Annie and the Coroner in Concert with Providence

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and—oh my—trying to get up and get there was not going to be easy. Good thing Kitty Grace paved the way with a loud meow and jumped at the doorknob to make it appear that someone was unlocking it until she could get there with her arthritic knee. Carlton took the clue and waited until Annie opened the door. Remembering a sign she had seen down South that always made her laugh, she said, “Who Dat?” “Hello, Annie, I’m your new neighbor, Carlton. I just moved in next door, and look what I found. Could this be your bird?” Before her was a small box with holes in it. Kitty Grace began to purr, tilting her head a bit sideways as if adding her own sort of question. How this man knew her name and decided she owned the bird was a surprise to Annie. When Annie’s face became pale, Carlton considered her to be shocked, thinking the bird might be injured or dead. So he quickly introduced himself and explained the situation. “As I was moving in, I found this little fellow singing near the cage left by the last owners of the house. They were not very tidy and had also left some odds and ends of garbage in the kitchen along with a sack of birdseed spilling out of the pantry. The house was quite cold because the window had been ajar as well. But this bird seemed to find some warmth in an old wool scarf it found in a closet. Flighty had the run of the house, by golly. Although he never did enter the cage; It was quite dirty.” “Please come in. Most likely that is our Chester. Gracie will be so glad he is back. She missed him so very much. Just open the box and see what happens. Kitty has been depressed. She loved hearing him sing.” Carlton stepped inside and immediately opened the box with its small air holes. The bird’s eyes were closed, and he appeared to be sleeping. But as Kitty Grace purred her loudest, Chester opened them, stood up, and flew to the kitty’s back. Kitty Grace proceeded to ride him around the room and stop just long enough for the bird to grab a treat off the coffee table, return to his very own cage and eat it. Kitty Grace hopped on the table and swiftly batted the cage closed with her front paw. Then Chester began to sing in chorus with Kitty Grace’s purring. A wave of excitement filled the air, and Carlton was beside himself with glee at being the hero of the moment. He began singing a string of la-las in a scale that showed off his lovely tenor voice and gave evidence of a seasoned singer. He even ended with a harmonic. Annie was at once enchanted. She clapped her hands and replied, “Bravo, bravo, encore.” “Forgive me for showing off,” said Carlton. “I just could not let myself be an unsung hero.” He paused for an anticipated laugh. Annie giggled, of course. “How did you ever train the two to do that?” “I refuse to tell you that until you tell me how you came to know my name and discover the bird is mine. Please, will you have time for tea and sing me another song?” Carlton laughed and said, “I’m happy that I will be living next door to someone who likes music. Yes, I will have some tea and explain that it was not difficult to find Chester’s owner. After Carlton left, Annie returned to her favorite chair to finish her tea and reflect on the sudden change in her affairs. Her new neighbor struck her as being a distinctive gentleman of many talents as well as a comic. And what a voice! Not only that, but he was handsome: black hair with silver streaks and a blue T-shirt that matched his eyes. But she wondered what kind of a man would enjoy solving murders by examining dead bodies. Although he had jokes on the tip of his tongue, when he spoke of his work he was so intense that she wondered if he could ever be happy in retirement. She thought of how providential, rather than simply coincidental, it was that they had so much in common. Such a friend nearby would certainly sweeten her loneliness, but that was not a simple thing. She had a deep longing for someone to share ideas, experiences, and philosophies. All seemed calm; Kitty Grace and Chester were taking a nap. But then she heard a loud tapping on the door. This time she was not as stiff, so she rose quickly, only to find the doctor already in the house. His engaging smile was gone, and he was trying to explain that someone had entered his place while they were visiting. It was an even bigger mess. Someone had been searching for something, and he could not find his cell phone to call the police. Annie gave him hers but, in that instant, ran to the back door to see if the intruder was leaving that way. Sure enough, there he was, running through a grove of bushes. After opening the kitchen drawer, she pulled out a small revolver, pointed it, and said, “Stop, or I will shoot you.” Most likely believing that no little old woman could shoot straight or had the nerve, he began to run to his car, which was parked in the alley. Annie pulled the trigger and hit him in the leg just before he could turn. “Stop, or I will aim higher,” she said. “And I will not miss, but I dislike killing people.” When the man continued to run, Carlton emerged, saying, “Don’t shoot. I’ll get him.” It was a great tackle. With clear thinking, Annie tossed him some handy clothesline. And by the time the police arrived, the intruder was lying sideways on the ground..