Ch. 23 | A Cat, A Corpse, and a Cup of Coffee

Dead bodies in a trunk!

Sam blinked at the text from Elaine.

What?! she typed back.

I’m in front of Jerry and Lynn’s house—come over!!

Sam stood up quickly, deciding to leave Auggie in the casita. No point adding extra commotion. She wasn’t keen on seeing corpses—or being involved at all—but she didn’t want Elaine to face it alone.

She quickened her pace, turning the corner onto their street. A few cop cars were parked outside the house, yellow tape fluttered around the garage, and two people in business-casual attire stood nearby.

Sam squinted.

Yep. The same pair from the other day.

“Oh, Sam!” Elaine waved like they were meeting for brunch.

Apparently, she’s not too worked up about this, Sam thought.

“This is my neighbor Sam,” Elaine said, gesturing toward her.

The detectives didn’t look thrilled by the interruption, but they nodded politely.

“I’m Jasmine. This is my partner, Greg,” the woman said.

“Hi,” Sam replied curtly, turning to Elaine. “I came because I thought you’d need help. Everything okay?”

“Oh yes,” Elaine replied in a surprisingly chipper tone. “We’re just finishing up—aren’t we, detectives?”

“Yes,” Greg said, handing each woman a card. “If anything else comes to mind, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Then, with a pointed look: “And ladies, please remember—this is an active investigation. No one needs to play Nancy Drew in the neighborhood.”

Sam smirked. Like I want anything to do with your investigation, she thought.

Elaine grabbed her arm and hustled her away.

Sam didn’t resist. She figured she’d get the full play-by-play once they got back to Elaine’s place. Let’s hope there’s coffee.

Back at the house, Elaine fired up her espresso machine. “This calls for something stronger,” she muttered, making herself a hot toddy.

She knew Sam didn’t drink, so she handed her a double espresso instead. Sam stirred it with the tiny spoon and took a grateful sip.

“It’s good,” she said, nodding.

Elaine beamed.

“So what the heck happened?”

Elaine sat down, her face suddenly paler. “Well, I was walking Jamison, like usual, and we were coming up on Jerry and Lynn’s house. Something smelled… weird. Not super strong at first, but the closer we got, the more it hit me.”

She paused, staring at her cup.

“I figured I’d check. Just in case. Used the keypad—the one I use when I cat-sit—and when I opened the garage…” she trailed off. Her hand trembled slightly.

It was the first time Sam had seen the incident actually shake her. Her heart softened.

Before Sam could speak, Elaine rallied.

“Oh! Oliver. That poor cat. I wonder what’s going to happen to him. He’s really the sweetest. Sometimes when he got out, he’d show up in our backyard meowing for a snack,” she chuckled. “He had a few favorite stops in the neighborhood.”

A knock at the door startled them both.

Elaine got up, Sam trailing behind her.

It was Jasmine—again. This time, holding a ginger tabby in her arms.

“Hi Ms. Hart,” the detective said. “We found the cat. A neighbor mentioned you usually watched him when the owners were out. We were going to take him to the shelter, but figured you might want to keep him.”

Elaine’s face lit up. “Oh, Oliver!”

She scooped him up like he was a lost child. The cat immediately nestled into her neck, purring.

“You must’ve been so scared,” she whispered to him, stroking his fur.

Jasmine smiled. “Looks like he’s in good hands. You ladies have a nice day.”

They said their goodbyes, and Elaine shut the door. She and Sam returned to the kitchen table, Oliver now comfortably curled in Elaine’s lap.

“Well,” Elaine said, stroking his back. “Mystery solved on Mr. Ollie.”

Then her smile dimmed. “I still can’t believe they’re gone.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Sam said gently.

Elaine shrugged. “Eh. Honestly, Jerry was a pill. And Lynn? She had her quirks. But Oliver?” She looked down at the cat, who purred in agreement. “He’s a gem.”

“When we first moved in,” she went on, “Jamison was playing in the backyard—before he was fully blind—and I heard him talking to someone. Turns out Oliver was back there, playing with his red ball. I gave him a few treats, and he walked right up like we were old friends. His collar had their address, so I left a note with my number. Lynn called, and that’s how we became friendly. I’d watch him anytime they traveled. Jamison likes him too, so it won’t be a problem.”

Sam smiled. The cat was charming. Calming, even.

“I shouldn’t be so judgmental,” Elaine added. “Jerry and Lynn were hospitable in their way. Jerry would give me a bottle of good scotch whenever I watched Oliver. I never asked for anything—but still. It was nice.”

She took a sip of her toddy. Oliver stretched in her lap.

“Well,” Sam said, “since I’m here… want to play some dominoes?”

Elaine perked up. “Yes! Though I hope this hot toddy doesn’t mess with my strategy.”

“Oh please,” Sam teased. “Don’t start making excuses for losing.”

Both women laughed while Sam set up the match. For the next hour, the conversation drifted to lighter things—old movies, quirky neighbors, funny Jamison stories.

But as Sam played, a strange unease lingered. Something in Lago Tierra wasn’t right. And whatever it was…

…it wasn’t finished.