Free A Tale of Two Tabbies by Kathi Daley Page B

daughter.”
    “Her name is Kim. She didn’t really get along with her mother. She moved to Chicago twenty years ago, and as far as I know the two never spoke again. Still, as far as I know, Kim is the only family Theresa had, so I assume she’ll inherit her estate. I should ask Finn if he knows the specifics.”
    “It seems Miranda has her heart set on Sydney. If he does become eligible for adoption will you call me?”
    “Absolutely.”
    Miranda and her grandmother left and I called Finn’s cell, but he didn’t pick up. He was most likely talking to Cliff. I left a message, asking if he had any information on Theresa’s next of kin or the possible existence of a will. In my heart I knew Miranda and Sydney were meant to be together, and I was going to do everything in my power to make certain that happened.
    The rest of the day flew by as the crowd we’d been expecting arrived. Tara and I were happy but exhausted as we locked the doors and reconciled the cash drawer.
    “This has to be the best day we’ve had since Christmas,” I commented as Tara counted the money.
    “By far. I have to say I’m relived the sale went so well. We managed to keep up with all our bills, but just barely. If the slow season had dragged on much longer I don’t know what we would have done.”
    “We would have figured something out,” I assured my best friend.
    “Yeah, I guess we would have. By the way, I was going to tell you that Lovie Bird was in today. We got to chatting about Theresa’s murder and, like Carissa, she didn’t seem all that upset. It almost made me wonder if she wasn’t one of the five.”
    I thought about the codes. “None of them began with LB.”
    “That’s true,” Tara conceded. “Maybe she really is just happy that she’ll finally be able to rent a locker at the bowling alley.”
    “A locker?”
    “Lovie told me there’s a waiting list and she’s next in line. I guess Theresa was the owner of one of the lockers and now that she’s deceased it should become available.” Tara frowned. “You don’t think…?”
    I looked at the list. One of the codes was MHMB241-0668. “MB could stand for Madrona Bowl.”
    I decided to call down to the bowling alley to see if my good friend Benny King was working the counter that day. If he was I’d be able to confirm that Theresa had rented one of the lockers.
    “Yep,” Benny said after he answered the phone and I asked my question. “Theresa rents a locker. Or at least she did before she died. Number 241. I’m guessing someone will be by to clear out her stuff.”
    “Yeah, I’m sure someone will. Thanks for your help.”
    I hung up the phone and looked at Tara. “Locker 241 is assigned to Theresa.”
    “Are you going to try to access it?”
    “Heck yeah.”
    “But you don’t have the combination.”
    I looked at the code. “What do you want to bet the locker has one of those four digit codes and 0668 will open it?”
    “I guess it’s worth a try. I’d come with you, but I have a date.”
    “A date? With who?”
    “Grant Reed.”
    Grant was the new leader for St. Patrick’s high school group. Tara was in charge of the children’s programs, so they’d worked together on a few projects.
    “I knew you were friends, but I didn’t know you were dating.”
    “We aren’t. Or at least we haven’t been. This is our first date. I think.”
    “What do you mean, ‘you think’?”
    “We’ve met to discuss the church programs, but when he asked me if I wanted to go to dinner tonight it felt different. He didn’t specifically say the word date , but the way he asked the question felt sort of datelike.”
    “Dinner out on a Saturday night is most definitely a date. Have a wonderful time and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
    Tara grinned. “Don’t worry, I won’t. It’s just a first date.”
    “I’ll fill you in on the locker situation tomorrow.”
    After we locked up, Tara went home to change and I headed to the bowling alley.