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I stared at her, not sure how to respond. I knew a lot depended on my answer. For one thing, if she started bumping and grinding with this Chase, like humans tend to do, our lives would never be the same again. Sooner or later she’d hook up with the guy, him being an alpha male and all, and then Brutus would become part of our extended family, which would turn our lives into a living hell. On the other hand, if it was Chase she wanted, it was Chase she should get, for deep down I thought he wasn’t as bad as all that, asmen went. And God knows that Odelia deserved to get herself a decent guy for once, especially after that creep Sam she’d dated last time. Dooley and I had warned her the guy was up to something, but she hadn’t listened, and not only had he turned out to be a grade-A creep, but a nasty little thief, too.

“Look, I’ll tell you what I think, but on one condition,” I finally said.

“What’s that?” she asked tensely.

“Yeah, what’s that, Max?” Dooley chimed in.

“You have to get that cat of his neutered! It’s the only way I’m ever going to tolerate him living with us.”

“You’ve got a point, Max,” Dooley admitted. “Fix Brutus or else.”

Odelia stared at us.“Brutus living with us? What are you talking about?”

I sighed.“You know as well as we do that you like the guy, honey. Once you guys move in together and start nesting and making babies, Brutus becomes a fixture. The only way to take him down a peg or two is to fix him.”

“Yeah, that’ll fix him,” said Dooley.

To my surprise, Odelia burst out laughing.

“Hey, this is not a joke!” I reminded her. “Our lives are at stake here.”

“Our very lives,” Dooley muttered, closing his eyes and drifting off.

“You really think that Chase and I…” She shook her head, still laughing. “So you actually think that Chase and I are going to move in together?”

“Of course! Isn’t it obvious? You like the guy and he likes you, so you’re bound to end up together at some point in the future. I know humans, Odelia. I’ve studied the species extensively. I know attraction when I see it.”

She was still shaking her head, her blond hair dangling around her shoulders. She looked lovely, I thought. Sunlight slanted in through the grimy windshield and lit up her features, and made her hair shine golden. No wonder this Chase couldn’t keep from bumping into her wherever she went.

“Look, Max. I don’t know what you think you saw, but Chase and I are never going to become an item. He doesn’t even like me. In fact he hates me. And I…” She faltered, and then said stubbornly, “I don’t like him either.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just keep telling yourself that. Anyway, here’s the deal: promise to have Brutus fixed and I’ll tell you what kind of guy Chase Kingsley really is.”

“All right,” she said. “If Chase and I should ever get together—and that’s a very big if, mind you—I’ll talk to him about having his cat neutered.”

“Great,” I said, the prospect of Brutus having his nuts chopped off suddenly putting me in a great mood. Hey, I never said we’re always the cuddly, sweet-tempered creatures you humans seem to think we are!

“Now tell me,” she insisted. “Is Chase Kingsley innocent of these harassment charges like he claims, or is he simply lying through his teeth?”

She gazed at me expectantly, and I gave her a reassuring grin, though I doubt whether she could spot it.“He’s innocent,” I told her. “The guy’s as honest and valiant as they come. You’ve got yourself a regular white knight here, honey. Chase Kingsley would never harm a woman or touch her in anger, nor force himself upon her. I’m pretty sure the commissioner and the mayor’s wife have been very naughty, and did a real number on the guy.”

“No wonder he looks so angry all the time,” she murmured, and I thought I could see a small smile tugging at her lips. My assessment of Chase had obviously pleased her, which just went to show I was right about them.

“So what doyou think, Dooley?” she asked, keen to get a second opinion. Her dad was a doctor, after all. Getting a second opinion was what they did.

“Max’s right,” muttered Dooley, not even bothering to open his eyes. “The guy is golden.”

“That settles it,” said Odelia, now looking grim. “I’m going to expose the commissioner and the mayor’s wife and clear Chase’s name.”

I looked up in alarm.“Um, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, honey.”

“Why not? He’s been wrongfully accused. You said so yourself. It’s my job to right this wrong. It’s what I do.”

Uh-oh. I shook my head.“If you’re going after those two they’ll simply deny the whole thing and get you fired. You’ll never work in this town again.”

“Ever, ever, ever again,” muttered Dooley, who was living proof that while cats might appear to be sleeping, they’re actually fully alert.

“They can’t do that!” Odelia cried. “He doesn’t have that authority. Dan would never fire me just because the NYPD commissioner says so.”