I took a step closer to examine his face. “You’re younger than the other two, right? Only a few years out of college?”
A look of puzzlement crossed Finn’s face and he ran a hand through his short hair. “I think I’m the youngest,” he mumbled. “It always feels that way at least. But I was the first to get here.” He screwed his eyes shut for a moment. “I was Aggy’s first cat. I was alone here for a little while until Tom arrived. Pussy came last.”
I snorted. “Oh, wow, there’s a mental image I could have done without.” I wrinkled my nose. “Can you please not use that name, especially not in that sentence.”
“You don’t like to think about Pussy coming last?” Finn asked, widening his eyes in faux innocence. “You’d rather if Pussy came first? Because, honestly, I think he’d like that better, too.”
I leveled a punch at Finn’s defined bicep, flashing him a self-satisfied grin when he rubbed his arm in surprise. “Watch your filthy mouth, young man. I wasn’t even trying to hurt you that time.”
“Okay, point taken, no more pussy talk.” Finn ducked my punch and skittered out of the bathroom, gesturing to the tub. “You better turn the faucets off before you flood the apartment. I’d hate to see Pussy come in here and get all wet.”
I slung my hair elastic at him, just narrowly missing his denim-covered butt as he slipped into the corridor. “You think you’re really funny, don’t you?” I called after him. He grinned over his broad shoulder at me like he knew he was really funny, and I let my face collapse into a smile. “Hey, Finn, what’s his real name, anyway?”
Finn shrugged and twisted his perfect body so that he was walking backward into the living area. He spread his hands and gave me a lopsided smirk. “No can do, Price. Not my name to tell. You’re going to have to find a way to get that little tidbit out of Pussy yourself.” His grin broadened. “And I bet he's going to make you work for it.”
I leaned my weight against the doorframe and watched Finn disappear into the living area. I laughed softly to myself. “Yeah, I bet he is.”
Chapter Sixteen
The hot bath was exactly what I needed to rinse away the stresses of the day before, and I stepped out of the bathroom a new woman. I walked into the main living space to find the three men lounging casually, all dressed in the most ludicrous attire imaginable. I gaped at them each in turn, their outfits ranging from 1920s dapper-wear to ridiculous sequined numbers from the 90s. “You look ridiculous, all of you. Where did you find this stuff?”
Pussy gave me a slow turn, a wide smile on his face. “You do live above a thrift shop, you realize?”
Tom’s voice was a low grumble. “You own a thrift shop, actually.”
I eyed him and crossed my arms. “So, what you’re saying is that you stole from me, then?” I forced a look of mock rage on my face, which slowly turned into a smile when I saw the amusement glint in his eyes. Hallelujah, praise the lord, the black cat had a sense of humor after all. I turned away from him, suddenly flustered.
“Is she blushing again?” Pussy asked, looking from Finn to Tom. He stared at me. “Stop blushing, princess, you need to conserve your energy if you’re going to figure out who killed our Agatha.”
“Did someone say my name?” The old witch swept through the wall and into the center of the room with a flourish. “You guys planning a party or something?” She floated over to the couch beside Pussy and sat down next to him in her frilly nightgown and fuzzy slippers, looking equally as ridiculous as the rest of them. “My, my, don’t you scrub up nicely, boys. If I was a few years younger—”
“And not a ghost?” I suggested. “And they weren’t your cats?”
“Semantics, semantics.” Agatha gave me a sly look. “Besides, they don’t look very catty right now, do they? They look positively delectable.”
I stood and stared at the men for a long minute, the shadow of a thought niggling at the base of my skull. When it finally dawned on me, I pursed my lips and turned on Pussy and Tom. “You guys are back in human form.” I wasn’t sure if it was a statement or a question.
Tom shrugged. “Good observation, Sherlock.” He glanced at the ghost. “Your mystery is in good hands, Aggy, this one is a genius.”
“Hardy-har, smart ass,” I snapped, pointing a finger in his direction. “You guys turn into human form when you touch me, right?” I narrowed my eyes. “So, when exactly, pray tell, did you touch me without my knowledge?”
Tom looked the other way, refusing to meet my eye, so I turned my attention to Pussy. He simply shrugged and whistled as he stared up at the ceiling. I looked back to Finn, who also offered a shrug. “Don’t ask me, I was in bed with you.”
Agatha feigned an overly dramatic gasp. “Jumping into bed with my pets already? Somebody knows how to take the ‘V’ out of vegan, that’s for sure.”
I leaned forward and wagged my finger at her like a mother scolding a young child. “You mind your manners, Agatha Bentley. No slut shaming.” I crossed my arms. “Besides, I didn’t get up to anything with anyone. We simply fell asleep beside each other. That’s it. End of story, nothing to see here.” Even if Finn did have a stomach I could lick, and if Pussy’s hands did feel like silk on my bare skin, and if what I’d spied under Tom’s towel had made me squirm in the most unexpected way. All of that was beside the point. Agatha gave me a look that suggested she knew exactly which three points were on my mind and I turned my face away and channeled Dr. Lee. Peace and zen, peace and zen. I’m in control of my own body. I’m in control of my own mind.
“You look like you need breakfast,” Finn said. He jumped up from the couch and marched into the kitchen. After a few seconds I heard him shout back, “What do you want? We have eggs, cheese…”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m a vegan, remember?”
“Okay, so, bacon?” His voice called back, teasingly.
I snickered as I made my way into the kitchen to join him. Jerk. “Do you have any fruit?”
I stood beside him at the fridge, but he nudged me away. “We have avocado. Does that work? And toast?” Before I could open my mouth, he held up his hand. “Dot left it on the doorstep this morning and her vegan bread is good—no whey, no eggs, no filler. The woman makes great food.” His voice softened and he gave me a lopsided smile. “I used to sit on her windowsill at the coffee shop and watch her bake most mornings.”
I bit my lip, something catching in my throat at the expression on his face. “Okay, avocado toast it is.” I let him prod me toward the table, squeezing his fingers before he returned to his preparation. “Thank you, Finn.”
Finn held my gaze, but the moment was ruined by Agatha flinging herself onto the chair beside me with a groan. “Avocado toast,” she scoffed. “What a flaming hipster. If I looked up the definition of hipster in the dictionary, there would be a picture of you, skinny minny.”
“I’ll have you know, I’m strong, not skinny,” I lectured her, and she mimicked my angry expression. I let out an indignant sigh and turned away from her, scowling.
The ghost muttered under her breath. “You’re skinny, and you have no boobs.”
“Well, you’re rude and bad-mannered and probably used your big breasts and your magic to get everything you wanted in life. At least, I can say I work hard for what I have,” I retorted, stung by her words and fighting the urge not to cover my chest. Gerard’s voice rang in the back of my mind, suggesting the name of a plastic surgeon who could help me with my ‘issue.’ I’d damn well send him and Agatha to hell if I had half a chance.
“Whatever,” Agatha spat. “I’m not the one batting my eyelashes and simpering at my own little harem.”
My mouth fell open. “I do not have a harem! I just told you I didn’t sleep with any of them.” I turned back to the two men lounging casually on the furniture. “And I still want to know how you both turned back into human form.”
“Harem hussy,” Agatha coughed.