Patricia Fry - Klepto Cat 04 - Undercover Cat Read Free Page A

place twice before—once when he picked her up for a special meeting at the newspaper office on a weekend, and another time he gave her a ride home from work when her car broke down.
    “Jackson, before you go…if she doesn’t have the story, do you have something we can run in its place? I’m desperate here.”
    “I guess…yeah… I think I can put something together for you. But I’m sure Colbi is working on her story. Don’t jump to conclusions yet. I’ll call you in a few.”
    “ Mornin’, Son,” Iris said when she saw Damon step into the kitchen dressed in jeans and a tan long-sleeved tee. “Coffee?” she asked.
    “Yes, to go, if you don’t mind,” he said, tossing the jacket he was carrying across a chair.
    She stared at the young man before her.
    “What?” he questioned suspiciously.
    “Oh nothing,” she said, reaching out to briefly touch his curly red hair. “I’m just happy to have you back.”
    “Yeah, I know,” he said, giving her the crooked smile she had yearned for years to see again. “Me, too.”
    She cocked her head and said, “I’m proud of you, you know.”
    “Sure, Mom. That’s a mother’s job—to be proud of her kids.” Ready to change the subject of his life as a druggie and his incarceration, he said, “You must work this morning, huh?”
    “Yeah, I get the lunch shift.” She faced the kitchen counter and reached for a travel mug, pouring it full of coffee. “Where are you off to so early? A hot story?”
    “I hope not—Boggs is sending me out to check on Colbi.”
    Iris spun toward Damon, her brows creased, a red ringlet brushing alongside one cheek. “Colbi, why? What’s happened?” Iris asked hesitantly.
    “Well, nothing, I’m sure. She didn’t get a story in when the boss thought she should and he can’t reach her, so he wants me to find out why—rattle her cage.”
    “Oh dear—I hope she’s okay,” Iris said, pressing the lid onto the mug.
    “I’m sure she is—she probably just fell asleep.” He grinned. “Boy, wait until I razz her about that.” He slipped on his jacket, walked through the living room with the travel mug, and opened the door to leave. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll see you later,” he called out as he closed the door behind him.
    “Yeah, she’s just sleeping in,” Damon said to himself as he pulled up to the old Stanton place. Both her cars are here. It’ll be fun waking her up. She’ll be freaked that she didn’t make deadline. And I’ll get to see what she looks like first thing in the morning…I imagine as pretty as she does during the day at work. He chuckled to himself as he thought about how hard he had to concentrate on not concentrating on her at work, lest he become distracted. She is one good-lookin’ gal with that cute figure, those gorgeous eyes, and that lush, long hair. How many times he had longed to run his hands through her hair. Someday, maybe, someday. Yeah, I know she’s a little older than me, but I guess we can’t help who we’re attracted to.
    That’s odd, he thought. Looks like one of Colbi’s shoes—the clogs she wore yesterday. I can never understand how she keeps those things on and why she wears them when she’s going to be on her feet all day. They look uncomfortable to me. He got out of his car and walked over to where the shoe lay just to the left of the porch. He picked it up. Why would she take her shoes off on such a chilly night before going in? And if she did, where’s the other shoe?
    He looked around and didn’t see the mate. I guess a varmint could have made off with it—this is kind of wild country out here. He recalled Colbi talking about seeing all kinds of wildlife out there—raccoons, possums, and such.
    What’s this? Damon wondered. He walked toward a puddle and retrieved a piece of paper. Guess it rained some last night, he thought. He turned the paper over and read, “Cat Hoarders—a Hindrance or a Help?” Hmmm, is this from the big story she was working on?