Free Black Cat and the Accidental Angel (Black Cat Mysteries Book 3) by Elaine Faber Page B

Tears?
    Cindy clutched Black Cat to her chest and collapsed on the sofa, shaking with sobs. She wiped the back of her sleeve across her cheeks. “Oh, Black Cat. Where have you been? I was so scared. I called and called. Mama took Angel away. I thought she took you, too. She’s taking Angel to the pound!”

Chapter Ten
    P ound? Angel? The words rattled around in his head like marbles in a teacup. Black Cat’s head swam, worse than when he woke from the accident. It didn’t make sense. He gazed into Cindy’s tear-streaked face. She lay curled in a ball, tears trickling down her cheeks. The room swayed, all blurry and out of focus. His head hurt. He needed Angel. Where was she? The last time he saw her, he was sitting at the door…
    Kittens! His head cleared. He remembered now. The mama said Angel was going to have kittens and he’d gone away mad. He stared at the cabin door. A chill traveled across the back of his neck and paraded up and down his spine. What did Cindy say about the pound? The mama took Angel…? Impossible! Cats don’t come back from the pound. Never!
    How could it be true? This kind of thing only happened in movies or books. Penny novel drivel, not in real life, like now.
    He raced from the couch to the door and clawed the handle. How could he have treated his precious love that way? Thinking she had betrayed him ! If he’d known the mama would take Angel away, he would never have been so rude. He was going to forgive her! Now she was gone. How would she ever forgive him for not being there when she needed him? It was well over an hour since the mama drove away. If only he’d known Angel was in the car, he would have… What could he have done?
    When will I learn to treasure each moment? It could be your last. Now, it’s too late.
    Black Cat slunk back to the sofa. It’s my fault . If he’d stayed in the cabin, maybe he could have done something. He snuggled next to Cindy’s side and laid his head on his paws. He pulled his tail over his face. Just make the world go away. Angel was gone and he’d never see her again. How he wished he could cry, like Cindy.
    The door opened and John came in, the scent of outdoors, all woodsy and piney, clinging to his red, checkered shirt. He stamped his feet and bits of sawdust tumbled off his boots. “What’s the matter, honey?” He sat on the sofa and drew Cindy onto his lap. He pulled a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and wiped her wet cheeks. “What is it? Tell me.”
    “Mama came.” Cindy’s head slumped onto his shoulder. “She said Angel was going to have kittens and you couldn’t afford to keep them, a passel , so she took her to the pound!”
    John’s jaw tightened. “That blasted, meddling woman. I didn’t know she was in town or I wouldn’t have left you home alone. I’m so sorry, Cindy.” He patted her shoulder. “Remember? We were only going to keep the cats until we found their family. She’ll be okay. And, it’s not exactly the pound. It’s the animal shelter. They’ll take good care of her. They’ll find her a good home for her and her babies, too. Don’t worry.” He turned his face away from Cindy. Drops of perspiration sprinkled his forehead. His cheeks reddened.
    Black Cat buried his face deeper under his tail. John didn’t believe a word he said about what would happen to Angel. He knew that when a pregnant cat ends up at the animal shelter, it’s doubtful they’d keep her around long enough for her kittens to be born and then have five or six more mouths to feed and homes to locate.
    Cindy’s mother, Carolyn, might have thought she was protecting Cindy from feeling bad in the future, but had she considered for one minute that her decision was Angel’s death warrant? Maybe she had, and she just didn’t care.
    “Run and wash your face, Cindy. What’s done is done. Your mama thought she was doing the right thing, though I do wish she’d mind her own business.”
    Cindy sniffed and wiped her nose on her