Framed in Cherry Hills (Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Book 2) by Paige Sleuth Page A

her phone away from her ear. “Who was that?”
    “Paul McGinty.” The cell phone slipped out of Imogene’s hand, landing with a thunk on the desk. “Evidently Willow was supposed to stop by his house half an hour ago so he could talk to her about Tom.”
    “Who’s Tom?”
    “One of our foster cats. The McGintys are currently caring for him until he finds a permanent home.”
    “Ah.”
    Imogene chewed the edge of her lip. “Wherever Willow is, something dreadful must have happened. She never misses appointments without at least calling.”
    Kat glanced out the window, shivering as she watched the rain pelting the glass panes. Although it was still early afternoon, the darkening skies gave the impression that the hour was closer to nighttime.
    Imogene jumped out of her chair, seeming to have gotten a fresh burst of energy. “Anyway, I’ve got to head over to Paul’s. He sounded pretty upset that Willow didn’t show when she said she would.”
    Kat stood up. “Should I come with you?”
    Imogene’s face brightened. “Yes, that would be wonderful. This way you’ll get to experience firsthand some of what we do here at 4F.”
    “Sounds good.” Kat grabbed her purse off the floor and followed Imogene out the door.

CHAPTER TWO
    The McGintys lived in a modest, one-story house two miles from Imogene’s neighborhood. Figuring it would be silly to arrive in different vehicles, Kat rode along with Imogene.
    “This isn’t like Willow,” Imogene said at least three times during the five-minute drive. “Something bad must have happened to her.”
    As the windshield wipers swished at the most rapid setting and lightning lit up the dark sky, Kat didn’t state the obvious.
    When the women reached their destination, they ran from the car to the McGintys’ front door, taking cover under the overhang. Even after the short sprint, they were both drenched.
    “I used to keep an umbrella in my car,” Imogene said, depressing the button to ring the doorbell. “Then one day one of my foster dogs thought it was a chew toy. I keep forgetting to replace it.”
    As they waited, Kat shook the water from her hair in an effort to look more presentable. She had to smile at Imogene, who sounded amused rather than annoyed at her former dog’s antics. Kat would bet anything that Imogene Little wouldn’t mind if an animal chewed up everything in her home if that’s what it took to spare his life.
    The door creaked open, revealing a blond, forty-something man who stood a few inches taller than Kat’s own five-foot-six-inch frame. “Hi, Imogene.” He swung the door open wider. “Come on in.”
    Imogene stepped over the threshold. A beautiful brown and black cat ambled over to her, arching his back against her leg. “Hi there, Tom,” she crooned, massaging the cat’s head.
    Kat entered the house and offered the man her hand. “You must be Paul. I’m Kat Harper. I just started volunteering for 4F.”
    Paul shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Kat.”
    “I brought her along to show her the ropes,” Imogene said, still showering Tom with attention.
    “We’ve all got to learn somewhere, right?” Paul shut the door. “Come in and have a seat.”
    Kat and Imogene followed Paul into the living room. Kat hesitated to touch the furniture before she dried off, but when both Imogene and Paul sat down she thought it would be rude to remain standing. As she perched on the sofa next to Imogene, she noticed that Tom had followed them at a polite distance, as if he were the McGintys’ butler ushering in the family’s guests.
    Imogene absently picked at one of the couch cushions. “Paul, I’m so terribly sorry about Willow missing your appointment. I don’t know what’s happened, but I haven’t been able to reach her either.”
    Paul leaned back in his armchair. “It’s not like Willow to be late.”
    The corners of Imogene’s mouth dipped down. “I’m awfully worried about her. She’s not answering her phone, which is