The Cat, the Lady and the Liar

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

“A fun, entertaining story . . . the mystery will keep the reader guessing and the conclusion is satisfying and will leave readers looking forward to Jillian’s next adventure. I enjoyed this story so much.”

—Fresh Fiction

 

“Sure to please the cat and cozy fans of the world. . . . After reading the first book, I just knew I was going to fall in love with this series and have.”

—Feathered Quill Book Reviews

 

“The characters and friends Jillian makes along the way and the care she gives to the cats she encounters will make her a fast favorite.”

—The Mystery Reader

 

 

“A solid start to a cozy mystery series.”

—CA Reviews

 

“The first installment of what promises to be a delightful cozy series. . . . Leann Sweeney presents readers with a solid mystery that kept this reader guessing through all of the plot twists and turns. Plenty of cat trivia adds to the richness of the narrative . . . highly recommended!”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

“The cats are entertaining four-legged assistants. . . . Kitty lovers will enjoy the feline trivia.”

—
Publishers Weekly

 

“Great fun for cat lovers . . . a lot of hometown charm.”

—The Mystery Reader

 

“Fans will enjoy her amateur sleuth investigation.”

—The Best Reviews

 

“[Leann Sweeney’s] brand-new series about adorable cats that just can’t stay out of trouble is bound to be a hit!”

—Fantastic Fiction

 

“Sweet but not syrupy, sharply written and brimming with heart.”

—Cozy Library

 

 

 

“As Texas as a Dr Pepper-swigging armadillo at the Alamo. A rip-roaring read!”

—Carolyn Hart, author of
Death Walked In

 

“Full of emotions! Anger, sadness, fear, happiness, laughter, joy, and tears . . . they are all there, and you will feel them along with the characters in this book!”

—Armchair Interviews

 

“An intriguing puzzle [that] has buried layers that must be uncovered.”

—
Rendezvous

 

“I adore this series.”

—Roundtable Reviews

 

“A welcome new voice in mystery fiction.”

—Jeff Abbott, national bestselling author of
Trust Me

 

“A dandy debut . . . will leave mystery fans eager to read more about Abby Rose.”

—Bill Crider, author of
Of All Sad Worlds

 

“
Pick Your Poison
goes down sweet.”

—
New York Times
bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of Rick Riordan

 

“A witty down-home Texas mystery . . . [a] fine tale.”

—
Midwest Book Review

The Cats in Trouble Mysteries
The Cat, the Professor and the Poison
The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse

 

The Yellow Rose Mysteries
Pushing Up Bluebonnets
Shoot from the Lip
Dead Giveaway
A Wedding to Die For
Pick Your Poison

OBSIDIAN

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First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

First Printing, April 2011

Copyright © Leann Sweeney, 2011

All rights reserved

 

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eISBN : 978-1-101-51366-8

 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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There are so many people who help bring a book to life. My family: Mike, Jillian, Jeffrey, Shawn, Allison and Maddison make my world so much better. Thank you. The Tuesday night critique group, which tells me where I’ve gone wrong and what I’ve done right, has done much to shape this story. Kay, Amy, Laura, Dean, Bob, Millie, Susie, Charlie and Isabella hold a special place in my heart. The “fur” friends who inspire me—Indigo, Agatha Christie, Archie Goodwin, Rosie, Curry and Enzo have all helped the animal characters in my books act like they should. The cozy writers who are always beside me in spirit—I am so grateful for your support. My agent, Carol, stands by me and encourages me. Thanks for that! Last of all, I thank the best editor any writer could hope for. Claire, you are forever the best of the best.

 

—UNKNOWN

I
try not to lie. Honest. But as I drove my minivan down the curving treelined road on the Longworth Estate, I convinced myself no other tactic would work. Not with the rules that Shawn Cuddahee of the Mercy Animal Sanctuary had told me I must obey during my visit to the owner of this grand mansion.

The Greek Revival house loomed in the distance, a stunning home in Woodcrest, South Carolina, and only fifteen miles from my place in Mercy. From what little research I’d done before embarking on this mission, I learned that the property encompassed twelve acres and that the historic house—brilliant white with tall green shutters—was more than a century old and four stories high. Having never been in an honest-to-goodness antebellum mansion as anything but a tourist, I felt a flutter of excitement. If I could get over my guilt about the lies I was about to tell, I might enjoy my assignment.

Shawn rescued small animals, those that were brought to him, dumped on him or found. The cat in question, a lovely long-haired black cat named Isis (according to her tags) had been saved from near-certain death by Shawn himself. He’d found her wandering near a busy highway. The fact that he’d rescued Isis from such a dangerous situation had led me here today. Shawn had tried to meet the registered owner, a woman named Ritaestelle Longworth, but his phone calls had not been returned. He’d even made a trip to Woodcrest last week, but the person who answered the door told him that Ms. Longworth was not seeing visitors. She was “indisposed.”

In the past, Shawn had returned “lost” pets to their owners, only to discover them “found” again. And again. And again. He considered such behavior abuse. He’d told me he didn’t care if this “Longworth woman” had a bazillion dollars; her cat needed to be cared for properly and not put in danger by indifference or neglect.

Yes, Shawn does have anger management issues—the local animal control officer has a restraining order against him—and when his calls to Ritaestelle Longworth were not returned, Shawn became so upset that I swear all the hair under his collar was singed. That was when I stepped in and said that by hook or by crook Miss Longworth and I would meet, and I would try to find out why Isis had ended up in a shelter.

I do help out at the sanctuary whenever I can, and this assignment seemed right up my alley—a cat in trouble. Right up my alley except for the lying part. But I do take cats in trouble seriously, and I always do what I can to help them.

Since Shawn had already identified himself as a shelter owner in the messages he’d left, we decided I couldn’t associate myself with him—at least at first. I would introduce myself as a journalist. I’d actually gotten a few tips for this role from my stepdaughter, Kara, who really
is
a journalist.

My goal today was to assess the living situation. Did this woman miss her cat? Since Isis had no front claws, why was she outdoors? Was this a simple mistake, or had she been abandoned? If I learned that Isis had been neglected in any way, then that would be the end of any contact with this woman. Shawn would find Isis a new home. He didn’t consider it catnapping when he had difficulty contacting the owner to return a newly homeless pet.

I reached a circular drive with a lovely pond in the center and parked in front of the house. The late-afternoon summer sun shimmered on the water, and the carefully tended garden surrounding the pond took my breath away. The flowers were a wonderful mix of reds, purples and yellows. Though I knew the names of many of the local flowers, these blooms were like nothing I’d seen before.