Free Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke Page B

decidedly unladylike.
    â€œOkay, I’m up,” Hannah declared to the orange and white tomcat who still wore the scars of his former life on the streets. She tugged her tank top back into place, got to her feet with what she thought was a minimum of groaning, and headed off to the kitchen. “Just let me pour a mug of Swedish Plasma and then I’ll get your breakfast.”
    But Moishe didn’t follow her into the kitchen as he usually did. He didn’t even move from the back of the couch where he’d perched. And then everything came back in a rush of memory, and Hannah recalled why she’d been sleeping on the couch. She was worried about Moishe. He wasn’t eating. And she’d wanted to wake up and take note if she heard him crunching his food in the middle of the night.
    Hannah had just poured her first, life-giving mug of coffee when she heard a voice that seemed to be coming from inside her condo.
    â€œIs Moishe okay?” the voice asked.
    Even in her sleep-deprived state, Hannah recognized that voice. It was Michelle, and she was staying in the guest room.
    â€œDon’t know yet. Want coffee?” she managed to say, anything other than Pidgin English eluding her.
    â€œI’ll get it. Just sit there and drink yours. Do you know your eyes aren’t open all the way?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhat time did Norman leave?”
    â€œNo numbers.” Hannah took a giant swig of coffee and felt it burn all the way down. It was worth it if it lifted the curtain of fog from her mind. “Never good at math in the morning.”
    â€œI’m sorry I asked. Take another sip of your coffee. I won’t bother you again until you finish that mug.”
    Hannah finished her coffee in several large, near-scalding swallows and held out her mug for more. By the time Michelle had set it on the table in front of her, the mists of sleep were starting to depart and she had glimpses of clarity. “Okay,” she said, giving her youngest sister a little smile, mostly because Michelle’s sleep outfit, a green cotton nightgown with miniature cows grazing all over it, was even more ridiculous than hers. “What did you ask me before?”
    â€œI asked if Moishe was all right.”
    â€œI’m not sure. I think I heard him eating something in the middle of the night, but that could have been wishful thinking.”
    Michelle set her own mug down on the table and walked to Moishe’s food bowl. “How full was it last night?”
    â€œIt was up to the brim. It was even mounded a bit in the middle. I wanted him to have plenty if he got hungry and wanted a midnight snack.”
    â€œWell, it’s not mounded on top anymore.”
    â€œReally?” That information got Hannah out of her chair to join her sister at the food bowl. “You’re right. He definitely ate some kitty crunchies.”
    â€œSo you can stop worrying?” Michelle followed Hannah back to the table and sat down across from her.
    â€œI’m not sure. He didn’t eat very much. He usually cleans his bowl during the night and yowls for more in the morning.”
    â€œHow about water?”
    â€œHe’s drinking. His water dish was full, too. He drank about half, and that’s what he usually drinks.”
    â€œThat’s a good sign, isn’t it?”
    â€œI think so. It’s just not like him to turn down food. You saw what happened when Norman tried to give him fried chicken last night. He loves fried chicken, but last night he just sniffed it and walked away.”
    Michelle leaned to the side so that she could see into the living room. “I think you’d better take him to the vet, Hannah. He’s sitting on the back of the couch again, just staring out the window. Maybe it’s just the hot weather and he doesn’t feel like eating much, but you’ll never forgive yourself if it’s something serious and you didn’t have Dr.