Fur Ball Fever

Chapter 29

As soon as Nick drove off, Grace closed the front door behind her and leaned against it. She was in love with him, and, though he hadn't said it in so many words, she was pretty sure he loved her back. He respected her as a woman of action. It was a good start.

Before she could announce she was home, the chime of her cell phone sent her scooting upstairs for privacy. It had rung three times by the time she answered.

A gruff voice said, "Kathleen O'Grady?"

Her heart picked up speed. The only place she'd left her mother's maiden name was on her application at Kinki. "Rooster?" she croaked.

"Good news, hon. After reading your application, Madame Discipline asked me to set up an interview. Tonight, seven p.m., before the club gets too busy."

"Ah, let me check my schedule." Her brain whirred. The owner must have changed her mind about selling the club to Sam. An interview would be the perfect cover for learning Madame Discipline's identity, and, hopefully, for getting one step closer to nailing Oliver. As Nick's partner, the least she could do was help get Granddaddy Hiram off his back. Obviously, the situation was about to explode.

Naturally, she'd discuss the interview with Nick before going in. She wanted him there for backup. If he vetoed it, she simply wouldn't show up.

She raised the phone to her ear again. To appear casual, she bantered a little with Rooster before accepting the interview and ending the call.

Heart thumping, she called Nick to tell him the news, but got his voicemail. She ended the call without leaving a message. She tried to imagine his reaction to a voicemail that told him about the interview, even if she had no intention of following through on any job offer. Some things were better said in person. She'd call him back in a few minutes.

Next, she debated explaining the interview to her family. Again, she decided against it. A grooming crisis at Pawsitive Energy would hold them at bay.

Humming a little, she glanced at her watch. It would be close, but if traffic was light, she'd make it.

Smiling to herself, she placed the phone on her dresser while she shoved fetwear into a tote bag and loaded her bat-purse with pepper spray. Man, that stuff was effective.

It wasn't until she was zipping along the Garden State Parkway that she clued in. With all the excitement of lying to her family and evading their questions, she'd forgotten to call Nick again. This was a serious oversight. If she didn't fill him in about her plans, he'd reinstate her in the loose cannon category.

With one hand on the wheel, she used the other to rummage in her bat-purse for her cell, found only pepper spray. "Oh, crap," she said aloud. As she took a one-handed cutoff to Atlantic City, she got a clear, crisp image of her cell phone lying on her dresser where she'd left it.

To keep her spirits up, she reminded herself that she was armed and dangerous. Julius could attest to that. Anyway, there was nothing to fret about. Kinki was merely a nightclub with a unique clientele, this was a normal job interview, and Madame Discipline was a hot business woman Sam had connected with, even if she had an odd name, an odder occupation, and questionable associates.

Besides, Rooster would kick the crap out of anyone dumb enough to threaten her.

She hoped.

Grace shivered a little. It occurred to her that Nick was certain Kinki was the hub of criminal activities. If so, Madame Discipline had to be involved.

She rejected the thought that she was making a reckless mistake. Nick needed her help, and the best way to do that was to meet the owner. Thanks to her job interview, she had an inside track. It was a simple little undercover job.