
“I’ll take him along. He’s okay with waiting in the SUV. Actually, he’s kind of useful. I don’t think anyone’s going to break into it when he stands up in the seat and looks them in the eye.”
Shirley called from the hospital to check on Clancy too. She’d gotten there by cab, but she said she’d have transportation by the following day. Her mechanic friend Jerry was loaning her a pickup he’d acquired as a basket case and put back in running order.
“How about if I take you home tonight, then?” Cate suggested.
“I don’t want to bother you—”
“No bother. What time?”
“Oh, 8:30 or so would be great. By that time, there’s no possibility I’ll get in to see Kane.”
“You didn’t see him today?”
“No. But neither did his ex-wife.” Was that a hint of satisfaction in Shirley’s voice?
“She’s there?”
“Oh yes. High heels. Blonde hair. Earrings down to her elbows. Fur jacket. She’s running around crying and carrying on, but she isn’t letting it mess up her mascara, of course.” Shirley gave a muffled gasp. “Oh my, that was really catty, wasn’t it?”
Oh yes. Catty, with claws and sharp teeth, Cate agreed, although Shirley sounded so appalled with herself that Cate felt no comment was needed. “Did you talk to her?”
“Me? Oh no. She and Mr. Halliday were arguing about something. He’s usually so calm and even tempered, but he looked ready to rip that fur jacket off her and stuff it down her throat.”
“I wonder if she’s staying here in town.”
“She yelled something at Mr. Halliday about him not getting rid of her by being a bigger jerk than ever.”
Cate picked Shirley up at the hospital just after 8:30. Shirley hadn’t personally been able to find out anything more about Kane, but she said Halliday had managed to get some information. The bullet hadn’t stuck in Kane’s brain, but it had hit a critical place or gone deep enough that his condition was considered a coma now.
Back at Shirley’s trailer, an older gray Toyota
“Oh. Good.” Mitch’s tone was neutral, but he kept a tight hold on the leash. “Have you checked out the place?”
“Checked it out how?”
“You can’t leave an animal just anywhere.” He sounded indignant. “What’s the staff like? How clean is the place? Do they exercise the animals or just leave them sitting in a cage all day?”
Cate granted that knowing all that would no doubt be an excellent idea, but she was a little surprised by Mitch’s vehemence.
“Actually,” Mitch added, looking down at the dog, “I don’t think he’s going to be happy locked up in any kennel.”
“I don’t see any alternative.” She explained why Shirley couldn’t keep him.
Mitch seemed to weigh that on some invisible scale. It tipped in an unexpected direction. “I suppose I could keep him for a few more days, until his owner gets out of the hospital.”
“Sleeping on the foot of your bed?” Cate asked doubtfully.
“That was a temporary arrangement. He’ll sleep on the floor tonight.”
Cate looked at Clancy now sprawled at . . . well, on . . . Mitch’s feet. Dogs couldn’t smile or wink, but Clancy had a smirky expression that strongly suggested if anyone slept on the floor tonight, it wasn’t going to be him.
8
Cate tried to call Shirley to let her know Clancy was taken care of, but she had to leave a voice mail message. She spent the day on the continuation of a job locating a wife who’d taken off with papers important to a Belmont Investigations client. She followed several leads until one took her out to Junction City and she located the woman at a cousin’s home. Routine stuff, the kind that paid a PI’s bills.
Cate and Mitch had tentatively planned to watch a DVD at his condo that evening, but he called to say he had to do an emergency virus removal job for a client.
“What about Clancy?” Cate asked.
“I’ll take him along. He’s okay with waiting in the SUV. Actually, he’s kind of useful. I don’t think anyone’s going to break into it when he stands up in the seat and looks them in the eye.”
Shirley called from the hospital to check on Clancy too. She’d gotten there by cab, but she said she’d have transportation by the following day. Her mechanic friend Jerry was loaning her a pickup he’d acquired as a basket case and put back in running order.
“How about if I take you home tonight, then?” Cate suggested.
“I don’t want to bother you—”
“No bother. What time?”
“Oh, 8:30 or so would be great. By that time, there’s no possibility I’ll get in to see Kane.”
“You didn’t see him today?”
“No. But neither did his ex-wife.” Was that a hint of satisfaction in Shirley’s voice?
“She’s there?”
“Oh yes. High heels. Blonde hair. Earrings down to her elbows. Fur jacket. She’s running around crying and carrying on, but she isn’t letting it mess up her mascara, of course.” Shirley gave a muffled gasp. “Oh my, that was really catty, wasn’t it?”
Oh yes. Catty, with claws and sharp teeth, Cate agreed, although Shirley sounded so appalled with herself that Cate felt no comment was needed. “Did you talk to her?”
“Me? Oh no. She and Mr. Halliday were arguing about something. He’s usually so calm and even tempered, but he looked ready to rip that fur jacket off her and stuff it down her throat.”
“I wonder if she’s staying here in town.”
“She yelled something at Mr. Halliday about him not getting rid of her by being a bigger jerk than ever.”
Cate picked Shirley up at the hospital just after 8:30. Shirley hadn’t personally been able to find out anything more about Kane, but she said Halliday had managed to get some information. The bullet hadn’t stuck in Kane’s brain, but it had hit a critical place or gone deep enough that his condition was considered a coma now.
Back at Shirley’s trailer, an older gray Toyota
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