I can’t help but chuckle as I reach down to scratch behind her elaborately groomed ears. “You’re absolutely right, Cupcake. We need an upgrade around here.”
The response from Fish and Chip is immediate and outraged.
She’s petting the pooch!Fish’s mental shriek could shatter crystal.We see you, Josie! Consorting with the enemy!
Traitor!Chip adds with the wounded dignity of a cat who’s just been betrayed by their best friend.That cotton candy sculpture is stealing our hooman! This is mutiny! This is treason! This is... actually, is that a bacon bit in her fur?
Focus, Orange One!Fish snaps.Our dignity is at stake here! Do you want to share this throne with a D-O-G one day?
Oh, my whiskers, you’re right!Chip gasps.What if she starts buying dog treats instead of the good cat food?What if we have to share our sunny window spots? What if she expects us to fetch?! We’re not letting you get away with this, Josie!
I straighten up, trying to look innocent while my cats plot my demise from across the courtyard.
“Sorry,” I tell Savvy. “Cat drama. They’re very territorial about their humans.”
“Understandable. Cupcake gets the same way when I pet other dogs.”
Before I can respond, a tremendous crash erupts from the dessert table. We both turn to see Georgie standing in the center of what appears to be a dessert-related disaster zone, her Ferris wheel kaftan now decorated with what looks like the entire contents of the Halloween display.
“I saw a mouse!” Georgie shrieks, pointing at the wreckage around her. “A huge mouse! It ran right under the table and I tried to jump up to get away from it and?—”
The spring-loaded display that had been holding the ghost cake pops apparently couldn’t handle Georgie’s enthusiastic mouse-avoidance technique. Now, desserts are scattered across a ten-foot radius, and Georgie stands in the center of it all like the eye of a very sweet, very sticky hurricane.
Fish and Chip’s voices rise above the chaos with the outrage of royalty witnessing a peasant uprising.
This is what happens when you pet other animals!Fish shrieks.Karma, Josie! Sweet, sugary karma!
Save the pink donuts with sprinkles!Chip yells, apparently having his priorities straight even in the midst of chaos.
And through it all, Delora Drake stands at the edge of the mayhem, clipboard clutched to her chest, looking as if she’s witnessing the apocalypse of proper event planning.
Regardless, I did get to grill my very first suspect. Have you ever met someone who feels like they could be your new best friend and also maybe commit a felony with you? That’s Savvy Sparrow in a Southern nutshell.
In the space of five minutes, I’ve learned that everyone has secrets, nobody is telling the whole truth, and my investigation has gone from organized inquiry to complete disaster.
Just another typical day in the life of Josie Janglewood, where every conversation reveals more questions than answers and every dessert table becomes a potential crime scene.
CHAPTER 10
Chip
You ever get the feeling the world is falling apart, one cheese crumb at a time?
Because I do. And I’m not just saying that because a rogue mouse sprinted across the Princess Pavilion in broad daylight while I was posing for photos like a seasoned celebrity. I mean, yes, it was horrifying. It may have undermined my entire brand. But also?Rude.
Fish is pacing in front of me like she’s preparing to brief the CIA—Cat Investigative Agency. Her tail keeps twitching. That’s how I know things are about to get serious. When Fish gets twitchy, someone’s about to lose a limb. Or dignity. Or a cupcake.
The symposium is nice and all, but when duty calls, a cat’s got to answer—especially when that duty involves showing a fancy poodle who really runs this theme park.
Emergency meeting, Orange One,Fish announces with a yowl that could be heard in the next state over.We’ve got a mouse situation that requires immediate attention from our ground forces.
I hop down from my velvet throne with the grace of someonewho definitely didn’t just face-plant into the cushion.Finally! Some real action. I was getting bored with all the adoration and treat offerings.
This is serious business,Fish continues, her black and white tail twitching with a threat.That mouse Georgie spotted means there could be an entire invasion force planning to infiltrate the symposium. We cannot allow rodents to compromise our reputation as the most elite mascots in Maine.
Right behind you, General Whiskers,I say, because Fish gets cranky when I don’t take her seriously.Should we alert our hooman?
Josie is busy interrogating suspects. And she already hired us and our furry counterparts with claws to handle the situation. This is a job for professionals.
