Page 22 of A Whisker in the Night (Country Cottage Mysteries #29)

T he Seaview Sheriff’s Department smells like coffee, donuts, and questionable life choices for those unfortunate enough to be booked.

As soon as we realized that poor Georgie was the victim of a virtual bank heist, we hightailed it to Seaview in hopes that my handsome hubby could right all the wrongs in this cruel world—or at least help track down Georgie’s money.

What is this place? Jellybean asks from her perch in my mother’s arms while Georgie holds Fish. Both women are a jumble of nerves and I suggested they snuggle with the cats to help calm them down. But judging by the fact both felines look as if they’re being squeezed to death, I’d say the calming effect has yet to kick in.

The Seaview Sheriff’s Department is a large boxy building filled with white walls, desks, and floors. It holds the strong scent of bleach and stale coffee and is a beehive of men and women in blue.

Fish wiggles her whiskers toward Jellybean. This, my friend, is the place where criminals’ dreams go to die.

Jellybean’s little nose twitches. That must be why I smell ulterior motives.

Fish nods as we approach Camila’s desk. And cheap perfume.

I smell donuts! Sherlock’s tail wags with hope.

You always smell donuts. Fish sighs. Though I have to admit, the perfume is a bit much. What is that, Desperate Ex No. 5?

Actually, Camila would be desperate ex number one, seeing that Jasper doesn’t exactly have a long line of desperate exes.

Camila Ryder rises from her desk like Venus emerging from the sea—if Venus shopped exclusively at stores that think professional attire is something more along the line of a far too revealing cocktail dress. Camila’s long chestnut hair has a body of its own, and her curves are doing things that probably violate several local ordinances. And her face, well, she’s definitely supermodel material.

Have I mentioned she’s my husband’s ex-fiancée and current secretary? Because that’s always fun.

She’s about to head this way but stops short as her eyes do that broken elevator thing while inspecting my body—and not in a good way. Her perfectly glossed mouth drops open as she takes in my current state.

“Wow, Bizzy.” She gags on my name. “You’re the size of the Chrysler Building.”

“Gee, thanks,” I grunt. “I was going for the Empire State Building, but pregnancy is so unpredictable.”

The baby kicks, either agreeing with my sass or protesting Camila’s choice of structural analogies.

“I mean”—Camila continues, circling her desk like a shark in stilettos—“you’re absolutely glowing. In an expanding universe kind of way.”

“Careful,” I warn as I pat my belly. “The universe can get rather violent while in expansion mode.”

I don’t usually make it a practice to threaten Camila—that’s typically her territory—but that dig warranted it.

It looks as if you’re not only growing a baby, you’re growing a spine. She winks my way with the internal dig.

“Very funny,” I mutter.

Camila has long since realized that I can read minds. You see, Leo Granger actually bothered to steal this beast from under Jasper’s nose, once upon a time. It ended their friendship for a while, but thankfully they’re back on track and thankfully Leo dropped Camila.

But while they were together, he confessed to her about his gift—or his curse as it were. And well, I’ve echoed Camila’s thoughts back to her one too many times in an effort to mess with her and she quickly did the mind-reading math. Although I’ve never admitted to being able to do as much, so there’s that.

“Ladies”—Mom interrupts our verbal sparring—“as entertaining as this is, I’m sorry, but we need to see Jasper immediately.”

“He’s in his office.” Camila swoons for a minute, and as if that’s not bad enough, she somehow makes those words sound as if she were reading them straight out of a steamy romance novel. “Though he’s very busy.” She takes a moment to glower at me. “Very, very busy.”

She says busy like it’s a euphemism for something far more interesting, and inappropriate—and ironically nothing at all like my name.

“I’m sure he’ll make time for his wife.” I smile sweetly. “You remember what those are, right? Wives? The person a husband is devoted to. I happen to be Jasper’s in case you need reminding.”

The baby gives an enthusiastic kick. Even my unborn child appreciates a good zinger.

Ooh, claws out! Fish clearly approves, too.

Though Camila’s claws are probably acrylic, Jellybean adds. Come to think of it, she reminds me a bit of Verity.

Me too, Jellybean. Me too.

Time to clue Jasper in on that very same thing.