Courting the Cat Whisperer Read online

  “Someplace called Cat’s Paw Cove. Does that ring a bell?”

  He rolled the name around in his head. “I wish it did, but no.”

  “It’s okay because now we’ve got a jumping off point.”

  She was right. Drawing her into his arms, he held her tightly. “Thank you, Jordan. You’re amazing. You’ve given me hope that I can find out who I am.”

  Backing out of his embrace, she looked up into his eyes. “That knowledge could change…” She dropped his gaze and caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “What?”

  “There’s a chance that your past could impact us.”

  “I hope that it doesn’t change anything between us, but you’re right.” He lifted her chin, so she had to look at him. “I probably should have made more of an effort to figure out who I am—or who I was. I suspect that I haven’t until now because I’d grown too comfortable in my current situation. It was safer to bury my head in the sand and hope that I didn’t used to be a bad person. Until now, the identity of my former self didn’t matter all that much. You’ve given me a reason to want to move ahead with my life. And in order to do that, I have to be sure I wasn’t someone who’s not worthy of you.”

  Her eyes glistened. “In my heart, I’m sure that you could never have been anything but a good man, just as you are now.”

  He prayed that she was correct about that.

  Jordan dried the pan Harry had just washed while he finished loading their dinner plates into the dishwasher. They had such an easy rapport as if they’d known each other for years, rather than only days. She liked Harry so much, but her past experience had shown her that she was usually a terrible judge of character. Every guy she’d dated had turned out to be wronger than wrong for her.

  Heck, her poor decisions weren’t limited to her love life. She did a fantastic job at sabotaging every job she’d worked and had even landed herself in legal trouble after acting upon her conscience and freeing a bunch of neglected animals from a zoo. Sure, helping them was the right thing to do. Too bad she hadn’t thought of a better strategy, like organizing a boycott or a protest.

  She’d also made so many mistakes in the way she’d treated her twin. Mallory had saved Jordan’s life last year. The one silver lining of being kidnapped was that Jordan had come out of the situation with a new perspective on her relationship with her twin. Jordan loved Mal with all her heart. But despite her sisterly love, Jordan still managed to screw things up on a regular basis, like trying to cook breakfast and instead, burning down Mallory’s kitchen.

  Harry grasped her shoulders from behind and gently kissed the back of her neck.

  His masculine scent and the feel of his whiskers on her skin conspired to turn on her inner pilot light.

  “I can tell that you’re worried,” he said. “I promise you that I’ll get to the bottom of this, and we’ll roll with whatever punches are thrown at us.”

  She set down the pan and twisted around to return his kiss. He knew as well as she did that whatever he learned might very well slam the door on their budding romance. But she refused to discourage him from finding out who he was.

  He held her at arms’ length. “Are you up for some research on Cat’s Paw Cove tonight?”

  Harry didn’t seem like the type of guy who spent a lot of time on computers. The least she could do was to help him. Plus, she was curious. “Of course.”

  His face brightened with a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

  Kitty strode into the room and sniffed at her food bowl, which still had a few nuggets of kibble in it. I want food.

  Jordan chuckled to herself. “Cats and people have a different concept of what empty means. Why don’t you eat what’s in your dish?”

  The cat sat down. I want more.

  “I’ll pass along the request to Harry.” She hung the damp dishtowel over the oven door handle. “So what’s Cat’s Paw Cove like?”

  Lots of fishermen, Kitty replied. And good scraps.

  “Is it on the ocean or the gulf?”

  I don’t know.

  Of course, she didn’t. Most cats and dogs didn’t understand things like that. “Sorry.”

  When Harry returned to the kitchen, he had a laptop tucked under one arm, and a plastic zipper bag with a paper inside in the other hand.

  Kitty weaved in front of him, trying to steer him to her bowl.

  “I already fed you tonight,” Harry told the cat, which didn’t deter Kitty from her mission at all. He set the computer on the island and handed Jordan the bag. “When I woke up, this note was the only thing in my pocket. Unfortunately, it was a rainy night, and all I managed to see before the ink washed away was the name, Harry. Or rather, most of the name. It actually said H-a-r-r.”

  While Harry booted up the laptop, Jordan gingerly removed the yellowed paper from the bag and examined it. Only a few dark smudges remained of whatever had been written, but unlike modern paper, Harry’s felt more like cloth. She carefully returned it to the bag. “Not much to go on. I’d lay odds that your letter is pretty old, though.”

  Harry exhaled loudly. “That’s what I think. Before the 1850s, most paper was made from recycled linen and cotton rags.”

  “Sounds like you’ve done research on the subject.”

  “A little. Since the paper is a lot older than I am, I can’t imagine why I’d have been carrying it around. Now I’m curious about that town.”

  “Cat’s Paw Cove.” She gestured at the laptop. “May I?”

  “Be my guest.” He moved the computer closer to her.

  She Googled the name of the town. The page populated with links. She clicked on a photo of a charming street lined with shops that reminded Jordan of Nocturne Falls, but without the Halloween motifs. There was a beauty salon similar to the Hair Scare, where Mallory worked, and a restaurant with a sidewalk patio area. “Seems like a nice place,” she said.

  Harry remained silent for a few moments. “Looks can be deceiving.”

  Had he remembered something from his past? “What do you mean?”

  Lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes. “If I was kidnapped in Cat’s Paw Cove, how nice a town could it be? And if that’s where I’m from—or at least where I’d been living—why haven’t any of my friends or family there been searching for me?”

  She covered his hand with hers. “You can’t be sure of that. Perhaps they have been looking for you.”

  Tiny muscles around his jaw ticked. “For years I’ve regularly checked the online missing person message boards. My picture isn’t on any of them.”

  The pain in his expression cut straight through her. She wished there was something she could do to help. Glancing down at the plastic bag with the blank paper inside, she got an idea. “I know a couple of psychics. How would you feel if we showed your letter to them? Maybe they’ll pick up on something.”

  A spark of hope brightened his expression. “Why not? When can we do that?”

  She checked the time on the computer. It was past nine-thirty, too close to her early-bird twin’s bedtime. “First thing in the morning. My sister works at the Hair Scare salon. She reads tarot cards, and her friend Darcy is a palm reader. One of the hairdressers does scrying.”

  “How did I get so lucky to have a gorgeous woman with so many great ideas just fall out of the sky into my arms?” Harry pulled her into a hug then pressed his lips to hers.

  She felt like the lucky one. “Right time, right place.”

  Harry gave her another kiss—one that tempted her to stay there with him all night. Before they got too carried away, she centered a hand on his chest to ease him back. Too bad that touching his rock-hard pecs only made it more difficult.

  But she had responsibilities. Plus, this time she refused to take things too fast. “I should get back to the Tuckers’ place.”

  Harry frowned. “We can’t be sure it’s safe. Until the police catch the man who broke in last night, I do
n’t think you ought to be alone there.”

  He had a point.

  “Give me five minutes,” he said. “I’ll pack a bag and go with you.” Without waiting for her to object, he left the room.

  Having Harry spend another night on the sofa was going to test her resolve, but he was right. The notion of being in that big house all by herself didn’t thrill her. She drew a deep breath. This was going to be tough.

  Chapter Eight

  Harry tossed and turned most of the night on the Tuckers’ sofa. How was he supposed to sleep with so many unanswered questions tumbling around in his head? He’d never even considered consulting a psychic about his past, probably because he hadn’t believed in such things—until he’d met a genuine cat whisperer.

  Jordan. She was another reason he couldn’t shut off his mind—or his libido. Did she have any idea what an incredible gift she’d given him by opening the first door to his past?

  During the night, she’d come downstairs for a glass of water, and they’d ended up lip-locked for several minutes. He’d managed to muster all of his resolve not to take it further. Just thinking about it—about her—was getting him hot and bothered all over again. He needed a cold shower, or at least, a dip in the pool. All he could do was pray that once he discovered his former identity, he’d learn that he’d been the kind of guy Jordan deserved, and not someone dangerous or smarmy.

  On his way to the bathroom, he stopped at the front window to take in the view. Sunrise painted the horizon in ribbons of pink, orange, and gold. He was about to walk away when he noticed a dark sedan parked on the street. Goosebumps spread over his arms. The car looked a lot like the one that had been following him the day before, but with dark, tinted windows, he still couldn’t make out the driver.

  He ran back to the study to retrieve his phone. Grabbing the poker from the fireplace, he went back to the window.

  The car was gone. Which convinced him even more that it had been the person who’d followed him, and had broken into the house. Harry clenched his jaw. Without knowing if the man was after him or Jordan, he didn’t dare leave her alone for a minute. If he planned to shadow her when she went to walk her clients’ dogs or feed their cats, he’d have to get an early start on his own work here.

  After a quick shower, he dressed in his work clothes then retrieved his tools from the truck. He managed to finish sanding down the built-in bookcases before Jordan came downstairs.

  “Morning,” she murmured in a sleep-soaked voice. Even with disheveled hair, and dark make-up smudges under her eyes, she stole his breath.

  He cleared the cobwebs from his throat. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

  Her cheeks grew rosy, and she diverted her gaze. “Um, yeah.”

  “There’s coffee.”

  Without a word, she shuffled toward the kitchen, her bunny slippers rasping on the wooden floorboards.

  He heard her pour herself a cup.

  “I texted my sister,” she called to him. “She can squeeze you in for a quickie reading at nine.”

  He checked his watch. That gave them a little more than an hour before they had to be there. “You’ll come with me, won’t you?”

  She appeared in the doorway holding a large coffee mug with both hands. “I figured you’d want some privacy. I thought I’d take care of my clients while you were at the Hair Scare.”

  Although he didn’t want to frighten her, she had a right to know that someone was watching one of them. Even though Harry was probably the man’s target, that didn’t mean Jordan was safe. “I need to tell you something.”

  After he’d shared his suspicions about the car that had been out front earlier, Jordan squared her shoulders. “You’re right. I’ll go to your reading.”

  A little of the tension in his shoulders relaxed. “And I can join you on your rounds to see your clients.”

  An hour later, he pulled open the door to the Hair Scare and waited for Jordan to go through. The strong smell of hairspray filled the air. The place was busy. Every hair station was occupied, and the noise level was high, with the din of blow dryers and people trying to talk over them. Two women and a man sat in the waiting area, but the two nail stations on the far side of the business weren’t being used at the moment.

  “Hey!” Mallory strode toward them. “Nice to see you again, Harry.” She gave Jordan a hug.

  “Thanks for doing this,” Jordan said to her twin.

  “No worries, but unfortunately, I don’t have time for a full reading. We’ll do what we can, though.” To Harry, she said, “Come on over to my table.”

  Taking Jordan’s hand, he followed her sister.

  “Sure you want me to hear this?” Jordan asked him.

  “I am.” He pulled another chair over to the table so they could both sit opposite Mallory.

  Mallory handed him a large deck of cards. “Shuffle them as you think about what it is you want to know. When you’re finished, cut the deck twice.”

  He concentrated on specific questions as he mixed the cards: Who was I before the amnesia? Why was I kidnapped? Then he set them down on the table and made three stacks. “Okay.”

  Mallory took one pile and turned over several cards, staring at them for a minute or so. “It’s your past you’re interested in, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is very interesting.” She tapped one of the cards that showed a nervous-looking cat sitting on a scale in an exam room. “The five of Swords is all about mind games and hostility. And the three of Swords represents betrayal.”

  The second card she touched depicted a hungry-looking cat approaching a boarded-up cottage. His gaze slid over to the next card, The Tower, where a cat plummeted toward the ground. “That doesn’t look good.”

  Mallory frowned. “Well, it’s not, particularly with these others.”

  When he noticed that the next card was labeled Death, he gulped.

  Mallory pointed to it. “That doesn’t mean what you think. The Death card indicates change, the end of something.”

  “Or someone?” What if he’d killed a person? His gut clenched.

  “No, I don’t think you killed somebody.” She glanced toward the door and nodded at someone. “My client is here, so we’ll have to wrap this up soon.”

  “Of course,” he told Mallory.

  Mallory stared at the cards for another moment before looking at Harry and Jordan. “What I can tell you about your past is that you had a person or persons in your life who coveted what you had. You weren’t aware of their jealousy, and because you had no idea, they were able to set in motion a series of events that crashed your world down around you.”

  Jordan squeezed his hand.

  Mallory gathered the cards. “If you want to come back tomorrow, I’ll have more time and we can look at your present and future.”

  His head pounded. “I-I’ll call you.” He tried paying Mallory, but she refused any money for the reading.

  After they left, Jordan suggested they stop at The Hallowed Bean for coffee and a bite to eat.

  “Yeah, sure,” he said. Maybe a shot of caffeine would help him think straight and come up with a plan of attack. They went inside and got in line behind a woman with blue hair and pointy prosthetic ears. At least, he hoped they were prosthetic. Sure looked real from behind.

  When it was their turn, Jordan ordered a Dracu-latté and a Franken-Frosted cookie.

  “I’ll have the same,” Harry told the barista as he took out his wallet.

  Jordan shook her head at him. “This is my treat. You bought my entire family lunch yesterday, remember?”

  When he started to protest, she set her hands on her hips and frowned.

  “Okay, fine,” he said. “You win.” They carried their order to a table. He held her chair out for her.

  Jordan sat down and whistled. “What a gentleman. Thank you.”

  She ought to be used to men treating her with courtesy and respect, but
he suspected that she wasn’t. His gut tightened a little. He took a bite of the cookie, which melted in his mouth.

  “What’d you think of the reading?” Jordan asked.

  “That what your sister said makes sense. If there was someone in Cat’s Paw Cove who was jealous of whatever I had, maybe he took it upon himself to try to kill me.”

  Jordan licked a crumb from her upper lip, reminding him how incredibly kissable that gorgeous mouth was. “I did more research on Cat’s Paw Cove last night after I went upstairs. They’ve got a local newspaper called the Cat’s Paw Cove Carrier. It’s available online as well as in print. I went back four and a half years, but there was nothing about any locals turning up missing.”

  He wrapped his hands around his drink. “Maybe I wasn’t from there.”

  Jordan slowly nodded. “That could be it.” She popped the last bite of her cookie into her mouth.

  “Since I have no idea what my name used to be, I wouldn’t know where to being searching.”

  “It’s a small town,” she said. “Perhaps if we go there we’ll be able to find more clues.”

  We? “I don’t want to pull you into something that might be dangerous.”

  She narrowed those blue eyes at him and scowled. “First of all, you’re not forcing me to do something I don’t want to. Secondly, I’m not some weak, can’t-take-care-of-herself waif.”

  “Should I remind you how we met? You were literally about to fall, possibly to your death.” Okay, that was an exaggeration, but he’d made his point.

  Jordan squared her shoulders. “You’re going to need me there, or at least, my gift.”

  “Am I?”

  She scraped together the crumbs from her cookie and ate them. “Absolutely. Animals see and hear things that we don’t. Your own cat is the perfect example. All these years you had no idea that your own pet held clues to what happened to you.”

  She had a point. And in truth, he couldn’t leave her alone at the Tuckers’ house. Which reminded him what she was doing at said house. “What about the Tuckers’ cats? Cat’s Paw Cove is over four hundred miles away. We might not be able to make the round trip in one day, especially if we need to spend more than a couple of hours there.”