Arson Takes a Dare: The Third Marisa Adair Mystery Adventure (Marisa Adair Mysteries Book 3) by Jada Ryker Page B

lovingly stroked his fur, noticing the shades of orange and brown, more like deer pelt than cat fur. “He’s pretty opinionated. He loves Alex and he hated Parvis Stidham.” She bit her lip. She’d vowed not to speak his name. She placed Laithe gently on the floor and looked around the room. “Who wants something to drink?”
    “Smart cat.” Alex bent down to pat the cat when he rubbed against his ankles.
    Marisa moved to Laithe. “He’s getting orange fur on your dark suit, Alex.”
    “A little orange hair won’t hurt anything.” Alex swatted at fur drifting in the air. “If you serve orange juice and Dreamsicles, no one will notice a thing.” He rubbed the cat from the top of his orange head to the tip of his orange tail. Laithe’s eyes closed in ecstasy and his hoarse purr filled the kitchen.
    Tara slid her arm around her friend’s waist. “Marisa, I hope you don’t mind. I told Dreamus about your brother Mosely, and the woman who was bullying him. I hoped we could legally hold her accountable.”
    “Tara!” Marisa was aghast. “You didn’t need to involve the law.”
    “I’m not just the law, Marisa. I’m your friend. And Alex’s friend as well.” Dreamus reached down to pet Laithe as he wove between Alex’s ankles.
    “I do want to track down Alisa and talk to her.” Marisa turned to the lieutenant. “I don’t want to involve law enforcement.”
    “Just let us know how we can help.” Tara snapped her fingers. “Alex, Marisa and I need to discuss something with you.”
    Alex rose and glanced at Marisa. She shrugged.
    Tara smacked Alex’s shoulder. “We overheard Elizabeth telling you her ideas for getting rid of people, including Marisa, to save money. What are you going to do?”
    Rubbing his shoulder, Alex frowned. “I’m not eliminating any jobs.”
    The kitchen door rattled with an insistent knocking. “What on earth?” Marisa trotted to the door.
    Alex’s eyes rolled like a spooked horse. “It’s that old battle-axe who lives next door to you.”
    “Oh, do you mean Verna?” Marisa giggled. “She’s just a bored old lady. She’s harmless. And she saved my life back in the summer.”
    “Harmless!” Alex edged away from the door. “The CIA would love to recruit her. The old woman’s interrogation technique is a frightening cross between a crazed hypnotist and an elderly bulldozer! She glares at me, and I just can’t get away. She reminds me a lot of my mother.”
    “Don’t forget the hellhound she drags with her.” Tara shuddered.
    “I don’t think a Chihuahua can be a hellhound.” Marisa snickered.
    “Have you ever noticed it looks a lot like Verna? Its narrow face and long nose are the spitting image of Verna. When they’re wearing matching kerchiefs, it’s difficult to tell them apart.” Tara chortled.
    “That dog is just as nosy as Verna, and I swear it can understand English.” Marisa leaned against Tara as they laughed.
    “I’ve heard her telling him not to bite people’s ankles. He disobeys. When poor Officer Daviess rushed to save Marisa and Alex a few months ago, the beast bit his ankles.”
    When Marisa sobered, Dreamus grimaced. “Now what was that moronic name she gave it?” He spoke in a rush, as if to take Marisa’s mind off the incident. “Pukey?”
    “Pusy,” Alex argued.
    Marisa poked him.
    “What? Pusy as in filled with pus.” His face shone with innocence. “You know, green discharge from an infected wound, like the one he left on the officer’s ankle.”
    “The little beast’s name is Punky,” Dreamus fumed. “I know because I insisted on seeing his rabies vaccination papers.”
    “I’ll bet the visitor is Mrs. Flaxton. She’s crawling on her hands and knees to give you a real apology.” Tara squeezed Marisa. “That old woman hates me. She thinks I’m not good enough to be your best friend.”
    Marisa shook her head. “She knows she has to accept me and my friends without judging us. Er, she did know, that