Sealed with a Hiss, Addison Moore [best e book reader for android txt] 📗

might be a man who’s post-op from open heart surgery. I’d imagine he wouldn’t have a shirt on.”

Mom chuckles. “And the nurses will be waving syringes at him instead of bills, but boy will he get a bill.”

“Ooh, needles.” Georgie rubs her hands together. “We might just get lucky yet. It’s been a good long while since I’ve been stuck with some feel-good juice. Don’t worry, Biz. I’ll get you right where you need to be”—she leans in and scratches Sugar on the head—“and your little cat, too.”

Perfect.

This is the first homicide investigation where I just might get to speak to one of the intended victims—unless, of course, it’s not a homicide case at all.

If Bobbie indeed killed Chip, then this investigation might just close before it ever opens, and I should have the answer to that in just a few hours.

And if not, the fun has just begun.

Chapter 5

Cider Cove General Hospital sits just this side of Rose Glen and dutifully serves both communities.

The establishment is a giant white rectangle that stretches to the sky, and inside it smells of antiseptic and chlorine. A recent renovation has left it with pale laminate flooring and soft sage walls. People scuttle to and fro with determined purpose as Georgie, Juni, and I make our way to the fourth floor where Bobbie Buckingham currently has a room to call her own.

It turns out, the chief of surgery, Dr. Buggywhip, is actually Dr. Bernstein. Georgie may have gotten his name wrong, but she certainly didn’t get his affection for her wrong. He was not only thrilled to see her, he asked her out to dinner at some ritzy steakhouse aptly named Ritzy’s.

Go figure. And here I brought a small plate of Emmie’s red velvet cookies in the event I needed to appeal to his sweet treat-inclined good senses. The only sweet treat he wants is his kaftan wearing ex.

Sugar mewls from the front-facing carrier I’m housing her in. It’s actually a baby carrier, but since the only difference is that my babies have fur, I didn’t see why I couldn’t use one as well. I’ve long since been toting Fish around in it, and not only does Fish love it, Sugar seems to appreciate it just as much.

This place is cold, and it smells like feet, Bizzy, Sugar mewls once again while poking her head out of the carrier and taking a look around. And there’s not a friendly face here. Everyone looks so serious. Bobbie is a fun girl. She’s not going to like this place one bit. I’d better hide before someone sees me and they kick both Bobbie and me right out the door. On second thought, she rises up a notch, Bobbie would thank me for getting her kicked to the curb. Maybe I should claw a few eyes out? I bet that would land us out the door all the quicker.

“Whoa,” I say, giving the fuzzy little kitten a quick scratch as we hop into the elevator. I’m still not sure if Juni is apprised of my supernatural abilities. I never told Georgie that she couldn’t tell her daughter, but believe me, the less people who know, the better. I’d hate to end up in a government-issued cage with probes glued to my temples while a group of scientists try to make me guess a number from one to ten.

“Don’t worry, Sugar,” I whisper to her. “Nobody is kicking us out. You don’t have to hide. Georgie got it all straightened out with the big guy, and as long as we stay out of other patients’ rooms we’ll be fine.”

Juni gives a dark chuckle. “I’m not staying out of other patients’ rooms. How am I supposed to scope out all the cuties? There’s men in them there halls—and it’s up to me to do my due diligence to winnow them out.” She straightens her fishnet stockings and tugs up the black leather mini skirt she’s paired them with.

It felt like six below zero outside. I’m surprised her legs haven’t frozen solid and snapped right off.

“I’m joining her.” Georgie gives her bosom a lift with her hands, and I’d swear on all that was holy one of them just rolled behind her back.

“Georgie.” I wrinkle my nose at her. “You just had the chief of surgery ask you out to dinner. Why in the world would you want to troll the rooms for other men? Not to mention sickly, wounded men.”

“Why put a limit on it when the world is brimming with handsome men, each with his very own buggy whip.”

I’m with Georgie, Sugar mewls. I don’t see why we should put a limit on men. Especially when there are so many handsome cats out there.

I wrinkle my nose at the little furball. Clearly, someone isn’t fixed yet. Although I’m not sure that would help Georgie.

Georgie wags her left hand at me. “Bizzy Baker Wilder, do you see a ring on this finger?”

“Georgie, if I ran around on Jasper while I waited for him to propose, I wouldn’t have a ring on my finger either.”

Juni grunts over at the slightly older version of herself, “She’s got a point, Mom. But that doesn’t mean I’d listen to her. Bizzy has a track record when it comes to putting the brakes on the fun express. I’ve often wondered if Jasper has a case of buyer’s remorse.”

“Juni.” I laugh. “I’m standing right here.”

She squints over at Georgie. “She’s an eavesdropper, too.”

The elevator doors whoosh open and we spill out onto the fourth floor, where the smell of questionable food clogs our senses as dirty lunch trays are quickly collected and placed on a rack in the hall.

Georgie checks her face in the reflection of a framed picture that depicts how to administer CPR in an emergency.

“You’re not the only one looking to score, Juni.” She licks her fingers and slicks back a few wild hairs. “I once dated an MD in the sixties. He was an ear, nose, breast doctor.”

“You