She heard another e-mail arrive and saw it was Macy again. Deciding that no one knew Howling better than the homecoming queen, on an impulse, Branna told her about the visit from Elizabeth Heath and asked her about the Book Club. Macy replied instantly, starting with, “OMG, do you know how many women in Howling have been dying to get into that club? It’s been an institution here for years, and no one knows who is going to be called up next, just as no one knows what goes on at the meetings. There has been speculation about who would be Georgie’s successor. Now we know.”
“So, from that e-mail, I would say that I’m honored and that in no way can I refuse?” Branna typed back.
“Hell no! You’d be run out of town. In saying that, there are sure to be a few angry women about when they find out you’ve taken the spot, but I’m sure you can handle it. You do that ‘don’t mess with me face’ well.”
Branna smiled at the screen. This was a side to Macy she had never seen before… the funny, smart woman.
“Me? I’m a pussycat. Sweetest person ever.”
What came back was a line of “hahaha.”
“How’s the writing going?” was the next question.
“How do you know I’m a writer?” Branna replied, to which Macy added.
“Town grapevine.”
Weirdly, she felt comfortable talking to Macy about one of her characters she was struggling to fit into the role Branna had mapped out for her. It was strange how the woman she had hated at school was so different to talk to by e-mail. She even had some insightful comments about how the woman should react when a man threatened her. After she had said thanks to Macy for her advice and good-bye, Branna put on her headphones, and minutes later was deep into the book and didn’t come out for quite some time.
Looking at her cell, she noticed a text from Jake that simply said:Come to the park down beside the lake.Noting the time, she saw that she’d been writing for three hours, so she took off her headphones and shut her computer down after backing everything up. Changing into her running shorts and singlet, Branna then pulled on her shoes. She needed the exercise and to clear her head, and if she was running around the lake, she wouldn’t run into her father or even think about him.
Where was he? Had he left town, or was he still staying with the McBride family?
Shaking the thought aside, Branna headed out the front door and stopped as she saw the pool of blood. Heart pounding, her eyes drifted up and her breath caught in her throat. Her scream was heard by no one as she discovered the cat’s tail had been nailed to the roof of the porch. Fumbling for her cell, she rang Jake.
“It’s Cat. You need to c-come quick.”
He ran up her drive minutes later, his body tense, eyes alert.
“They killed Cat.” She edged around the blood and leapt off the step and into his arms. They closed around her, and she felt the thud of his heart. He must have sprinted here. “I-it’s not fair.” Branna gripped the front of his T-shirt and held it tight while she burrowed her head into his chest. He held her, stroking her hair, and she soaked up his strength until she regained control of herself again.
The sound of a car made her lift her head, and then she saw Jake’s pickup arrive loaded with men. It stopped and out jumped Ethan, Newman, and Buster. All were sweaty like Jake, and each looked serious.
“What the fuck?” Buster stomped up to the tail and glared at it. “This shit has to stop!”
“Go see if you can find Cat. I don’t think it’s him,” Jake said, gripping her shoulders as he eased her from his arms. “Look at that tail, Branna. Cat has white circles in the ginger. That tail is lighter, and the stripes less distinguishable.”
She turned, and Jake stepped up behind her, caging her inside his strength. Looking at the tail, she studied it. Was he right?
“I need to go look for him now, just to be sure.” She stepped away from Jake, and Ethan kept pace with her as she ran around the house to where Cat sometimes slept in the sun. The relief at seeing him made her drop to her knees and pick him up.
“He’s okay. It wasn’t him.”
“He may be okay, but he’s now seriously pissed you woke him up, honey.”
Branna laughed with relief at Ethan’s words. Putting Cat back in his place, she regained her feet.
“I don’t even like cats.”
Ethan rubbed her back, but didn’t reply, instead urging her back around the front to where Jake and Buster were examining the blood.
“Red food coloring and tomato sauce.” Buster held his pinky finger up to examine the red on the end of it. “Not blood, Branna.”
“Why is someone trying to scare me?” Now she wasn’t shaking and scared, she was angry.
“That I don’t know, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.” Jake’s words were a growl as he pulled out his phone. “Cubby, you need to get to Branna’s place now.” Pocketing it again, he said. “Get me the keys, Rosebud. Buster and I will take a quick look around the shed, just to make sure nothing else is off. You take the Texan inside with you. He can look around in there, and then he’ll need feeding.
Branna looked at Ethan, who shrugged.
