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“Pet him too long. Didn’t feed him fast enough,” she said with a shrug, as she rubbed the teacup’s surface. “You know, the usual.”

“Sounds like a typical cat.”

“Dickens is definitely that,” Paige said with a chuckle. “Where do these go?”

Dewey wiggled a finger at one of the cupboards overhead. Paige nodded and flung it open, then she stowed the teacup inside before drying the next one.

“Idiots who built my kitchen put everything at human height.”

“Good thing you’ve got wings!”

Dewey eyed her sideways. “If we’re going to work together, you’re really going to need to tone back your positive attitude.”

Paige cocked her head as she slid the second teacup onto the shelf. “Maybe you’re going to need to work on your negative one.”

Dewey twisted to face her, his eyes narrowing. Paige matched his stance, ready to defend her view.

Before either could speak, a klaxon blared overhead. Red lights flashed as the alarm continued to belt out its warning.

“What’s that?” Paige asked, her eyes widening.

Dewey pressed his lips together, concern squashing his features. “Trouble.”

CHAPTER 10

“Trouble?” Paige questioned, raising her voice over the earsplitting shriek of the alarm.

Dewey slammed the handle down on the faucet and tossed the cookie plate into the dish rack. “We’ve got a case.”

He whipped around and flew headlong across his nest, and then he disappeared down the stairs. Seconds later, he reappeared, hovering at the door. “Come on!”

Paige shoved her glasses up her nose and flung the dish towel on the counter. She darted across the nest and followed Dewey. He flitted over the railing and sailed across the archive.

“Wait for me,” Paige called as she hurried down the stairs, circling around the nest tower as quickly as she could.

Her ponytail bobbed up and down as she clutched the railing, hoping she didn’t slip and tumble down the many stairs.

She reached the final few steps and attempted to leap to the floor below. Instead, she sprawled across it and slid to a stop a few feet away from the circular staircase.

“Oof,” she moaned as the impact pushed the air from her lungs.

Her glasses flew off, skittering across the floor. She pushed up to her hands and knees, patting the cold surface below her in search of her glasses.

“What’s the holdup?” Dewey’s voice asked.

She swung her gaze around in search of a blurry version of the small creature. A form that she assumed was Dewey swooped past her. Seconds later, it hovered directly in front of her, inches from her face. He held out a dark object.

Paige offered a slight smile as she accepted her glasses. “Thanks. I’m blind without them.”

She slid them onto her face and, with her vision restored, found Dewey’s outstretched arm. She grabbed his paw, and he rose up, tugging her to stand.

“Thanks,” she said again, straightening her tunic. “I tried to skip the last few steps and took a header instead. I’m not very graceful.”

“Did you get hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m used to it,” she said with an awkward chuckle.

“We’re going to have to work on that,” Dewey said. “If you’re sure you’re all right, follow me. We’ve got a case!”