A laundry basket full of clothes, washed and folded was waiting for us on the front porch of Morelli's house. Rex's cage was suspended by a plant hook in the center of porch. Three neighborhood cats sat patiently below the cage, watching.
Joe shooed away the cats and unhooked Rex's cage while I stared at the basket.
I sighed. Ranger was still pissed.
I traded the basket with Joe for Rex's cage and he opened the door. Rex was hiding in his soup can. I could see it trembling.
"Yeah," I whispered to Rex. "I know how you feel. The last twenty four hours hasn't been a picnic for me either."
I placed Rex's cage on the kitchen counter, next to the cookie jar. I opened the refrigerator and pulled out a piece of pizza. I broke off a piece and dropped it into his little food bowl while I took a bite of mine. It must have been a couple of days old 'cause it was a little chewy, but I felt better anyway. Rex came out of his can, snatched his piece of crust and rushed back into his can. Rex felt better too, I could tell. Rex and I are a lot alike. Pretty easy to please. When it comes to food.
I turned and saw Morelli, leaning against the back of his sofa, his arms crossed over his chest, smiling at me. I knew that smile. I bit off a huge chunk of the pizza and shoved it in my mouth. I knew if I didn't eat fast, I probably wasn't going to get a chance to finish it.
"Doctor Dick will see you now."
I crammed another bite into my mouth. I hadn't eaten anything since my McDonald's binge last night and I was starving. I needed to stall for time. "I'm a little busy right now." I said, my mouth working its way around the pizza and the words. "Can we reschedule for later?" Like in forty five seconds? Right after I polish off the crust?
Morelli moved in for the kill, taking the pizza from my hand, I felt his lips on my neck and a hand running under my shirt. For a moment, my hand grappled for the pizza, then I felt his fingers slide under my waistband and I froze, my entire attention focused on his fingers. I felt my body blaze and tingle. What pizza?
"Don't you think we might be able to squeeze him in somewhere?"
"I think we can find an opening."
Hoo boy. Hoo boy. Hoo boy.