Missing in Cherry Hills Read online

  Kat nodded. Neither she nor Cameron had been surprised when Janice had announced her intention to report Cameron for what he’d done. “You were down at the station for a good three hours,” Kat said.

  A cloud darkened Janice’s face. “Yeah, well, I had a lot to say. Although I guess I should be somewhat grateful to Cameron for not hurting my baby.”

  Lucy stiffened. “Did he threaten to?”

  Janice shook her head. “Cam told me Bubbles was fine as soon as I came to in that bedroom and realized what had happened, but I didn’t know whether to believe him or not. I was still reeling from the discovery that he’d kidnapped me, and I wasn’t about to make the mistake of blindly trusting him again. I mean, what kind of man holds a woman for ransom as a publicity stunt?”

  Lucy’s hands clenched on top of Tom. “A crazy one.”

  Tom twisted around to lick Lucy’s fingers until she gradually relaxed.

  Janice sighed as she sagged against the couch. “I should have seen the signs sooner. Cam was always telling me how there was no such thing as bad publicity, and that fame was linked to how often a person ended up in the news. I thought those speeches he was always spewing off were just pep talks, but I guess he really meant what he said.”

  “You couldn’t possibly have guessed he would go to such extremes.” Kat grimaced. “I should have guessed though. The first time Bubbles barked at him I thought he was upset because Cameron had practically run us over. But he was really telling me the man was trouble.”

  Janice gave Bubbles a kiss. “Poor baby. He must have seen Cameron carrying me out of the apartment after he’d drugged me.”

  Bubbles whimpered, then pressed closer to Janice.

  “Hey, I almost forgot,” Janice said, looking at Kat. “Happy birthday.”

  Affection warmed Kat’s insides. “Having you back is the best gift ever.”

  “I’m sorry I missed your celebration.”

  Lucy snickered. “You didn’t miss much. Trust me. Kat here had us brushing cats all night.”

  “Compared to my Friday night, yours sounds like pure heaven,” Janice replied.

  The three women fell silent. Kat figured they were all reflecting on the past twenty-four hours. She was sure Lucy and Janice had experienced the same roller-coaster of emotions that she had.

  “So what’s next for you?” Kat finally asked. “Are you still going to L.A. next week?”

  “I am,” Janice confirmed. “I can’t let all of Cameron’s hard work go to waste.”

  “Please tell me you ditched that snake,” Lucy said.

  “I did. I don’t ever want to see him again.” Janice bit her lip. “Though I suppose I owe him in a way. I never would have gotten a callback if it weren’t for his connections.”

  Lucy made a face. “Don’t give that wacko any credit. You were invited down to L.A. because you’ve got talent, plain and simple.”

  Janice smiled. “You think so?”

  “I know so. And you’re going to rock this audition. And you’re going to rock the next one you go on, too. Then before you know it, everybody in Hollywood is going to come calling.”

  Janice practically glowed from the praise. “Thank you, Lucy. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the movie earlier. I was afraid to jinx things.”

  Lucy waved off her concerns. “It’s all right. If you had told me, I probably would have been so jealous I wouldn’t have been able to see straight. But now that I know what it’s really like in the world of Hollywood, you can count me out.”

  “Not everyone’s like Cam. But I’ll tell you, before I sign with another agent I’m going to make darn sure he or she has never created a hashtag before.”

  Kat laughed. “And don’t forget about the other red flags—I mean T-shirts.”

  Janice groaned. “I couldn’t believe he actually wore that thing in public. And he was so proud of himself when he showed it to me, like I’d be pleased by his initiative when all I wanted was for him to let me out of that bedroom.”

  “Supposedly he has a thousand more on order,” Kat informed her. “They should be arriving on Tuesday.”

  Lucy clapped her hands, startling Tom. “I am so wearing one if I can get my hands on it. I want everyone to know I’m friends with America’s next movie icon.”

  “We won’t be friends for long if I ever catch you wearing one of those shirts,” Janice warned. “You are authorized to use them to clean up motor oil spills and to gag overzealous talent agents. That’s it.”

  Lucy and Janice erupted into giggles. Watching them take such delight in each other’s company brought a smile to Kat’s face.

  She relaxed against the couch, feeling incredibly lucky to have such wonderful women in her life. No matter whether Janice ended up relocating to L.A. one day or Lucy eventually moved to a city with more options for singles, she figured for now she could sit back and enjoy this beautiful bonding experience.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  Thank you for visiting Cherry Hills, home of Kat, Matty, and Tom! If you enjoyed their story, please consider leaving a book review on your favorite online retailer and/or review site. Also join my readers’ group so you’ll be one of the first to know when their next adventure is published.

  Please keep reading for an excerpt from Book 23 of the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series, Crash in Cherry Hills. Thank you!

  CRASH IN CHERRY HILLS

  “This here is the best SUV on the market today,” the Rockport Rides salesman named DJ said. “She’s got everything you need for the smoothest driving experience on the road. Rain sensors, seat warmers, dual temperature controls. You name it, she’s got it.”

  Katherine Harper studied DJ from a few feet away. With a strong, healthy build and jet black hair that couldn’t possibly contain less than half a tube of hair gel, he couldn’t be that old, maybe twenty-two or twenty-three at the most. But his confident, almost cocky, air and predatory smile gave Kat the impression he had been selling cars for years. He was the type of person she could picture slipping one-sided clauses into his contracts on a regular basis. If she were the one in the market for a new vehicle instead of her friend, she would have already driven to the next dealership by now.

  “So.” DJ rubbed his palms together as he graced Imogene Little with that shark-like smile. “Whaddaya say? You wanna take her for a spin?”

  Imogene frowned. “I don’t know. Seat warmers? It seems a little unnecessary.”

  DJ pointed at the sun shining down on them. “You only say that because it’s the middle of June. Come December when you’re driving through the Central Washington snow with toasty warm buns, you’ll be happy you didn’t scrimp.”

  Imogene fingered a piece of auburn hair that had slipped loose from her ponytail. “I’m just not sure I need all that.”

  “Well, seat warmers aren’t the only thing this baby has going for her. She can also make calls and send text messages with nothing more than a few simple voice commands.”

  Imogene wrinkled her nose. “I don’t use my phone while driving.”

  “That’s my point. You don’t need to use your phone. This vehicle becomes your phone as soon as you start the engine and she syncs up.”

  “I really prefer to pull over if I need to make a call.”

  “You’ll love this next feature then. This peach has got a dedicated charger port built right into the console. No need to rely on ancient technology like cigarette lighters and clunky special cords. Nope, you just plug in your standard charger cable, and by the time you’re ready to make that call you’ll have a full battery at your disposal.”

  “Or I could continue to plug my phone in at home every night like I do now,” Imogene replied. “Easy-peasy.”

  DJ arched his eyebrows. “And what happens when you forget one day? You want to end up lost somewhere with no battery life?”

  “Given how I rarely venture outside Cherry Hills town limits, I’m sure I’d manage.” Imogene turned toward Kat. “What do you think, Kat?”


  “I think it’s a little much,” Kat said, figuring that was what Imogene wanted to hear. When her friend had asked her to tag along for ‘moral support,’ Kat hadn’t known what she meant. But after seeing DJ in action, she was starting to understand why Imogene hadn’t wanted to shop for cars alone.

  DJ must have decided there was no point in continuing to push this particular vehicle. He started down the aisle of available cars. “All right. I hear you. And I’ve got a gem down here that’s bound to be more your style. You’re gonna love this one.”

  Kat and Imogene followed him, Imogene with a bounce in her step and Kat more grudgingly.

  DJ stopped in front of a mint green SUV. “Here she is! Does this beauty scream value or what? She’s still got all the basics, but if it’s simple you want, this is your gal.”

  Imogene’s lips puckered. “It’s bright green.”

  “Enchanted forest. It’s one of the hottest colors on the market now. Puts a person in mind of nature and meadows and acres of farmland. And didn’t you say you’ll be using your new ride to transport livestock?”

  “Rescue animals,” Imogene corrected. “Cats and dogs, not cows.”

  DJ smacked the SUV’s hood with one palm. “Well, then, this baby’s perfect! She’s designed to comfortably seat eight.”

  “Hmm.” Imogene peered through the rear window. “How big is the cargo area?”

  “As spacious as they come.”

  “Can I see it?”

  Kat didn’t miss how DJ’s smile faltered. No doubt the cargo area wasn’t quite as roomy as the salesman wanted them to believe.

  He was saved from having to respond when a black cat crawled out from underneath the car. With an exaggerated yawn, the feline sat on the pavement and looked at them. From here Kat could see a tiny white patch on each of his front legs, and when he placed his paws side by side the spots merged into one.

  “Well, hello there,” Imogene said, her face lighting up. “And who are you?”

  “That’s Moxie,” DJ said. “He lives here.”

  “You have a resident cat? How delightful!” Imogene crouched down to offer Moxie her hand.

  “He was a feral who used to show up every other day. Then my mom started feeding him about a year ago, and now he never leaves.”

  “How come Sally Jo doesn’t bring him home?”

  “Dad’s allergic.”

  Imogene patted Moxie’s head before standing back up and facing Kat. “DJ’s father owns this place. Damian Rockport and I went to school together in the sixties and seventies, back when Rockport Rides belonged to Damian’s own father.”

  “Ah.” Kat had been wondering why Imogene hadn’t hightailed it to another dealership already. Apparently she shared a history with the owner.

  “Where are Damian and Sally Jo this afternoon?” Imogene asked DJ. “I’d like to say hi if they’re around.”

  “Mama’s up to her eyeballs in paperwork,” DJ replied. “Not sure about Dad. I saw him drive off not too long ago, but I don’t know what he’s up to or when he’ll be back. He tends to do his own thing around here.”

  Imogene grinned. “He always has.”

  DJ chuckled, and Kat was surprised to note how much more personable he seemed when he wasn’t involved in a hard sell.

  “So,” DJ said, straightening up. He patted the SUV. “What do you think about this beauty?”

  And the shark was back, Kat thought.

  Imogene perused the window sticker. “It’s a bit pricey.”

  Moxie rubbed against Imogene’s ankles a few times before sauntering down the aisle. When the cat reached a dark blue model several yards away, he jumped on the hood, sat down, and stared right at Imogene as if to say, ‘Here’s your new car. You’re welcome.’

  “Oh, look at this one.” Imogene scooted closer to Moxie’s selection. “It’s quite nice, isn’t it?” She glanced at the sticker. “And affordable.”

  DJ joined her by the SUV. “That’s an older model, but she’s the best of her year. Fully keyless, and the smoothest riding experience you’ll find anywhere. Start ’er up, and she purrs just like a cat.”

  Moxie began purring as if to demonstrate what they could expect to hear from the engine.

  Imogene glanced over her shoulder. “What do you think, Kat?”

  Kat surveyed the vehicle. “It looks nice. And roomy.”

  “I promise you can’t go wrong with this one,” DJ said. “She’s a trade-in, three years old, but everything’s like brand-new. Not much mileage on her either. Hey, here comes our star mechanic now. You can get the inside scoop on how well she runs direct from our expert.”

  DJ waved over the tall, lanky man who had emerged from the side of the dealership. An unlit cigarette dangled from the man’s mouth, and he held a lighter in one hand. Moxie’s nose twitched as if he could already smell the tobacco burning.

  “Teddy!” DJ called out. “Come and give these ladies the skinny on this baby’s engine.” He slapped the SUV’s hood, causing Moxie to jump.

  Teddy stared at DJ. Kat thought he might pretend not to have heard the car salesman, but then he slipped his lighter into the pocket of his dirty blue coveralls and ambled in their direction.

  “What do you need, DJ?” Teddy said, tucking his cigarette behind one ear.

  DJ clapped Teddy on the shoulder. “These ladies are interested in this beauty here, but they’d like an expert’s assurance they aren’t getting swindled.”

  “Oh.” Teddy looked startled that someone cared about his opinion. “The engine’s all right, if that’s what you’re asking. Nothing really specia—”

  “Teddy here performs periodic checks on every car in this lot himself,” DJ interjected. “He wouldn’t let us sell a lemon. That would ruin my dad’s reputation.”

  Imogene reached out and stroked Moxie’s back. “Perhaps I could take it for a test drive.”

  DJ nodded with such gusto Kat was sure he’d develop a crink in his neck. “That’s imminently doable,” he said.

  The sound of a car honking interrupted the conversation. DJ, Teddy, Imogene, and Kat all turned toward the road, where a red sedan was speeding down the street in front of the dealership.

  DJ frowned. “That’s Dad’s car.”

  Moxie meowed as if he too recognized the vehicle.

  “He’d better slow down,” Teddy said. “That curve coming up is a doozy.”

  Imogene opened her mouth as though to say something, but her jaw just kept dropping. She had the same horrified expression on her face that Kat imagined was on her own. It was becoming increasingly clear that the car wasn’t going to slow down.

  Moxie let out an anguished meow before darting off. Kat didn’t see where he went, barely registering the streak of black out of the corner of her eye. Her gaze was fixed on the red sedan.

  The car careened off the pavement, narrowly missing one tree only to slam into another. The sickening sound of crunching metal sent Kat’s stomach dropping to the ground.

  No one moved. The four of them continued to stare at the car as if waiting for the driver to open the door. When it became clear that wasn’t going to happen, they all rushed forward at once.

  * * *

  Click here to find the book at your favorite online retailer.

  Books in the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series:

  Book 1: Murder in Cherry Hills

  Book 2: Framed in Cherry Hills

  Book 3: Poisoned in Cherry Hills

  Book 4: Vanished in Cherry Hills

  Book 5: Shot in Cherry Hills

  Book 6: Strangled in Cherry Hills

  Book 7: Halloween in Cherry Hills

  Book 8: Stabbed in Cherry Hills

  Book 9: Thanksgiving in Cherry Hills

  Book 10: Frozen in Cherry Hills

  Book 11: Hit & Run in Cherry Hills

  Book 12: Christmas in Cherry Hills

  Book 13: Choked in Cherry Hills

  Book 14: Dropped Dead in Cherry Hills

  Book 15
: Valentine’s in Cherry Hills

  Book 16: Drowned in Cherry Hills

  Book 17: Orphaned in Cherry Hills

  Book 18: Fatal Fête in Cherry Hills

  Book 19: Arson in Cherry Hills

  Book 20: Overdosed in Cherry Hills

  Book 21: Trapped in Cherry Hills

  Book 22: Missing in Cherry Hills

  Book 23: Crash in Cherry Hills

  Books in the Psychic Poker Pro Mystery series:

  Book 1: Murder in the Cards

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Paige Sleuth is a pseudonym for mystery author Marla Bradeen. She plots murder during the day and fights for mattress space with her two rescue cats at night. When not attending to her cats’ demands, she writes. She loves to hear from readers, and welcomes emails at [email protected].