Read Online Laurie Cass - Bookmobile Cat 02 - Tailing a Tabby by Laurie Cass - Free Book Online

here, aren’t they? Maybe you could get on that.”
    Harris laughed and visibly relaxed. “Oh, come on, it’s not that good. Not
Trock’s Troubles
good.”
    We all protested. I hoped Harris wouldn’t catch on to the fact that it was a token effort.
    With the compliments done, Aunt Frances moved on to the next item on her agenda. “Quincy,” she said heartily. “Did you see the creation Paulette made the other day? She’s a knitting magician, don’t you think?”
    It was obvious that Quincy cared far less about Paulette’s needleworking skills than he did about staring into Deena’s eyes. “Sure,” he said vaguely, most of his attention still on Deena. “Nice work, Paulette. Real nice socks you made.”
    Paulette stared at him. “They were mittens.”
    But Quincy had already turned back to Deena.
    Aunt Frances sent me a despairing look. “So, Zofia,” she said, reaching for a piece of toast. “Did you hear that Leo ran ten miles yesterday? Nice to see people our age take such an interest in fitness, don’t you think?”
    Zofia slathered butter on her own piece of toast, then added a large dollop of orange marmalade. “Hard on the joints, running is. Don’t want knee replacement surgery myself.”
    I watched Aunt Frances bite her lower lip. Something had to be done, and done fast.
    “Say,” I said. “Did I tell you what Eddie did the other day?”
    Everyone, Aunt Frances included, turned to me, smiles already forming on their faces. They were all familiar with Eddie stories and I’d been told—in a friendly way—not to show up to breakfast if I didn’t have a new one.
    I launched into his most recent escapade, one that involved a marina neighbor’s eighty-pound blackLabrador retriever, a bit of bread fallen from who knew where, and a short cat vs. dog tussle over said bread. Soon everyone was laughing and I breathed a small internal sigh of relief that Aunt Frances was joining in.
    Eddie to the rescue. The world was indeed a mysterious place.
    •   •   •
    “Good morning, Minnie.” My left-hand neighbor, Louisa, pulled her long white hair into a ponytail and tied it with a scarf. “The weather forecasters have been at it again, did you see? Wish I could have had a job that let me make so many mistakes.”
    “Last I checked,” I said, looking at the blue sky, “they were saying mostly sunny and mid-seventies.”
    “You poor dear,” she said sympathetically. “On your Saturday off, no less. Now they’re saying seventy percent chance of rain and high sixties.” She turned and pointed to the west.
    I looked where her index finger was aiming. A solid line of clouds was low on the horizon and inching our way. “Maybe it’ll blow apart.” But the line was dark and thick and heavy. I tried another possibility. “Or maybe it’ll stay out on Lake Michigan. That happens, sometimes.”
    Louisa studied the incoming weather, an educated gaze born from years of Great Lakes boating. She pursed her lips, deepening the small vertical lines around her mouth, and shook her head. “Not today. It’s going to start raining around eleven and it’s not going to quit for hours.”
    “Little Miss Sunshine, you are not,” I said wryly. “Tucker and I were going to go out on Janay Lake today.” So much for the picnic I was going to make. Somuch for the route I’d laid out, and so much for the bottle of wine Kristen had recommended.
    “Hmm.” Louisa put her hand to her forehead and frowned mightily. “You and that fine-looking young doctor? My, my. What could two young, single people possibly do on a rainy day?”
    I tried not to laugh. “How do you know I’m that kind of girl?”
    “If the circumstances are right, we’re
all
that kind of girl.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Have a nice day, dear.”
    This time I did laugh.
    •   •   •
    While I waited for Tucker to show up, I came up with numerous alternative plans for the day that ranged from sitting around the boat and