A Dreadful Meow-ment (MEOW FOR MURDER Book 2), стр. 34

“How do you like that?” I whisper over to Tilly. “It looks as if the dapper deputy is having the works done today.”

Tilly moves her whole head in that direction, which makes sense seeing that we’ve lost control over most of the functions that go along with our eyeballs.

“Well, get over there, girl,” she whispers right back. “There’s an empty seat next to him.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I boot-scoot my way in that direction and fall into the seat next to him with an unceremonious thump. Oddly enough, it’s as if my lack of ocular control is impeding my other motor capacities as well.

James glances my way and lets out a guttural cry while nearly bouncing out of his seat.

“I come in peace.” I do my best not to squeeze my eyes shut as I say it. I’m pretty sure that would reset the clock on this permanent disaster. If my lashes don’t stand up straight as sticks after this, I might just sue both the salon and Tilly. Tilly first.

“Geez. That looks painful.” He leans in my way, his bushy brows wiggling over his head like dark caterpillars trying to make a getaway.

“It is.” Most of the pain coincides with the humiliation factor, but he doesn’t need to know that. Right now I’m gunning for sympathy. “Hey, aren’t you Shep’s friend? Shepherd Wexler is my fiancé. He’s actually the reason I’ve taken my eyelashes hostage. I’m getting all dolled up and rewired for a spicy night out.” First, I have never, ever used the word spicy like that in a sentence before. And second, that whole sexy night out with Wexler doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Most likely my night will not pan out that way. It will just be me, cross-stitching if I still have my sight by then. And if I’m lucky, I will have succeeded in cat-napping one of Opal’s precious kitties so I can engage in some serious cuddle time. I miss cuddling with warm bodies. And yes, the sad state of my life dictates that I resort to a hostage situation in order to do it.

“The Wexler.” James laughs to himself and shakes his head as if reliving some perverted memory. “Well, you tell him James says hello. And tell him it’s not too late to sign up for the calendar. The sheriff’s department is putting together a calendar of shirtless deputies that comes out next year. I hear they’re courting him once again after he solved the case last month out in Starry Falls. If he plays his cards right, he could be Mr. July.”

Mr. July.

I make a face at the thought.

Not to be a know-it-all, but I solved that case last month out in Starry Falls.

“I’ll be sure to tell him,” I say. “Did you hear the funeral for Craig Walker is set for Friday?”

“Sure did. I’m looking forward to the tacos, too.” He rubs his belly, and there’s a faint look in his eye that suggests his friends should kick the bucket more often. “I’m already saving up my appetite. Craig and I went out for tacos every Tuesday. That was sort of our thing.”

“It sounds like you got along really well. It’s sad to lose a friend like that, too. I’m sorry for your loss.”

“There’s not a lot you can do. And we did get along well, for the most part. Craig had a reputation for being stubborn. Once he got something in his head, there was no changing his mind. That’s what killed him,” he says under his breath.

Sounds as if he knows exactly what did Craig in.

“I heard he was stubborn as well.” I nod as if I were truly in the know about the poor dead guy’s stubborn streak. “Oliver mentioned something about it.”

He huffs as he glances to the ceiling. “I guess Oliver would know. Craig had been dropping by Oliver’s latest construction project pretty regularly and they were going at it.”

“I heard that, too.” I bite down on my lip, trying to find a delicate way to segue to what might just be women trouble. “Shep said there was a woman at the nexus of their fallout.” Nexus is totally a word Shep would use without batting a lash, not that I could bat them, but let’s hope James falls for it.

“Shep knew?” James leans in hard as if we were in the throes of sharing a juicy little morsel and I think we just might be.

“Yup. He said it was some chick they both knew and liked, and I guess it progressed from there.”

His cheek glides up one side as he shakes his head.

“He’s got the details out of order. But it’s close enough.”

Close! I’m so close I can feel it.

I clear my throat. “Shep mentioned the woman was coming around the construction site—and that she sort of got in the middle of it with Craig and Oliver.”

“Kadie’s place?” His brows hike. “Yup, Craig was there, all right. And a woman got into the middle of it, all right.” He chuckles to himself. “But Oliver wasn’t a part of the equation, and Craig wasn’t seeing her either. He wasn’t even interested. Craig was always coloring inside the lines. He was there trying to make his friend see the light. It’s not right what they’re doing.”

“Not right…” I let the words marinate in my mind. Why would it not be right if Craig wasn’t seeing her? A thought hits me and I suck in a quick breath. “Whoever she is, she’s a married woman!”

He snaps his fingers before shooting me with them.

“You’re a smart one. Tell Shep I said he should keep you.”

Before I can add or subtract anything from the conversation, I’m shuttled back to the electric chair by one of the salon workers as she quickly rinses the solution from my lashes. She removes all the doodads and slaps a couple of warm towels over my eyes, and by the time she lifts them, I