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His heart racing, Andy turned his car around and raced home, breaking every speed limit to get there. He asked for the license plate number and called it in to the police. Pierre Johnson. Andy immediately called Monica and told her the place was surrounded in case she was in trouble.

He got on his radio and said, “Roger, get hold of some officers and send them to my home.” He explained the situation.

“On it.”

Andy pulled up to the house where his brothers and cousins were blocking the Mercedes and parked around the front of the home. The house was quiet.

Sweating like crazy, Andy rushed out of the SUV without shutting the door, which could alert anyone inside that he was on his way.

“Is Pierre there with you? Are you hurt?” Andy still had an open phone line to Monica. He couldn’t keep the anger and worry out of his voice.

“Do not storm into the house with guns drawn,” Monica firmly told Andy over the phone.

He assumed that meant she was being held hostage, and his skin chilled with trepidation.

“You’ll scare our new baby.”

He frowned. What was she trying to tell him cryptically?

“Yes, Pierre is here.”

Andy ground his teeth.

“He’s unarmed. Just walk quietly into the house. I’ve got his taped interview. I don’t want you to frighten the kitten he gave to us.”

Three police cars raced up the drive and parked.

Andy couldn’t believe Pierre was unarmed or that he had finally confessed to his role in all this. He motioned to the other officers to draw close.

“I mean it, Andy. Don’t scare the kitten. It could traumatize her forever. Pierre has been an informant for the DEA. Just quietly come in the door, frisk him, but don’t scare Snowflake.”

Now this case had to be one for the books. Why the hell was Pierre giving her a kitten? Did he still have an interest in dating her? Andy would let him know he had no chance of that in no uncertain terms.

With his gun in hand, Andy opened the door slowly.

Monica was curled up on the recliner, a tiny fuzzy kitten sleeping on a pink blanket on her lap. She smiled broadly. “Our case is solved.”

Pierre was sitting on a chair opposite her, his forehead black and blue and cut from where Denny had pistol-whipped him.

Andy still couldn’t believe Pierre was one of the good guys. “I need you to stand up so I can check to see if you have any weapons.”

Roger and the other officers joined him and watched over the situation. He asked Roger if he could tell his family that they had the situation under control and they could leave.

That’s when Andy saw the cat climbing tree, a pink princess bed, and pink food and water dishes covered in white snowflakes in the kitchen. What the hell?

Why hadn’t Andy thought of doing something so sweet for her?

He made his own recording to check for discrepancies in Pierre’s story and questioned him again.

After Andy had asked Pierre most of the same questions, a new agent arrived, and Monica said, “Elio!”

Who the hell was Elio?

“He’s my former partner in the FBI,” Monica discreetly said to Andy, without giving more details.

The agent who had shot her? Hell, Andy was ready to deck him.

Elio clarified the situation with Pierre, saying he was furious when he got Monica involved. But Andy still couldn’t forgive the agent for accidentally shooting Monica, even if it meant saving her life. Andy would have done better.

After everything had been cleared up, Monica gave her boss an update and an apologetic two weeks' notice so she could leave the FBI. This surprised everyone in the house except Roger. He smiled in an all-knowing way.

Everyone finally began to leave.

“Thanks for the kitten as an apology.” Monica squeezed Pierre’s hand on the way out.

He smiled at her. “It was the least I could do.” He glanced at Andy, who frowned at him, and said, “You are the luckiest man alive.”

Then Andy smiled, feeling a little big-headed in truth. “I truly am. Thanks for coming clean with us.”

“You caught all the bad guys. Elio said it was time to tell you what had happened and clear the air.”

“And the kitten?” Andy wasn’t happy that he had given Monica all the gifts.

“A parting gesture to tell Monica I was sorry I got her involved.”

“Apology accepted.” Andy hurried him out along the sidewalk, not wanting them to have anything further to do with him.

“Thank you for Snowflake. We’ll cherish her as our first baby.” Monica sounded so happy, Andy again wished he’d thought of it.

Once everyone was gone, Andy returned to the house and peeled the kitten from Monica’s arms. He cuddled Snowflake and then kissed Monica’s lips. “I’m home early.”

“You sure are. My bear to the rescue.”

“You bet. When Craig saw the strange Mercedes sitting near our home, he called in the alert.”

“You were having me watched.”

“That’s what family does.”

“Okay, well, you cuddle with Snowflake further. You can show her where her kitty litter box is in the mudroom, and I’ll get us dinner.”

“And then, what do we do about the kitten?”

“She’ll sleep in her bed, and you and I have some making up to do.”

That night, after settling Snowflake in her bed in the living room by her climbing tree, Monica and Andy made love. But it wasn’t long afterward that Snowflake meowed, joined them, and snuggled between them.

This wasn’t going to work. Andy moved the kitten to the other side of Monica. No one was getting between him and his mate.

He was determined to convince the kitten she had her own bed. Only time would tell if she won out or he did.