Cut and Run 4 - Divide and Conquer

was Smith, followed closely by Wesson.
    The two very big cats stopped mid-stride upon seeing the strangers, and
    Cameron could have sworn he heard one of them growl.
    “Now see, that‟s what I‟m talking about,” the churlish agent said
    as he pointed at the cats. “Those are guard dogs, Zane. Pound for pound
    the most effective killing machine in the world.”
    Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    “So you say, Meow Mix,” Zane answered. He sounded like he
    was humoring his partner. Zane Garrett, Cameron remembered from
    the door. And Ty Grady, he reminded himself. Garrett & Grady. It
    sounded like some obnoxious men‟s clothing store. Zane pointed at Ty.
    “You keep your hands off the wildlife.”
    “Shove it, Garrett,” Ty said with a huff. He moved around the
    couch and knelt several feet away from Smith and Wesson. He reached
    out his hand. “What are they, Maine Coons?” he asked Cameron with
    what seemed like genuine interest.
    Cameron watched as the man put himself well within range of a
    serious tangle with pain. He swallowed and glanced at the digital clock
    next to the television. It had been three minutes. “Yeah,” he said
    quietly.
    “Ty, I said keep your damn hands to yourself,” Zane snapped.
    “We don‟t have time for a field trip to the hospital if that cat decides it
    wants a taste of you.”
    Ty blithely ignored his partner, still holding out one hand and
    talking to Smith and Wesson in a low voice, a smile on his face. He
    turned and glanced over his shoulder at Zane. “If the big one didn‟t eat
    me, I think I can deal with two little ones.”
    Smith and Wesson sat side by side, watching him in the way only
    a cat could watch an inferior being. Cameron figured he himself looked
    like he was watching Ty like the man was an idiot. He also wondered
    what cat the man could possibly have tangled with that was bigger than
    Smith or Wesson.
    Zane gave an aggrieved sigh and walked a little farther into the
    room, though Cameron noticed he kept both the front door and him in
    sight. “We‟re not going to bite, Mr. Jacobs,” Zane said, trying to
    placate him, Cameron could tell. Zane‟s lips twitched. “No more than
    the cats, anyway.”
    “The last stranger who messed with them ended up with stitches
    from temple to lip,” Cameron mentioned to Ty.
    Ty merely made a clicking sound with his tongue, not moving as
    he continued to hold his hand out to the cats. Wesson began to move
    slowly, slinking toward him. “Come on, handsome,” Ty crooned to the
    Armed & Dangerous |

    cat. Smith lowered his head, his tail twitching as he watched, but
    Wesson continued to move toward him. He sat and graciously allowed
    the man to rub one finger under his chin.
    Cameron‟s jaw dropped. Those stupid cats wouldn‟t even let him
    touch them, and he‟d been living with Julian for more than a year now.
    He swallowed on the feeling of dread. If this guy got ahold of Wesson
    and hurt him, Julian would maim him, and that would be a mess. A
    moment later, Ty had gathered the big cat into his arms and was
    standing again, holding him over his shoulder, rubbing his ear gently.
    He turned to grin at his partner. “Like playing the bagpipes,” he joked
    about the large feline.
    Cameron could hear Wesson purring from where he stood across
    the room.
    Zane shook his head, clearly exasperated. “Make yourself at
    home, Ty. Want to check the fridge, see if there‟s any beer?”
    Ty snorted loudly at him and shook his head. He bent and set the
    cat down carefully, giving his ear a last twirl with one long finger
    before standing back up and brushing at the cat hair on his shoulder,
    then looking at his watch. Meanwhile, Wesson wound his large body
    around the agent‟s ankles, still purring to the point he was almost
    vibrating. Cameron had never seen anyone besides Julian handle either
    cat like that.
    Ty bent to pick the cat up again, turning him upside down and
    holding him like a baby in his arms as he rubbed him under the chin.
    Cameron‟s jaw dropped.
    “Come on, Zane, don‟t be scared of a little pussy,” Ty told his
    partner with a sly grin. Zane circled one finger in the air, dismissing
    the… insult?
    Cameron‟s brows lifted about as far as they could go. “You two
    are supposed to be FBI agents?” he asked in disbelief.
    “And your guy is late,” Ty commented as he nodded. He watched
    out the balcony doors for a long moment before he set the cat down and
    calmly reached into his trench