Free Murder and a Song (A Pattie Lansbury Cat Cozy Mystery Series Book 2) by Nancy C. Davis Page B

asleep.

                “There
are police cars parked all around this place, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

                “Look,”
said Officer Peterson suddenly, pointing. 
Constable Palmer followed his gaze and saw two men hanging about near a
burger van.  They wore hoodies with the
hoods up, and appeared to be watching the tent in plot 369.

                “Could
be them,” said Constable Palmer. “Watch them. 
Hill, log it and I’ll call it in.”

                She
turned down the FM and picked up the police radio to report that they might
have sight of the suspects.  As she was
doing so, the two men began to walk towards the plot.

                “I
think they’ve spotted us,” said Officer Peterson.

                “Just
don’t move and see if they’ll risk it. 
They don’t know for sure that there’s anyone in here or that we’re
waiting for them.”

                “We
should have kept them in custody when we had them.”

                “If
we did that for every suspect we didn’t like the look of, we’d need a much
bigger station, wouldn’t we?”

                “Okay,
they’re carrying on … Get ready.”

                The
officers never took their eyes off the two men striding towards the tent.  They watched them hesitate, then peer at the
police van long enough to see the officers inside – then they ran.

                “Damn
it!” shouted Constable Palmer, grabbing for the door. “Get after them!”

                The
officers jumped out of the van as the suspects made a run for it.  They chased them on foot between the
clustered tents and crowds, dodging and pushing between groups of people.  Constable Palmer screamed for the suspects to
stop, but of course they didn’t; the two men had already plotted an escape
route through the campsite and were soon so far ahead that the Constable could
barely see them anymore.

                “Keep
on them!” she shouted. “Don’t let them get away!”

                The
officers dodged and leapt, keeping up with the Constable, but the suspects knew
their route too well and were already at the edge of the treeline.

                “They’re
going into the woods!” called Constable Palmer. “Spread out!”

                But
as soon as the police team ran into the trees, all they saw were the tall
columns of pine and birch intersecting the filtered moonlight.  The Constable knew that the suspects couldn’t
have gotten far, and had probably stopped to hide.  It would only be a matter time before they
were found.

                She
called out to her team: “Search the trees! 
They’re around here somewhere.  Be
careful – but find them!”

Chapter 22
    Elliott Knight arrived to a sleeping
house.   Only Pattie was awake; she
had him take his usual seat in her lounge, where he was surrounded by half a
dozen snoring kitties.   She liked
the way that he moved quietly to avoid waking them.   She made a pot of his favourite Darjeeling and brought it
out in the trolley with a small jug of milk and a selection of biscuits.   The Doctor was fond of Scottish
shortbreads, so she always made sure she had some in.

    “Here
we are,” she said. “This should tide us over until we’re finished.”

    “Thank
you, Patricia.   You’re always the
perfect host.”

    “I
try, Elliott.”

    “Now,
where is the reason I’m here?   I
presume there’s a furry gentleman in need of some medical attention?” he said,
rubbing his hands together.

    Pattie
smiled and went to fetch O’Malley, who was sleeping in the bathroom on the
scrunched-up blanket that Pattie had put out for him.   He was limp and docile when she picked him up, surprising
her.   She supported his bottom and
back legs and brought him in for Elliott.   O’Malley blinked sleepily on