"I told Chris you'd watch his cat for him for a few days." Brandy announced when Brynn forced herself to walk through the front door.
She couldn't bite back the groan of frustration. "You know I'm allergic to cats, Brandy."
Her sister shrugged off that small nuisance. "You have your medicines in the cupboard. I went and made sure you were well stocked up on them." She grinned, "Besides the guy's cute, and now he owes you one."
Clenching her teeth, Brynn ignored her sister's wink, dropped her jacket on the coat hook, and kept walking down the hallway. "Oh! Misses Wendell, the next door neighbor says she's heard there's been a prowler around recently. So the whole neighborhood so to call the cops if we see anyone lurking around."
Still ignoring her, Brynn continued on her trek. "I'm taking a long hot bath and you're not to bother me with anything unless someone is dying. And even then, tell them to wait until I'm done."
Dropping everything else on her bed and dresser and grabbing her towel and nightclothes, Brynn went to set the taps on in her bathroom before she left to go get a large glass of wine.
Stripping, then settling in the hot soapy water, Brynn executed a long low groan and leaned back against the warming porcelain. Letting herself soak for a few minutes, she sat up and turned the taps back on to wet her hair so she could shampoo.
The green shampoo made her nose wrinkle, but the apple scent made her smile and relax again when she rinsed and repeated.
Taking a large gulp from her wineglass, she could feel her nerves easing into oblivion.
"Bry?" Brandy called out softly, as she knocked lightly on the door.
Her nerves coiled up tightly like a spring again. "What?"
"I think Chris' cat got out." She murmured guiltily.
Groaning, Brynn sat up. "Well, go get it!"
"I don't even know where it went, or how long it's been out! It's a housecat, Bry, it can't survive if it's outside!"
She could hear the hysteria building up in her sister. Reluctantly and groaning, she levered herself out of the comforting tub and pulled the plug. Staring longingly at the draining water, Brynn wrapped herself in her silky robe and wrapped her hair in a towel.
Cursing herself for not drying off completely, Brynn struggled to keep her robe from plastering against her. She slammed the door opened and went to jam her feet into her soft slippers.
The look she gave caused Brandy to back off for a few seconds. "I honestly didn't notice, Bry."
Stalking past her, Brynn valiantly tried to find the damn rodent somewhere in the house, but only ended up shivering under her damp robe from the air conditioner. "Well, it's not inside." She muttered dryly. "So outside is the other likely place."
"Great, you look out back and I'll look out front." Brandy offered readily.
Brynn narrowed her gaze on her, "You think I'm looking out back looking like this?" She asked, motioning to her outfit.
Brandy grinned, "Well, I didn't think you'd want to look out front."
Cursing Brynn headed for the back of the house. "Where's Cameron by the way?" She yelled loudly.
"Friends house. Daddy said that it was okay earlier."
Knowing that Brandy would have called him on his honeymoon to make sure it was okay made Brynn chuckle. But she sobered quickly when the blast of cool air from outside forced her back into her black mood.
"I'm killing my sister so I can be an only child again." She muttered dryly before cursing again when she stubbed her toe on a potted plant. "Here, kitty-kitty." She called out between clenched teeth.
Moving from one side of the house to the other, Brynn tried valiantly to find the stupid cat that had her outside wet and in her bathrobe.
"Freeze!"
That one word had the blood draining from her face. Oh God.