Meow for the Money (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 14) (12 page)

“Why?” June asked.

“Because if Rags seems to think there’s something awry, I’m going to follow his lead. I’ll stay inside and I have the guards paying particular attention to the cat pens from outside.”

“But everything’s locked up. The cats can’t go out there until we open the doors in the morning,” June said.

Craig nodded. “And we want it to stay that way.” He said to his wife, “Iris, I’ll walk you home and get my things so I can move in here with the cats.”

“Okay,” she said, looping her arm in his.

“Let’s get you to bed,” Colbi said, helping June to stand again and supporting her as she walked into the hall and toward the elevator.

“Good night all,” June called, waving her hand rather dramatically over her head.

“Night, June,” Savannah said.

Michael started to follow them out the door, when Savannah stopped him.

“Michael, would you get Rags?”

“Why? Craig will be with him. He’s fine.”

“I want him to know where we are. Let’s take him to the room with us, then he can come back here if he wants to.” When Michael looked at her sideways, she said, “Humor me, hon. It’s a mommy thing. I don’t want him feeling abandoned. He might need us in the night.”

“Oh, Savannah,” Michael said, sounding exasperated. He shook his head, then went in search of the cat. Once he found him, it was a bit of a trick getting into position to pick him up, but he managed and Savannah smiled as the couple and the cat walked down a long hallway to their guest room. The third door on the left opened into a large bedroom decorated in a deep-plum-and-cream floral pattern.

“Hi Damon,” Savannah said, hugging him as they entered the room. She peeked in at their sleeping daughter. “Good job,” she said. “She looks contented. Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure,” he said, “only…”

“Only what?” she asked frowning.

“Well, I got here too late to play blocks or even peek-a-boo with her.”

Savannah chuckled. “Come by around six in the morning. She’s always ready to play then.”

“I don’t know about that,” Damon said, feigning a frown. “It appears that the kid and I are on different schedules.”

“Thanks, guy,” Michael said, shaking hands with Damon.

Damon pointed. “Uh-oh, your cat just escaped.”

“Yeah, we didn’t expect him to stay. He’s off to be with his kind,” Michael said.

“His kind?”

“Yeah,” Savannah said. “Haven’t you visited the cat room yet?”

He shook his head. “Just got here a little while ago. I’ll have to take the tour tomorrow. I have the day off.” He chuckled. “I think I get to drive Miss Daisy someplace. Max is going to let me use his chauffeur’s cap.”

“I think you guys are having way too much fun,” Savannah said, laughing.

Damon winked. “Gotta have fun in life.”

****

Savannah and Michael had been asleep for a couple of hours when their slumber was interrupted.
Meow! Meoooowwww
!

“Oh no, what now?” Michael mumbled.

“Rags, what’s wrong?” Savannah asked, sitting straight up in the bed.

“Shhhh, you’ll wake the baby.”

Savannah picked up her phone. When she turned the flashlight app on, she could see Rags frantically running back and forth between their bed and the door, which was slightly ajar. She slipped out of bed and into her robe, whispering, “Show me, Rags. Show me.”

In the meantime, Michael lifted himself up on one elbow and exhaled slowly. “Wait,” he hissed, as he climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans. Savannah stepped back into the room and grabbed the baby monitor, then the two of them followed the cat using the glow from her cell phone.

“The cat room,” Michael said under his breath.

When they stepped inside, they saw that the daybed was empty. The blankets were tossed to one side, and Craig was gone.

“So where did he go?” Michael asked, searching the floor for the cat.

“There he is.” Savannah pointed toward the outdoor pen.

She leaned down and petted Marmalade, who rubbed against her ankles. When she saw Tabitha peering at her from inside the blue tunnel, she took a close look at her and determined that she was okay. In fact, Savannah noticed that Rags didn’t seem to be concerned about any of his cat friends. His energy was focused toward the darkened outside cat pen.

“I don’t hear anything,” Savannah whispered. “The rest of the cats seem unconcerned.” She continued watching Rags trot back and forth in front of the secured kitty door.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of metal against metal.

“What was that?” Savannah whispered.

“I don’t know,” Michael said. He turned to Savannah. “You go back to the room and stay with Lily.”

“But Michael,” she protested.

“Go,” he ordered, as he moved toward Rags and tried to peer into the pen.

“What’s going on?” Damon asked, entering the room cautiously.

“Don’t know,” Savannah whispered. “Sounds like someone’s out there. Craig might be out there, too—he’s not in the bed.”

Suddenly, Colbi appeared behind Damon. “What’re you guys doing?”

“Rags woke us up and then we heard a crash,” Savannah explained. She turned to leave the room. “I need to get back to the baby.”

“I’ll go,” Colbi said, waving one hand in the air. “I don’t want any part of this. She shivered and headed back down the hallway.

When Michael reappeared, he said, “Savannah, I told you to…”

“I know, Colbi’s with her. What’s going on, Michael?” she hissed.

“I can’t see anything, I’m going out. Craig might need help.”

“I’ll go with you,” Damon said.

“Stay with your cat, Savannah,” Michael scolded.

Several minutes passed before the three men returned to the cat room from the hallway. “What is it?” she asked, wide-eyed. “Was something out there?”

“Sure was?” Craig said. “How’d you know?”

“Rags…” she started.

“Oh, he came to tell you about it, did he?”

She nodded. “What was it, a wild animal?”

He shook his head and took a deep breath. “Someone brought the cats a treat, probably hoping it was their last supper.”

“Huh?” Savannah said, looking confused.

“We think it was poisoned meat,” Michael explained.

“Fish,” Craig corrected.

“Oh no,” Savannah said, dropping into a chair. “How’d they get past…?”

“Oh, whoever it was didn’t get past security. They spotted someone and alerted me. We waited outside, thinking he was probably headed for the cat pen. We let him get close enough to break in. Once he began to use the bolt cutters, we grabbed him. There was a scuffle and dang if he didn’t get away. He left the tool and the package behind, though, so we may get fingerprints.”

“Where’d he go—how did he get away?”

“It was as if he could see in the dark. It may have been someone who’s familiar with the area and the terrain, because he headed for the ravine. We figured we had him once we saw him disappear in there. But no—he somehow got out on the other side and just kept going.” He shook his head. “Man, he was fast.”

“Did he arrive in a car? Maybe it’s parked outside the gate.”

“We think he may have had someone pick him up. Or he had some sort of small vehicle stashed somewhere. He was one slippery dude. But he didn’t accomplish his goal, and that’s the good news.”

Savannah wasn’t convinced. “But what’s to stop him from coming back?” she asked. “Aren’t the cats still in danger?”

Craig cringed and nodded. “Unless we can find a lead. We’re desperate for a lead and that’s what we’ll focus on as soon as it gets light. In the meantime, let’s get some shut-eye. The guards just changed shifts, so they’re fresh.” He looked around at the others. “Night.”

“Night, Craig,” Savannah said. She walked over to where Rags sat staring into the room at them and petted him. “He seems to have settled down. Maybe
he’ll
get some sleep, too.”

“Yeah,” Craig said, “he woke me up from a nice dream. He must have sensed trouble.”

Savannah and Michael made eye contact, then walked out into the hall toward their guest room.

****

“Savannah dear, did you hear what happened last night?” June asked when she saw her guest enter the cat room with Lily the next morning.

“Yes,” Savannah said. She acknowledged Craig, who sat holding a coffee mug. “Everyone’s okay, aren’t they? No one escaped or was harmed? All are accounted for?”

June smiled. “Yes, thanks to Ragsdale and the detective, everyone is safe.”

“Mrs. Balcomb, why don’t you have the outdoor cat pen wired to the alarm system?” Craig asked.

“Well, there is no entrance from outside. The cats are never in there at night. And I saw no reason to wire it.”

“But this guy was going to cut into the wire fencing in order to deposit the poisoned fish. An alarm system would have alerted us.”

“We evidently don’t need an alarm system with Ragsdale,” she reasoned. “So do you know who it was, Detective?”

He thinned his lips. “Not yet. We’re waiting for lab results. We may have gotten a fingerprint or two.”

Everyone sat quietly for a moment, then Craig turned to Michael, who had just walked into the room. “Have you given any thought to who could have used one of your notepads to write Savannah’s cell number down?”

Savannah and Michael both shook their head.

“Heck, it could have been a client, a delivery person, the mailman, or a vagrant who rifled through our trash, for heaven’s sake,” Michael said.

“Or someone who has visited or who works for a client who had a piece of that note paper,” Savannah said, “or…”

Craig put his hand up to stop them. “I get it. You don’t have a clue.”

“An even more daunting question is how did he get my cell number?”

“What’s going on?” June asked, looking from Craig to Savannah. “Certainly these people aren’t after you, too.”

“I don’t think so,” Savannah said.

Michael smiled at his wife. “She seems to have a secret admirer.”

“A stalker is more like it,” Savannah said, shuddering.

June frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, we had to outrun him in the car last night,” Iris said, as she entered the room carrying a breakfast tray for June. “The rest of you can come into the dining room for your breakfast,” she added.

“Won’t you join us, June?” Savannah invited.

“Oh no, I don’t think so.” She then looked up at Savannah, glanced at Craig and Iris and said, “Yes. Yes, I’d like that very much.” She motioned for Iris to take her tray, and Craig helped her to stand. “Let’s dine like a civilized family, shall we?” She looked back at the cats, most of whom were eating the breakfast Colbi had prepared for them. “My babies won’t miss me and I do enjoy your company.”

“Well, good,” Savannah said. She caught up with Iris. “Hey, Aunt Riss-Riss, what are we having?”

“Veggie scramble and French toast with fruit,” she said. I made some vanilla coffee for those who want something different.”

“Awww…” Craig started to say.

She stopped him. “…and plain coffee for you, honey bun.”

Just then Craig’s phone chimed. He answered, “Hello?” After a brief silence, he said, “Be right there.” He looked toward Iris.

“I know, I know. Keep yours warm. Will do.”

When Craig returned, most plates were nearly cleaned and all eyes were on him.

“Well?” Savannah said.

“Well, we didn’t find any fingerprints. The dude must have worn gloves during last night’s escapade.” When nearly everyone complained, he said, “But…”

“But what?” Savannah asked.

“But we hope to get a lead from wherever they bought the fish.”

“So you have a busy day ahead huh, Craig?”

He nodded. As he picked up his fork and began to eat his breakfast, he glanced around. “What are the rest of you doing today?”

“I want to go home and pick up a few things—maybe do a load of laundry and make sure the other animals are okay,” Savannah said.

“Heavens, Savannah,” June said, “pack them up and bring them over here—there’s always room for more. And a dog on the premises might not be a bad idea.” She squinted in Savannah’s and Michael’s direction. “You did tell me you have a dog among your menagerie, didn’t you?”

Savannah nodded, then said, “Oh, I don’t know, June.”

“Yeah, I think we’ve imposed enough of our family on you,” Michael said. “They’re just fine where they are. Savannah’s aunt is caring for them.”

“Whatever you decide,” June said.

“What about you, hon?” Savannah asked. “What do you have going today?”

“Maybe I’ll challenge Damon to a game of tennis,” he said, grinning across the table at Iris’s oldest son.

“And maybe I’ll take that challenge,” Damon said. He winked at June. “Only I have a date later this morning—right Miss Daisy…I mean, Miss June?”

She gave him a scolding look, then smiled sweetly. “Right. We’re visiting my dear husband’s grave. It would have been his eightieth birthday today.”

“My, my, Ms. June,” Colbi said impishly, “you robbed the cradle, did you?”

June simply smiled demurely.

Iris broke the silence that followed. “Well, I’m making lasagna today and a peach pie.”

“Peach pie, this time of year?” Colbi asked.

“Yes, thanks to Savannah’s canned peaches fresh from their orchard.”

June’s eyes lit up. “Oh goodie. I hope it will be ready in time for my noontime meal.” Iris smiled and nodded.

“Colbi, what are your plans for the day?” Savannah asked. “Want to hang out with Lily and me?”

“I’d love it,” she said. “We haven’t done a girl thing in a while. But I need to be here when Rick comes to groom the kitties. I help with their nails and I get to comb some of them. Last time he was here, we got enough fur out of those cats to knit a sweater,” she quipped. She then said, “He’s coming at ten.”

“Perfect,” Savannah said. “I’ll put Lily down around ten, so we’ll be ready to go by noon. We can stop and get something to eat.”

“Oh no,” Colbi said, “not if that peach pie’s ready by then.” She turned to Iris. “You’re making more than one, aren’t you?”

Iris looked at Dora and Edie, who both nodded.

“Iris, I thought
you
were making them,” Savannah said.