The Cats that Stole a Million (The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery Book 7) Read Online Free

usually started with a question about the weather.
    “Snow comin’ down pretty hard, if ya ask me.  If it keeps this up, we could get a big one.”
    “You mean blizzard?”
    “Yep, if the wind kicks up.  But for right now, the snow is a light and powdery, which is good for the angels.”
    “I see you’ve got the plots staked out this year,” Jake said, looking at the orange grid of plastic stakes marking off each angel section.  A long wooden platform, topped by a railing, stood south of the staked plots.  A few parents stood on the platform to take photos of their angel-making children.  “I admire how scientific you are,” he added.
    “Yep, gotta put Indiana on the map.  So far we have three hundred and fifty-three angels.  I hope the weather doesn’t keep folks from comin’.”
    “How’s your daughter doing in school?” Jake inquired, looking over at the young woman serving steaming cocoa to Katz, who was grinning ear-to-ear.
    “Doin’ fine.  You know, she just got a letter in the mail.  Seems she’s been selected to take your wife’s computer class come March.”
    “No, I didn’t know that.  Great.”
    “Okay then, Jake,” Chester said, taking Jake’s money.  “The Cokenberger section is over yonder with the red ties on it.  You just missed Cokey, Margie, and the kids.  Your grandpa was just here, too, but your grandma stayed home this year.”
    “Maybe my grandfather should have stayed at home with her.  I admire him for braving the cold.”
    Chester nodded, then came out from behind the counter and took Jake by the arm.  He led him a few feet from the kiosk so that what he had to say would be out of earshot from the other customers.  “Did you hear who bought the tract of land across from me?” he asked, whispering.
    Jake answered in a low voice. “No. I know it’s been for sale for a while.”
    “Sam Sanders.”
    “You don’t say,” Jake said, surprised.
    “Yeppers, he’s gonna start a windmill farm.”
    “Wow, maybe that’s a good thing.”
    “You know that man is a crook, right?”
    Jake shrugged, but didn’t answer.  He left gossiping duties to other nosy Erie townspeople down at the diner.
    “Well, I gotta say,” Chester continued.  “He keeps the road to the old farmhouse pretty darn plowed.  I think he’s havin’ the place fixed up, because I see a lot of trucks goin’ in and out.”
    “Could be.”
    “Good to see ya, Jake,” Chester said, walking toward a man who had just gotten out of an extended cab pickup. 
    Jake joined Katherine at the kiosk.
    She handed him a Styrofoam cup of steaming hot chocolate.  “Here, get warmed up before we have to go flip around in the snow,” she kidded. 
    A middle-aged woman, carrying a digital camera, came over and spoke to the couple.  “Hello, Jake.  So happy to see ya.  Is this the new Mrs.?”
    Katherine thought, No, she didn’t just refer to me as “the new Mrs.”  
    “Yes, Angie, this is Katherine.”
    “Pleased to meet ya.  I’m a friend of Jake’s mom.” 
    “Nice meeting you,” Katherine said.  “Are you taking photos of the event?”
    “Sure am.  When you’re finished with your angels, make sure I get a pic of your handiwork,” she said, walking away.
    Jake whispered.  “Sweet Pea, I saw your reaction when Angie asked if you were the new Mrs.  She didn’t mean anything by it.”
    “You mean she wasn’t making a reference to your first wife?”
    “No, that’s just the way folks talk around here.  There’s a lot of Hoosier ways you need to learn.”  He reached over and kissed her on the cheek. 
    She smiled, and sipped more of her hot chocolate.  In a few minutes, Jake finished his and threw the empty cup in a metal garbage can. 
    Katherine finished hers and did the same. “Okay, let’s get a move on before we freeze to death.  I feel like we’re in the middle of a scene from Fargo,” she kidded.  “Where do we go?”
    “See those red ties.  They mark the