“I won’t give them my current location,” said the man. “Or even tell them what’s going on.”
“It’ll be all over the papers tomorrow,” said Odelia. “So they’re bound to ask a lot of questions. Questions you won’t be able to answer. So it may be best to sit this one out, sir.”
“Rogelio, please,” he said with a look of concern. “Okay, so maybe I’ll send a message to my personal assistant. Tell her to cancel all of my appointments. And I’ll send a message to my associate. Maybe he can cut his vacation short.”
“That would be a great idea,” said Chase. “You can always make up for it later, when things have settled down again, and the people who are after you are behind bars.”
“And how long will that take?” asked the lawyer.
“I’m afraid I have no idea,” said Chase, giving it to him straight, as was his habit.
“Of course,” said the lawyer, nodding. “I understand. Well, do what you can, detective, and in the meantime I’ll just have to keep my head down and stay out of trouble.” He produced a nervous laugh. “Because next time these people shoot at me, I might not be so lucky.”
CHAPTER 18
“Max?”
“Mh?”
“This man, this lawyer. Why is he really staying with us?”
“Because people shot at him, remember? And he didn’t like being shot at, so now he’s making sure they can’t find him and try again.”
“But why did they shoot at him, Max? Isn’t he a good lawyer?”
I laughed. “I’m sure he’s a fine lawyer.”
“If he’s a bad lawyer, maybe his clients got so upset with him that they’re trying to murder him,” Dooley explained, and I had to admit there was a certain logic in that.
“It’s possible,” I said, since we hadn’t ascertained yet why these people had shot at the guy.
“It could be a case of mistaken identity,” said Brutus. “They could have the wrong man entirely, and the real target is still out there, and in danger right now.”
“The truth of the matter is that we don’t know,” said Harriet. “And maybe we’ll never know, since these killers are obviously highly trained professionals, and they’re not going to allow themselves to be caught that easily.”
“If they were highly trained professionals they wouldn’t have missed,” said Brutus.
“Or maybe they missed on purpose,” said Harriet. “Have you thought about that?”
None of us had thought about that, because it didn’t make any sense.
The four of us were seated outside, on the deck, in a bid to get away from the busy and quite feverish atmosphere that seemed to have descended over our otherwise cozy little home. Tex and Marge had decided to consult the lawyer on their estate planning, and also Gran and Scarlett, and even Odelia and Chase were starting to see the benefits of having things set in stone in case something happened to them. The only ones who weren’t interested in any estate planning were the four of us. But then I guess we don’t have a lot to leave to any beneficiaries. Cats aren’t caught in the rat race of materialism and capitalism in the sense that we aren’t into collecting token items of material wealth on a continuous basis. No expensive Teslas for us, or the latest iPhone. No large mansions or expensive clothes or fashion accessories. Though it is true that from time to time Harriet will get bowled over for some tiara she can put in her hair.
“I think he probably made a mistake,” said Dooley, still trying to elaborate on his theory. “He made a mistake with one of his clients and now they’re out to get him.”
“What kind of mistake?” asked Brutus. “He’s an estate lawyer. What mistake could he possibly make that would have a client put out a contract on the man?”
Dooley had to think about this one, but before long he had his answer ready. “He probably gave someone’s fortune to the wrong person. Instead of giving it to Barbara with a B he gave it to Margaret with an M. And now Barbara is mad at him for losing out on a large fortune, and she’s paid these contract killers to get rid of the man.”
We all smiled at this. It seemed a little farfetched, and something that was more at home in the febrile mind of a screenwriter at the Lifetime channel. But since I didn’t want to discount any theory at this juncture, I merely nodded and closed my eyes. I was still hopeful that I would get some solid nap time in, even though our couch had been taken over by our family waiting in line for an opportunity to consult with the estate lawyer. He had promised that the least he could do was give Odelia’s family access to his services for free, and that hadn’t fallen on deaf ears. Even Uncle Alec and Charlene had shown up and were waiting their turn to find out about their options. All in all, it looked as if Rogelio would have his work cut out for him!
“Okay, I think it’s time we headed off to cat choir,” said Harriet as she got up and stretched. “Are you guys coming?”
“I’m not sure I want to go,” I said. “I really could use a nice long nap.”
Harriet gestured to the house. “No way you’re getting any nap time in tonight, Max. Better to join us for cat choir and then when we get back, hopefully, this bunch will have gone to bed.”
I glanced in through the window and saw that the lawyer was seated at the dining room table, discussing ways and means of structuring their estate with Odelia and Chase, while Uncle Alec, Charlene, Marge, Tex, Gran, and Scarlett awaited their turn on the couch. Looked like it was going to be a long evening for the lawyer, who was having to work harder than ever.
“Okay, maybe I’ll join you,” I said.
Harriet was right. I wasn’t going to get any nap time. Unless I headed over to Tex and Marge and found a place to sleep there. But as it happens, I like to take my naps in my favorite spots, and those are all located in Odelia’s little home, which is also my own home. Dooley likes to move between the two homes, and Harriet and Brutus consider the Poole home theirs.
We headed out and took the little path that separates both houses to arrive on the sidewalk. And we had just emerged out front when I saw that a white van was parked at the curb that I had never seen there before.
“Odd,” I said. “I wonder whose van that is.”
My friends all studied the vehicle. “Maybe Marcie and Ted got a new set of wheels?” Brutus suggested.
“Or Kurt and Gilda?” said Harriet, referring to our other neighbors.
Unfortunately for us, it was one of those vans with tinted windows, so we couldn’t see who was inside. I thought this was all very suspicious, especially coming on the heels of the assassination attempt on our friendly lawyer guest, and so I figured that maybe it was a good idea to talk to Chase and have him check this van out.
We all returned to where we had come from to alert the cop. We ventured into the house through the pet flap, forming a conga line of four, and trudged up to Odelia. “There’s a van parked out in front that looks suspicious,” I told her.
“Better go and take a look,” Brutus suggested.
