so upset. Guess it's all the motion." She knelt down and tried to soothe the frantic rodents. "Can you believe the luck? Lacy says her family loves white rats."
"Lacy?" I stomped over to the hall door and jerked it open. "Where is she?"
"She's taking the crates down to her car. She'll be back up to get these in a minute." Penny sighed. "I wish I could keep at least one rat, for a pet, but Boogie has been crazed by this."
"Yes, and he was here first, weren't you, big guy?" I picked up the cat when he stuck a paw into the wire cage. "Have you e-mailed the rescue people yet to cancel?"
"No. I'll do it later." Penny stood. "This week has been insane. Jenny's been texting me every few minutes wanting to meet Israel Caine. More e-mails from the university. My advisor and everyone at the lab's freaking over the rats being stolen." She ran her hands through her hair. "I just got my hair cut by a shape-shifter. And . . ." She grinned. "Josh called and asked me out for Saturday night!"
"Wow!" I hated that I was about to add one more insanity to her list. "Congrats on the date. We'll talk about it later." I was sure she wasn't ready to be alone with him yet but she was so excited . . . I mentally went through my schedule. I wondered if Jerry would enjoy following Penny on her date. That image almost made me smile. Until the rats squealed again. "You'd better take these rats back to your bedroom."
"Why? I hear Lacy coming up the stairs." Penny looked puzzled.
I grabbed Lacy's arm and jerked her inside, then slammed the door. "Okay, Lacy. Why don't you tell my roomie why you're so crazy about white rats? Why your whole family loves them?"
Lacy grimaced and glanced down at my hand on her arm. I let her go, but stayed in her face. She and I both knew that in a fair fight she could probably take me. She was a werecat who had some serious skills and I'm too softhearted to rip out the throat of someone I consider a friend. Lacy? I wasn't so sure she wouldn't get caught up in the moment and claw me to pieces. Her real disadvantage was that she worked for me as my day manager and beating up your boss didn't translate to job security. On the other hand, finding good reliable day help wasn't easy either. It was a standoff.
"Lacy? Is something up here?" Penny had quickly figured out that her rats weren't exactly going to a happy home.
"Oh, well, sorry I didn't tell you the truth." Lacy backed toward the door. "I'm, um, a werecat." She smiled and let her canines show. "White rats. To be honest? They're absolutely delicious."
"Oh, my God!" Penny clutched a cage to her chest. "You didn't - You haven't - "
"Relax. The tasty treats are still in the station wagon, waiting for Mom's secret sauce." Lacy winced when I kicked her in the shin. "I'll go get 'em."
"No. Stay here. Where Glory can watch you." Penny held out her hand. "Give me your keys."
"Car's not locked. Who's going to steal rats? Any other werecats in the area are, er, were invited to the barbeque." She sighed. "It's the red station wagon out back. Just wish I hadn't called Mom first. She's already fired up the grill and called the cousins."
"Ewww." Penny lurched out of the apartment holding her stomach.
"Really? Was that last necessary?" I frowned and grabbed Boogie before he could make a dash for freedom through the open door. "If you value your job, I suggest you disappear before Penny gets back up here, Lacy." I showed fang. "I'm not happy with you right now."
"It's my nature, Glory." Lacy shrugged and reached out to give Boogie a scratch under his chin. His purr was epic. "The newbie's gonna have to learn to deal."
"Lacy . . ." I really did need her at the shop or she'd have been fired on the spot. But what she said was true.
"Now if she ever wants to get rid of this sweet fella, he'd be treated like a king at Mom's place." She scratched him again and he closed his eyes in ecstasy.
"Get your freaky claws off my cat!" Penny had a cage in each hand as she shoved Lacy out of her way. The rats scrambled into a trembling pile, as far away from