Fat Cat At Large (A Fat Cat Mystery) Read Free Page B

drugstore yesterday.”
    “I don’t know why he wants this location so bad.” Chase leaned her head into Anna’s body.
    “Probably because we’re doing so well, Charity. He’s probably picking on us because we’re the newest business in the area and he figures we’d be the easiest for him to dislodge. He’s wanted to relocate from the second story for a long time. I know he’s approached other business owners about buying their properties. Trouble is, he doesn’t have the money to do it.”
    Anna’s hand on her head soothed Chase. She started to relax.
    “But he sounded serious. I’m afraid he’ll do something awful to close us down.”
    “How could he? Why don’t you take a walk to work off some of your negative energy.”
    Anna was right, Chase told herself. He couldn’t shut them down. Could he?

TWO
    L aci and Violet had just left and Anna pulled down the front shade with the words “Bar None—Closed” on the other side. It had been a busy, profitable day.
    Chase gave Anna a high five as she turned. “We did it again.”
    Anna’s smile gave Chase a needed lift. She loved how the skin around her eyes crinkled, kind of like the way butter topping will crisp up on the top of a cookie bar. Anna was the sweetest person she knew. After her parents had died in a small plane crash, Anna Larson had taken her in, per her parents’ will. After all, Anna had raised Chase’s mother.
    A knock sounded on the closed and shuttered front door.
    “That’s Julie,” said Anna, moving the shade aside to check.
    “I came for my Hula Bars,” Julie said. “Did you make some today?”
    “I did,” Anna said, “and we sold most of them. Let me see if there are any more.” They both followed Anna into the kitchen, where Chase needed to finish the cleanup.
    “Laci and Violet are outside arguing,” said Julie. “Did you know that?”
    Chase and Anna sighed in unison. Chase freed Quincy from the office. He jumped up with all the grace of an Olympic gymnast and patrolled the counters for leftover crumbs, pointedly ignoring his mistress. It was his nightly routine. Chase had her own routine, as a result, disinfecting the countertops last thing every day.
    “Those two,” said Anna. She rummaged through the refrigerator for the leftover Hula Bars.
    “They were at it today,” said Chase.
    “I hope you realize that we can’t continue to have them working here together,” Anna said. “I’d like to replace Laci, but then we’d have to go through the whole hiring process again.”
    “That was torture, wasn’t it?” Chase said. “There were so many unsuitable applicants. You really think we should let Laci go?”
    “I’d like to see that,” said Julie. “You can’t stand to fire anyone. You told me so yourself.”
    It was true that Chase was a natural born peacemaker. She disliked confrontation immensely. But Chase also didn’t want Anna making all the decisions, since they were partners. After all, Anna was the one who had picked Laci and Vi to hire. Chase just knew that she couldn’t fire either of them.
    Chase shook her head. “Yah, you’re right.” Then she brightened. “Hey, I have some dirt on the Naughtlys. They’re splitting.”
    “Wow,” said Julie. “What’s he going to do without all her money?”
    Anna, who had been bending low, straightened up. “They were both in here today and—”
    “Anna,” shouted Chase. “What were you doing?”
    Anna’s eyes widened in innocence. “I wasn’t doing anything.”
    “You slipped a cookie bar to Quincy.”
    “Only one. Here are some of the new bars.” Anna put them in a bag and gave them to Julie. Then she hefted the garbage sack out of the wastebasket and headed to the back door.
    “What’s going on?” asked Julie. She climbed onto one of the stools at the work counter and Chase sat beside her. After Julie had graduated from law school, she’d taken a job in the district attorney’s office. Chase was so proud of her for getting