Cat of the Century Read online

  Books by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown

  WISH YOU WERE HERE

  REST IN PIECES

  MURDER AT MONTICELLO

  PAY DIRT

  MURDER, SHE MEOWED

  MURDER ON THE PROWL

  CAT ON THE SCENT

  SNEAKY PIES COOKBOOK FOR MYSTERY LOVERS

  PAWING THROUGH THE PAST

  CLAWS AND EFFECT

  CATCH AS CAT CAN

  THE TAIL OF THE TIP-OFF

  WHISKER OF EVIL

  CATS EYEWITNESS

  SOUR PUSS

  PUSS N CAHOOTS

  THE PURRFECT MURDER

  SANTA CLAWED

  Books by Rita Mae Brown

  THE HAND THAT CRADLES THE ROCK

  SONGS TO A HANDSOME WOMAN

  THE PLAIN BROWN RAPPER

  RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE

  IN HER DAY

  SIX OF ONE

  SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT

  SUDDEN DEATH

  HIGH HEARTS

  STARTING FROM SCRATCH: A DIFFERENT KIND OF WRITERS MANUAL

  BINGO

  VENUS ENVY

  DOLLEY: A NOVEL OF DOLLEY MADISON IN LOVE AND IN WAR

  RIDING SHOTGUN

  RITA WILL: A MEMOIR OF A LITERARY RABBLE-ROUSER

  LOOSE LIPS

  ALMA MATER

  HOTSPUR

  FULL CRY

  OUTFOXED

  THE HUNT BALL

  THE HOUNDS AND THE FURY

  THE TELL-TALE HORSE

  THE SAND CASTLE

  HOUNDED TO DEATH

  ANIMAL MAGNETISM: MY LIFE WITH CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

  With gratitude and fond memory

  to

  Irwyn Applebaum and Barb Burg

  Authors Note

  I would like to thank Dr. Jahnae Barnett, Kenda Shindler, Gayle Lampe, D. Scott Miniea, and Brenda Foster, all of William Woods University, for being such good sports and allowing Sneaky Pie and me to set this mystery at the university. I especially thank Dr. Barnett, Mrs. Shindler, and Miss Lampe for letting me use their names in this novel. Obviously, this is a work of fiction so while I use their names, the events are made up. As with any such work, the events, characters, and incidents depicted are products of the feline imagination as well as my own. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. There are XVIII Wheelers Truck Washes and they are owned by Eddie Barnett. Go on, pull in one.

  Cast of Characters

  Mary Minor HaristeenHarry is hardworking, watchful, and usually good-natured. Having just tipped over into her early forties, shes lived long enough to know life rarely turns out as one expects it will turn out. However, thats not necessarily a bad thing.

  Pharamond Haristeen, D.V.M.Fair is a tall, powerfully built man. Hes more sensitive than his wife, often better able to read peoples emotions.

  Aunt Tally UrquhartShe is about to turn one hundred and shes ready for her next hundred. The old girl knows the emperor wears no clothes. In fact, she takes delight in this wisdom.

  Inez Carpenter, D.V.M.Inez met Tally at William Woods University. She is now ninety-eight. She has shepherded Fairs career, taking pride in his success in equine veterninary medicine. She, herself, is one of the most respected vets in the country, a pioneer for womens progress in this field.

  Marilyn Sanburne, Sr.Big Mim is Tallys niece. Born to privilege, she can sometimes be a snob but is basically a good person. Now in her seventies she tries hard to see other peoples points of view.

  Marilyn Sanburne, Jr.Little Mim knows she will never be the force in the community her powerful mother is. Her response to this was to get elected vice mayor of Crozet. Shell be powerful in a different way as the years roll on.

  Mariah DAngeloShe graduated from William Woods University in 1974. A successful businesswoman, she owns a high-end jewelry store in Kansas City where she is the head of their WWU Alumnae Association. She loathes Flo Langston.

  Flo LangstonFlo returns the favor. She couldnt stand Mariah when they were freshmen together and she cant stand her now. Flo has made pots of money as a stockbroker and she is the head of St. Louiss WWU Alumnae Association. St. Louis and Kansas City are as different as chalk and cheese; perhaps the animosity of Flo and Mariah reflects that.

  Liz FilmoreShe is in her late thirties, and heads the WWU Alumnae Association chapter in Richmond, Virginia. She considers herself Flos protegee. Flo remains silent on that subject but the two are in constant contact. Liz manages Inez Carpenters portfolio.

  Terri KincaidShe is a few years younger than Liz and a close friend who is also a WWU graduate. She chairs the small alumnae chapter in Charlottesville, Virginia, while owning and running a store on the north side of Barracks Road Shopping Center. Terri specializes in expensive French and Italian ceramics, dishware, etc. Shes a bit of a nervous Nellie.

  Garvey WatsonGarvey owns Thompson and Watson, an exclusive mens clothing store located next to Terri Kincaids store. In his early seventies, hes a kind man, a community favorite. Hes also African American. Garveys many white friends dont really see him as a black man, which can be both good and bad. Hes just Garvey Watson but he sees all the shades of gray in most issues whereas his white friends often do not.

  Dr. Jahnae BarnettPresident of the university, she spills over with energy, ideas, and a passion for education. Shes one of those people who can pull the best out of others.

  Miss Gayle Lampeweighted down with titles, awards, and ribbons from the show ring, is oblivious to all that. Her focus is always on those beautiful Saddlebred horses and the young humans who ride them at William Woods. Like the above mentioned president of this unique institution, an institution focusing on developing the total individual, she is warm and approachable.

  Kenda ShindlerDr. Barnetts assistant has the perfect personality for the job. Shes positive, good with detail, and not one to walk away from a problem.

  Trudy SweetwaterA fictional Fulton girl who graduated from William Woods in 1996, she heads the alumnae association in the town that is home to the university. She possesses common sense, which when you think of it, isnt common at all.

  The Really Important Characters

  Mrs. MurphyShes a tiger cat of high intelligence. Shes sleek, loves her humans as well as the dog with whom she shares this life. The other cat she also loves, but finds it more difficult than loving the dog.

  PewterThe other cat is rotund, gray, and appallingly self-centered. As my Southern mother would say about Pewter, Shes as fat as a tick and wrapped up in self-regard, bless her heart. Still, Pewter comes through in a pinch.

  Tee TuckerShe is a Pembroke corgi, full of enthusiasm and bright spirit. She is devoted to Harry and Fair and adores Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, too, although there can be pronounced differences of opinion. Wonderful as she and all corgis are, its best not to invite her to your cocktail party. Shell try to herd the guests.

  SimonHe is an oppossum who lives in the loft of the Haristeens barn. Hes a sweet fellow if a trifle simple.

  DoodlesThis young Gordon setter belongs to Aunt Tally. He knows his human is old, tough though she is, and he is vigilant.

  ErnoHe is a gorgeous vizsla owned by Inez Carpenter. Hes also young, versatile in his abilities, and learning about life from the others. He loves Inez.

  A lone figure walked along a shoveled-off bricklaid path. The dormant gardens glimmered with frost. The skies seemed low enough to touch.

  Aunt Tally, two weeks away from her one-hundredth birthday, called her Gordon setter, Doodles.

  As the young dog joyfully returned to his master, Aunt Tally leaned on her silver-headed cane, the head being in the graceful shape of a hound. Apart from having to use that canethanks to the usual involuntary dismounts all horsewomen t
akeshe betrayed few signs of her advanced years. Had you seen her peering at the ground as she walked along, you would have pegged her at eighty, perhaps.

  More snow coming. She squinted at the sky this March 11, Wednesday.

  Doodles, who had sharper senses, replied, Before sundown.

  Aunt Tally stroked the dogs head upon hearing the little yodel.

  Tightening her cashmere scarf, she continued on.

  A deep rumble alerted Doodles, who recognized the motors signature sound as well as the sound of the tires. Identifying a vehicle by its tire sound and motor is easy for dogs. Humans cant do it.

  Doodles wagged her tail as she bounded up to the front of the house, where Marilyn Big Mim Sanburne, Tallys niece, had parked her brand-new Dodge half-ton.

  The two walked to the back of the house to join Tally.

  Big Mim, teasingly called The Queen of Crozet, was a formidable woman. However, even Big Mim could be backed off by the small, lean Tally.

  What are you doing out here? Its 24degF.

  Checking for my crocus. A shoot here and a shoot there and I get to thinking about the redbuds.

  Big Mim put one gloved hand on her hip. Redbuds arent going to be in full flower until about April fifteenth. You know that.

  Of course I do. That doesnt mean I cant check them. She tapped her cane on the old brick. Im longing for spring. By this time of the year Ive had enough.

  You really will have enough if you dont come in out of the cold. Youll catch your death.

  Its not a baseball, the old woman replied.

  You know what I mean, Big Mim said, sounding tolerant. Are you ready to go, or do you need anything from the house?

  Just need to put up the dog. Aunt Tally walked to the back door, opened it, and Doodles scooted in, happy for the warmth.

  Purse? Big Mim raised an eyebrow.

  My wallets in my coat pocket. Purses are a pain. Even if I find one that slings just right over my shoulder, sooner or later it drops down. Hard to carry a purse with a cane.

  Guess it is. Big Mim walked to the passenger side of her blue truck and opened the door for Tally, who climbed in unassisted.

  Once out on the road, the two chattered as only two people who have known each other all their lives can. Aunt Tally had been pushing thirty when Big Mim was born. It was a day of celebration. Aunt Tally, thanks to a disastrous love affair when young, shied away from marriage but not affairs. She treated Big Mim as her own daughter, which had occasioned some arguments with Tallys late, loved sister. A brother to Big Mim followed later, but he died on the hideous Bataan Death March. Apart from rage and grief, the result was that no Urquhart of any succeeding generation would buy a Japanese car or any product if they could help it. As with all old Virginia families, regardless of generations of marriages on both the male and female sides, they generally referred to themselves by the surname of the first European to settle on Virginia soil. In this case, the Urquharts.

  Speech?

  Aunt Tally, staring straight ahead, raised her voice a bit. Oh, Mimsy, I make notes. I read them. I throw them out. I cant bear the thought of standing up there spouting bromides and sentimental mush. I havent found what I want to say.

  Thats a first.

  Aunt Tally ignored this, instead concentrating on an upcoming T-cross. Her farm, Rose Hill, reposed about four miles west of Harry Haristeens farm. Theyd passed Harrys place on the way to Crozet, reaching the intersection of a dirt road and the two-lane paved highway on which they traveled.

  Can never drive over this without thinking about Ralston Peavey. Aunt Tally repositioned her cane to her left side. Never found his murderer.

  Someone really wanted him out of this world. Big Mim remembered it, as well. Fall, wasnt it?

  Aunt Tally nodded in affirmation. A light frost, patchy fog.

  1964. The year sticks in my head because that was the first year Jim was elected mayor.

  Jim Sanburne, her husband, remained mayor, and their daughter, Little Mim, was now vice mayor. The joke was, father and daughter came from two different political parties. Being a small town, Crozet never bothered with term limits. Jim, a good mayor, would most likely retain his office until such day as he died.

  Jim picked up the call from Dinny Myers; wish we had him back. There was a sheriff with sense, Aunt Tally mumbled.

  Oh, the one we have now has sense. You just think everything was better when you were younger.

  Twas. Aunt Tally raised her voice. This country is going to hell in a handbasket. Well, Im not going off on that; itll ruin my day. But even you have to admit that Ralston Peavey was the best blacksmith you ever saw.

  He was. He was.

  Pleased with her little victory, Aunt Tally recalled the details as they rolled over the spot. Found Ralston right here, spread-eagled in the middle of the road, facedown. Run over one way and then backed over. To make sure he was dead, I reckon.

  Jim saw him before Dinny removed the corpse. Said the tire tracks were clear. They hoped to find the killer from the tire treads. Never happened, of course.

  Dinny and the department really did check every set of tires in the area. He couldnt do all of Albemarle County, but he did check Crozet. Nothing. Not one thing. Some folks thought whoever did it was not from these parts. Not me. I think it was one of us.

  Big Mim slowed for a curve. Well, Ralston could drink. He was pretty loaded.

  He didnt lie down in the middle of the road because he was drunk.

  His truck was by the side of the road. Big Mim, who enjoyed driving her new truck, picked up speed. I still think hed been fooling around, and the husband found out and killed him.

  Maybe, but we all knew who was weak that way. Hed never done it before. Two kidswhat, eight and tenand he seemed to get along with them. I wonder if it wasnt something else. Couldnt be drugs. That hadnt taken off yet.

  Cant imagine Ralston a dealer. Although, being a blacksmith, he had the perfect job for distributing.

  No. Aunt Tally shook her head. Something else.

  Big Mim paused. Lets just say not a stone was left unturned.

  One was, or wed have the killer. Tally frowned.

  After all this time, maybe hes dead himself.

  Mimsy, Ive seen a lot. One of these days, might be 2050, the truth will wriggle out. Always does.

  Talk to Inez? Big Mim mentioned Aunt Tallys best friend, who had graduated from William Woods Universitythen known as William Woods Collegetwo years behind Aunt Tally. The lovely school, located in Fulton, Missouri, had provided Aunt Tally with her first taste of life outside Virginia.

  Shes flying in two days before, because of the alumnae board meeting.

  Good. Harrys driving.

  Mary Minor Harry Haristeen was not a William Woods graduate. She had graduated from Smith College. Age forty, best described as an attractive tomboy, she now put all her attentions to farming, her true love, as shed quit her job at the post office two years earlier. Harry would be going to the celebration at Aunt Tallys alma mater because she loved the old lady and knew the event was not to be missed, especially since the salty woman would give a speech. Be good for Harry to get away, Aunt Tally said.

  At that moment, Harry had her hands full with a William Woods alumna, no less.

  That pot was made in Italy. Of course youll replace it. Terri Kincaid, barricaded behind the counter, leveled a harsh gaze at Harry.

  Only three years apart in age, Terri being thirty-seven, the women had known each other for a long time. Harry, a country girl with natural good looks, couldnt be bothered with the accoutrements of femininity. Terri lived for them. These two were oil and water.

  Observing Harrys predicament was Liz Filmore from Richmond, a friend of Terris and another William Woods alumna.

  Also present, his arms crossed over his chest with lips pursed, was Garvey Watson. A tall, elegant African American, he owned the successful mens clothing store next door. Garvey had a gift for retail.

  Harry thought his pursed li
ps might be because he was upset the pot was broken.

  Tucker, Harrys corgi, sat mournfully at her feet. The dog, jostled by a customer leaving, had knocked over the pot, which was sitting on a low wrought-iron table. It wasnt Tuckers fault, but what could Harry say?

  The shards of pottery, picked up by Harry, rested on the counter, the deep layers of green and yellow glaze quite pretty.

  How much? Harry, tight with the buck, winced.

  Two hundred forty-nine dollars, plus five percent sales tax, Terri announced.

  Harry fetched her checkbook and a pen from the inside of her Carhartt Detroit jacket.

  As Harry wrote the check, Terri nattered on, Im so excited. Weve already raised twenty thousand dollars from local alumnae, and I havent even started yet. Liz is going to video the entire speech to use for future fund-raisers. Liz and Terri were thick as thieves. I really wish I could be there, but well throw another birthday party as a fund-raiser back here. I cant afford to leave the store, especially if good weather comes in. People spend more if they have spring fever.

  Lets hope so, Garvey said. Bad economy. People are pulling back.

  Liz spoke up. Garvey, people always need clothes. Terris business might be down, but shell weather the storm. So will you, unless men want to go nakeda scary thought. Eljos is your only competition.

  She cited a lovely mens clothing store on Elliewood Avenue by the University of Virginia.

  I certainly hope youre right, Garvey murmured, not sounding at all convinced.

  Terri smiled broadly as she took Harrys check. I wont ask for ID, she joked.

  Good. Harry put a good face on it, but she always thought Terri was a pain in the neck, her screech over the broken pot further confirming that opinion.

  Do you know that all the alumnae over eighty will attend? There are forty of them. Isnt that wonderful? Our alumnae fund is paying for those who cant afford the airfare, and the motels in and around Fulton are giving us a special rate.