Read Online Pawsitively Dead (A Wonder Cats Mystery Book 2) by Harper Lin - Free Book Online

a little straighter. “But you’re right, Cath. I’ll give him a chance on more even terms. I’m going to talk to him.”
    She wouldn’t wear the outfit that I chose for her though. She would go visit Jake, in all honesty, as the Bea he knew and loved.
    At the door, we saw her off.
    I asked, “Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you?”
    “I’m sure that’s what you want,” Bea said, but she laughed.
    Aunt Astrid cleared her throat. “Well, the matter Jake has with you is a little offensive to our entire family legacy.”
    Bea assured us, “I can handle him on my own. Fair is fair is one on one.”
    I could tell that Bea was nervous though. Luckily, right then, I felt something brush my ankle and saw Peanut Butter between us. He looked at her with large amber eyes and gave a weak miaow .
    I urged Bea, “At least take Peanut Butter with you!”
    “I will,” Bea said, bending down to pick up Peanut Butter. With his front paws on her shoulder and his hind legs cradled in her arms, Bea nodded good-bye at the both of us and set off for Jake’s place.
    Aunt Astrid shut the door. The look on her face was one of anticipating doom.
    “At least Bea won’t be alone,” I said. Jake couldn’t possibly feel ganged up on by one person and her pet.
    Aunt Astrid remarked, as her expression changed to one of exaggerated innocence, “And you’ll be able to check up on her through Peanut Butter.”
    I would never admit to that ploy ever having crossed my mind.

Burger’s Bite
    A unt Astrid and I sat down together to figure out what the problem was with the construction contractors’ contract. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it for the whole morning, although Aunt Astrid ultimately seemed to have figured out what had gone wrong. She made the call to their accountant while I made lunch: deli meat and cheese sandwiches, a giant garden salad, and some reheated crab-and-corn soup.
    I let my mind wander to Treacle, letting our minds connect. “ I didn’t leave food out for you,” I reminded him. I used to do so, but that attracted other stray cats, and they tended to be rude or even violent to Treacle.
    “That’s all right,” Treacle replied. “ I ate a field mouse on the way to the wire forest.”
    That would be all right if it had only been words, but when I join my mind with animals, they spoke in ideas and feelings…and the full imagery of experience. I flinched when I sensed the crunch of field mouse bones, the smell of its urine, and the fleas tickling Treacle’s whiskers.
    “ I wish you’d quit hunting wild things, Treacle. They could pass on worms in your gut that’ll make you feel sick!”
    “Some human foods for cats are poisoned,” Treacle reminded me.
    That had been a freak outbreak of contaminated pet food in China. I’d read a news report about it and translated it for Treacle, who took it entirely the wrong way.
    “Some human foods for humans are poisonous too,” Treacle thought. “ Life is always going to be dangerous.”
    There was no convincing him otherwise. “ Marshmallow is grouchy that you don’t take your magic lessons. Why did you go to the… wire forest?” As I uncertainly repeated the thought back, I recognized the cracked concrete floor of the animal shelter—and the wire around the kennel area. Oh.
    “Because,” Treacle thought back at me triumphantly, “ I don’t want to scare away our witness.”
    The reply made no sense to me.
    Through Treacle’s eyes, I saw the edges of worn blue jeans and sneakers. Treacle looked up and miaowed at a figure too tall for me to recognize, until it stopped and sat down. The air took on a ragged quality as the human covered his face with his hands.
    Cody, I realized. Cody Willis was crying. Of course he was. Old Murray was his grandfather, and the only family he had left. Old Murray had been arrested for a crime that he didn’t commit.
    There was nothing I could do.
    “Cody? Are you all right?” said a familiar voice.
    Cody