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become a successful
artist. She had sworn never to marry, and he was a childless widower. Funny how
life has such strange twists.
    Because her own childhood had
been too painful, she had decided not to have children. She grew up hating her
father for abandoning them when she was a toddler. She adored her mother, but
grew up very lonely, the result of her mother working several jobs to support
them.
    “I know they’ll love your
work, Sweets,” she said as she refilled her own mug, a large ceramic one
adorned with a picture of a black cat. She carried it with her to the master
bedroom to shower and dress. She had thought about the mysterious key all the
previous day, but didn’t speak once of it to Randolph. He had her convinced to
call Sergeant Delmonti, and that’s what she would do. She wasn’t going to rush
down to the office because of a nut case phone call to check on any damn key.
    She turned on the morning
television news and stepped into the shower. Just as she soaped up, Randolph
stuck his head into the steamy shower. “I’m leaving, see you tonight.” He
kissed her wet nose. She threw the soap at him. He ducked just in time.

    An hour later, the cats
had assembled on the back deck, waiting for their breakfast. She carried a bag of
dry food outside and poured a portion into four separate bowls. Then she
remembered that she hadn’t carried out the trash, so she loaded three full bags
into Streak and drove down to the barn where they kept the Dumpster, and
wrestled the bags into it.
    Finally
underway, she decided to swing through McDonald’s and get Woody a breakfast
sandwich. Before leaving home, she had gulped down a breakfast shake, which was
now sloshing in her stomach. She needed more coffee to settle the shake, so she
ordered herself a tall coffee along with Woody’s sandwich.
    A few blocks before she
reached the office, she remembered that she needed to pick up some postage. She
detoured through the drive-through post office but couldn’t remember what she
needed, so she went on through without purchasing anything. She waved to the
postal lady as she went by and received a strange look and partial wave in
return.
    Woody had not yet arrived
when she got there, and a sense of dread washed over her. She realized that she
had deliberately procrastinated, hoping she wouldn’t be the first to get to the
office in case there really was a key like the phone call had said. She
unlocked the front door, slipped in quickly and braced her back against the
door. Taking a deep breath, she dared a glance to the floor in front of the
mail slot. Nothing. She let out a whoosh of air that she hadn’t realized that she was holding.
    “The old coot was jerking my
chain after all,” she muttered as she walked slowly to her desk, pausing at
Woody’s desk to set his sandwich down next to a small stuffed sock monkey that
guarded his computer. “I’m glad I didn’t make a fool of myself and rush down
here yesterday.” She balanced her hot coffee until she reached her own desk,
then managed to set it down without spilling a drop. After hanging up her coat
and scarf, she tugged open the bottom desk drawer and dropped her oversized
purse into it. Then she went to the kitchen to make more coffee. One cup would
never get her through the day.
    The computers had booted up
by the time Woody arrived. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, huffing as he hurried to
hang up his coat. “I had to take Jenn to work this morning. Her car wouldn’t
start.” He spied the breakfast sack. “Did you get this for me?” He didn’t wait
for an answer, but began unwrapping the sandwich. “Thanks!” He munched
hungrily, then strode to the kitchen.
    Coffee cup in hand, he
swallowed the last of the sandwich, then wiped errant crumbs off his beard as
he made his way back to the front office. After he plopped into his chair and
tossed the napkin into the trash, he swiveled toward Rhetta. “By the way, I
came in here last night to meet new