that there were always plenty of stories to remind you just what an important part of your life the other people were.
Chapter 5
Wednesday, August 10
My luck, I decided, must have made a turn for the better. Ellie and Levi both lightened up quite a bit once we began sharing stories from our past, and Nona actually came home both sober and at a decent hour. I felt the stress that had weighted me down the previous day dissipate as Jeremy, Charlie, and I sat on the floor in a room filled with kittens. Jeremy and I had talked in depth about the future of the cats and kittens we’d rescued from Edna’s barn, and while we had yet to be given permission to rehome the animals, we’d decided to begin the socialization process in earnest.
“I think the kittens will be fine in homes with children and other animals; it’s the older cats I’m worried about,” Jeremy commented as we played with the kittens and watched them play with one another. With the exception of a large male kitten who seemed fearless, most of the others were skittish when first exposed to one another, Jeremy, Charlie, and me, but the longer we played with them the more relaxed they became. “My idea is to give all the cats as much human interaction as we can manage and then decide if there are any that simply aren’t candidates for rehoming. I’ve contacted several cat sanctuaries about taking a couple of cats each if necessary.”
“I’m sure Nona and Aspen would be willing to volunteer time to play with the cats. I’ll line up a few others as well. We don’t currently have any large felines in residence, so maybe we can use the cougar pen as an area to socialize the cats.”
“That’s a good idea,” Jeremy said as he tried to pry loose one of the kittens, who had decided to crawl up his back. “It’s a secure pen and I’m sure the cats will enjoy having the trees to climb on. Do you have any idea what sort of a timeline we’re looking at in terms of being given the all-clear to begin the rehoming process?”
“No, not really. I just hope whoever inherits them allows them to be adopted into loving, caring families. The fact of the matter is that these cats—particularly the kittens—are worth quite a bit of money. I won’t be a bit surprised if the heir to this particular clowder decides to sell them rather that allow them to be put up for adoption.”
“It’d be a shame if the new owner simply continued with the business Edna started.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “It really would.”
“How are the kittens you have at your house doing?”
“Better. They seem to be responding to the treatment Scott recommended. I’ve been holding them as much as I can, and I know Nona has been doing the same. I think once they gain some weight they’ll be good candidates for adoption.”
Jeremy laughed as two kittens chased each other across the room and ended up in his lap. “I love my job. I mean really, what other job pays you to play with kittens?”
Jeremy set the kittens aside and began carefully walking around the room to ensure that all of them were participating. “Have you managed to come up any new leads into Edna’s murder?” he asked as he picked up one of the kittens that had been shying in the corner.
“Maybe. I haven’t had a chance to speak to the new suspects on my list, but it seems Edna was having an affair with Pete Ferguson.”
“Pete? Really? He doesn’t seem the type.”
“I totally agree, but according to Ernie, who’s usually in the know, not only was Pete having a fling with Edna but he had plans to leave Wanda for her.”
Jeremy whistled. “Sounds like motive for murder to me.”
I set the kitten I was holding down and picked up another. ‘That’s what I thought. The only other suspects I’ve managed to dig up are Edna’s neighbor, who had been fighting with her over the property line, and a man named Fritz. It seems he was Edna’s handyman until she fired him.”
“I know Fritz.
Chapter 5
Wednesday, August 10
My luck, I decided, must have made a turn for the better. Ellie and Levi both lightened up quite a bit once we began sharing stories from our past, and Nona actually came home both sober and at a decent hour. I felt the stress that had weighted me down the previous day dissipate as Jeremy, Charlie, and I sat on the floor in a room filled with kittens. Jeremy and I had talked in depth about the future of the cats and kittens we’d rescued from Edna’s barn, and while we had yet to be given permission to rehome the animals, we’d decided to begin the socialization process in earnest.
“I think the kittens will be fine in homes with children and other animals; it’s the older cats I’m worried about,” Jeremy commented as we played with the kittens and watched them play with one another. With the exception of a large male kitten who seemed fearless, most of the others were skittish when first exposed to one another, Jeremy, Charlie, and me, but the longer we played with them the more relaxed they became. “My idea is to give all the cats as much human interaction as we can manage and then decide if there are any that simply aren’t candidates for rehoming. I’ve contacted several cat sanctuaries about taking a couple of cats each if necessary.”
“I’m sure Nona and Aspen would be willing to volunteer time to play with the cats. I’ll line up a few others as well. We don’t currently have any large felines in residence, so maybe we can use the cougar pen as an area to socialize the cats.”
“That’s a good idea,” Jeremy said as he tried to pry loose one of the kittens, who had decided to crawl up his back. “It’s a secure pen and I’m sure the cats will enjoy having the trees to climb on. Do you have any idea what sort of a timeline we’re looking at in terms of being given the all-clear to begin the rehoming process?”
“No, not really. I just hope whoever inherits them allows them to be adopted into loving, caring families. The fact of the matter is that these cats—particularly the kittens—are worth quite a bit of money. I won’t be a bit surprised if the heir to this particular clowder decides to sell them rather that allow them to be put up for adoption.”
“It’d be a shame if the new owner simply continued with the business Edna started.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “It really would.”
“How are the kittens you have at your house doing?”
“Better. They seem to be responding to the treatment Scott recommended. I’ve been holding them as much as I can, and I know Nona has been doing the same. I think once they gain some weight they’ll be good candidates for adoption.”
Jeremy laughed as two kittens chased each other across the room and ended up in his lap. “I love my job. I mean really, what other job pays you to play with kittens?”
Jeremy set the kittens aside and began carefully walking around the room to ensure that all of them were participating. “Have you managed to come up any new leads into Edna’s murder?” he asked as he picked up one of the kittens that had been shying in the corner.
“Maybe. I haven’t had a chance to speak to the new suspects on my list, but it seems Edna was having an affair with Pete Ferguson.”
“Pete? Really? He doesn’t seem the type.”
“I totally agree, but according to Ernie, who’s usually in the know, not only was Pete having a fling with Edna but he had plans to leave Wanda for her.”
Jeremy whistled. “Sounds like motive for murder to me.”
I set the kitten I was holding down and picked up another. ‘That’s what I thought. The only other suspects I’ve managed to dig up are Edna’s neighbor, who had been fighting with her over the property line, and a man named Fritz. It seems he was Edna’s handyman until she fired him.”
“I know Fritz.
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