Look Alive Twenty-Five (Stephanie Plum 25)

“Now all we need is a fluffy white cat,” I said.

Eugene took a penlight out of another cargo pants pocket and flashed it around the room. A white cat trotted into the kitchen and meowed at us. I scooped the cat up and zipped it into the carrier.

“Just lik

e I told you,” Lula said. “Easy-peasy.”

I FaceTimed Annie from the back seat of the SUV.

“It’s Miss Muffy!” Annie said. “You did it! You got Miss Muffy! I’m staying with a friend on Apple Street, just off Hamilton Avenue. I’ll be waiting on the front porch for you.”

We delivered Miss Muffy to Annie, and she promised to check in with the court first thing in the morning. I told her I would pick her up at ten o’clock. I thought chances were about fifty-fifty that she would be there when I arrived.

Once again, the key to true happiness is lowered expectations.

Ranger called just as we were approaching my building’s parking lot.

“Babe,” he said, “you’re not going to make the cut as a cat wrangler.”

“The second attempt went okay.”

“I have part of the first one on video from Eugene’s dashcam. I’m going to save it for those days when I need something to smile about.”

“Always happy to make you smile.”

“Wulf is in your apartment,” Ranger said. “Would you like Eugene to remove him?”

“No. He’s harmless.”

“He’s not harmless. I’m not even sure he’s human. He shows up as a blur on my video feed. He’s rogue even by my standards.”

“He might know something that we don’t.”

“Have Eugene wait in the hall, and leave your door open.”

“Okeydokey,” I said, but the line was already dead.

I told Lula I’d meet up with her in the office in the morning, and Eugene and I trooped upstairs. Wulf was waiting for me in my living room, standing by the window.

“We have to talk,” I said to Wulf.

He smiled. “I’m listening.”

“I hate when you break in like this. Stop it.”

“I’ll take it under consideration,” Wulf said. “Is there anything else?”

“No. That’s it.”

“Nothing to share?”

“Nope.”

“You’ve been busy,” Wulf said. “Spinning your wheels in Skoogie’s office. I could have told you it was clean.”

“And the house?” I said.

Wulf shrugged.