Read Online Treacherous Tart by Ellie Grant - Free Book Online

there.
    â€œHere, kitty-kitty,” she whispered into the darkness.
    Her aunt had heavy blinds up on her windows so the light couldn’t come in on the mornings she wanted to sleep late. Maggie remembered when Uncle Fred had put them up.
    She’d been a teenager, about fifteen or so. The neighbors next door had a bad habit of throwing late-night parties with plenty of lights and noise. The noise and lights were her aunt and uncle’s reason for putting up the blinds. They’d never come down, though she guessed the parties had stopped many years before.
    â€œWhere are you, stupid cat?” Maggie searched impatiently.
    A light suddenly came on—it was the lamp with the rosebud shade beside Aunt Clara’s bed. The flowered shade threw pink shadows across the room.
    Her aunt was sitting up, blinking like a sleepy owl. “What in the world is going on?”
    â€œI’m sorry,” Maggie apologized. “I was looking for . . . that cat! Has it been in here the whole time?”
    The multicolored cat was sleeping in the middle of Aunt Clara’s bed. It lifted its head and stared at Maggie as though daring her to try to kick it out now.
    Aunt Clara focused on the cat. “Oh my goodness! How did she get in?”
    â€œYou’ve been feeding her here too, haven’t you?”
    â€œWell, we aren’t at the pie shop on the weekends. It made sense to have her follow us home so I could feed her here. Did you let her inside?”
    â€œNo. I opened the door and she ran in.”
    â€œI forgot to feed her with everything that happened.” Aunt Clara stroked the cat’s fur. “Would you mind? I’m keeping the cat food in the little pantry by the door. Don’t overfeed her. She only eats about half a cup. The rest will go to waste.”
    Maggie couldn’t believe all of this was going on, and she’d never even noticed. Her aunt must have bought cat food when she’d gone out on her own. It certainly wasn’t part of their normal shopping list.
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell me you’d decided to adopt a cat?”
    Aunt Clara smiled. “You seemed so against it at the pie shop.”
    â€œYou’ve been feeding her a lot longer than that.”
    â€œTrue. I guess she’s my secret friend. She could be your friend too. She could stay in the house and walk with us to the shop during the week. What do you think we should call her?”
    Maggie rolled her eyes as she moved away from the bed with her flashlight, pillowcase, and hot dog. “You could always call her Kitty. I’m going to bed. I love you, Aunt Clara.”
    â€œI don’t know. Kitty doesn’t seem to suit her. It reminds me too much of that floozy on Gunsmoke . Who did she think she was fooling?”
    â€œWhatever sounds right. Good night.”
    Maggie fed the cat after discarding the hot dog. She went to her room wondering why Aunt Clara hadn’t wanted to tell her about the cat.
    Maybe because she thought she’d make a fuss over it, as she had. She decided then that any cat of Aunt Clara’s was a friend of hers. Yawning, she got ready for bed and switched off the lights in the bathroom and bedroom. She checked the alarm to make sure it was set for 5:00 a.m. She sat down on the bed and started to lie back.
    â€œYeow!” She and the cat shrieked at the same time. “What are you doing in here?”
    Maggie expected the cat to jump down and run away. Instead, the brassy female jumped into her lap.
    â€œDon’t think you can win me over with a little purring.”
    She stroked her hand across the cat’s fur. Not only was it rough and scratchy, she could feel every bone in her body.
    â€œYou’re not in good shape, are you? I guess you need someone to feed you. It may as well be Aunt Clara. You can stay inside for tonight. Tomorrow, you have to go outside.”
    The small cat purred a little louder and bumped her head