Cat on the Scent Read Online Free Page B

mammal.”
Mrs. Murphy insulted Archie, who blinked as she spoke.
    â€œShe's saying that she's a resident of Albemarle County, too, and the water supply affects her.” Mim's upper-class voice hushed the room.
    â€œThat's right, honeybun,” Jim, not upper-class, said.
    Everyone laughed.
    â€œThen at least keep this feline with you,” Archie told Harry.
    Mrs. Murphy, the full attention of the room on her, flopped on her side, cocking her head at the audience.
    â€œIsn't she adorable. She knows we're talking about her,” one of the older ladies said.
    â€œGag me,”
Pewter sniped.
    â€œMrs. Murphy, come back here,” Harry said firmly. She was put out at Mrs. Murphy's showing off, but secretly she was also enjoying Archie Ingram's discomfiture. He could be so pompous.
    Naturally, Mrs. Murphy flopped on the other side, again gazing at her fans. She emitted a honey-coated meow.
    â€œPrecious,” another voice cooed.
    Even Tucker looked queasy.
    Harry handed Pewter to Fair, stood up, and stepped along a row of desks to the center aisle. “Madam, you get off that desk.”
    â€œOne for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go,”
the tiger cat sang out, sat up, grabbed Archie's pencil in her teeth, and leapt off the front table.
    â€œHey!” Archie boomed as everyone in the classroom laughed at him. “Hey, I want that back.”
    Mrs. Murphy pranced over to Sarah Vane-Tempest, dropping the pencil at her expensively shod feet.
    â€œI can't believe you did that,”
Pewter hollered at her.
    â€œWatch me.”
She skidded out to the hallway, dodging legs, and finally sat down under the water fountain. By the time Harry caught up with her, she was intently grooming the tip of her tail.
    â€œMonster.”
    â€œBroccoli eater.”
    â€œIf you even move your eyebrows I'm taking you out to the truck.”
    â€œTake me to Blair's Porsche. I don't want to sit in the truck.”
    â€œDon't you mouth off at me,” Harry warned her.
    â€œWho else am I going to mouth off to?”
    Harry paused, wondering whether to take her back into the meeting or go directly to the truck. Well aware of Murphy's lethal temper, she thought the cat would be safer in sight than out of sight. She scooped up the silky-coated creature, holding her bottom while Murphy leaned on her shoulder, winking at passersby.
    By the time Harry reached the classroom door her seat had been taken. Pewter stood on Fair's lap, paws on his shoulders, looking for her buddy. Upon seeing Mrs. Murphy, she jumped down and walked to the back of the room.
    Meanwhile Archie was explaining to the assembled why the reservoir plan was outdated. He couldn't resist reminding them that he had always been an opponent of unchecked growth. However, the population had grown, the water supply had not, and as a public servant he had to find a solution. Before he could finish his presentation, the county commissioner next to him dropped his tablet. It hit the floor with a loud clatter.
    Archie glared as Donald Jackson bent over to pick it up, tipped off balance, and fell over, still in the chair.
    Jim Sanburne quickly hopped out of his seat to assist Don, which made Archie look like a jerk, since he was standing above the fallen man.
    Irritated, Archie continued reading off his figures.
    â€œArchie, we know all that.” Don tried to divert him.
    â€œEveryone in this room knows the cost of building a new reservoir?” He slapped his hand on the table, the papers in his other hand shaking.
    â€œYes. It's on the handout sheet. You don't need to read that. In case anyone missed a handout sheet, a new reservoir in the northwest quadrant will cost us thirty-two million dollars.”
    â€œWhat's wrong with rehabilitating Sugar Hollow?” a voice from the middle piped up.
    Sugar Hollow was the site of an old reservoir.
    â€œAfter what Hurricane Fran did?” Archie imperiously