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“Yeah, you do, actually,” she confirmed. “So better tuck in, little buddy. Eat your fill before it’s too late. I think Erin even left some fish in there. Go on, then. Don’t be shy.”

“Yeah, Dooley,” I said. “Tuck in. Don’t be shy.”

But Dooley looked crushed.“I suddenly lost my appetite.”

“Actually we both belong to a human,” I told Montserrat. “My human is Odelia Poole? The reporter? And Dooley’s human is Odelia’s grandmother.”

“Oh, so you do have a human,” said Montserrat. “Sorry about that, little buddy. You have to tell her to feed you better. You’re just skin and bones.”

As we left the alley, Dooley was completely discombobulated.

“Do I really look that bad, Max?” he asked.

“You look fine to me, Dooley.”

“But Montserrat said I look like I’m about to die.”

“I’m sure she was exaggerating.”

“Maybe I’ve got some kind of wasting disease. Maybe I’m sick and I don’t even know it!”

“You’re not sick. You’re just skinny. Some cats are skinny, others are big-boned, like me. It’s body type, that’s all. Nothing to worry about.”

“But I do worry, Max.” He shook his head. “I should see a doctor.”

“I’m sure you’re fine,” I repeated. “So what about that Tesla, huh? Great clue. I can’t wait to tell Odelia.”

“Maybe I should go see Tex. He’s a doctor, right?”

“Tex is a doctor for humans. You need an animal doctor.”

He gave me a look of panic.“I do?”

“No, I mean, if you WERE sick, which you’re NOT, you would have to see a vet. But since you’re NOT sick, you DON’T, if you see what I mean.” I tried to make my meaning perfectly clear, but Dooley wasn’t having any of it.

“You just said I needed to see an animal doctor, Max. Don’t try to deny it.”

“I’m not denying anything!”

“Yes, you are.” He gave me a penetrating look. “How long have you known, Max? Who else knows? Does Odelia know?”

“Know what?”

“That I’m dying!”

“You’re not dying!”

“You’re all keeping the truth from me. This is a conspiracy!”

Oh, crap. Thank you, Montserrat, I thought. This was just like that time Dooley thought he was a pedigree cat that a famous person had abandoned. For weeks he hounded us with his stories of how Mariah Carey or Katy Perry would come looking for him and how there would be a touching reunion. No matter what I said, he didn’t believe me. This was going to be the exact same thing, I just knew it.

“You’re not dying.”

“So you say.”

“Yes, because I know.”

“How? You’re not a doctor.”

“I know because you look just fine.”

“I’m skin and bone!”

“You’ve always been skin and bone!”

“So maybe I’ve always been sick!”

Yep. This was going to be a long couple of weeks.

Chapter 8

Odelia walked into her dad’s doctor’s office. Tex Poole was Hampton Cove’s resident general practitioner. He was a gregarious man, and good at what he did, so his waiting room was always full. He was one of the last of his kind, as all around Hampton Cove clinics had sprung up, with several doctors combining their skills to offer a full-service medical package. And then there were the concierge doctors, catering to the wealthy, of which the Hamptons boasted more than a few. Tex was an old-fashioned doctor, though, who treated old and young, rich and poor, men or women, of any ailments that might have befallen them.

Odelia found her grandmother presiding over the waiting room as usual, talking on the phone and jotting down a name in the big appointment book. What wasn’t usual was that there was a man seated next to her, a vacuous look on his face, his hand on Gran’s shoulder, and his shirt unbuttoned.

He was an older man that she didn’t recognize, with wrinkled features, bushy brows, a full head of white hair, and quite a lot of hair on his chest as well.

She stared at the man, pulling up short the moment she stepped inside.

“Please don’t be tardy, Mrs. Mueller,” Gran was saying. “Doctor Poole doesn’t appreciate tardiness. If you’re tardy you will have to reschedule.” She hung up and her face creased into a thousand wrinkles the moment her gaze landed on her granddaughter. “Odelia, honey. Am I glad to see you.”

“Um, Gran,” she said, hesitantly approaching the desk. “There’s a man next to you.”

“Oh, this is Leo. I told you about Leo, didn’t I? He’s the one that gave me the cashmere sweater. Leo, say hi to my granddaughter Odelia.”

“Hi,” said Leo, and lapsed into silence once more.

“Leo’s not a talker,” said Gran. “But he makes up for it with his other skills,” she added with a cheeky wink.

“Thanks, Gran. Um, do you mind me asking why Leo is naked?”

Gran eyed her boyfriend for a moment.“Naked? What are you talking about? I don’t see where he’s naked. He’s all dressed up as far as I can see.”

“His shirt is unbuttoned. I don’t think Dad would approve.”

“Leo gets hot,” said Gran. “He’s one of those men that get hot. So he likes to unbutton his shirt, so what?”

“What are the patients going to think?” she asked.

“They can think whatever they want. When you get to my age you stop caring what people think. It’s one of the few blessings of being old.”

Odelia squinched her eyes closed.“Leo?”

The old guy looked up.“Mh?”