Death of a Stray Cat / An Affair of the Heart

DEATH OF A STRAY CAT

Marcella is a born victim. She brings out the worst in men. But someone has taken it too far and murdered the poor girl. Alex knew her from the previous summer, during a brief affair when his wife was away. So when her body is discovered in their beach house, he feels as guilty as if he had murdered her himself. But Walt, who had been carrying on with her too, is the one who doesn't have an instant alibi. So he's the one they arrest. But no one really thinks Walt would have strangled her. Everyone knew Marcella-anyone could have killed her. His friends Brad and Dwight certainly knew who she was. And Jimmy, her conniving husband, was supposed to have a meeting with her that day. Horace Pankey must have seen her as well-he was working on Alex's patio that afternoon. But who hated this stray cat enough to choke the life out of her? And why?

AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART

Kirk Banning and his wife Hilda run an advertising agency, but ever since Kirk's heart attack, Hilda has been trying to get him to slow down. His mistress, Lorraine Walsh, also wants him to slow down. But all Kirk wants to do is leave Hilda and marry her. Which seemed like a good idea to Lorraine a year ago, but now.... So when Kirk is found dead of an apparent heart attack in Lorraine's apartment, there is a scramble to cover up the situation to protect Hilda. But the bigger question is, what happened to his heart pills that he always kept with him, the pills that could have saved his life? Is it possible that someone didn't want Kirk to survive a second heart attack, and took measures to prevent it?