The Wicked Cat Read Free Page B

blowtorch, maybe. No, actually they look too neat. They remind me of marks left by a laser beam. What do you think, Adam?”
    Adam nodded. “It does look like the fire was deliberately started. No one saw anybody hanging around the house?”
    â€œThere was just the cat,” Cindy said angrily.
    â€œAnd how, my dear, did the cat start the fire?” Sally asked. “I don’t think it’s old enough to smoke.”
    â€œIt’s bad luck,” Cindy snapped. “I’d be a lot happier if you got rid of it.”
    â€œFortunately my main goal in life is not your happiness,” Sally said.
    â€œWhere is the cat anyway?” Adam asked.
    â€œHere it comes,” Sally said, as the cat came from around the side of the house, right on cue. Sally knelt to allow the cat to run into her arms, which the animal promptly did. Sally smiled and stroked the cat’s back while the animal purred appreciatively. Its eyes never left Cindy, who continued to worry about the damage done to her porch.
    â€œI don’t like the way it looks at me,” Cindy said.
    â€œYou should be pleased she even bothers,” Sally said.
    â€œSally,” Adam said diplomatically, “why don’t you take the cat home and we’ll see you tomorrow? It’s getting late.”
    Sally pouted. “I get it. Either I get rid of the cat or I’m no longer your friend. Well, to tell you the truth, I don’t need friends who hates an animal just because it has four legs. You know, Adam, at one time I thought we’d be friends for the rest of our lives. But now I see that you’re just a—”
    â€œSally,” Adam interrupted gently. “The situation is not that serious. Cindy is just upset about what’s happened here and you are making everything worse by taunting her.”
    Sally stuck her nose in the air. “All right. I cantake a hint. I know when I’m not wanted. I’ll go home now, and if I don’t happen to run into you guys for a few months, then that’s life. None of us should be upset at the lack of contact. I wish you all well. I harbor no ill feelings.”
    And with that Sally walked away, her cat in her hands.
    â€œIsn’t it wonderful she was so mature about the whole thing?” Watch muttered.
    â€œWhat am I going to do about the porch?” Cindy asked miserably.
    Adam patted her on the back. “I think you’d better find your mother and brother so you can tell her what’s happened. She’ll understand, and Watch and I will back you up and say that we weren’t playing with fire or anything dangerous like that.”
    â€œAll right,” Cindy said. She went into the house to call her mom at a friend’s. Watch knelt once more to study the burn marks. Adam stood behind his shoulder.
    â€œIt’s possible the fire was started by a welding gun,” Watch said.
    â€œWho do we know who has one?” Adam asked.
    Watch stood. “That may not be the main issue. Let’s think about what happened today. We foundthe cat and we took it to the Frozen Cow. But when Cindy pushed it out of the way, she ended up with several nasty scratches. Next we went to Sally’s house. We left the cat in her backyard where the dog next door started to bark at it. Then a tree just happened to fall on that dog. Finally we brought the cat here, but Cindy wouldn’t let it in her house. And by a strange coincidence Cindy’s house caught on fire.” He paused. “Do you see a pattern here?”
    â€œBut you can’t agree with Cindy that the cat was responsible for both fires,” Adam said. “That just doesn’t make sense.”
    â€œI don’t know how it could have started them either. But I do know that cat doesn’t like to be pushed around or annoyed. It has a nasty temper and seems fully capable of taking care of itself.”
    Adam was concerned. “Should we tell Sally these