a hiss and wondered if her shower curtain was now in shreds. She’d never seen a cat react to anyone the way Tom had to Wynn’s father. Even now she couldn’t figure out what had set him off.
“This’ll only take a minute,” Zelda went on. “You see, my husband and I read your book, and it changed everything. Well, to be perfectly honest, I don’t know if Zach read the whole book.” A frown crossed her face.
“LaVonne, perhaps I should take you home now,” K.O. suggested, thinking it might be best for her neighbor not to see Tom leave the building caged.
“I can’t leave,” LaVonne said. “Not until I know what’s happening to Tom.”
The bathroom door opened and Walt reappeared with Tom safely inside the cat carrier.
“Tom, oh, Tom,” LaVonne wailed, throwing her arms wide.
“Dr. Jeffries, Dr. Jeffries,” Zelda pleaded, vying for his attention.
“Zelda, couldn’t this wait a few minutes?” K.O. asked.
“Where are you taking Tom?” LaVonne demanded.
“We’re just going to put him in quarantine,” Walt said in a soothing voice.
“Tom’s had all his shots. My veterinarian will verify everything you need to know.”
“Good. Still, we’re legally required to do this. I guarantee he’ll be well looked after.”
“Thank you,” K.O. said, relieved.
“Can I speak to Dr. Jeffries now?” Zelda asked impatiently. “You see, I don’t think my husband really did read your book,” she continued, picking up where she’d left off. “If he had, we wouldn’t be having this disagreement.”
“I’ll see LaVonne home,” K.O. said. She closed one arm around her friend’s waist and steered her out of the condo.
Wynn looked at Zelda and sent K.O. a beseeching glance.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she promised.
He nodded and mouthed the word hurry.
K.O. rolled her eyes. As she escorted LaVonne, the sound of her sister’s voice followed her into the hallway, which was fortunately deserted. It didn’t take long to get LaVonne settled in her own place. Once she had Phillip and Martin with her, she was comforted, since both seemed to recognize her distress and lavished their mistress with affection.
When she returned to her condo, K.O. found that her sister hadn’t moved. She still sat on the coffee table, so close to Wynn that their knees touched. Judging by the speed with which Zelda spoke, K.O. doubted he’d had a chance to get a word in edgewise.
“Then the girls started to cry,” Zelda was saying. “They want a Christmas tree and Zach thinks we should get one.”
“I don’t believe—” Wynn was cut off before he could finish his thought.
“I know you don’t actually condemn Christmas trees, but I didn’t want to encourage the girls about this Santa thing, and I feel decorating a tree would do that. If we’re going to bury Santa under the sleigh—and I’m in complete agreement with you, Dr. Jeffries—then it makes sense to downplay everything else having to do with Christmas, too. Certainly all the commercial aspects. But how do I handle the girls’ reaction when they hear their friends talking about Santa?”
Wynn raised a finger, indicating that he’d like to comment. His request, however, was ignored.
“I feel as you do,” Zelda rushed on breathlessly, bringing one hand to her chest in a gesture of sincerity. “It’s wrong to mislead one’s children with figures of fantasy. It’s wrong, wrong, wrong. Zach agreed with me—but only in principle, as it turns out. Then we got into this big fight over the Christmas tree and you have to understand that my husband and I hardly ever argue, so this is all very serious.”
“Where’s Zach now?” K.O. asked, joining Wynn on the sofa.
As if to let her know how much he appreciated having her back, Wynn reached for her hand. At Zelda’s obvious interest, he released it, but the contact, brief as it was, reassured her.
Zelda lowered her head. “Zach’s at home with the girls. If you must know, I sort of left my husband with the twins.”
“Zoe and Zara,” K.O. said under her breath for Wynn’s benefit.
“Despite my strong feelings on the matter, I suspect my husband is planning to take our daughters out to purchase a Christmas tree.” She paused. “A giant one.”
“Do you think he might even decorate it with Santa figurines and reindeer?” K.O. asked, pretending to be scandalized.
“Oh, I hope not,” Zelda cried. “That would ruin everything I’ve tried so hard to institute in our family.”
“As I recall,” Wynn finally said. He waited a moment as if to gauge whether now was a good time to insert his opinions. When no