Of Mice and Murder (Cat and Mouse Whodunit Book 2) by Emily James

Author:Emily James [James, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781988480596
Publisher: Stronghold Books
Published: 2022-06-22T16:00:00+00:00

15

My eyes popped open. The room around me was dark, only vague outlines marking my dresser and the curtains blocking out the streetlights. I hadn’t pulled them evenly shut, and a line of line cut down my floor. Star shifted and stretched beside me with a tiny, kitty yawn.

What had woken me this time? My phone lay silent on the bedside table, so a middle-of-the-night call wasn’t the culprit.

A creak came from downstairs. The old dining room floorboards. Judith must not have been able to sleep. Maybe I should check on her?

I wriggled out of the bed, trying not to disturb Star. Why had I waited so long to have a cat again? Not that Star was officially mine. But she or another cat could be. I would never have to sleep without a cat again if I didn’t want to now that Orion and I weren’t confined to an apartment.

I tiptoed out of my bedroom. If Orion heard me, he’d want out of his crate at—I glanced at my phone—3:30 in the morning, and he wouldn’t easily go back to sleep.

A shadowy figure passed the end of the stairs—the form much too tall to be Judith.

Blood pounded into my head, and I pressed a hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp. Someone was in our house.

One time, when Judith and I were teenagers staying alone overnight for the first time, we’d thought we’d heard someone breaking in. I’d charged out to confront the person while Judith wanted to hide.

This time, hiding seemed like the smartest plan. This intruder could be the same person who’d shot Bob and Avery. I didn’t have any weapon that could defend against a gun.

I edged backward, reaching behind me for Judith’s doorknob. Slowly, I eased the door open. I couldn’t let whoever was down there know I’d spotted him. As soon as I woke Judith, we’d call 911 and hide.

The curtains in her room weren’t closed. Light from the streetlamps streamed in. Judith’s bed was empty.

My breath stuck in my throat and wouldn’t move. Had the intruder already forced Judith from her bed and had her tied up somewhere downstairs? No, I definitely would have heard that.

I needed the police. I dialed 911 and explained to the operator who answered that there was someone in my house.

“Officers are on their way. I’m going to stay on the line with you until they get there.”

Maybe Judith was already hiding in her closet. Maybe she’d heard the intruder before I did. But then wouldn’t she have already called the police? And even if Judith was terrified, she would have tried to warn me.

I peeked in her closet. Empty.

Oh no. What if she was in the bathroom? I glanced over at her bed. The bed was still made, as if she hadn’t come home from the hospital last night. Had she fallen asleep at the hospital?

I edged back into Judith’s closet. No sense in making it easier for the intruder to find me if he came upstairs before the police arrived.

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