"Green's testimony will be another nail in Crystal's coffin," Harper said, leaning closer. "If he cooperates with Gedding, he might get off with a fine for perjury and no time served."

Dulcie lay pretending sleep as Charlie and Harper discussed Baker's land scam, accomplished with Baker's carefully forged documents-and discussed Baker's victims, who were hot to prosecute and to get their money back. Soon Harper and Charlie moved out to the yard to pick up the last few paper plates, and fold up the tables and chairs. Clyde began to help Wilma, drying the silver and platters. He didn't mention his phone call. The cats moved to the back porch to wash their paws and enjoy the cool evening.

"Clyde spotted me under the desk," Joe said. "Told me to get lost. He can be so touchy. He and Kate seem to be an item."

"And Harper and Charlie, too." Dulcie glanced up as Wilma came out to sit on the steps beside them.

"I think both couples are cozy," Wilma said softly. "This might be promising, all around."

"Maybe," said Joe Grey, knowing how fickle Clyde could be.

"Maybe," said Dulcie uncertainly. Things had moved a bit fast, for her taste.

The kit, waking alone in the kitchen, leaped from the window seat and pushed out through the screen door, her yellow eyes so dreamy that Dulcie fixed on her uneasily. That faraway look meant trouble. "What are you thinking, now, Kit? Not of dark far places?"

"And not," Joe Grey said, "of petting lions!"

"Maybe not," said the kit, still half asleep. "Maybe I'm thinking of just being." She looked up innocently at them. "Don't humans know that? That no matter how ugly things get, it's lovely just to be?"

Wilma grinned and took the kit into her lap. "Sometimes humans don't remember that, Kit. Sometimes it takes a little cat to tell them."

SHIRLEY ROUSSEAU MURPHY has received seven national Cat Writers’ Association Awards for best novel of the year, two Cat Writers’ President’s Awards, the “World’s Best Cat Litter-ary Award” in 2006 for the Joe Grey Books, and five Council of Authors and Journalists Awards for previous books. She and her husband live in Carmel, California, where they serve as full-time household help for two demanding feline ladies.

www.joegrey.com

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