Free Dead Is a State of Mind by Marlene Perez Page A

Nightshade. I didn't want to find out tonight. Evidently, neither did the kitten. We practically ran the rest of the way home.
    I didn't stop until we reached the white picket fence that enclosed our yard. I opened the gate. "Are you coming in?" I asked.
    The kitten walked through the gate with a swish of her tail. She paused on the front porch and meowed. Suddenly, I had a cat, or she had me.
    I wondered what Mom would say about having a pet. I unlocked the door and opened it wide. The cat entered with the regal walk of a queen deigning to receive her subjects.
    "Guess what I found today?" I called out. No time like the present to find out Mom's current stance on pets.
    There was no answer.
    "Poppy? Mom? Rose?" I checked my watch. It was past seven. Where was everyone? "It looks like it's just you and me, kitten."
    We didn't have any cat food, of course, so I opened a can of tuna. Who knew how long it had been since the kitten had had a good meal? She was more than sleek, she was skinny. I would take her to the vet as soon as I could, but in the meantime I needed to run to the store for cat food and a litter box, maybe even a few cat toys, but I didn't want to leave my new friend alone.
    The phone rang while I was watching the cat eat. I checked the caller ID but didn't recognize the number.
    "Hello?" I said. I was hoping it was Ryan. It wasn't.
    "May I speak to Daizee?"
    It was Duke Sherrad. I could tell by the way he kind of stretched out my name when he said it.
    "Hi, Duke."
    "You recognized me." He sounded pleased.
    It didn't take a detective to figure it out. No one else in Nightshade had that accent. "What's up?"
    "What is up?" Now he sounded puzzled. He had to be playing, right?
    I'd forgotten Duke might not be familiar with some slang. Where exactly was he from, anyway?
    I tried again. "I was just asking why you were calling." I was waiting for him to get to the point, but he seemed to be taking his time.
    "I was calling to ask you if you would do me the honor of accompanying me to the upcoming ball?" He sounded really nervous now, and I took pity on him.
    "The ball? You mean prom?"
    "Yes, yes. This is it. The prom. Penny Edwards indicated that I would require formal wear. I have a tuxedo already."
    Somehow I doubted that Penny was encouraging Duke to ask me out. "Does Penny know you are asking me to prom?"
    "Why, no. Should I have informed her of this?"
    "No, of course not. I was just curious." Penny was definitely interested in Duke. If she thought I was competition, there's no telling what she was capable of doing.
    "You will go with me, yes?"
    I'd never been in the position of letting someone down, gently or otherwise. Where was Poppy when I needed her? I gave the cat an entreating look, but she just licked a bit of tuna off her face. "You're no help," I whispered.
    "I am afraid I did not hear what you said," Duke responded.
    "It wasn't important," I said. I took a deep breath. "Duke, I'm flattered, and under other circumstances, I'd be delighted to go with you, but I'm already seeing someone."
    " This Ryan you introduced to me?"
    "Yes."
    "And he has already asked you to this prom?"
    "Not yet," I said. My mind flashed to a picture of Ryan and Elise huddled together on the park bench. "But he will," I said, with more confidence than I was feeling.
    "If he does not extend an invitation, I would be happy to escort you," Duke said.
    "Thank you, Duke, but that won't be necessary." At least I hoped it wouldn't.
    After a few more fulsome compliments, Duke finally hung up. I caught myself smiling at the phone. I have to admit my ego was soothed by his obvious interest.
    My family still wasn't home, so I scrounged leftovers for dinner, then remembered I still needed cat supplies. Poppy had the car, so I'd have to ask her to stop on her way home.
    I dialed her cell, but it went right to voice mail. "Hey, where are you?" I said. "Can you stop at the store and pick up a litter box and some cat litter? I'll explain