Fear Familiar Bundle Read Online Free Page B

the cat looked away, the dog jumped and snapped. Familiar, with one graceful move, raked his claws down the dog's nose. Bowser howled and fell back.
    "Get that dog out of my house," Eleanor told the intruder, iron in her voice. "If anything is mistreated, it's that stupid poodle."
    "Oh, dear," Magdalena said, her breath coming in short gasps as she went after the quivering dog. "Poor Bowser. He can sniff the cats out, but he's never quite acquired the art of holding them at bay."
    She scooped the poodle into her arms once more and stroked him until he stopped shivering. "That's the boy," she whispered. "Such a good sniffer. You found the kitty."
    Eleanor's quick flash of temper disappeared at the sight of the little woman worrying over her poodle. Eleanor caught Peter's attention. "I owe you a dinner," she said, "and after this, I think even a homemade dessert should be included. I've never— "
    "So you did have the cat," Magdalena interrupted rounding on her as soon as the dog was quiet. "My sources are never wrong."
    "Ms. Duncan never denied that she had a cat," Peter interjected softly, "but as the animal's veterinarian, I can assure you that he's received only the best and kindest of care." Was Magdalena Caruso the person he needed to watch?
    "You're a vet!" Mrs. Caruso looked him up and down. "Don't tell me you were here making a house call." Her voice was loaded with sarcasm.
    "You, madam, are a hard case," Peter said, grabbing the older woman's arm again and propelling her out of the bedroom, down the hall and to the front door. "Leave immediately, or Ms. Duncan will press charges of unlawful entering, assault with…a deadly poodle, creating a public disturbance and whatever else it takes to get rid of you."
    The short woman drew herself up indignantly. "I'm not afraid of the law— I've been arrested before. Sometimes when you believe in something, you have to pay a price. You haven't escaped without suffering, have you?" Her green eyes shot like a laser into Peter.
    "You, lady, are a nut case," Peter said, easing her into the hallway. He had to get her out of here, there was an off chance that she might remember him. "Take your poodle and be gone. I have a lot of sympathy for the SPCA, but zealots can be very dangerous, no matter how worthy their cause."
    "Are you really a vet?" Magdalena asked. There was a new hint of softness in her tone.
    The suddenness of the question stopped Peter. "Yes," he said. "My clinic is over on Pitchton Road, about twelve blocks from here." He couldn't afford to appear ill at ease.
    "And you guarantee that the cat isn't being injured?"
    "Ms. Duncan found the cat with a catheter in his leg. She brought him in to my clinic this morning and had it removed. We believe the cat might have escaped from a research lab, but we have no intention of using him for any experiments."
    The brightest of smiles touched Magdalena Caruso's face. "Once I saw the two of you, I couldn't believe that you'd use an animal inhumanely. I'm seldom wrong about people, you know. But I had to check it out. I must say, the cat looked fine and all. So glad when a mission turns out this way. God bless you!" She started down the hallway, her short, plump body moving with great speed and determination.
    In the apartment again, Peter closed the door, leaning against it as he threw the lock. "Eleanor, you need a bodyguard." He couldn't swear that the little scene hadn't been deliberately constructed for his benefit, but had been unable to detect any hint of a relationship between the two women. He thought about confronting Eleanor with his questions outright, but decided that time was his best ally. If she was a member of a radical animal group that went around robbing labs and freeing animals, he'd find out soon enough. And if she had news of Arnold Evans, well, that would make his future that much easier. He had only to watch and wait.
    Eleanor sank onto the sofa, a wry grin on her face. "My telephone never even rings. I