Free Poisoned in Cherry Hills (Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Book 3) by Paige Sleuth Page A

frowned. “Assuming Tasha won’t be able to care for him anymore, he’s now officially homeless again.”
    “If you’d like, I’ll give you both a ride to Imogene’s.” Andrew regarded her, his head slanted in concern. “You don’t look like you’re in any shape to be driving at the moment.”
    She couldn’t argue with him there. With the adrenaline rush rapidly wearing off, her knees felt as if they were made of jelly.
    “Then I’ll take your statement and buy you that milkshake.” His eyes twinkled. “Maybe I’ll even convince Jessie to add a little shot of something to the mix.”
    She smiled, holding onto his arm as she took a step forward. “How can I refuse an offer like that?”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    Kat was enjoying a quiet evening at home that night when her cell phone rang. She was all set to ignore it until she glimpsed Andrew’s name on the caller ID.
    “Hi,” she answered, muting the television.
    “Hi, yourself,” Andrew replied. “Are you busy?”
    “Right now?” Kat glanced at Matty and Tom curled up next to her on the sofa. “Not really.”
    “I’d like to come over and personally thank you for solving my case,” he said. “If it weren’t for you, who knows what Tasha might have tried when I left the station this afternoon.”
    His statement sent a shiver down Kat’s spine. She dreaded to think of what Tasha had planned for Andrew when she’d camped out in front of his place of employment with a gun in the front seat and a bottle of toxic cleaner in the back.
    “I’m only a couple blocks from your apartment,” Andrew continued. “Mind if I stop by?”
    “No.” Kat reflexively patted her hair into place. “Come on over.”
    They disconnected, and she threw her phone onto the coffee table before flying into the bathroom. She was able to give herself a two-minute makeup refresher before Andrew rang from downstairs and she buzzed him in.
    Her stomach fluttered as she waited for him to make it up to her unit. She itched to open the door so there would be no delays when he did arrive, but thought that might make her seem too anxious.
    As Kat strained to detect any sounds from the hallway, Matty watched her with one eye open, clearly wondering if her human had gone bonkers. Tom had evidently decided her restless energy was good for something and ambled over for some attention.
    Kat only managed one scratch between Tom’s ears before a knock on the door made her jump two feet into the air. She spun around and swung the door open.
    Andrew smiled at her as he stepped inside. “Hi.”
    “Hey.” She shut the door behind him.
    “Hi, big guy,” Andrew said, reaching down to rub Tom, who rolled onto the floor to expose his belly.
    “Can I get you something to drink?” Kat offered.
    “Nah, I just wanted to stop by for a minute since I was in the neighborhood.”
    “Oh.” Kat tried to push her disappointment aside.
    Andrew looked up at her, a hank of hair falling onto his forehead. “I’ve been thinking about this whole poisoning thing and how close I came to being in Heidi’s seat.”
    Kat wrapped her arms around herself, trying not to shudder from the reminder.
    “It’s really made me reflect on how short life can be,” Andrew said, turning his attention back to Tom.
    Kat swallowed, remembering Lucy Callahan’s almost identical words from that morning. Now, she felt a little bad for ever suspecting her new neighbor of killing another woman.
    Andrew gave Tom one last pat before standing up and facing Kat. “Anyway, it’s gotten me thinking that we really shouldn’t waste our time here on earth.”
    Kat nodded. Her insides twisted into a knot whenever she thought of how close she’d come to losing Andrew so soon after finding him again.
    “You know, I was really looking forward to the benefit dinner,” he said.
    “I was too,” Kat admitted.
    Andrew’s gaze drifted to Matty before he refocused on Kat. “Since that meal didn’t turn out quite the way we’d