Paws for Alarm Read Online Free

isn’t our house.’
    â€˜I know it. I just want to read them – What’s this?’ He stretched his arm behind the remaining books and retrieved a photograph in a silver frame.
    â€˜It must be the Blake family.’ I went over to him and we stood looking down at the four smiling faces. I felt a lump in my throat. They all looked so happy and confident, so unsuspecting of the tragedy ahead of them.
    â€˜What do you suppose it was doing back there?’
    â€˜It must have been on the desk originally,’ I guessed. ‘After the accident, Rosemary probably couldn’t bear to look at it and she must have just put it behind the books to get it out of the way for the time being.’
    â€˜Then she either forgot it,’ Arnold pieced the rest of the story together, ‘or decided it didn’t matter if it stayed there a while longer.’
    â€˜It’s as good a place as any. Put it back. We wouldn’t want her to think we’d been snooping.’
    â€˜It’s too bad.’ Arnold sighed, replacing the photograph. ‘They were a nice couple. It’s a damn shame.’ For once, I was in complete accord with Arnold. They were a nice couple and it was a damned shame. I only hoped Rosemary would find some peace and maybe a little happiness in our house in Cranberry Lane.

Three
    â€˜Oh no you don’t!’ I caught Arnold by his pyjama shirt-tail as he tried to slide out of bed in the morning.
    â€˜Gee, honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I thought I’d leave you and the lads to catch up on some sleep and just get an early train to London and have breakfast there.’
    â€œThat’s what I thought you thought. Nice try, but it isn’t going to work. You’re not going to leave me and the kids here alone until we’ve had a chance to look around and get settled. There’s still the shopping to do — provided they decide to open any stores today — and I’m not going to lug heavy bundles all by myself.’
    â€˜Oh, yeah, I forgot that.’ He tugged experimentally at his shirt-tail, but I held fast.
    â€˜Just a couple of days,’ I coaxed encouragingly, ‘and we should be all sorted out.’ I hauled myself upright, ignoring a slight tearing sound, and offered a compromise. ‘You can have first go at the bathroom.’
    We managed toast and two cups of coffee each before the twins came down to join us. They were hot to be fobbed off with cereal, so I had to cook some bacon and eggs I had discovered lurking at the back of the refrigerator.
    On second thoughts, it smelled so good frying, I added a few more rashers and eggs for Arnold and myself.
    â€˜ Mmrr-hrrm? ’ The faint apologetic throat-clearing sound spun me round to glare indignantly at the back door. Surely Lania wouldn’t have the nerve to break in on strangers at the breakfast table? But there was no one there.
    â€˜ Mrr-hrrmm? ’ The sound came again, from somewhere down around my ankles, I realized belatedly. I looked down.
    An orange marmalade cat with big green eyes stared up at me in uncertain pleading. One front paw was lifted delicately off the floor as though about to wave a disclaimer that he intended to be any trouble.
    â€˜Oh, good heavens! We’ve forgotten Esmond. You poor darling, you must be starving!’
    â€˜ Prr-yah, ’ he agreed. He moved a tentative step nearer and blinked hopefully. The message was clear: he didn’t mean to intrude, but he would appreciate a bit of breakfast. He was the politest cat I’d ever seen.
    â€˜Oh, poor Esmond!’ Donna pushed back her chair and swooped at him. He retreated behind the stove.
    â€˜He’s not much like Errol,’ Donald said.
    â€˜He’s shy, and we’re strangers. You shouldn’t jump at him like that, Donna. You’ve got to give him time to get acquainted.’
    â€˜Errol isn’t shy’ Donna said.