Cupid's Revenge Read Online Free Page B

hysterically into the phone. Maybe she liked the chief’s voice.
    “Maybe she learned a lesson,” I said optimistically as the chief strangled a laugh. “It has to be scary when a dog jumps on you.”
    “This is a cat we’re discussing, right? Can they learn lessons?”
    “You have a point. And both of them are as stupid as they are loving. Honestly, I thought A-p-o-l-l-o was the dimmest cat around.” I moved the phone to my other ear since I could hardly hear above the purring. “Sorry for the digression. I thought you were Alex. I hung up on him when the cat spilled the coffee. Did the lab get the prints off the extension cord?”
    “Yes, nine sets of them. All with a perfect right to be there. What I was calling about was your friend, Agatha Graves.”
    “What’s wrong?” I asked with sudden alarm. “Is she hurt?”
    “She’s fine, but someone wrote an obscenity on her garage door in the night. In bright colored chalk.”
    “Huh. Which obscenity specifically?”
    “Traitorous bitch. She mentioned that it was spelled correctly.”
    “So, probably not one of Debbie Mullin’s fifth graders.” But maybe Debbie Mullins herself? Or someone who knew about Debbie having colored chalk for her kids and trying to shift the blame onto her or them? Mrs. Graves lived only a block from the community garden. “So, you want me to see Mrs. Graves before I come into work?”
    “It might be wise. Just in case there is a connection with the other matter.”
    “Okay. I think I also better go check on the storage locker. Just in case anything happened in the night.”
    “Good plan. Don’t worry if you are a little late. Things don’t get busy downtown until ten this time of year.”
    I glanced at the clock.
    “I will probably be late, but not by much if I leave now. I’ll let you know if I find anything.”
    “Good.”
    Alex came in the door as I hung up the phone. He looked from me to the dishes on the floor. Zoom still clung to my shoulder, purring away. I picked up a napkin and started blotting her.
    “I expected a dead cat and maybe dead parents after the swearing,” he said mildly. “I tried calling back but the line was busy.”
    “I’m sorry you got dragged home. Was I swearing? I was thinking bad things inside but didn’t know I said any of them out loud.”
    “Yes, you were swearing.” He smiled broadly. “Even your dad heard you. He thought it was funny.”
    “I wasn’t even aware of it.” I walked forward and handed Alex the cat then bent and retrieved my plate and mug. They were sparkling clean. Blue is thorough. “That was the chief. I have to leave as soon as I change my shoes. I need to check on the gazebo and go see Mrs. Graves. Someone wrote ‘traitorous bitch’ on her garage door last night. It could be unrelated, but I think our arsonist is getting pissy and maybe reckless. More reckless. This isn’t like the storage place. Mrs. Graves has outside security lights that work on a motion sensor. If we’re lucky maybe the neighbors will have seen something.”
    “Mrs. Graves didn’t see anything?”
    “No. She hates the lights that go on several times a night and sleeps with blackout shades in her bedroom.” Alex opened his mouth to point out the illogic of this behavior but closed it again. “I know. It isn’t logical, but there you are.”
    “We are as God made us,” he agreed, looking down at Zoom, half in affection and half in disgust. His jacket was covered in hair. So was my right shoulder.
    I kissed his cheek, wishing for just a moment that I could be a conjoined twin and skip going out.
    “Gotta go.” I headed for the bedroom.
    “Tell you what, you go see Mrs. Graves and I’ll go by the locker. This afternoon I will do some checking on the various queens and sweethearts. Maybe we’ll get lucky and someone will have a record.”
    “Take Blue with you,” I said. It was hard to add the next part. “I was afraid for a second that she would actually hurt Zoom. I was