Page 18 of Building What's Meant to Be

“Is it because you won’t date a felon?” I tease.

Her lips quiver. “You might be a cat thief, but I swear, I didn’t do anything wrong. I was afraid you’d recognize me.”

I force my lips into an innocent frown. Does that mean she knows who I am? Better play dumb. “Truly, I don’t recognize you other than the woman who should’ve played Annabelle Alden inA Golden Deception in Texas.”

Her cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. “Well, I just thought maybe you recognized me from the news.”

I lean closer, curious about what she might reveal. “A tiny town with a big heart. Don’t tell me you’re on the run Bonnie and Clyde style?”

She giggles. “No. Not even close. Does the name Puma ring a bell?”

I draw a deep breath and am thankful for the involuntary bunching between my eyebrows. “Like a cat? We have a lot of animals here in Butterbury.”

“Speaking of cats...” Officer Henley comes over.

I hold up my hands, the picture of innocence. “You have my word that I did not catnap Twinky.”

“Mmm. A catnap would be nice right now,” Tinsley says.

My sentiments exactly.

Dark circles that I didn’t notice smudge the space under her eyes. Guilty of working with Harold or not, she looks tired.

Officer Henley clicks his tongue with disapproval. “Are you talking about the musician Puma Palmer? My daughter texted to say he was arrested. Some kind of embezzlement. Guess it’s a federal case.”

“International espionage, considering he’s here illegally from Burgarithia.”

“Where’s that?” Tinsley asks.

“Near Poland,” I answer casually, belatedly realizing I acknowledged that I hadn’t heard of Puma then shared details about his background. This woman makes it hard to keep my story straight.

“He never mentioned that he’s not from the United States.”

“Word must travel fast,” Henley says as if picking up on my blunder.

“I didn’t make the connection until you added thePalmerpart to his name,” I say.

Henley squints at me at the same time as his police radio goes off and he turns it up to listen.

Tinsley picks a loose sequin on her dress. “Turns out his actual name is Harold Jerrold Pumanowksi. In case you haven’t yet, you’ll soon see that I was at his house when he was arrested. Well, it wasn’t his house. He was ‘borrowing’ it. Or at least, that’s what I imagine he’d say. Now, I’m guilty of his crimes by association. I didn’t do anything, but unfortunately, the public has taken shots at my credibility.”

“Ow-ski is right.”

She looks so despondent standing there alone in the jail cell in her gold dress that whatever remaining sympathetic emotions I have after seeing how ugly the world can be rise to the surface.

“Is this going to follow me everywhere? Forever? Officer Henley even knows about it and, no offense, but he doesn’t seem like he keeps up with the times.”

Officer Henley removes his cheater glasses and uses them like a pointer. “Ah ah ah. Actually, I’m well-versed in pop culture. Have to keep my finger on the pulse of things. Just last month my daughter and I saw Puma perform live in Atlanta. Not my kind of music, but I didn’t want her going alone. Plus, the case is all over the news.” He turns to me. “Turns out this little lady was getting rather cozy with Puma as his Gal Pal.”

She winces. “Sir, please. I didn’t do anything. You can ask the FBI. I spent the night at their office, pleading my case, and answering all their questions. Some, repeatedly. I’m innocent.”

I stop short of nodding in agreement.

“I’m sure you are. But you did break the law.”

“And I’m sorry, sir. I won’t do it again,” Tinsley says.

“I reckon I believe you. All the same, I have to do my job. Can’t let word get out that I’m slacking.” The police radio crackles again and Officer Henley gets to his feet. “I’ll be back. We have a goose on the loose.”

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