(First place winner of Writer’s Carnival’s June Author-less Flash contest!)

They say it’s always the one you least suspect.

The police had three suspects. All of them had motive to poison Frank’s whiskey, to want him dead.

Uncle Jerry had threatened him last year for gambling away his hard-earned savings.

Aunt Rose hated him for cheating her out of her share of their inheritance.

Linda was still furious about all his drinking and philandering, even after leaving him three years ago.

But everyone had an alibi for the day of Frank’s murder. No one seemed to miss him anyway, so in the end, the police chalked his death up to suicide and closed the case.

Funny how they never thought someone might have killed him to protect a loved one. Only I knew he wouldn’t hurt sweet little Maddie anymore.

They say it’s always the one you least suspect.

Luckily for me, nobody ever suspects the cat.