Death of a Suitor #18

Chapter One

It was 3:30 in the morning and Myrtle and Miles were drinking coffee and quietly working on their puzzles. Pasha, Myrtle's feral cat companion, was leisurely taking a bath.

Myrtle glanced over at Miles and said in something of a pointed tone, "Isn't this nice? The two of us? Quiet?"

Miles gave her a weary look. "Don't say it."

"Of course I'm going to say it. I need to point out how very nice it is to be having some quiet time together without a particular someone barging in with a bunch of foolishness."

Which was precisely the moment the doorbell rang.

Myrtle scowled.

Miles stood up to get the door and Myrtle hissed at him, "Let's not answer it."

"She'll realize we're avoiding her," said Miles in a reasonable tone.

"Maybe she'll think we nodded off doing our puzzles," suggested Myrtle.

Miles shook his head and walked over to the door as Myrtle heaved a sigh. Pasha looked up from her bath and narrowed her eyes at the door.

"We don't want her here, do we Pasha?" asked Myrtle.

Pasha swished her tail in agreement and continued staring at the door with a rather violent expression in her eyes.

Miles opened the door and a woman about sixty years old, wearing a cheerful expression stood there. "Hi all!" she said brightly.

Pasha let out a moaning growl, hair standing up on her back. Myrtle understood the feeling.

The woman gave Miles a peck on the cheek and then beamed at Myrtle. She said in a loud voice, "Are you getting your puzzle done?"

The woman, Eloise, was convinced Myrtle was deaf although Myrtle had excellent hearing. It was yet another reason to dislike Eloise, among the legions.

"Naturally," said Myrtle coolly. "Excuse me for a moment. I should feed Pasha."

Pasha did not, actually, require feeding. But Myrtle needed time away from Eloise and she suspected the black cat did, too. Although, if Pasha were to pounce on Eloise, it might make Eloise stay away.

Eloise cried out, startling Pasha, who reared her back up in response. "Oh, I forgot! I brought a present for Pasha. Let me dig it out."

Pasha watched Eloise suspiciously as she rummaged through a purse spotted with polka dots.

"Here you are," she trilled. She awkwardly held a small toy out for the cat, who regarded it disdainfully.

"I'll just put it on the floor, then," she said. "It's filled with catnip."

"Oh gosh," said Miles slowly.

"Catnip tends to enrage Pasha," said Myrtle. "The poor darling."

Sure enough, Pasha leapt on top of the cat toy, pummeling it. She ripped at the cloth with her teeth until the insides came out and there was catnip scattered all over the floor. Then Pasha rolled around in the catnip, her black fur covered in it.

Myrtle gritted her teeth.

Eloise said with a halting laugh. "Goodness. Well, I sure am sorry about that. I didn't realize cat toys had a psychological effect on Pasha."

"She's not like other cats." Myrtle realized she should try and be nice. Sometimes, it was very challenging to be nice, especially when others continued making errors in judgment. Like coming over in the middle of the night to interrupt a very nice, quiet time between friends. "Thanks for the gift, though. That was kind of you."