Free Fear Familiar Bundle by Caroline Burnes

But persistence had paid off, and they'd finally relented enough to yield her address.
    She opened the gate and stepped along the sidewalk, which was bordered on either side by a variety of plants. The small house with its tiny front garden was exquisite. It was obvious that Magdalena Caruso was as fanatical about plants as she was about animals.
    Eleanor took her time inspecting the neat flower bed. She could imagine how bright the yard would be in summer. She could picture the marigolds, petunias and the vivid zinnias.
    Standing silent, she let the recent events stew in her head like some roiling gumbo. Out popped the name of Magdalena Caruso. If anyone could shed light on "terrorist" behavior, it was her.
    "Ms. Duncan!"
    Eleanor's head snapped up from her inspection of the flowers to find the small, rotund woman standing on the front step. "How nice of you to pay a call. Come in." Bowser's head ducked out behind her legs and he issued a short bark of welcome.
    Eleanor didn't know how she'd expected to be greeted, but it certainly wasn't so warmly.
    "How's that cat of yours?" Magdalena asked. "You did a very generous thing, taking care of him. Not many people are willing to help animals from labs. They don't want to get involved. I won't ask how you got him."
    "Familiar is fine," Eleanor said, stepping over the threshold. Now wasn't the time to explain to the woman that she hadn't "gotten" Familiar. If anything, he'd "gotten" her.
    As the door shut behind her, she stopped dead in her tracks. At least fifteen cats were perched, posed and positioned on different pieces of furniture in the living room. Totally oblivious to the feline population, Bowser went to a small rug and settled down for a nap.
    "Let me make some introductions," Magdalena said. "You've met Bowser, so that's Garp, Slugger, Minnie the Moocher, Zazu, Squeaky, Whiskers, Lord Byron, Adolph, Mister Mitts, Jones, Tiger, McDonald, Cochise, Asia, Calico, Mozart, Smokey, Stay Puff, Yoda, Pitter, Van Gogh and Faulkner. That last one has defied my ability to come up with a name, so we call it Boo Boo Kitty. Cats, this is Eleanor Duncan, new cat owner." She waved Eleanor to an empty chair.
    "How many are there?" Eleanor asked. She felt as if the room could burst into motion at any second.
    "Too many," Magdalena said cheerfully. "But they needed a home, and I had one with a wonderfully enclosed garden in the back. What brings you to this part of town?"
    "I want to know more about ARSA," Eleanor told her.
    "Why, my dear? You'll forgive me if I say you don't seem to be the type to want to get involved in what will inevitably be a dirty fight. Now that veterinarian friend of yours, he looks like a good candidate." Her green eyes were intense. "Is he?"
    "I don't know about Peter. I don't want to be in a fight at all, dirty or clean," Eleanor said with emphasis. "But I'm already involved. I didn't steal Familiar, but when he came into my life, a lot of things changed. I'm not exactly certain how, but I've begun to think that maybe some of the changes might relate to that cat. Did your group break into any labs recently?"
    "The Animal Rescue Squad Arsenal hasn't officially been active since last summer."
    "This isn't a real answer," Eleanor pressed.
    "It's the only answer I'm prepared to give," Magdalena said. There was a no-nonsense look in her green eyes now.
    "Last Friday night there was a break-in. A man was seriously injured." Eleanor took a deep breath and met the direct gaze of the woman who sat across from her. "I have been questioned by the CIA, and I think my cat was stolen from there."
    "I see." Magdalena was clearly evaluating something. "When I got the report about you and the cat, I was led to believe you were supplying experimental animals. There seems to be a great deal of confusion here, and I'm wondering how that might be. How about a cup of tea?"
    "I could use one," Eleanor said. She was more nervous than she'd anticipated, but Magdalena Caruso was