Black Cat and the Accidental Angel (Black Cat Mysteries Book 3) by Elaine Faber Page A

downcast. “I was wrong. I know it now. I should never have left Cindy. I’m not proud of myself.” She sighed. “I’ve left Charlie. Go ahead and say I told you so. Now, I want my little girl back.” She lifted her head and looked into John’s eyes.
    His face turned bright red. He took a step toward her and raised his hand. “You abandoned her a year ago, and now you want her? Well, too bad. The court gave me full custody and I don’t plan to give her up now. And, as for my financial problems, don’t worry. It’s none of your concern.”
    “John. Let me take her.” The mama’s voice softened. She laid her hand on his arm. “It’s not right, her being alone all day while you’re out cutting wood and tending the vineyard. She must be lonely and it’s not safe. Something terrible could happen. I’m scared. Let me take her, at least for the rest of the summer until school starts.”
    John jerked his arm away and turned his back. “I think you better go. You’ve done enough harm today. You’ve already broken her heart when you took her cat. You’re not getting Cindy this summer or ever!”
    He took her arm and propelled her toward the door, reached over and turned the knob.
    “You haven’t heard the last of this.” The mama knotted her hands into fists, again, her voice rose to a screech. “I’ll go to court if I have to. I’ll see you rot in jail. I’ll…” She stepped out onto the front porch, took a deep breath. Her chest heaved. She lowered her head. Her voice was so quiet now, it was hard to hear. “Tell Cindy I didn’t mean to hurt her. The cat’s not at the pound. When I stopped for gas and opened the door, she got away from me.” The mama grabbed the doorknob on her car.
    “Which gas station?” John stepped off the porch onto the pine covered pathway.
    Cindy’s mama slammed the car door. Her car careened down the driveway, pitching gravel as it raced toward the road.
    Black Cat’s head went up. His bleak world brightened for a moment and then went dark again as the full extent of her words struck home. Angel wasn’t at the pound. She’d escaped. She was out there somewhere, lost and alone…hungry and pregnant. He wasn’t sure which was worse. Captured at the pound or free and lost. At least at the animal shelter, she would have had food and shelter until…
    The mama’s engine roared as her car sped away down the country road.
    John went to Cindy’s bedroom and knocked. “Sweetheart? You can come out now. She’s gone. I’m sorry you had to hear all that. It’s rotten, isn’t it, having your mom and dad quarrel. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but we never learned how to disagree without quarreling. Mama wants you to live with her and I want you to live with me. We’ll just have to work it out, won’t we?”
    The bedroom door cracked open. “I don’t want to live with Mama and Charlie. He doesn’t like me. He’s mean.”
    “I know.”
    Cindy rushed out and flung her arms around John’s waist.
    “Your mom said she isn’t with Charlie any more. Next time you see her, he won’t be there.” John pushed the hair off her forehead. “Listen. Did you hear Mama say Angel got away? She’s not at the shelter. She’s somewhere near a gas station.”
    Cindy’s head reared back. A smile lit up her face.
    “I’ll call the Chevron station and AM-PM. They’re the only two stations between here and town. Maybe someone has seen her. When we go into town tomorrow, we can stop at the gas stations and talk to the fellows. Maybe she’s still hanging around.”
    Cindy gave a little yelp. “Can you call and ask? Now?”
    John went to the phone and dialed. “Hey Bruce? John Goldstein here. Was my ex-wife at your station a while ago? Yellow Honda, four-door? She was? Listen. She had a little orange cat in the car with her. She said it jumped out when she opened the door. Would you keep an eye out for the cat? If you see her, try to catch her and give me a call, will