Murder in the Forecast

Weather forecasters in Florida are keeping an eye on a tropical storm forming in the middle of the Atlantic. They're saying Agatha, the first big one of the season, could hit us sometime this weekend. And you know what I say, boys and girls, who knows what will happen tomorrowparty hearty now! This is WAVE radio: the voice of the shore. "Cara, I am worried about little Urchin." Josie Pigeon placed her coffee mug on the kitchen counter and looked over to her landlady standing in the doorway. "Isn't it a bit early for you to be up and dressed?" she asked. "In an emergency, I am like the Boy Scouts. I am prepared. That is, I will be prepared. Today I go off island early to shop for supplies." "What emergency?" "The storm they talk about on the radio." "I wasn't really listening," Josie admitted. "There is a storm coming. A big storm. I am stocking up on food, batteries, water, candles. And I worry. What are you going to do about Urchin?" At the second mention of her name, a small brown cat, busy absorbing the first rays of sunlight as they came through the window of Josie's apartment, turned her head and stared at the two women. They were an unlikely pair. Josie was dressed for work in faded jeans, a worn chambray shirt, and brand-new work boots. Her unruly red hair was barely controlled by a frayed green cotton scrunchy; her freckled nose was sunburned and peeling. Risa, her Italian landlady, had unique ideas of what to wear when grocery shopping: layers of iridescent silk formed her skirt, and instead of a shirt, she wore an embroidered poncho, which kept slipping off one elegant shoulder. She had on espadrilles and carried a voluminous straw bag. As always, her long dark hair was impeccably groomed, and she looked chic and sophisticated. Urchin wasn't impressed. The cat yawned, stretched, and got back to the serious work of staying warm. "Why should I do anything about Urchin? She's fine," Josie insisted. "Now she is fine. Now the sun is shining; there is no rain, no wind. But in a storm, she will be a problem. And not a happy problem. You read the evacuation procedures notice that was with the mail I brought up to you a few days ago?" Josie glanced over at the pile of unopened bills, notices, and flyers that was threatening to fall off the tiny dilapidated table by her front door. She had been too busy to pay attention to anything other than the infrequent postcards her son, Tyler, sent from the computer camp, where he was spending the summer. And, since she wouldn't have any extra money until the next installment on Island Contracting's summer job was paid, she hadn't bothered to look at the bills. Risa followed the direction of her gaze. "If you'd read those emergency instructions, you would know that if we are evacuated, you are supposed to let Urchin out of the house. All alone. To fend for herself," she added ominously. "Urchin's not an outdoor cat," Josie protested. "That's what I'm telling you. I worry all night long. And then I come up with solution to your problem. Evacuate Urchin now." "Evacuate Urchin?" "So she will be okay when we are ordered to leave the island," Risa explained patiently. "Why would anyone order us to leave the island?" "Because of that storm. The storm they talk about on the radio!" "Risa, there's no reason to pay attention to those guys on the radio! They have to talk about sometWolzien, Valerie is the author of 'Murder in the Forecast', published 0013 under ISBN 9780449006313 and ISBN 044900631X.